Some things never change

Sleeping Clara, 1 month old

Sleeping Clara, 2 years old

Pumpkin patch 2011

Clara was all excited to go pick out her pumpkin this year. I guess it sort of has become a tradition to go up the road to the United Methodist Church and buy our pumpkins for Halloween. When we got there, Clara took off in search of the perfect pumpkin.



Daddy and Clara photo. Mommy and Clara photo.


I think she found her pumpkin.

Clara, Clara, Clara

Cute photos of my 2 1/2 year old little girl.

Becoming Miss Independent

Before I had to carry or walk with Clara everywhere on the playground. She would not go up the stairs or ladders without holding my hand. Sometimes I even had to slide down the slide with her. I was a little discouraged as I watched her friends run and climb and swing on their own.

Lately, she has been doing more and more on her own. We were out with her friends from daycare and Clara watched Chance grab a bar, lift his feet off the ground and start swinging from the bar. Seconds later, Clara was doing the same thing. Yea!

She now walks up ladders and across those bouncing bridges. She has even attempted to climb a rock wall after watching a couple of girls her size climb it. But it was about 10ft. tall and I was nervous about not being able to spot her very well. We'll try that when her daddy is around.

She also is swinging from monkey bars and even going across those monkey bars that one goes across with their hands and their legs are off the ground (of course I am holding her). But again, after watching the "big kids" do it so many times, she knew exactly what to do and one day just decided to do it.

We were at Chance's birthday party this past weekend and she followed the boys all around. Of course she continues to be Miss Talkative too. If she couldn't find one of the boys, you would hear "Braydon/Chance/etc. Where. Are. You?" I can see it now when they are in elementary school. The boys will be running all over the place but Clara won't be too far behind...being the "annoying" talkative, little girl keeping up with the boys. Love it.

Vollmer Farms

Near our area, there are corn mazes and pumpkin patches in the fall. We found some information about one online: http://www.vollmerfarm.com/. So we decided to go check it out. Clara had a lot of fun!

Getting buried by mommy in the corn. Burying her head in the corn.


Clara loves school buses. But this one speaks for itself :) .


They had a huge bouncing "pillow." We couldn't get Clara off of it.

They also had a couple of playgrounds, an 80ft. tunnel slide, a zip line, a cow train, and baby farm animals. I'd say it was worth the drive and admission fee for it made for a fun Sunday afternoon.

Nature hike

Mike took a day off from work so we went hiking. We checked out a place in Cary called Hemlock Bluff's. Had a few short hiking trails. Short...yet we managed to find a way to get lost.

Clara collected items found in nature: colored leaves, nuts, pine needles, feathers, and a small log.

Clara's boo boo

Clara was playing at the neighbors and fell on their driveway. She did a pretty good job on her knee and elbow. Her knee healed quickly. She insisted we get a photo of her boo boo on her elbow.

This happened awhile ago and she still talks about it today.
Clara: "Clara's boo boo."
Me: "It is practically gone."
Clara: "Mr. Ray's driveway. Mr. Dave kiss it."

Chick fil-a cow

Clara loves the Chick Fil-A Cow. He was at a Holly Springs high school football game so she had her photo taken with him. Then we saw him the next day at the 5k and North Hills mall (they were having a "kids day." She followed him everywhere.Here he is teaching her how to play chess.

Finishing a race

I ran another 5k this past September. Clara insisted on running through the finish line/chute area.




And she had to carry all her friends.