thumb sucker...

Claire has become a part time thumb sucker...I know I shouldn't want my kid to suck her thumb, but I really can't help it! It is one of the cutest things I've ever seen...




This morning she let out a daddy sized burp...I had to look around the room to make sure that it was really her! I told her it was a 'monster' sized burp! She laughed at that...mostly because 'monster' is also her name...

Isn't she the cutest thing you ever did saw?? (like my grammar? don't worry, it was intentional)
Her "Rosi" cheeks are my favorite things to kiss! I get 'rosi' cheeks when I wake up, too...I wonder if I look that cute!

cow tied!

Amazing to me how much dads like to play with their kids! This better not change...
Nick likes to have Claire do amazing feats---you know, like hanging by her own grip from his fingers...Or standing all by herself since she was a week old or so!





Last night, she had a hard time staying asleep...even before we went to bed...so I was letting her cry to see if she would go back to sleep by herself...after a while of that, it was decided that she wouldn't---Nick gets up and says, 'can I go get her and help her?' Do I have the cutest hubby ever?? I think so...15 minutes later, he's out on the couch with her screaming in his ear for food---something he has a hard time producing, having no mamory glands, you know...But he was just content to try...I love that boy...one of my most favorite things in the world...

Nick's bday...

Well, I'm a little late in getting this out, but this is what we did for Nick's bday:

1. Made him breakfast...(Usually, because I have to get up with Claire, Nick lets me sleep until Claire gets up...This usually means that he has to get up and ready alone...In four years of marriage, this has never been the case and it makes me a little sad, but necissary for my sanity and therefore, his...ha ha) A Dave (farmstore guy, for those of you that know and care) Tradition: Egg sandwich.

2. Lunch was from Cafe' Sabor with a dozen donoughts to pass out to those he wanted to...

3. A hair cut from our fav girl at the local beauty college and a scalp massage...ahhhhhhhhhhh....

4. Family pics to go on our Christmas cards...I've had the BEST luck with Kiddie Kandids...if anyone has a better suggestion, let me know...We've tried a few others with little success...

5. Presents and dinner

A few weekends ago I kidnapped him for a weekend watching musicals in Utah County while my parents babysat...It was a blast...

Happy Thanksgiving!

We went to Phoenix for Thanksgiving this year...We were able to stay in my sister's friends home (everyone had their own bedroom and bed, there was a pool table, swimming pool/hot tub, theater room, and two huge dogs that Nick adored! K, not really)...Claire sat on the floor in her bumbo while we ate dinner...She's figured out how to grab hold of things and she was swinging her spit up clothe like no body's business! Love that kid...

The car ride was not something I ever want to experience again, and I'm sure it could have been a whole lot worse...Claire was an angel even having to sit in that stupid seat for over 26 hours in six days!
This picture is us in the grocery store shopping for Thanksgiving dinner...Claire is sitting on a scale in the produce section...isn't she cute!?

private, please!

So, after talking with a few of my friends, it has come to my attention that having an open ended blog allows a lot more people than my family and friends to read it. I have, therefore, decided that it is not a good idea for anyone who wants to look at my blog and my baby. I will, therefore, be going "private". Sorry if this inconviences anyone. Know it is not done to drive everyone crazy, but as a somewhat paranoid/protective act towards ensuring that only people I choose may look at my blog. We love you all! thanks for your patience!



Yesterday, after Claire ate her cereal, she was a mess...Nick was washing her off in the sink and she decided she needed a drink...It made us laugh so hard, we had to take a picture...

Presenting: Hula Dancer, Claire!


We were sitting down to eat dinner...Nick keeps trying to teach Claire new tricks, so he gave her his drink...She must have been more hungry than I thought, because she decided to suck on it! she makes me laugh!

first feeding...rice cereal...

Can't imagine what this stuff tastes like, but it sure smells awful!!! Poor Claire, no wonder she didn't want to eat it.

Claire's four month check up was today! 95% for height, 40% for her weight and 75% for head. The WIC office did it for her on Monday and said that she was 80% for height, 20% for weight and 60% for head. I've come to realize that it is all so subjective. She was such a sweety! when those mean nurses stuck her with multiple needles, she screamed initially and then Daddy picked her up and she quieted down to a low whimper. I hate those moments. I could barely watch...she was so brave. She even gave the nurses a smile on their way out the door. I have the best baby! I don't think I could be nurse...I would hate to HAVE to make a baby intentionally cry. And then have to deal with crazy parents who look at them like they did this maliciously! Good work, nurses...thanks for taking care of our kids in a way I can't stomach.

I need to start writing down the conversations Nick has with her. They are the funniest sentiments. His phrasing is key and I wish I could remember one in specific right now, but I will start remembering because I know I get a kick out of them and I would love to have knowledge of the things my daddy said to me as I was a baby so I'm sure Claire would love it, too.

I have started doing coupon clipping. Can I tell you a few of the deals that I got this week? Oh, good...thanks. Dove shampoos and conditioners were $.17 per bottle. Carnation evaporated milk for FREE!!! Vitamin water for FREE! Salad dressings for $.09. All laundry detergent for $.67 per bottle. Can I tell you that I feel like even though I only work a little bit each week, this saves us so much money that I feel like I have a part time job. I spent $38 on groceries that should have cost me close to $300!!!!

I also wanted to mention my take on immunizations...there is a lot of hype about them right now...leads to autism, etc...My biggest reason for doing it: Missionaries have to have them before they turn in their mission papers. I don't know what that means exactly...but that makes me feel more comfortable making that decision. If people have other opinions or knowledge, I would really enjoy furthering my education on the subject.

trick or treating for 3 month olds.

We went to Nick's work...mostly to show off Claire to all of Nick's office buddies. I didn't bring a basket or anything to go trick or treating with, but none the less, they forced the candy on us. I kept saying things like, "who do you think is really going to eat this? It's not Claire...unless you mean in a secondary way." they thought I was just joking.

daddies...

I have had such an awesome week! Nick will come home and grab Claire and talk to her. I was making dinner while he grabbed her on Wednesday and this video is what he was doing. He has also been working on getting her to rest her head on his shoulder. She won't do it! She's too interested in what's going on around her. Nick tried to help her learn and gently pressed her head to his shoulder while he was laying on the couch. Immediately, she let her legs come up into the air, almost like she's a see-saw! We couldn't stop laughing, so we had to make her do it again. This morning, she woke up a little early. Nick LOVES to get her out of bed so he can pretend that she only wants him. Well, I'm sure that would be true, except I have all the food, so probably not...yet. I have terrible eye sight, so last night, Nick was filing her nails down. The most adorable picture in the world, and I missed it. Hopefully I'll get one next time. Daddy giving Claire and manicure. I'm sure there is nothing better. I love my little family... Today we get to go up to Nick's work for a Halloween party. She is supposed to dress up.

Halloween Costumes...

Wow, I was trying to come up with a costume for quite a while. Finally, I was shopping at Shopko for a diaper tote (which no one seems to have, btw) and found this CUTE hat and glove set for Claire that look like lamb wool with ears. I decided on that for a costume. I am a very poor seamstress, but I did my best. It is one of the most patchy jobs of sewing anyone can imagine, but the overall affect is pretty adorable---if nothing more than it being Claire that makes it so. Anyway, we took her to Old Navy (costumes were on sale for $5. For next year, though). If she came all dressed up, we were to recieve a coupon for a free tee shirt. So, Nick got a shirt for $6, Claire got a costume for $5 (normally $30---woohoo), I got a shirt for free and I got to show off Claire in her homemade costume prior to Halloween.
Nick was dressing her init this morning and he mentioned that it should come with instructions because it was so poorly designed. I'm sure it's true, but he did a good job getting her into it anyway. Isn't she adorable!?

Voting...

The presidential elections are coming soon. So far, I am not interested in either of the contenders for the presidency. My cousin sent me this:

No matter your religious choice, please, please view this and please forward it on. It’s a very powerful message for all and it’s an amazing video.

I hope all of you will go to this site and see what the Catholics have done to encourage their 67 million people on Election Day. They don't tell them how to vote, but they sure do get their message across. I believe this is an inspiring message for this coming election, so I’m sending it to you.

http://www.catholicvote.com/Default.aspx

This only confirms the NEED to vote, but not who to vote for. Any suggestions?

Bathtime

Claire is so cute in the bathtub. She splishes and splashes! We have struggled finding a good bathtub for her because the one she has, she can scoot her tush right over the top of it and then she is free floating in that tub. Here is one of my fav videos of her in the tub-splashing...this is before she learned what we call the "bump game".


This is another 'tub' we tried. It's just a Bumbo(r) that helps her sit up before she is actually capible of it on her own. We stuck it in the bathtub, but the water would only get so high before it would start to float---making it super dangerous. It makes me giggle, all the same.

attempting to giggle...

Daddy has been so amazing with Claire-bear. She has had a hard time sleeping the past couple of nights...needless to say, that means I have also had a hard time sleeping. Yesterday I woke up from a nap to hear Daddy taking care of Claire. He decided to interview her. This is part of it.
Earlier this week, we recorded this. Nick has found that Claire's collarbone is ticklish. We have been trying to record her giggling for a few weeks, but most of the time if we stick a camera right by her, her attention tunes into the camera and not giggling. Nick had her giggling a TON right before this was taken and I tried to stay out of the way so she wouldn't realize there was a camera. Unfortunately, I think she was done 'showing off' by this point. It's still cute, though.

Important October dates

Oct. 4-Amy's bday
Oct. 9-Nick and deb's anniversary
Oct. 10-Lies' bday
Oct. 12-Emma's bday
Oct. 23-Tamme's bday
Oct. 27-Ben and Tamme's anniversary
Oct. 30-Tim and Jill's sealing

We have Cristi and Kathy's bdays here too, I just don't remember which days.

TODAY IS LIES's BDAY! I just had to tell my sister how much I love her. I will never forget the days of her getting me down in the living room in the Grandview house. She would sit on my chest and pin my arms under me all the while tickling me (which I had a hate/love relationship with because I loved the attention and hated the tickeling) and then she would make me declare her Queen and THEN declare myself as her lowly peasant. To this day, she still calls me "Zant" for short. I love you, Sis. Hope you will do that with Claire.

Happy Anniversary #4

This year went as such...Well, the important parts: I scheduled a night out for last Friday as a surprise to Nick. My good friend (whose prego and forgets things in her newly found state of mind---I call it placenta brain), let it slip to Nick the day before we were supposed to go. Then my babysitter called to cancel and I was so bugged! Well, maybe not so bad---I hate being away from Claire for even a few hours, the dread of a nursing mother aside. when she's asleep, I long for her to wake up and while I could use a bit of a break every now and then, I get to that moment and dread leaving. Am I crazy?
So, we opted to just go out the following week on our actual anniversary and save the money we would have spent on the babysitter and dinner out.
On our anniversary, nick took me to my fav local italian resuraunt and then to a string quartet concert afterwards...a very 'me' evening. I felt very spoiled. My bishop was there with his wife and bored to tears. he and nick kept exchanging glances. Nick is so good to put up with what I enjoy.

I LOVE MY BABY!

Brisingr....

Okay...I'm reading Brisingr by Christopher Paolini...very strange...I keep getting the impression that he is LDS. In the last CHAPTER, he has mentioned how all present religions have a sliver of truth, metal bows...etc. It's really kinda odd...does anyone KNOW if he is? It really doesn't matter, he's just sparked my curiosity.

Tagged...again

Not as easy as you might think! Now copy or forward, change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to send back to the person you received it from!

I don't follow directions so you don't have to either.


1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your significant other? Nick
4. Your mother? Rosi
5. Your father? 'Bill-van'
6. Your favorite thing? Claire
7. Your dream last night? dropping Claire while feeding her---nightmare, actually
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal? finacially sound
10. What Room are you in? bedroom
11. Your hobby? right now...nursing and reading
12. Your fear? ...not sure...
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? in my own home
14. Where were you last night? dollar store?
15. Something that you aren't? lazy
16. Muffins? PUMPKIN!!!!
17. wish list item? setting aside money for future
18. Where you grew up? Utah, mostly
19. last thing you did? shower
20. What are you wearing? undies
22. Your pets? not allowed....
23. Friends? You
24. Your life? full
25. Your mood? overwelmed
26. Missing someone? Rosi
27. Your car? Saturn
28. Something you're not wearing? hat
29. All time favorite snack: Claire sandwiches
30. Favorite movie: Live free or die hard
31. Favorite season: fall!
32. Your favorite color? green
33. When is the last time you laughed? reading krista's answers
35. Who will resend this? no one
36. Four places that I go to over and over? the zoo, box elder high school, my home, the grocery store
37. people who email me regularly: hmmmm...Chayla?
38. My favorite place to eat: someplace with more on the menu than meat.
39. Four places I would like to go right now: NYC, Europe
40. Four people I think will respond: blah, blah, blah and blah

I've been tagged...you can blame Shayla

For all of those who are 'tag-challenged' (I didn't know what this meant!): If I'm tagging you it means you are to copy this to your own email/blog/whatever and answer the questions.


TV shows I love to watch:
1. Ummmm...Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicals
2. Heroes, sometimes
3. WEST WING!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Friends
5. John Adams (HBO one, really really good)
6. Oh, this one is good: ______________ (fill in your favorite)
7. So is this one: ____________
8. I just LOVE TV, that is why we have it (or don't)
8 places I love to eat:
1. Wendy's! best Chili and Ceasar Salad around
2. Red Robin
3. Anything Italian: gnocchi is yummy
4. Cold Stone---Dairy products, so good...
5. Winger's
6. Mimi's Cafe'
7. Most places that don't serve meat: AKA nowhere Tamme would eat
8. Bagel places...carbs, yum.

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. Changed a diaper or 12
2. Worked out
3. changed some more diapers
4. did some laundry
5. taught
6. folded that laundry
7. scrubbed poop out of clothes
8. woke up 5 times to feed Claire...I hate growth spurts!

8 things I look forward to:
1. Giving Claire a bath...she's such a splasher!
2. General Conference this weekend
3. Cleaning up poop at the zoo and at home (I don't know if I look forward to this, but I do have it as a pinnacle in my mind as something that I must do).
4. Nick finishing school
5. Having my sister (Lies) make me a scrapbook of Claire
6. Joining Craig Jessop's choir up here
7. Getting back at Shayla for this ridiculous blog
8. Raising a family, yeah.

8 things I love about Fall:
1. Leaves...all leaves (except when raking the 15th or 16th truckload at the zoo)
2. A pumpkin flavored world
3. sweaters...most appropriate for the sweater song
4. anything warm...hot chocolate, hot cider
5. my anniversary
6. school starting (one of the first where I'm not starting school though---boo hoo!)
7. Watching things change and prepare for winter.
8. something else to go here that I can't think of...

8 things on my wish list:
1. not owning a van (but I will probably cave...suv's mpg is scary!
2. Buiding a better testimony
3. growing my own garden
4. paying off all school loans!!!!
5. nice home
6. living close to family
7. feeling great about my body...does this ever happen to anyone?
8. being happy

9 people I'm tagging:
1. Shayla (yes, you get to do this again! I'm evil!)
2. Tamme
3. Riss
4. Marisa
5. Marlies
6. Becky Jane
7. Krista
8. Amy
9. Jill

Pink

Well, most of you know that I am not a lover of pink! I do want to point out, however, that my husband is and thinks our girl should love it too. Plus, how many times you mention to people that you don't like pink doesn't matter because they then hear you are having a girl and then they inevidably buy you pink anyway, thinking that somehow your pink disdain desolved when you discovered that you were having that girl. It's actually one of the main reasons I wanted a boy first. Then I wouldn't have to take so much flack about recieving pink when I decidedly don't like it! No, really! I don't like pink.
Okay, what really happened is this: Everyone keeps being SO generous and thoughtful. They like the pink, so I should too. I had a neighbor decide to give me a garbage bag full of girl clothes (she's done having kids). They were free and they were all pink. so, what do you do? You dress her in pink, (yuck) and deal with it.
It's actually really funny. And I really do recieve a lot of flack about it. My in-laws bought me a pink Barbie doll for Christmas last year just to tease me about how much pink I would be recieving. I'm still appalled, but it is currently under my bed, waiting for some new lost soul to pass it on to. Everyone can like pink and a lot of people do look good in it, and even some cominations of pink (pink and brown is really cute) I like, but for all points of humor, I don't like it. te he.

naps...

Claire has started to slow down on the nap thing (finally). While it's good because that means I can go places and not interupt her sleep cycle, she has gone ito hyperdrive of not wanting to take a nap and when she does, it lasts exactly as long as I'm nursing her, then she wakes up and is cranky. I know she NEEDS naps, I just can't get her to take them lately. Any suggestions? I could sure use one right now. ha ha.
I love, love, love music. I can't get enough of it. It's a good thing I have so many friends and my MOM to discuss it all with. Right now I'm trying to find Nessun dorme from Turandot by Puccini on my playlist. It says it doesn't exist. If anyone else can find it, let me know.

tidbits

So, I was reading my brother-in-law's (Daniel) email to the family and I decided that my mother-in-law has to be freakin' out right now. The first paragraph consisted of what his area is like. He proceded to describe a street in the City that has a mosaic on it with a list of some 50 odd people on it that are all people who died on that street in recent history. Then he said not to worry because not only is God looking out for them (good, good), but a few gangs too, apparently. While this makes me laugh my head off and worry slightly, I can imagine my dear mother-in-law wondering where she sent her son to.
My neighbor is in charge of the ward party tonight. I was incharge of purchasing a tub of frosting (seriously like one of those 50 lbs canisters of flour---who can go through that much frosting!). Yuck. Literally a tub of lard.
We have so many dogs in the neighborhood that I'm ready to pull out Nick's twenty-two. They NEVER shut up! Three in the morning and one starts and then the other 23 (I've counted) join in. Owners of pests, I mean pets, beware! It is not okay to let your dogs bark for so long that the others in the neighborhood join in and wake up the babies! AGH!
My sister-in-law is the best writer I have seen in a while. She is so good at putting her voice into her writing. Every last thing she writes makes me openly laugh---and I can't help it! She is so funny! I won't advertise her for fear of making her nervous or embarrassed, but I am always reading her blog just to see what she will come up with next. My favorites are conversations with her children.
Nick is taking this class in business owning and starting up and he had to make a list of 24 different business startup ideas. All very interesting---some I hope to see come to fruitation.

blogs-smogs

It is crazy to me to think that something else has to look like a scrapbook, which is all well and good, but now I can't settle for the basic, I have to have the complicated, ornate, rediculous version because I can't seem to be thought of as doing something simply. What is wrong with me anyway?
Naw, I think I have finally figured it out a bit (thanks to David). And it is a lot easier than I first invisioned.
Nick, Claire and I went to a lunch that his work hosted for Claire, through me, which was really for him. I recieved ooddles of complements on how wonderful Nick is while all the women there sat and ooggled at Claire, wanted to hold her and smile with her. It was really awesome to know he is working for such great people. Although I hate presents (what do you say when someone asks what you need...no matter who you are and if you need 300 things, I'll bet more often than not, you say "Oh, I think we have what we need, but thank you for asking."), it was a good time. Claire was an angel, she giggled and cooed for all of the ladies to see. My little girl is the best! And while I'm braggin, I might as well admit my husband is too.

Our First Family Picture

I have finally gotten around to doing one of these. I'm sure most of you are saying it is about time. Sorry about that. So, down to business.
Currently: Nick and I have been married for almost four years (10.9.2004). We were blessed with our new baby girl: Claire Nichole Sorensen on July 6, 2008. She was 7lbs 6oz, 21 inches long. She had a rough start, she had to stay at the hospital to be treated for pnemonia, but she made a quick and healthy recovery and we were so greatful to bring her home the following Friday after she was born. She has already met all of her grandparents, great grandparents, her great-great grandparents, all of her aunts and uncles and cousins (except for Ben's family---we miss you, you Texans!), including a quick goodbye to an uncle who decided to serve an LDS mission in New York! Deb has NO problem visiting there, though I don't know if we would see a lot of the missionary (not that we are allowed), but you know...any excuse to get to NYC.
Everyone already knows that this little girl is going to be a Daddy's Girl. She is an angel. She squacks and coos all day long (when she's awake---and sometimes when she is not!). Sometimes I'll wake up and find Daddy (who is supposed to be heading to work) 'talking' to his girl. He loves his girl and you can see it when you see the two of them together. It has become even more endearing since she started to smile and talk back to him.
Claire-bear loves her bath! I have a video that I will put on this blog---once I figure out how to do it. She has a million little nick-names and one of them is "Froggy" because she kicks her little legs so much. One uncle (Daniel---the missionary), mentioned that when she kicks her one leg, it looks like she is trying to start a motorcycle. Vaaaaa-roooom!
Grampa Sorensen was the first to get her to smile. He dotes on her almost as much as her daddy. You better believe that she is already spoiled rotten. 'Gamma' Sorensen has taken it upon herself to see that she already has enough diapers for her entire childhood. Aunt Marlies has made sure to clothe her till she is 45. I could list all the generousity that has been given, but I would have no time to write about Claire, so I'll stop there. Needless to say, family and friends are in abundance and we are so grateful for all of them.
Well, I think this is a good start. More later.