Thursday, April 15, 2010

Claire's 9 Month Check up and Update

On Monday, Claire had her 9 month well-being checkup.

Claire's status:

Weight - 15lbs 8oz (birth -6lbs 7oz)
Height -  26.25inches (birth -20inces)

Claire has only gained 1 lb and 1 oz since her 6 month well-being checkup, which at first made me worry but after talking with the doctor she informed us that it is VERY (she stressed VERY) normal at her age. She said, around 6 months babies start to slow down a lot and when they start crawling/cruising they stop gaining even more because they burn so much more off. My good friend, 'K' - her son is just days older than Claire - and he had his well-being checkup Monday too. Her son gained less than a pound from his 6 months well-being check up. She too freaked out at first, but her doctor reassured her that this is very normal. He said most parents freak out because their babies are not gaining the normal pound a month any more. Both of our doctors said they definitely don't look malnourished! Claire's length is right on target. The doctor also said she doesn't expect Claire to be big since both Eric and I are pretty petite.

Claire got one vaccine - Hepatitis B

Claire's doctor was also very impressed with everything she is doing. She said Claire is ahead with many of her milestones!!

At 9 months Claire is doing:

1. Crawling (all over my house)
2. Pulling herself to a standing position on EVERYTHING
3. Starting to cruise along our furniture
4. Sits up from a laying down position
5. Claps her hands
6. Waves
7. Gives Kisses
8. Feeds herself
9. Talking up a storm - she says: Dada, Daddy, Dad, Hi, Hey, Lalala, Eeee, Mumu, Babab and many more   baby words that only Claire really knows!

She loves:

A. Trying new foods
B. Gerber Puffs
C. Her sippy cup
D. Taking walks
E. Playing with our dogs
F. Reading books
G. Pulling anything and everything of shelves she can reach
H. Sing songs
I. Bath time


She's still:

1.  Breastfeeding on demand
2. Sleeping (pretty well) through the night
3. Has two bottom teeth
4. Eating a majority of baby food (with people food at dinner time)

 Claire just hours old!

Claire days away from 9 months old!

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

My brother, Eric, Claire, and I - Easter weekend 2010

I LOVE my family...

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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Our First Date

If you curious about how our first date came along, check out how we met.

After Eric asked me to his senior prom via AOL IM'ing, we went through the weeks just like we had been. Gentle punches here and there, cute locker conversation, and the occasional high school note. One Friday, Eric handed me a note. In the note, he said that he thought it would be a good idea to hang out, outside of school. He felt, we should get to know each other a little better before spending prom together. I never wrote him back.

Saturday morning, my best friend at the time 'S' called me and told me there was a chance that she might be going to prom. She wanted us to go look at prom dresses, I jumped on the idea. She picked me up, we went prom dress shopping at some local stores, and then we were driving by the local coffee shop in our little downtown area. The same coffee shop where I knew Eric worked. I saw his car and asked 'S' if she wanted to go get a coffee and see the person I have been talking about 24/7. She agreed and we went in. As soon as we walked in, we realized it was packed but there was a small table by the window. We sat down and immediately I saw Eric running around like a crazy man. I decided to go up to the counter and order our drinks. On the way back to the table, Eric and I made eye contact. You could tell he was happy to see me. As 'S' and I were talking and drinking our drinks, Eric came up to our table to talk every couple minutes. Every time he would leave our table, he would slap me on the leg. One time while he was at our table, he mentioned that we should get together. I was bold and said, "how about tonight?" He agreed and our first date was set. You could tell he was excited, he totally forgot to ask for my phone number so I said, "don't you need my number?" I wrote my number for him on his waiters tablet. He said he would call me when he got home. Up until that moment the phone rang, I was a nervous wreck!

After we set our date up, I knew that I didn't know him good enough to be totally alone with him. I knew 'S' had to work at night, so I called my friend 'A'. She said she would hang out with us. 'A' got over to my house and we started getting me ready. I wanted to look good! The phone rang, I looked at the caller id and my heart jumped. It was him. I answered the phone and he sounded so cute, I was so excited for our first date. I gave him directions and less then a hour later, he pulled up in front of my house. The night began.

As Eric walked up my sidewalk, I remembering looking in the mirror one last time and then letting out a very girly squeal! I was so nervous but yet so very excited. After introducing Eric to 'A', our night was able to begin. We ventured down to my family room to watch a movie, Eric brought from home - "Stigmata". 'A' sat on the big comfy chair, which stuck me on the couch with Eric. Of course we sat at opposite sides of the couch, you could tell we were both a bit nervous. We all watched the movie, in silence for a while. After the night moved on and we got more comfortable, conversation during the movie picked up and we all started having a pretty fun evening until 'A' had to use the bathroom.

As soon as 'A' was up the stairs, Eric started crawling towards me. I was freaking out, my heart was racing and I didn't know what was going to happen or what the hell he was doing. All of a sudden, he grabbed a hold of me and next thing you know we were kissing. It was a great first kiss, that ended as soon as 'A' started to come back downstairs. When 'A' returned, Eric went to use the bathroom and I totally "kiss and told" to 'A'. We were both laughing and giggling about the whole situation, we were such big teenage girls! After we got done watching the movie, 'S' got off work and came over. We all decided to go play pool at a local bowling ally. After "playing" pool (I put playing in quotes, simply because I didn't really know how to play pool, so 'S', 'A', and I used our hands) we headed to Wendy's for fries and a vanilla Frosty (So good!). Eric and I held hands the whole time we were in the car. I felt so excited and my nerves were barely noticeable.

After a successful evening, Eric dropped 'S', 'A', and I off back at my house, said our good-byes and went our separate ways. The evening ended with no second kisses. The next few days we saw each other at random places, like the gas station, or the coffee shop. It wasn't until the next school day (which was a Tuesday) that things between us became "official".

As I walked into school, early that Tuesday morning. I decided to go in the doors that Eric's lockers were in. I saw him almost instantly. We exchanged smiles and he started walking with me in the hallway. As soon as we hit the first set of stairs, he said, "I'll talk to you later" and went up the stairs. At that instant, I was heart broken. I swore he didn't like me. I went through the day sad. I thought I had done something wrong. Oddly enough, I didn't see Eric in the halls that day. My frown turned into a smile at the start of 7th hour, when Eric handed me a note, a note that would change us forever. This was the note, he officially asked me out in. It was March 27th 2001, one of the best days of my lives. I was the happiest girl alive!

Monday, April 12, 2010

I Would Be Proud

My Nana, Constance "Connie" Dodd wrote two Christmas books and had them published. Faith, Hope & A Proper Tree: Remembering the Spirit of Christmas and Santa Meets Mr. Dippleman: A Christmas Story. To her, it's no big deal, just something she did. I on the other hand think it's something she should be proud of.  I never told too many people but I actually did the illustrations for Faith, Hope & A Proper Tree: Remembering the Spirit of Christmas I was in high school and didn't think much of it at the time. Today, as I sit here thinking about the books, I am proud of what I did. Not many people can say they are a published illustrator, can they. Yes, it's only one book and yes, I didn't make much from it but still, I am proud of myself and more importantly, I am proud of my Nana. She has always loved to write and finally one of her dreams came true.

Here are her two books:

and



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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Recipe Sunday

This weeks recipe is a nice "sweeter" twist on regular bread pudding: Double Chocolate Bread Pudding
(Recipe from kraftrecipes.com)

What you need:
5 cups cold 2% milk
2 pkg.  (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Fudge Flavor Cook & Serve Pudding
5 cups French bread cubes
1 cup  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks 
  
What you need to do:
POUR milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.
ADD bread; mix lightly to coat. Pour into 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chunks.
BAKE at 350°F for 45 minutes or until pudding just comes to boil in center. Remove from oven. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm. Store leftover pudding in refrigerator.

I love regular bread pudding but sometimes you need that chocolate flare! It's like a chocolate cinnamon bun! Yum!

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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday
to my wonderful, hard working, caring, thoughtful and very charming hubby!

also

Happy 9 months to our Bug, Claire!
You are the light of our lives and the joy of our world!  

Here are some pictures of my wonderful hubby (and a few of Bug thrown in for good luck!):
  


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Friday, April 9, 2010

Every Time I See It, It Gets A Little Bigger

I lost my Papa Dodd in September of 1999. Almost 11 years ago. How quickly those 11 years have went. Good and bad things have happened, memories were formed, and time has moved on. My papa, Lowell Dodd, was a professor at Doane College in Crete Nebraska. When we were back for Easter, we stopped by Doane to visit my Papa's tree that the college planted in his honor. Every time I see it, it seems so much bigger then the last. It has just started blooming, there is a slight hint of red when you look at it. It's such a pretty tree (as pretty as trees can actually be). The media department and a class room at Doane are also named after my Papa.

It's nice to be able to go see his tree in remembrance of him. I love walking under it and when it is full of leaves, I love taking one and saving it. Having that leaf with me, makes me feel like I have a little piece of him with me. This trip was a little different, this time my daughter was there. I felt as if, I was introducing Claire to my Papa. Although, I know he got to met her way before I did.  I made a promise to myself that Claire will know how great her great grandparents really were and are. Family is so important to me, no matter living or gone. I am who I am because of them!

Here are some pictures:

The plaque underneath his tree

My Papa's tree

Claire under her Great Papa's tree

Me in 2007

The Classroom named after him

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