Well, I can tell you what Claire thinks of my photography quest:
Ha, ha.
I think she’s been getting a little bored of the process. I don’t blame her. I do believe that she has had more practice lifting her head on her belly than any of the other babies.
When I try to take her picture, she spends most of her time either trying to eat my new fabrics, or playing with her fingers.
But she gave me a couple good expressions nevertheless.
I spent over TWO HOURS sorting though the craft store in town today, getting background fabrics for a three month old baby Claire photo shoot!
Landon’s hand comes tickling:
She can’t resist!
There are two things that make it extra fun to take pictures of little Claire: she is my first baby sister in 13 years, and she is the first baby to be born when I have had my big camera. So, and I’m learning a lot about baby photography. Claire still sleeps a LOT, so it has been really easy to pose her just how we want without waking her up. Maria has been helping me, collecting props and helping me adjust the super sweet subject.
It took Dominic a little while to warm up to Baby Claire, and he pretty much ignored her for the first five days after she was born. He frequently pointed to himself, saying “Beebee,” as if to make sure we knew he still carried that title. But when she was six days old, Dominic acknowledged her for the first time. He called her, “beebee” and asked to hold her:
Ever since then he has been referring to both himself and Claire as ‘baby’ (still not quite ready to part with the name). He gives her a lot of love, asking to hold her and hugging her. When she is sleeping in her rocking cradle, Dominic rocks her gently singing “Roooooock-bye bee-beeeeeee,” in a sweet, high pitched voice. It is precious!
Claire has been adjusting to life on the outside fairly well, and she doesn’t cry as much as some of the other boys did. I am able to soothe her quite easily by walking and rocking her, whereas newborn Dominic never let me calm him down once he was crying! She also is sleeping a lot, even when she is not being held. (Well, at least during the day. Night is another story.)
The family also has been adjusting nicely, and Landon, Maria, John, and I take turns staying up late and getting up early to hold her and let Mom sleep. I have had a few issues with pronouns, however. After five baby brothers in a row, it was becoming natural that all babies were referred to as ‘he’, so saying ‘she’ has been difficult. Mom has also caught herself a few times addressing Claire as a ‘sweet little baby bo-er -um-girl’.
Claire definitely likes being swaddled, so most of the time she’s wrapped up in her blanket like a burrito.
I love Baby Burritos, especially when they’re wrapped in a flower tortilla! (haha)
Mom calls the bewildered newborn expression the ‘Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore look’. I think that’s a perfect description for the thoughts that must be going on in this little head.
Claire Monica was born at 9:02 AM, and weighed 7 lb 14 oz!
There are (hopefully) now only about twenty days left until I get to see my new little sister. Naturally, preparing for her grand debut is preoccupying the entire house. We are almost completely ready to bring her home. Flowery onesies are ready to receive her tiny body:
The pastel bows and butterflies that have been absent since Maria was a baby now have made their appearance.
Sweetly patterned blankets are ready to wrap around her:
And decorative touches light up the room:
Two milestones in the same evening! Dominic said my name for the first time, and I felt Little Sister kicking!
