11 Months

Ok, this is getting pathetic. If I make it on here once a month to post Jill pictures, I call it good. But it's not. I don't think I've even mentioned the fact that we closed on our home back in August and have been living in it since. Pictures to come on that, I promise. Later.

For now, Jill is 11 months! And she is everywhere, getting into everything. She is not just walking now, but trying to run. I can barely catch her nowadays before she reaches the stairs or the dog bowl. She is keeping us on our toes, that's for sure. It is so fun watching her learn new things every single day. She copies us, what we do, what we say . . . we need to start being careful! She says mama and dada and baba, but still not so much with meaning yet. Her real word is "HI!" She says it all the time.

Now for some pictures:

Taking the popcorn popper for a walk.


Um, sorry, that sock does not belong to either one of you!


All of them smiling at the same time!




She's a leaner. Especially against the dog. Obviously he loves it. Especially when she grabs on to his tail for dear life.


Jill's new favorite toy to sit/stand/climb on. I haven't gotten a picture yet of her standing on it while raising her hands above her head. It's a toss up between scolding her and making her sit down...or grabbing my camera.


Brushing teeth while bathing. Or more accurately, biting off the bristles while bathing.


Must put hand in every water glass. Must.


She found her nose. Wonderful.


What a mess! We're just glad she does SO much better with solid foods than with milk.


First time falling asleep while eating.


Helping me pack Dad's lunchbag.

10th Wedding Anniversary

It's been 10 years today since Steve and I were married. So much has happened in 10 years. In no particular order: we've moved 7 times, lived in 4 states, completed 3 degrees, purchased 2 homes, been employed at 6 full-time jobs, lived apart for several months at a time (twice), left the religion of our families, survived a cancer diagnosis, got a dog, experienced infertility for many years, and then also experienced the miracles of pregnancy, childbirth, and a new little baby.

But the most important thing is we have gone through every single one of these life changing events with 100% support from each other. Which makes all the difference in the world. I married the love of my life 10 years ago, and he is still exactly that today. The love of my life.

Happy anniversary babe! Here's to many, many more to come . . .

10 Months

Busy, busy month. Another post to come on the new house. But in the meantime, Jill continued to get older and bigger and is now 10 months!

She is keeping us on our toes. Right after she turned 10 months, Jill started taking more than just a step or two at a time. Sometimes it's 4 or 5 now. And it's usually when we're not looking! She'll push off one of us, or the couch, and by the time we notice, she's halfway across the room. She's very sneaky about it. And doesn't like to do it on demand. She also loves to climb everything.

And she has a couple pretend words she likes to say over and over but I'm not sure what they mean. For example, she will often yell out "Nein!" from her crib or while playing or eating. Perhaps her German side coming out? I have no idea! She says "mama" and "dada" but not sure she really knows what they mean all the time yet. And I'm pretty sure she's saying her own version of "hi!" all the time.

We have established a weekly play group in the area, which we host at our place once a month, or more. Jill loves having friends over, she is quite the social butterfly. And it's nice to have someone to talk to that can communicate back, I have to admit!

This is her concentration face. Concentrating on taking out the outlet covers. Which she is successful at now. Both kinds. Wonderful.


The kiddos. Blackjack decided he wanted to be in the pics too.

Jill's favorite meal: grilled cheese.

Popsicle face.

Grandma Curtis came out to help watch the baby while we worked on the new house. What a lifesaver, thanks Grandma!

9 Months

A lot has happened since the 8 month post. Jill now has 8 teeth. 4 on top and 4 on bottom. In the 2 days since I started typing this, she got her 7th and 8th, it's non-stop!

Jill has become very independent. That is the nice word for not wanting to eat anything but solids, not wanting me to pick her up, refusing her blankey, throwing things on the floor, banging on the walls while in her crib, and basically acting like she's going through the terrible 2's. And that's when I realize she's been teething. Always blame it on those darn teeth.

She is walking along with her little rolling toy, uses the high chair with wheels to walk with, and uses the kitchen stool to scoot along too. We have not been encouraging her to walk, especially since I apparently started walking at 7.5 months. But I guess she's figured the steps out on her own so the inevitble is in our near future I fear.

Jill has mastered going up the staircase, all the way to the top. And knows how to go down a few stairs on her belly, but much prefers to go up and stay up.

Height: 99th percentile
Weight: 43rd percentile


She now climbs all the way into the dishwasher. It's pretty much impossible to unload it now without her doing this.

Blackjack's toys are so fascinating to her.

Tantrum.

Clawson Family Reunion 2011

We had our Clawson Family Reunion at a cabin in Heber, UT last month. Such fun!

Jumping siblings oldest to youngest, left to right. Is this supposed to look cool? We look like a bunch of crazies! Except Stephen, he looks pretty awesome. The reunion was in honor of him. He just got home from a 2 year missionary stint. We missed him!


Family Picture. I didn't have time to blow dry my hair that day and it shows. Oh well.


Grandma and all the cousins except 3.


Grandma and Jill.


Jill's favorite Uncle Timmy!


Cousins 1 and under!



Had to get a picture of the ladylike way in which Jill sits in the high chair. A lady always crosses her legs.


Day trip to the Olympic Park up in Park City.


We took Jill down the rec center big water slide several times. Wish we got a picture, she loved it! Looks like we've got an adventurous one on our hands.


Just when the dog finally got his own space to rest . . .


The roadtrip. 14 hours each way is a looooong time in the car with a baby. And a dog.

8 Months

Last month was another month full of firsts. Jill now pulls herself up to stand on pretty much anything she finds. The couch, her crib, the treadmill, the barstools, my legs, and her newest, the dog. He's not a fan.





She also loves to climb. Especially the stairs. Which is problematic because babies learn how to go UP stairs much earlier than they learn to go DOWN them safely. So baby gates it is.

Climbing the stairs.


Climbing on the treadmill.


And her newest, climbing in the dishwasher.


She also loves crawling in, around, and through everything. Especially squeezing through tight spaces.

Crawling behind the couch.


Crawling behind the table.


Crawling through the table.



Climbing under the barstool.



She finds a way to fit between anything.


We went to another Giants game this month. Decided to take a chance and do a night game, even though the game started right at Jill's bedtime. She did great! Took maybe a 30 minute snoozer while there, otherwise she had a blast watching everything and charming the people behind us. What a trooper.



Still not aware that some toys are the dog's. Blackjack doesn't quite know how to deal with the issue.


Blackjack as a little girl. Couldn't resist trying the hat on him.


Bribing a baby. Starting young.


Swing time!


Some meals don't go as well as others.