Uh oh...

That's exactly what I thought when I saw the shoes on my feet. I was walking up the driveway of my piano students' house, I looked down, and I saw this:


Claire had been playing with my shoes again. I grabbed one right shoe and one left shoe before I left the house, but I guess I'll have to be more careful next time to make sure that they MATCH!
(And yes, when I find cute, comfortable shoes, I sometimes get more than one color!)

22 Months

Miss Claire is 22 months old today!


Some things about Claire at this age:

• She talks a lot! She says sentences like these: I'd like milk, please. Turn light on please, Mama. Need help door please, Mama. I find it! How are you? How about this one? (referring to anything she might find or like -- a certain book, her pajamas from the drawer, etc.) Come with me, Mama. (This one actually should be come with you, because she says this while she's coming with me -- to my room, to the garage, to the living room, etc.)
• Her favorite foods are sausage (ANY type), beans, rice, and Goldfish.
• She is starting to sing {entire} songs by herself. For instance, "Baa baa black sheep have wool, yes sir three full, master, dame, baa baa black sheep have wool...."
• She's 30 pounds now.
• She occasionally plays by herself without anyone else in the room. (But don't count on it!)
  
• She loves to play with her kitchen set and pretend that she's making macaroni. - Watch out! It's always hot! :-)
  

Soon we won't have monthly updates on her age. Wow! She's a growing, beautiful, polite little girl. We love you, Claire!

Mustache of a Different Kind

This time Claire made her own mustache! - Although she was actually just trying to figure out how to eat a piece of cake!

Mustaches Again!

Claire, the banker

With Dad, the stud

Claire & Dad

I just love these two people!


They love each other, too!

And they love to have fun together!

I am so blessed!

New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve, Grandmom, Granddad, and GG came into town. We spent most of the day at home. Granddad and Grandmom assembled Claire's kitchen set, (which was wonderful!!!), we went out to lunch, and we played with Claire. Claire loved seeing our visitors, and she especially loved seeing GG.



Jordan cooked a wonderful New Year's Eve dinner: beef tenderloin, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, strawberries & pineapple, and a green salad. It was delicious!

Look at these four generations! - This is a lovely set of ladies, if I do say so myself! :-)

After dinner, we put Claire to bed, we played a game, and then we brought some beignets home from Coffee Call. (They are hiding behind the sparkling drinks in this picture, but they were delicious!)

We all rang in the new year at whatever time it happened to be when we ate the beignets. Our guests had to call it a night and prepare for their New Year's Day drive home to Houston and then Dallas. Jordan and I stayed up and rang in the new year again at midnight. Happy New Year!

The Stud!

Jordan got some Notable Mustaches on Christmas Eve, so he had to try them out! Here he is with the Stud!


Claire actually wanted to try this on, but then she didn't like it.

But Kyle did well with it!

Our Final Christmas Afternoon/Morning

Since Christmas was on a Sunday, our church was about an hour long, and it started in the afternoon. So we had Santa gifts in the morning, and then we (all 14 of us) got ready for and went to church. When we got home, we ate some lunch, put the kids down for naps, and then began opening presents.

Lou got some awesome Halloween decorations.

Rebecca made some very cool bowls out of records for the boys. The bowls came with golf balls, too!

Awesome wrapping job for Bando!

Rebecca and Chris!
Towards the end of the adult present-opening-adventure, the kids started waking up. We finished opening our presents, got the kids up, and made dinner. Once dinner was finished, Claire (and most of the other kids, too) had had enough. So we put them all to bed, even though they hadn't opened their presents.

So we had our final Christmas morning on the 26th!

Claire got an alphabet puzzle, which she really likes.

Ryan got a little "Alphaberry" toy with lots and lots of buttons!

Claire wanted to try on her new shoes.

Kyle got an awesome camo apron and chef's hat.

McKinley loved seeing all the new toys.

Ryan got his own rhino!

Claire paused to see Grandma and Evan.

I think the best story of the present-opening experiences was when I opened a beautiful, new purse from Jordan. I wasn't looking at Claire (because I was opening my present!), but sources say that Claire, who was happily playing, suddenly saw my purse, and her eyes got HUGE. (She likes any type of bag. Have I mentioned that before?) She came over to me and said, "Bag, mama?" She wanted to hold my new purse. I said, "No, this is Mom's bag." Claire, in a whiny, almost-crying voice, then said, "Share, share, share, share, share, share!" She made a valiant effort, but she didn't get to hold my new bag!

That, my friends, finally wraps up our wonderful, family-filled Christmas celebrations. Thanks for bearing with me as I caught up on Christmas.

Our Second Christmas Morning (Santa Style)

Christmas morning came, and Santa was good to the children!










Checking out the stocking

Hooray for Goldfish!

Our Second Christmas Eve (Adult Style)

On Christmas Eve at the Cooper's, we open our stockings and see what fun/crazy/where-did-you-come-up-with-that things are inside.

Rebecca, donning the Snuggie

Chris got some pictures of Marcus Allen that moved him to tears!

(See the tear?!!) (By the way, we don't know who Marcus Allen is!!!)

Bando got some Notable Mustaches. I believe he's pointing out the "Stud" in this picture!

I love Mint Milanos!

Liz got some yummy treats, too!

Mel, appropriately, got a hammer.

Stephen

Lou didn't like her chips!

Stevo

Hmmmmmmm

We had a happy Christmas Eve!