Clara of the Bells

Clara is practicing her bell-ringing skills, so be on the lookout at a grocery-store near you...

We recently arrived in northwest Iowa for Christmas, and as I write the temperature with windchill is -22. Hooray for down, hot cocoa and a well-insulated house!

Merry Christmas!

Elf-tastic Clara

After a busy last month, we should be posting some good pictures. And we will be...soon. For now, though, we share with you a spectacle that is equal parts adorable, frightening, and hilarious. Your dreams will never be the same. Behold, Clara the Dancing Elf Quintet:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/yfOIqvUUn2qNOo74LP0z

This post is a limited-time offer, so be sure to watch before January 15.

Autumn in the Grass

And when I say "autumn," I do mean San Diego autumn, so don't be alarmed at all the short shirtsleeves. Clara was sporting her Horton onesie, so I figured some pictures were in order.



Synchronized poses for Clara and Dad:

Blinking...


...deadpan...


...and finally smiling. No family resemblance, right?

Our friend Sebastian stopped by for some relaxing, hair-patting, and baby-smooching.

Clara's First Halloween

Clara LOVED playing with the pumpkin goo. The fun was short-lived, however, since it only took three minutes for her to try to eat it. And while she is eating solids, stringy pumpkin goo/seeds are probably not yet pediatrician-approved. (Please forgive the blurriness- I just couldn't resist the caught-in-the-act face.)

Clara inspects the baby-pumpkin.

The Barack-O-Lantern.

Clara made her Halloween debut as a... BALLERINA!!

Congrats to all three of you who guessed correctly!

We owe a big shout-out to our friend Summer, who not only made and gave Clara her beautiful tutu, but loaned her the awesome pumpkin costume that appeared below. Can we tell that Halloween is Summer's favorite holiday?

Oh, and can we guess who Clara's dorky parents dressed as? Here's a clue: one loves Sprinkles, and one killed Sprinkles.

Blake is a lot bigger than Clara, but fun to play with.

Hanging with Blake and Megan, sporting the stogie-pacifier.

Sleepy peanut in ballerina sleeper, mesmerized.

The Pumpkin at the Patch

Halloween pictures are soon to come...Happy Fall!

Clara the Happy Camper

A few weeks ago Heather and I took Clara to Palomar Mountain for her first camping trip! Since Clara loves being outside, getting dirty and chillin' in general, we had a feeling she would like camping. We were not disappointed: she was a champ the entire time. (Sleeping in our cramped tent was a little rough, but that wasn't her fault).

Palomar Mountain is our favorite spot to camp in the greater San Diego area, less than two hours from home, but with an authentic mountain feel. The mix of canyon oaks, white firs and bracken ferns provides a lush backdrop for relaxation and makes for interesting hikes. Luckily, last years fires didn't damage the State Park too badly. Although we passed this time, the observatory atop the mountain is a fun science field trip. Stopping for coffee and giant cookies at the roadside Mother's Kitchen, on the other hand, is not optional.

Here are some pictures from the weekend, with Clara's thoughts included:





"You mean we just hang out all weekend?"

"Reading AND outside... my two favorites."

"Oh yeah--Mom too. Definitely a favorite."

"I'm going to stop trying to contain my excitement now. Yea camping!"

"Do you like my hat? All set for a hike- I get to cruise up here while Dad does all the work... sucker."

"Gnarly tree."

"I have a tree growing out of my head!"

"I'm just gonna rest my eyeballs for a second..."

"zzzzzzz"

"Why don't we have colors like this in San Diego? What do you mean, seasons?"

"Uh, Dad.. I'm not so concerned about the genus-species of this tree. I'd rather turn to my usual mode of scientific inquiry: Can I grab it? Can I put it in my mouth?"

Clara's Baptism

Clara Lynn LaForge was baptized at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church on September 21, 2008. The ceremony was especially meaningful to Heather and me because it was performed by our pastor and friend, Mike, at the 5:45 service, which we call home. Clara was supported by a tremendous group of loving family and friends who traveled from all over the country to celebrate with us. During the service, despite the sea of eyes upon her, Clara was exceedingly calm and attentive, as if she grasped the importance of the occasion. Her godparents, our good friends Blake and Megan, joined us on stage, and as a bonus Clara had the honor of helping Mike with the benediction.

Below are a few pictures of the pre-baptism bbq and the church service. Thank you so much to all of our friends and family who made such an effort to be with us and celebrate this joyous moment in Clara's life (and those sisters who were there in spirit- we missed you!).