Sunshine's Evening Stroll

Clara loves pushing things and likes to try and push the big stroller, so we took the hint and bought her a stroller to use for her dolls and animals. Sunshine Bear was the inaugural passenger, and there was a tantrum when it was time to go in for bed.

Pointing out the birds and airplanes

Making sure he's comfortable and sitting down

Taking her job very seriously

Good night!

Soccer... Almost

Where is the ball?

I found it, Mommy!

She's good at protecting the ball, but...

The sport is not quite holding her interest, yet.

We'll keep trying!

Early Father's Day

As I look at these pictures, I cannot help but reflect on the craziness of the past year. And, in doing so, I cannot neglect to commend Chris who has truly been the champion of our family. He is a man who works harder than any other each and every day to be the best husband and father he can. He does this without complaining about the expectations, the amount of work, or the endless task list that lies before us. And as relatively new parents and certainly as new home owners, that list is long. We are very blessed with the loving support of our extended families, but our small family unit is tried and tested each and every day with recovery, adjustment to new jobs, and all of the stresses of being two working parents in the high expectation world of Northern Virginia. He weathers the storm like a true veteran, always protecting those entrusted to his care. He never has a selfish thought before meeting the needs of our family. He does all of this quietly and with true humility. I know Father's Day is not for a few weeks, but a huge THANK YOU needs to be made! Clara could not be such a well adjusted and happy child if not for his efforts to provide, shelter, and protect us. We love you!

First Swim of the Season

Happy Memorial Day! After a productive weekend spent home, we took a break to go to the pool. Clara loved it! She went under water many times without tears or any fussing. She loved the baby pool and even tolerated the other children dumping water on her head. We're looking forward to many more trips to the pool!

Ready to go!

Getting ready to put her face in!

Splash, splash!

See you at the pool!

Getting Ready for a First Cousin!

On May 17, we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Humberto Tomas Reboredo. It was also Uncle John's last weekend home on his post-deployment leave. Our good friend Jane hosted the shower, and we were so fortunate to have Grandma Larson, Nancy, and Kristina there to join us. After the shower, we all returned to the house for a fabulous BBQ dinner - the men had to have something to do while we were gone!

My Aunt Nancy, Clara, and my cousin Kristina

With my baby

Aunt Annie keeps her entertained

Great Grandma Larson, Anne, and Grandma

Clara and Grandma

Balloon Fun

A great visit with Uncle John

Clara's Godfather, Uncle John, was home visiting for 4 weeks after his first deployment to Iraq. They had not seen each other since July 2007 when she was four months old. She heard his voice many times during phone calls home, and I guess that did the trick. From the moment they saw each other again there was an instant and strong connection. He made her laugh constantly and entertained her non-stop. He and his fiance Jessie were extremely generous with their time and babysat for Clara often.

Hand in Hand for an after dinner walk

Pals

Getting ready to slide!

Uncle John is there to catch her

Riding the big eyed duck

John and Jessie
Thanks for a great visit! See you at the wedding in December!

Mother's Day Weekend in NJ

I love this picture of her!!

She was being so cute peeking at everyone from the porch.

Clara, Grandmom, and Great Grandmom DeBoyace

Clara loves to steal cell phones, especially from Grandpop

Daddy's Home

Here comes a familiar car...

and a familiar face too...

It's Daddy!!!!!

A Ladybug Meeting

We jumped into summer homeownership this weekend, and bought a lawn mower. As Clara and I were observing Daddy's fine work, we found a ladybug in the grass. As you can see, Clara wasn't too sure what to make of it at first, but by the end, Mommy had to rescue the poor thing from too much toddler love and enthusiasm.

The Well Traveled Baby

After a very hectic last two weeks, I finally have a moment to reflect, and it occured to me that Clara is quite a well traveled baby for only being 14 months old. Here are a few pictures to recap the states Clara has visited, other than our regular visits to New Jersey and activities in Virginia.

Colorado Springs - Joanie's Graduation from USAFA May 07

Clara's first airplane trip was to Colorado with my parents for Joanie's Graduation from the Air Force Academy. I had to include a few extra pictures here because we had a chance to take a day trip to Breckenridge, visit the Garden of the Gods, amidst the graduation activities. This was a special trip because it was the first time Joanie got to see Clara in person.

Breckenridge

The Garden of the Gods

Pike's Peak makes a pretty nice backdrop

Charlotte, NC - Nordberg's Lake June 07

We flew to North Carolina for a long weekend at the Nordberg's house on Lake Norman. We've been visiting here for a few years, and it was so nice to have Clara with us.

Elk Rapids Michigan - July 07

Pictures from Michigan and posts have been made before. Although we didn't fly, we drove the 13 hours each way to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Larson. Can we count the interim states of Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio?

Syracuse, New York - Christmas 2007

After spending Christmas day in New Jersey, we drove to Syracuse to visit the extended Condon family for a few days. She met Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Condon for the first time. He was so proud that she was already walking at 9 months. She enjoyed playing with the Ginny Cup, a family Fantasy Sports Trophy.

Fort Walton Beach, FL - May 2008

Nothing beats spring break in a sunny location. Clara and I flew to Florida to visit Joanie for a few days.

Kansas City, KS - April 2008

Our most recent trip was a bittersweet one. Clara and I flew to Kansas City, KS for my Grandma Pretz's funeral last week. She got to meet my grandfather for the first time, and meet all of the extended family from the midwest. My aunt commented that it was nice to have a baby around during such a sad time to brighten everyone's spirits. My grandmother was a wonderful woman, and she is greatly missed.