Happy 1st Birthday Claire

Claire was one last Tuesday. We’ve had a busy week celebrating and enjoying her…and taking my usual 400 pictures that now have to be sorted.

My mom is here so on her actual birthday we decided to take the three of them to Ikea. It was a nice warm day so I didn’t start the van before loading all three of them. It wouldn’t start. I called Ford roadside and 45 mins later the truck arrived and revived the battery. As instructed, I let it run for 30 mins then turned it off since we weren’t ready to go. We then loaded up the girls again (do you see where this is going?) and of course it didn’t start again. I spent the afternoon of Claire’s 1st birthday getting towed to the dealer and then begging them to fix it quickly so we could take her out. No luck, it was in overnight. They had no car that could take 3 carseats so I got a loaner Focus, picked her up a birthday cupcake and then went home. Thankfully she had no clue. Her sisters were a little bummed they didn’t get an Ikea cinnamon bun but the excitement of Mr Ford coming to wake up the car and then tow it away was enough to keep them laughing.

When John got home from work she got her cupcake. She enjoyed smearing it in her hair more than eating it. Leah and Emma then helped her open and play with her gifts. She refused to go to bed at 7pm and was up til 10pm with what I thought was a sugar rush.

The next day she had her 1 year appt. She got weighed (just over 19lbs) and measured and then he checked her over before giving her the shot. Turns out she had an ear infection. It explained a lot of her recent sleeping and clingy habits. Poor thing. She can’t get her shot until her ear is cleared but she screamed bloody murder just getting looked at. Even the dr commented on how she was out of sorts compared to her usual sunny disposition. I think he remembers her from when she tags along for her sisters appts. Claire has never liked that paper they put on the examining table. 

I had my internal debate over antibiotics for the usual 3 mins and then picked up the prescription. She’s still pulling her ear alot and is not entirely back to happy. We’ve figured out pain meds wind her up so she gets them at dinner time rather than before bed.

We had a small family party for her on Saturday. She did really well. I remember when the girls were one I was so worried about them missing their nap and being disasters. Claire got a bit tired after lunch but she had a bottle and rallied. She finally passed out around 4pm for an hour and then was right back into party mode.

Her 1 year update is first on my list.

She’s really interested in standing on her own and taking steps.

Bye bye van.

Smearing cake

Great Auntie Bonnie’s cake

Party of five

Claire and the fam

Starting to work out this present thing