Mad about Maddy

Clare will concede the blog top picture to this one of Maddy smiling at J. I mean, really, was there another choice? This may be the cutest picture of 2011.

We’re fresh from a visit to meet Miss Madeline Dion and see her parents, JP and Debbie. We had a blast, despite a Clare having my cold from last week (stupid cold!). We didn’t do so much but there was lots of kid playing, visits to the playground, meal prepping and eating, catching up and the obligatory baby gazing.
Clare did pretty well with Baby Maddy, spontaneously sharing her toys with the baby (I found all manner of “toys” around Maddy – including a coaster in her car seat one day), talking to her, holding her hand, touching her gently, etc. She was not so good at sharing her parent’s attention, specifically when I held the baby. We’ll have to work on her sitting next to me rather then in my lap, holding my hand rather than being held, etc. before our new baby comes and is taking space in my lap and arms.
We did get out for a little family hike in the beautiful foothills. JP and Deb went mountain biking (a mere 8 weeks after Maddy was born – Deb is a warrior!) and J and I hauled babies. Literally, Clare rode in J’s shoulders or in his arms (she wasn’t feel well), Maddy was in the pack on my chest and then there’s the one in utero so I told J we had become “baby sherpas.” We didn’t go very far but it was sooo pretty that checking out the flowers, watching butterflies, talking about cows and horses, etc. was a nice outing.
The homecoming has been a little rough. Tonight Clare threw her worst tantrum ever and we ended the day with a long cuddling/rocking session. I think I ultimately determined that she was confused/sad about J and I being gone all day after we all spent several days together on vacation. She had fun with her boys today, but when I talked to her about Momma and Daddy always loving her and coming home from work she hugged me extra hard. It’s rough to be a small girl in a big world, and we spent lots of time reassuring her tonight.
I’ve really noticed in the past few weeks that Clare is putting together family relationships and figuring out that Mom, Dad and Clare are a unit. A few weeks ago in Bend I told her that Grayson had gone home and it was just Mom and Dad in the house. She looked at me with alarm and said “Momma, Dada and Clare!” Tonight I told her that the family was “Mom, Daddy and Clare and we all love each other.” She said “yep, and Sadie too.” Oh yeah, Sadie too 🙂
Lastly, a cute Clare story. I think her favorite part of the airplane ride wasn’t the airplane itself but the rental car bus. On the way to get the rental car she wasn’t sure about the bus and kept telling me “No! Get off!” So we sang the Wheels on the Bus and reassured her that it was OK. On the ride back to the airport from the rental car return, well, it was a different story. Clare LOVED the bus and kept talking about “Bus! Ride on bus! Mama, Dada and Clare on bus!” I asked her if she wanted some of her water and she said “yes! Water! Water on bus!” Apparently everything is better on a bus.

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