Sunday, December 16, 2012

Dec Update

Hi all!

We are doing great and sorry to have a little delay between the last postings. We're all geared up for the arrival of baby #2 who is due in less than a week!

Olivia has been keeping us plenty busy and she is fast approaching another huge milestone... WALKING!  She stands on her own now and has taken up to 4 steps towards one of us, before usually falling down giggling and SOOO excited about her new achievement! This really puts the term "baby steps" into perspective.  The motor skills, coordination and balance needed to walk are not easy to come by.  I know some day soon, the light bulb will come on and she will be off and running!

So now as I write this blog, I have one eye cocked over my shoulder to keep tabs on her since I know what kind of sillies and troubles she can get into in a moments notice. Like right now she is trying to wrestle a stuffed animal chew toy from Morton's mouth!

Some pictures of playing fun "games" in her room. Not sure I like this one though!
 

Here with her "smash cake" on her first birthday. She just looked at it and didn't understand the "smash" part. So we cut her a small piece and she nibbled at it.


Another pic with her best bud, Morton.

Signing off until next time when we will likely have a baby boy and a birth story to report!

Exciting times :) Love, claire, jason, olive & ?

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Olivia 1.0

Hello all!
Well, so much has changed in the past year when Jason and I became "plus one" with the birth of our baby girl last year on 11/22/11.  Wow, what a whirlwind of experiences and change. People say that it goes by so fast and now I know what they meant by that.

These days it seems like Olive is just changing and learning right before our eyes.  One day we were using pillows to block certain areas of the room from her getting into something. And the next day, she is moving the pillows, stacking them and using them to climb higher and get into more new things!

She is a very inquisitive and curious baby girl.  And while her energy level has seemed to skyrocket here in the past 6 weeks, mine certainly has not! *We are really excited to be welcoming baby #2 in a about 5 weeks!*

Just the other day, she started loving on a special stuffed animal we call Froggie.  I watched her in the crib on the baby monitor giving him a binkie, covering him with a blanket, cuddling with him, and even trying to change his imaginary diaper!  I think the timing is good for her to take interest in a special lovey since Jason and I will soon have our hands (and arms) full with another baby.

Here are a few pictures from the 11 month photo session that we had a few weeks ago.
 
  

This past year has presented us so many incredible blessings, challenges and downright CHANGE. And I don't expect the coming year to be much different as we adjust to being "plus 2" though we will have a lot more experience under our belts.

Though I hate to look too far ahead now since this is a special time that we will never have again, I am secretly looking forward to the time, say, a few years down the road, when the kids are a little older and a lot of the heavy lifting for raising infants/toddlers is behind us.  Maybe we can even take a vacation somewhere! (Ahh... the beach would be nice!)

Love always, claire

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Trick or Treat?

Hi everyone!
I am just getting in under the wire for another October message.  We are gearing up for Olive's first Halloween. See picture with her little angel outfit from the party they had at daycare the other day:
 Our house is full of people trying to kick a cold virus, but thankfully we are getting the upper hand. Last weekend, after being frustrated with a congested baby (for more than two weeks now) and no good advice from the doctor except wait for it to pass... I did what any smart, savvy mom in the 21st century would do.  I got on the computer and checked in with my Facebook mom's group for advice.

What came of this exploration will no doubt keep the vampires away from our house this Halloween!  The solution.... GARLIC. For three nights in a row, I packed Olive's feet with a minced garlic/olive oil poultice. Then I covered her feet with plastic wrap, socks and lace up shoes (in that order).  Poor thing had to sleep with stinky shoes all weekend because without the shoes, the socks would be off in a flash and the garlic/oil mess would be everywhere. She did sleep incredibly well, I must say, and she woke up with a touch of baby-garlic-breath (which smells like normal garlic breath except MUCH cuter :).

(knock on wood) I do believe this home remedy helped -- Garlic has powerful analgesic, antiviral and antibiotic properties.  By the way, I packed my own feet with garlic one night and woke up completely clear in my chest and sinuses. I am sure Jason is now kicking himself now for not putting some kind of "odd use of garlic" exclusion in our marriage contract.

Olivia has been increasingly vocal and active lately. She is loving climbing the stairs and playing on the slide at daycare.  In the food department, she lets them spoon feed her at daycare but won't let us do that anymore at home. She's not terribly picky or messy at the dinner table though she's learned how to feed the dogs scraps from her high chair which isn't great (she does let them lick her fingers clean too which I guess is a bonus!).  Each morning, she eats a scrambled egg with toast and fruit.  She loves salmon and other fish.

Baby Boy is cooking right along (32+ weeks now).  I am getting bigger and more and more ready for this pregnancy phase of my life to be over, though I know this is a small sacrifice to make and it will be over before I know it.  Needless to say, we are all looking forward to December and to meeting our baby boy!

We will have some pictures from a recent photo session to share next time. Love always, claire



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Energizer Baby

Hi everyone!
We're enjoying a beautiful Fall here in KC though Olive and I are both recovering from the flu that seems to be everywhere these days.

We just got back from a trip to Arizona to visit Jason's mom, Patti. This was the second airplane trip for Olive and she did really well. We bought a seat for her on the plane and brought her car seat. Both ways, we were seated in the very front bulkhead row. On the way there, she didn't sleep at all (darn!) because she was so busy checking everything out, tracking the flight attendant's every move.

When we got to grandma's house, even though it was late (especially considering the 2 hr time change), Olive was absolutely FULL of energy! She was practically race-crawling around the house to check everything out.  All three of us adults fell into bed just minutes after I got Babygirl down for the night.

I've heard that stimulating experiences can help kids advance, and I would say this was definitely one of them. Her level of activity and energy before and after this little 4 day trip has definitely increased. Verbal skills have really picked up as well - we are noticing lots of new words and even phrases.

Here are some pics with a giraffe from the Phoenix Zoo.

She has been the queen of funny faces these days.  When you hold the camera up - she sometimes does this cheesy little smile.

She weighed in at 20 lbs the other day at the doctor's office so she is growing well and getting strong! Walking is probably right around the corner.

Signing off until next time! Love, claire, jason & olive

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Tooth Fairy and other fun stuff


Hi all,

I am sneaking in just under the wire here for another September update! Olivia is doing great and keeping us all on our toes. She is crawling a lot and pulling herself up all of the time. Needless to say, we're taking things "to a higher level" around here to adjust!

Just today, the Tooth Fairy paid a visit and after much hard work on her part (and on our part to support her), her first tooth FINALLY cut through. I think we may have quite a run with teeth popping in for the next few weeks since she appears to be a "late bloomer" in this department.

One of the coolest things about parenthood (in my rookie opinion) is getting a front row seat to the many milestones in life and getting to witness the learning process first hand for things that, as adults, you take for granted. While it is not all sweetness and light, I have to say that parenthood is just plain more FUN than people had ever led me to believe. It is absolutely true that your life is never the same. You don't get as much sleep; your priorities change... but they failed to mention that you don't really miss all of that freedom (at least not most of the time). And what you get in return for the absolute honor and privilege of bringing into this world and raising a new human being is far far more than you ever give up.

At least that's how Jason and I both feel. And I am incredibly thankful for that.

What people do say that is absolutely true is that the change happens so fast and to take lots of pictures. We have been falling down in that department this month; but I am determined that we will purchase a video camera before baby #2 comes (and preferably before Olive starts walking so we need to start shopping!).

Regarding #2, he is cooking right along. I'm feeling good *except for heartburn this time which I never really had with Olive*. His room is coming together and we really need to start thinking about names!

Here are a few pics from the past month:

1. Learning to drink from a straw

2. Playing "monster baby" downstairs in the rec room (this game involves Jason or I crawling to chase her while in turn she chases us; we each 'hide' behind couches and furniture and everyone makes scary monster sounds)


3. With Faina, from daycare

 

Have a wonderful Fall. Take care ~the Cunningham family

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Dog Days

Hello all,
We had some sad news a few days ago. We had to put the eldest of our canine brood, Zanzibar - age 11, to sleep the other day.

He has been in declining health over the past few months, so I knew this day was coming eventually. But I still can't help but feel surprised by the suddenness of it. One minute you have this being that you are caring for and the next he is just gone.  I still call out to the yard for him, forgetting that he is not there. We still have two dog bowls, a matched set, for he and Vanna. We put one of them back in the cupboard, too saddened by the reminder of it.

Zan came into my life in 2001 as an 8 week old puppy.  That was 8 years before I ever met Jason and even longer before we ever dreamed of having Olivia. But maybe that's not really true either... to give him full credit for his place in my life, he was perhaps the first step in an important process for me. Part of a natural progression towards me becoming a mature and responsible adult, capable of caring for others, and able to create a family of my own. He really was my "first baby", a starter child of sorts.  Its funny that unlike Morton (who would love to be considered in the realm of human and is often treated likewise), Zan never strove to be more than just a good dog.

Zan was always a very cheerful fellow.  Looking back, one of the only "bad days" he ever had was just before Halloween in 2001. He was about 4 months old and though I had blocked him in the kitchen when I went to work, I had failed to put the two packages of chocolate candy for trick-or-treaters up high enough out of his reach. When I got home from work, he was sprawled out on the floor, tummy distended after having eaten all of that chocolate.  Lots of memories from that year... curling up on the couch holding a soft, sweet, squirmy puppy while watching the news coverage of the Sept 11 attacks.  Then later that same year, two of my nieces were born a few weeks apart.

Zan got his first taste of what life would be like with the new baby months before she actually arrived. After one of my baby showers, I set the haul of presents out for sorting in the living room. He found a frog stuffed animal in the pile and decided it looked like his toy.  So I took it from him and scolded him, but for days after that, no matter how well I tried to hide it, he would find the same toy again and take it from the pile. He wasn't trying to destroy it, just claim it for his own. Jason and I both thought it was funny especially because Zan never really showed much interest in toys. But the lesson about what was his and what was the baby's definitely stuck. When we brought her home, he was very gracious, always giving us a wide berth and never trying to pry into what was going on.


In memory of Zan, I'd like to take a minute to thank the millions of companion animals out there who share their lives and bless their owners with unconditional love.  Thank you for being there for us sometimes when it is hard and for teaching us invaluable life lessons about loving and letting go.

xoxo claire

Thursday, August 23, 2012

9 Month Update

Hello!
We are all doing well here and enjoying the end of Summer. Olive is keeping us busy watching her as she explores "kid friendly" parts of the house.  It seems that playing with toys is no longer fun, but pulling books out and digging through drawers is really a blast. We are slowly getting our kid-proofing game together and hoping to stay one step ahead of her!

Feeding her these days calls to mind the negotiation and selling tactics book "Start with No" - I think the author must have been trying to spoon feed an infant when they came up with the idea for that book. She enjoys telling us "no" by shaking her head and going "uh uh" when she is done eating or doesn't like what is offered.

We have been working with her on "no" when she gets into something that is off-limits. When you tell her no, she will stop and look at you... then smile and giggle as if to disarm you by her charm and cuteness (which sometimes almost works!). Then she will often test the wrong behavior again but more slowly and with an eye cocked in your direction.

We had a great time in Colorado in early August, relaxing and spending lots of fun family time. Here is a picture of Jason hiking with Olive near the house.

I can't believe how much she has changed in the past month. She has less "baby" look about her and more little girl. Waving bye bye and clapping hands are fun these days too.

The one on the way is doing great. I am at about 23 weeks now and feeling good. Take care. Love, c  


Monday, August 6, 2012

Anniversary!

Hello everyone,
Today, Jason and I celebrate our 2nd Anniversary! It is amazing to look back over the past two years at all that has changed in our lives. Even with the occasional curveball that life sometimes throws, I am so happy and blessed to report that our love is stronger than ever.

For me, marriage has been about learning how to give up some of my independence and work with my partner to find our common ground. I'm sure Jason would agree that we are both strong and (sometimes) stubborn individuals, so we have to try to see things from the other's perspective.

One of the best things about being married to your best friend is truly knowing a person, and loving them all the more for it. Finding the humor in life is also key. I have learned that Jason is really good at cleaning up a baby with sticky fingers and food all over her face. He is excellent at packing a suitcase and loading up the car. He refuses to stop at rest areas on road trips because he says they are bastions of crime and devious behavior (I just thought they were places to go to the bathroom!). He may be the only person that I know who doesn't like 'smores, but he will gag one down around the campfire with friends to be social... I have also learned that he is an absolutely devoted husband and amazing father. Yeah, sometimes I think I hit the jackpot.

Last night, Babygirl gave us our anniversary present early by showing off a new skill... CRAWLING!  It was a big milestone in our world as now she is officially mobile. Time to kick the baby-proofing into high gear.

For the weeks leading up to this milestone, Jason has been "training" her for what I call the Baby Olympics. He would stack cups across the room and entice her to crawl/wiggle or otherwise mobilize herself to come and knock them over. We are also getting really good at throwing balls and toys in a competition I call the "Binki Toss". We have observed that she does a lot with her left hand so we might have a southpaw in the making like both my dad and grandfather on the Coughlin side. Unlike my dad who was chastised at Catholic school by the nuns for being lefthanded (because they thought it was a "mark of the devil"), I think we will come down on the side of whatever Olivia prefers!

Olive is getting in to more solid foods these days; sucking on pickles, lemons and limes is a favorite pasttime. Here she is working on a lime at a favorite mexican restaurant.

Baby number 2 is cooking right along and I am feeling really good. Signing off until next time, Love Claire

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Round Two!

Hi all,
So as you know by now if you've followed this blog, we are gearing up for baby number two come December.  This pregnancy is just flying by for me and I am feeling really good overall. Speaking of that, Olive has some news to share about the new baby:

FYI, her shirt says "Dear Diary, I asked for a puppy, not a brother."

So what I suspected all along is true... we're having a boy!! We're very excited and feel so very blessed.  I know that the days to come will be crazy and chaotic at times, but I know Jason and I are up to the task.

Now, more serious planning can commence, like decorating the new baby's room and deciding on a name.

In other news, we had a great time in Madeline Island, WI with my sister and her family in early July. Here's a picture of Olive on the ferry boat to the island.


These days, Morton and Olive often play a game that I call "Baby Fetch". They sit on the rug about a foot apart and roll the tennis ball back and forth to each other.  She takes breaks periodically to stroke and pull the hair on his front paws and to feel his toenails which really interest her.  I think it's funny that we have all of these baby books with fake fur that the baby is supposed to want to touch, but she would rather go for the real thing!

Take care and stay cool in this summer heat. Love, Claire

Monday, July 2, 2012

Summer Fun!

Hi All,
We've been enjoying this (very hot) summer and getting out and about with Olive. She is on the verge of cutting teeth and crawling, but hasn't done either just yet. So we have two major milestones coming up soon which is exciting!  She is very active and interested in things.

My mom took her horse-back riding a few weeks ago and I have some pictures of them riding our beloved retired show horse Willie.  Then we went out to the barn again about a week ago and had great fun riding with cousins and other family members on the Cunningham side.  She really likes horses!


Saddled up and ready to go!

Grandma, give me the reins! I can do this on my own!

And of course, we know she likes puppies!

She's also had a great time at the pool at Jason's dad's house.  Finally, this last weekend, she decided the pool was not too cold and really fun!  She probably could have stayed in the water all day.

With the next blog update, we should know the sex of baby #2 and we will be sure to share that news. Until then, stay cool in this summer heat. Love ~ claire

Friday, June 15, 2012

News from Olive

Hi all!
We're gearing up for a fun Father's Day weekend here in KC! It will be Jason's first official Father's Day so celebration is definitely in order.  Last week, he purchased a cool smoker for the occasion which has already been fired up a few times. This morning, Olive was in a very chatty mood.  She started babbling in the letter of "D" and I swear I heard a "dada" in there somewhere!

Olive has some news to share with everyone.... believe me, this surprised look is similar to the look Mommy had when she found out!


It is true!  We are really excited to be welcoming baby #2 before the end of the year.  The due date as of now is 12/21/12.  I'm feeling a lot better this time around, thank Heavens. And time is flying by... this baby will be here before we know it!

As our "old" baby approaches 7 months of age, I realize how quickly they grow on you! So we're doing our best to record the moments with some good pictures.  See a few faves from her recent 6 month photo session with Little Bird Photo.


And another fun candid shot at home - blowing bubbles, of course!



Love, Claire, Jason, Olive & ?? Cunningham

Friday, June 8, 2012

Dog Crazy

Hello!
Since the last post, we have been on another road trip to Southwest Kansas with baby-girl and our beloved chocolate lab, Morton. Olivia does well on road trips, and I know the presence of her 4-legged "brother" and sweet friend help comfort her and pass the time.

In case you did not know this, we are dog people (I've had a few cats along the way too but find that cats and dogs are hard to mix). Apparently the "Olive" doesn't fall far from the tree! She is one dog-crazy-baby.  Wherever we go, she can spot a dog a half mile off. She loves to watch them and gets excited when they do things like fetch, bark, wag their tails, you name it. It is actually a beautiful distraction that works even when she is fussy! Poor Morton often gets called over to help "babysit" (i.e. entertain the baby).

We are of course VERY careful with her around dogs (especially dogs that are not named Morton). We trust him a little more because ever since we brought her home at 2 days old, he had this sweet, gentle manner and awareness around her so that's why we give him a little more slack.

The other day, Jason said something to Olive about going home to see Morton, and she lit up with excitement.  I think it's possible that she will know/speak his name before she even says Momma or Dadda!


Teething (and associated drooling) is still in full swing at our house with nothing to show for it just yet. Last weekend she woke up at 2 am with a 102 degree fever.  So Jason embarked on what is probably an initiation rite for new parents: a 3 am drive around town for a 24 hour pharmacy and Baby Tylenol.  She is doing fine now. Might have picked up a bug from daycare but it has passed.



She is sitting up really well now - see picture of the babies from our Bradley class at a recent picnic (Olive is top left in lime green).



Our neighbors have a baby who outgrew a jumper so they gave it to us. Olive LOVES it!  This is a great thing to use when we are making dinner in the evenings.  We put Morton on entertainment duty and she hardly ever tires jumping in the thing.

I hope all is well with you and yours.  I hope to have another update fairly soon when we get the pictures from her recent 6 month photo shoot.

Take care ~Claire, Jason, Olive and Morton

Friday, May 25, 2012

Babies of the Night

Hello all!
Sorry for the tardiness with this update but things have been a little sleepy around our household lately.  Our baby-girl who was so good at sleeping through the night has rediscovered the pattern of nighttime waking, feeding and playing.  The last few weeks has been closer to the first few weeks in terms of loss of sleep than any of us would like to admit.

The other morning, Jason was up with her, rocking her to try to get her back down and she just wanted to be awake and play. So he laid her down on a blanket on the floor of her room and got a pillow and blanket for himself to lay down too. When I went in to check on them, he said groggily that they were "camping".  She just looked up at me, beaming big smiles in the moonlight, wiggling and being silly. Someday camping will truly be fun but for now, we need to get some sleep!

I think some of the night time activity can be attributed to teething too (I wish those darn things would show up already!).  We are changing up her diet now with the introduction of some foods and I'm supplementing her breastmilk intake with homemade baby formula. That is all going well and I can already tell her sleep is improving.

Regarding her new skills -- she has completely mastered rolling over and she is very near mastery of sitting up solely on her own. She needs just a little back support these days.

Her personality is really blossoming too - she loves to laugh and giggle at us. She "blows bubbles" and makes silly noises.  We're having a blast with her and though teething and some of that fussiness isn't a lot of fun, we are looking beyond that to when she will be more mobile and able to communicate with us.

We had a 6 month photo session the other day so I will have some new pics to share soon. Here are some candid shots around the house.




Love always, Claire

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easter Bunny

Hello all!
I hope this update finds everyone well. We're doing great here and enjoying the beautiful Spring season here in KC.

Olive and I had a fun play-date last weekend with a friend and her 6 month old who is a beautiful and sweet and BIG baby boy.  I think play dates at this age are really meant for moms to hang out and socialize! We're not yet chasing our kiddos around but it won't be long!  Both being new moms, we were reflecting on the crazy adjustment to parenthood and how it's impacted us personally and in our relationships.  We both agreed that after you get past the first few weeks/months where there is just so much change/turmoil combined with so little sleep, it gets TONS better!

You basically find a new version of "normal" and eventually you forget the freedom you once had when you were single or married w/o kids.  You establish the routine and it eventually feels like less work.  You may even figure out how to get out the door in less than an hour in the morning (I'm down to about 50 minutes, YAY!).  I've come to value the sharing of advice and ideas from other women, especially when the advice is not judgmental or too tied to your outcome. 

And I absolutely love nursing the baby-girl... It wasn't always a favorite thing.  In the early days, it was like a job. Every few hours, on command, I would whip the boob out. It seemed like I was constantly feeding her!  Now, I value that time as our special quiet time-out together (I put away the smartphone, iPad, no TV, etc. so it is just us)  It's the time when I smell her, play with her hair, tickle her, clip her nails and notice how long/heavy she is getting!  Of course it isn't always sweetness and light (sometimes there is hair-pulling and spit up involved too! :) - but it is always good, it is nurturing and that's probably why I love it so much.

Another thing that I really enjoy is seeing Olivia interact with her Daddy. She and Jason have a really special bond that is so wonderful.  And it's really cool to see that side of him, silly voices and impressions and all.  He loves getting her to do the "belly laugh" -- it is really funny!

Our pediatrician told me something out of the blue on our first visit when Olive was 10 days old that I will never forget -- "Remember, motherhood is not martyrhood."  I take that to mean several things, depending on the message that I need at the time.  (1) ask for help and you shall receive; don't over-burden yourself, (2) sometimes you have to let things go and trust, (3) don't feel sorry for yourself; we all have jobs to do and (4) kids grow up, you will always be their mother, but she needs you so much now. Remember this time will not last forever.

Here are a few current pics of the Babygirl. She is coming up on 5 months in a few weeks!  She's currently rolling over and sitting up with assistance.



In the picture above, Dad is holding an Easter egg with her name on it! Next year she will be toddling around and maybe even finding her own eggs :)

Take care all, ~claire

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

4 months and growing strong!

Hi all,
Giving an update on Olivia as she passed the 4 month mark last Thursday.  She is doing great and growing well. She's a little in the light side of the spectrum weight wise tipping the scales at a little shy of 13 lbs but 95% in the height range.  I asked the doctor if he'd ever seen baby-girls daddy to see where maybe she got it from!?  We are already in 6-9 month clothes lengthwise but they are pretty roomy!

Her personality is really starting to show. She enjoys doing a call and response babble/shriek/coo combination, especially with her dad.  In the mornings, she is just all smiles and ready for the day to begin!   She has started rolling over so that is lots of fun too. Sucking fingers and playing with toes are also favorite pasttimes.


We frequent a few spots in town for dinners and she's actually developed a bit of a following - most of the servers at the Tavern in PV and Waldo Pizza know her and have enjoyed seeing her develop over the past months.

With Daddy at Waldo Pizza
My mom came over Sunday night to watch KU make it to the Final Four (Yay!).  Olive was downstairs watching the game with mom, and since I didn't hear any cheering, I figured KU was not doing well.  But it turns out mom was cheering silently so she would not wake the baby! :)

We're looking forward to a fun Spring season with various home improvement and gardening projects.  I hope this message finds our friends and family well. 

Take care ~Claire, Jason and Olive

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Olive update

Hi all!
I hope this message finds everyone doing well.  Olive is kicking and squirming her way towards 4 months of age and doing great. Lately she has been entertaining her parents with giggles, smiles, chirps, screeching and other gymnastics of the tongue.

We took our first airplane ride last month (exhale!) on a short hop flight to Denver to spend time in the mountains with my family.  Baby-girl was wondering what mom was so stressed about! I'm happy to report that the dirty diaper Gods smiled upon us.  We made it all the way from our front door in KC to Denver and to lunch in the city before we had to deal with a major blowout. Thank you very much!

While normally an eager traveler, as a parent I seem to have lost some of my travel mojo. Just packing for the trip took me forever and left my nerves a little thin (in the end, I packed WAY too much stuff!).  I guess like everything else with parenting, you just need to adjust and relax about some things.  And with traveling, you need to plan for extra time. Accept the fact that you are now the person/group of people that you previously tried to avoid being behind in the security line!

While we were in Vail, Olive was a little young to hit the slopes but she got to model some of her warm snuggly outfits (its almost been too warm this winter in KC to really wear them!).  She also got to check out the village in this sweet ride - mom figured out a good use for the cupholder too!


Here's another recent pic of the baby-girl mugging for the camera.

 Our little beauty is still a champ in the sleeping department.  She's gone through a few growth spurts where she wakes up hungry a few times at night but for the most part, she's figured out the many benefits of a good nights sleep! Bravo!

 

Here's to wishing everyone a wonderful Spring season with many new beginnings and blessings for us all.
~ Claire, Jason & Olivia Cunningham

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello!
I hope this message finds everyone doing well.  Jason and I are excited to spend our first Valentine's Day with our new little sweetheart, Olivia Marie (aka Olive) who is 12 weeks old today! I know that doesn't sound very old, but I can't remember what life was like before her.  What did I do with all of my free time!? 

I'll start with a few words about how she's doing - she's growing fast and still sleeping incredibly well.  She loves to make faces, silly sounds and giggles, especially in the morning. She loves bath time too.  She hasn't starting playing a lot with toys but she has some favorite blankies.  She prefers human interaction and watches our lips when we talk to her.  

She is quite a photogenic little one too!  Our home and offices are teeming with pictures of the baby-girl.  Here are some photo highlights from the 8 week session that we had with Little Bird Photo (Catherine VandeVelde).








Though we've had a really mild winter so far here in KC, we're all looking forward to Spring with the flowers and trees coming into bloom.  It will be fun to get out with her in the stroller or backpack when we can.

Here's wishing you all a wonderful Valentine's Day, filled with love of family and friends. 
xoxo Claire