Clare & Toby on TV

Clare's soccer team was picked at Team of the Week from a local news station. Toby helps out at practices and games (thankfully) because the coach didn't show for this game (he had written down the wrong time). So, Toby jumped in and coached the girls who did really well and ended up winning. You can see Clare's toothless grin in the beginning, and her stopping a goal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPFZShIC8iI

Jurassic Dark

The MO Botanical Gardens are less than a mile from our house, and the Climatron is crawling with dinos. In the evenings, the use lighting and fog machines to make it spooky.

Searching for dinos.

Playing in the children's garden....

Billy Jean is Not a Lullabye

In the car.
Lydia..."WAAAAAAAAA"
Liz: Clare please sing to Lydia, maybe she'll calm down.
Clare: Billy Jean is not my lover.....

SOCCER! Clare's 1st game 9.12.10

Clare had her first soccer game and was very excited (but not without just a touch of nerves).

Sarah Ann, Clare, Greta, Joy, and Megan--the starters.

Clare volunteers to be goalie and LOVES it. She blocked 3 goals. Her "go-get 'em-ness" really shows through during soccer. She jumps right in the madness, and even as goalie, will get right down and grab the ball. (Since she'd never practiced being goalie, daddy who is one of the helper coaches, explains to Clare what to do.) Uncle Guy has some awesome action pics...and needs to email them to me.....eh hem...Guy.

A very proud momma.

Greta, Sarah Ann, and Clare having an after-game snack.

Mmmmm...a Greek soda afterwards to celebrate some hard work!

Native American Festival - Pere Marquette State Park

Clare is fascinated with how the Native Americans lived and their love of nature (not unlike her own). We took her to Pere Marquette State Park (IL) just an hour east of us for the their NA Festival.

Trying out the drums.

Our true Clare with her tongue out.
Showing off her sucker that looks like a feather.

Let's try that again....

Private Matters

Liz: "Clare, mommy bought you new underwear, okay?"
Clare: "Well, they'd better be the wedgie-free kind!"

Another Tooth Falths Outh

A Fifth tooth comes out (while wrestling on the bed with daddy...it was really loose anyway). A new grown up one is popping through on the bottom; that's good, because she has 2 more loose ones and if some of her grown up teeth don't come in soon, it'll be pudding and applesauce for this girl!

Clare Niahm Weed

Nope, the W is no longer for Winright. It's for Weed because she is growing like one. 1" in 3.5 months.

One of her NEW jumpers for school no longer fits as we found out this morning. :(

Random Pics

"Please, just tell me when it's over."

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Lydia - 1 month

Clare feeds Lydia for the 1st time.

Sisterly love. Although Lydia doesn't look like she's really feelin' it.

"I'm beginning to feel like mom works for the papparazzi."

Stroller ride video

Lydia's 1st stroller outing.

The Body Parts Song en Espanol!

First Walk and Fourth Tooth Folly

Lydia had her first stroller ride. Thinking of how much she hates the car seat and car ride, we were prepared to hear her scream. Quite the opposite. She didn't mind the stroller at all. Big sis Clare enjoyed pushing her sister, although she probably needs to attend Stroller Pushing 101 as many times as she went off the sidewalk into the grass.

Earlier in the day, Clare's teacher called to say that Clare's loose tooth had come out and she had accidentally swallowed it. She was upset, of course, thinking the tooth would hurt her tummy AND that the Toothfairy would not believe her and subsequently not come that evening. After reassurance from her teachers, she was okay. The toothfairy was kind enough to come that night as well.

This Little Piggy.....went to the doctor

We had Lydia's 1 month appointment. At birth she was 5lbs-7oz and she went down to 5lbs -2oz in the hospital. At 2 weeks old, she was 5lbs-14oz. Two weeks later at her 1 month check-up, she is 6lbs-12oz! This girl has been doing some serious eating!

A Medal-Winning Day!

Clare's teacher gave her a medal at school for trying SO hard to speak Spanish, when most of the kids were not. Her teacher was very proud of her. She also got a trophy for doing "the twist" so well in gym class. :)

Random Lydia pics....

Man, the bottle CAN be a best friend!

Sleeping...well...like a baby.

Soccer!

Not only was it the 1st day of school, but it was also the 1st evening of soccer practice. We're not "serious soccer parents"; Clare needs help with coordination and to help with her leg stiffness, and soccer was one of the recommended sports. She is also on a team with two good friends, Greta and Sarah Ann, who go to kindergarten elsewhere. It makes for a good way to see each other.

KINDERGARTEN!!!

First day of school: 8.16.10.
Clare was not thrilled about doing to kindergarten. It was going to be boring and she didn't want to be away from mom for so long. At one point, she said, "I wish I could skip kindergarten and go to the big school (college) and then retire and have a party." Me, too, Clare. Me, too. Keep that idea for when you can be the President, and you'll be a shoe-in. The first week was tough, but by the middle of the 2nd, she was actually liking it.

Clare goes to St Louis Language Immersion School where she will learn everything in Spanish.

In the hall awaiting her turn to go into the class.

Being greeted by her teacher, Profesora Maribel.

Finding her seat!

A sad "goodbye" from mom.

Hermione Granger or a flight attendant?

Help from Family & Friends

Pat (T's mom) was with us the week Lydia was born to help out because I was on bedrest for my blood pressure; it was so nice knowing Clare was taken care of while I spent extra time in the hospital after Lydia was born. When Pat left, my parents came to help out. When my parents left, our friends took turns bringing us dinner. We hadn't cooked in close to a month! We are so thankful to have such wonderful people in our lives!

Liz's parents, Larry and Jeanne.

Family story time before bed.

More Lydia...

Another day, more visits from friends and family.

Such a happy sister!

A happy family.

Finally home!

Not even home for a few hours and Clare places a dino in Lydia's hands....and she hangs onto it for a long time!

Clare and Gma Pat made welcome home signs for our doors!

Lydia Maeve Arrives! 8.3.10

Wow! What a day this was. Lydia Maeve arrived at exactly 9:30 in the morning of a very hot August day! She was 3 weeks early and only 5lbs 7oz and 19-1/4" long. A very little peanut! But, she was beautiful and healthy, and that's what matters.

Lydia is Greek and means "noble one".
Maeve (pron. May-v) is Irish and there was a Queen Maeve, and means "intoxicating".
Lydia's name was picked out during the Easter weekend. Coincidentally, she happened to be born on St Lydia's feast day. Go figure.

Okay, most are unaware of what exactly happened to me following Lydia's birth. To spare you the gory details, here it is in a nutshell. I hemorraged following her birth, and after 2 hours of trying to get the bleeding to stop, I went into shock. To save my life, a blood transfusion was started and I was whisked off to the OR to get the bleeding to stop. After 2 hours in the OR, I was back in my room, but in critical condition; did the surgery stop the bleeding? would my kidneys shut down? or both? I was given 6 bags of red blood and 4 bags of "fresh frozen platelets" as a result. If one or the other happened, I would have to go into surgery and my prognosis would be slim. THANKFULLY, neither did. I am here, and eternally grateful to my doctor and medical staff at Barnes Jewish Hospital; they are life-savers.

Lydia's first few moments.

Daddy is the first one to hold her.

Me following surgery. All swaddled like Lydia! Guess we're making a fashion statement by dressing alike! :) Seriously, my body temp was so low due to blood loss, that I was wrapped up in lots of blankets.

First time holding my new daughter...over 4 hours since she was born.

So peaceful!

Clare and Lydia meeting each other for the first time! Although there wasn't supposed to be any visitors under the age of 14, my nurse let Clare come in.

The 4 of us.

Clare getting to hold her lil' sis.

Singing to Lydia.

Proud Grandma Pat!

Friends Guy and Chris visiting!

My "hero": my nurse, Christine, who was there the entire day and was wonderful. She deserves a big raise!