Claire's First Birthday

It has been quite busy around here and it is only getting busier. The countdown to Knoxville is two and a half weeks! But, before the future zooms up anymore, I'd like to take a moment and share a monumental occurrence in our household.

 The star of our home shows...

...who me?...

....of course me...

has recently turned one. April 14th Claire sprung into this world a whole month and a half early. Little did we know how fitting that would be for her. Her first birthday began much like any other day, eating grahams.

Due to the sad, but peaceful passing of my grandpa Jack, Claire spent her birthday in her birth state, Utah, so we could attend the funeral. Since the funeral was on her birthday, it was a celebration of life day, really - I'm sure these two spirited characters wouldn't mind sharing such a day. 

Since I failed to bring Claire's bib down to breakfast, grandpa Tom suited her up with a nice cowgirl napkin to protect those little whale pajamas. 

It was much needed. 

While it may have been a bummer to have your first birthday on a funeral day, it was actually very sweet. The whole extended family was there to celebrate with Miss Claire, complete with a couple different kinds of cake thanks to the kind ladies who put together the funeral luncheon. (If you can make it through my loud birthday singing, Claire's face is priceless when Isaiah goes to blow out the candle...)

Then came cake time - a chocolate delight and a green jello cool-whip kind. It was messy and wonderful, a day that is sure to bring fond memories to her the rest of her life. 

And now our little toddler is just so grown up. Luckily, I am not worried that she will always remain a kid at heart haha. 

Other things of note: 

In Utah, I got to see my BFF for life for the first time since I dropped her off at the MTC. I was oh so happy. I am also oh so happy that she is dating my cousin. Potential family - !!!!! Haha. Just kidding. But really.

And lastly, but not leastly, the newest issue of SquareTwo is now live! 

http://squaretwo.org/squaretwoarchives.html#spring2012

Enlighten your mind, challenge your assumptions. Or, if you are bored, just take a peek. (:

The Fool of April

Ah, so much better is it not? Many thanks to my dear sister for sprucing this bad boy up.

Our trip to Georgia was wonderful - it started off with a biscoff cookie adventure on the airplane. Claire doesn't like to be confined, so Isaiah and I had our hands full. Literally. The well-meaning flight attendant gave us a handful of biscoff cookies to keep Claire entertained. She was hooked with the first one...soon gooey brown stickiness coated her hands and face. I tried to keep her at an arms length as I held her, but really, an arms length is nigh impossible on an airplane. Isaiah discovered that if he could get Claire to clap, large chunks of biscoff goo would land on me. Pretty soon her excitement turned into knocking my drink into the diaper bag. Isaiah was laughing so hard there was tears. But I guess better him than Claire eh? As we got off the plane, I pulled the window shade down to find a brown streak of dried cookie goo left by little fingers. Classic.

Georgia was wonderful - Claire loves to be with nana and grandpa. She even got to live it up at the world of Coke.

She's a natural. Claire also got an extra kick out of Bexley and London arriving. She loved to scramble up to Bexley in the bouncer and say "HIIIIIIIIIIIII." Startled the little sweet sweets everytime. You just can't squelch enthusiasm at such a young age though ya know?

The flight back was great as well - Claire's best flight yet I'd say. We got to sit next to a pilot on the plane - not just any pilot, but the first young, female pilot I have ever witnessed. It was an honor. Haha. She told me about a group of pilots who are moms with babies so they pump while they fly. Now THAT is a story for le leche league. I thought that was awesome. Can you imagine?

As far as the title of this blog goes, I must confess how I got my brother this year. Since Max is serving a mission for our church in Armenia right now, I write him once a week - usually Sunday night - so when he is able to respond to his emails on Monday I get a quick response. Well, lo and behold Sunday night came and I had yet to pull any big April Fools jokes. I reread what he had written me the week before, laughing when he randomly asked when the next zirkle junior would be in the works. I knew I had him. So I wrote back "Max!! That is so crazy, I don't know how you knew but...I'M PREGNANT!! We haven't told anyone yet, but I figure since you're in Armenia it wouldn't hurt to let you know..." yadayadayada...tried to make it believeable. Then I wrote the rest of my letter and ended it - and several spaces below that i added P.S. - April Fools! I am NOT pregnant. (Seriously for those reading, I repeat, I am NOT PREGNANT). I thought I was so crafty. I eagerly checked my email repeatedly the next morning to see if I had gotten him or if he knew all along I was tricking him. His email came and I instantly knew he definitely had not read the part where I said April Fools. It was the sweetest congrats email ever though, so really - who feels like the fool now - haha. Sadly, I must wait til this upcoming Sunday to write him and make sure he knows it was a joke....I can just see him happily telling Armenian people on the street the good news. Ohhhhh geez.

Well Claire's first birthday is in ten days. April 14th is going to be such a happy day here! She is growing up more and more everyday, such a beautiful soul. Her birthday was supposed to be May 25th, so it can get confusing, but I wouldn't trade the extra month we've had with her for anything. (: