Happy New Year!

Claire rang in the New Year by demonstrating her excellent sleeping skills (sleeping through some fireworks someone in the neighborhood set off), while mom and dad considered it a moral victory that they rang in the New Year on the east coast before hitting the hay. The early evening also allowed an early start to New Year's day and our third annual open house for friends. We had our biggest showing yet, no doubt because everyone wanted to ring in the New Year with Claire. Here is a shot of her with our neighbors Paul and Peggy:
The next day, Claire had her 4 month well check-up with the doctor. She weighed in at 15 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 25 inches. Both her weight and height put her a little above average for her age, which is wonderful considering her early arrival. Unfortunately, she ended her appointment with some vaccinations, which made Claire very, very sad, but she recovered quickly.

Given Claire's growth, she has rapidly outgrown a lot of her newborn clothes, but she has also grown into some other fun outfits. She decided to show off one of her new outfits when she went to the doctor by wearing the beautiful bunting that her Great Aunt Janet gave her (which is absolutely adorable, and perfect for walks to the doctor and with Vinnie): In addition to her growth, Claire's development continues to amaze us. She now has fantastic control of her hands, bringing anything she can to her mouth to chew on. She can hold herself in a sitting position if we position her on her backside with her hands in front of her (though she usually doesn't last long in that position). She has not yet turned herself over without a little help, but every time she is on her tummy, we are convinced she is going to flip herself...it will happen any day now. Claire has also discovered "standing" and loves to show off some impressive leg strength. She seems capable of supporting her own weight, though she requires considerable balance assistance. She continues to be a very happy baby, though she has decided that nap time is not fun, and she typically fusses quite a bit...even to the point of kicking her way across her crib (which we think means crawling is not too far off). She seems to get upset with herself for being tired...she doesn't want to miss anything! We have yet to discover any magic tricks to keep her calm at nap time, but a combination of letting her cry, rocking, music, and a lot of patience usually do the trick. Thankfully, bedtime is still a welcomed event, and she continues to sleep through the night.

Here are a few more shots of Claire (and of course, of one of the pets). First, Claire shows off during playtime with her favorite Christmas toys (Bunny the stuffed bunny and a crinkly teething toy).
And here she is showing off her standing ability. This photo shows that she is pretty much supporting her own weight with some balance assistance...and all while still chewing on her shirt! Finally, Timmy demonstrates his approval of Claire...or at least his approval of her accessories: