Happy 30th Birthday Daddy!

Happy 30th Birthday Daddy! I love you so much! You are the BEST Daddy in the whole world!

Love,

Claire

Today Ben turned the BIG 3-0. It is so hard to believe we are entering the world of thirty somethings! We were talking last night that we are starting to feel old, but that we are definitely the happiest we have ever been and wouldn't change a thing! We are excited to see what this decade holds in store for us. Hopefully more children, good health, happiness and a deeper relationship with each other & the Lord! We also can't believe that we have been together almost half our lives now. We were 16 when we started dating and look at us now! I couldn't have scripted a better life together! Happy Birthday babe, I love you!!!

Ben put a swing up over the weekend for Claire and of course, she loves it! We have had beautiful weather the last several days so she has been able to swing a lot!

Family Get Together

Tonight we celebrated Ben's 30th birthday with the McDowell side of the family. Ben will turn 30 on Monday! We had a nice evening grilling out and just being with one another! Claire enjoyed spending time with her cousins!

Lauren, Connor, Jillian, Claire & Caroline.

The "cousins"!!!

We keep waiting for Claire to stand... she has to be close. Just look at that leg up!

The girl cousins palying. Jillian had more fun with the toys than the babies!

Aren't our girls cute together!?!?
Nuna, Grandpa & Claire!

Out w/ Grammy & Grandpa

Last a Sunday Grammy, Grandpa & Daddy took Claire to the park! As you can see by the pictures it was a beautiful day and they had a great time! Claire loves the swing and they said she giggled the whole time!

Today Grammy & Grandpa got a car seat installed in their car and ventured out for the first time with Claire. They took her to the mall and walked around with her for a while. There is a little play area for kids that they stopped in and she enjoyed the fun toys and tunnels! When they got home a couple hours later, Claire was sound asleep in her car seat and she didn't wake up once when I got her out and put her down in her crib! Grammy & Grandpa wore her out!!

Baby Bubblers

I enrolled Claire in "Baby Bubblers" at the Kettering Rec. It is a swimming class for infants. A parent must accompany the baby in the water. Basically the class introduces the babies to water and helps teach basic swimming techniques like kicking. Let me tell you... Claire is a natural kicker. She kicks non-stop when she is in the water, it's so funny. I hope she enjoys swimming as much as I always have! I have been in a pool since a young infant and just love being in the water! I wanted to introduce Claire at an early age so she wouldn't be afraid and hopefully will learn quickly to swim. It is also a matter of safety, as well. We had a lot of fun today and can't wait to back on Thursday!!

"Look at me, I'm about to stand!"

"The water looks like fun! Can I go in now?"

"Mommy that was fun, can we do it again???"

Dayton Dragon's Outing

We have season's tickets to the Dayton Dragon's and tonight we took Claire to her very first professional sporting event! We went downtown to Fifth Third Feild to see the Dragon's play. It was a PERFECT night for a baseball game! Claire had a great time taking in all the activities and the different lights and sounds! Grammy & Grandpa went with us and I think we had more fun watching Claire than we did watching the game! Family Picture!

Grammy, Grandpa & Claire at the ballpark!

Claire's first time eating Dippin' Dots! She couldn't get enough! YUM YUM!

Claire, Daddy & Gem. Claire was VERY interested in the big, green dragon with orange hair!

Claire, Mommy & Heater!

Watchin' the game very intently!

"GO DRAGON'S!!!!!!"

Claire's First Swing

Today was such a beautiful day so the four of us headed for the park! Claire had her first swing and loved it! It was so cute to watch her pure excitement! She giggled several times! It is so much fun watching Claire experience so many "firsts", there is NOTHING like it! Sophie got to jump in the pond and chase the poor geese. One mama goose began hissing and flapping her wings at Sophie and it scared her to death. We think she was sitting on eggs and was warning Sophie not to get any closer. It was quite comical!! Hope everyone got a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful day!

Nine Months Old

On the Monday the 16th Claire turned 9 months old. I took her that day to the doctor for her well check and she is doing great. She is 19.8 pounds (75th percentile) and 29 inches long (90th percentile). She in the 85th percentile for head circumference. At her 6 month appt. she was 90th percentile across the board. Dr. Denen said babies usually start to thin down at this age because they are more active and he also said they start to trend towards their true genetic make-up. He said it looks like Claire is going to be long & lean! Let's hope!! He was also amazed that in her 9 months Claire has only been in to see him for her well checks. He commented on how that is extremely rare! We are so fortunate that she has been so healthy, even through the long winter. Please pray for her continued health! I can't believe she is NINE MONTHS old! She really is getting so big! She has such a sweet personality and giggles all the time, especially at her Daddy! Ben & I are so blessed with a beautiful, healthy little girl!

I had to give her some fruit puffs to keep her occupied during the quilt pics! Whenever she sees the puffs container she starts squealing and flapping her arms! It's so cute! She LOVES her puffs!

If you click onto this picture for a larger view, you can see Claire's two bottom teeth!

What a silly little goose! Isn't this smile contagious!?!?