Yes, you read the title of this post correctly… my sweet “baby” is 18 months old today!
It’s her half birthday, and you know how much we love half birthdays around our house!
Really though, she’s not much of a baby anymore. She’s walking, talking, singing, laughing, and showing us a little bit more of her own individual personality every single day.
Clara’s new “big thing” is to sit in James’ chair (instead of her high chair) for breakfast. Since she often sleeps in longer than the boys, they are almost always finished with breakfast before she eats — so his chair is open and she thinks she is REALLY cool.
In all honesty, I don’t care all that much where she sits — I’m just thrilled with how well she eats, and the fact that she is fairly self-sufficient at feeding herself!
Also, she LOVES roasted beets, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes!
After a long winter inside, Clara was excited to get outside for the first time since she started walking.
She had SO much fun walking up and down our driveway, pushing her “bebe” in the stroller.
Speaking of “bebes”, that’s one of the words she says clearly — that and, Mama, Dada, uh-oh, wawa (water), and yes!
She can do several animal sounds, point to most body parts, and is a big fan of “singing”. Obviously she doesn’t sing actual words, but she knows when to get louder and softer, when to clap or stomp, when to shout, and when to start and stop singing during our pre-bedtime songs with the older kids.
Her favorites are:
- Skidamarinky-dinky-do
- If You’re Happy And You Know It
- Joshua Fought The Battle of Jericho
It’s SO cute! I wish I could get a video, but if I take my phone out to video tape, she stops singing… naturally!
Clara is still one of the sweetest, happiest, smiliest, most easy-going babies around (at least compared to all my other babies)… I feel spoiled every day!
Dave and I feel so content with the fact that she will be our last baby.
Last week, I took the obligatory photo of her in the pink cowgirl hat my parents saved from when I was a baby. 🙂
The pictures below were taken when I was just over a year old, and when Nora and Clara were 18 months old. Definitely related, but all with our own individual looks.
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This girl has her siblings wrapped around her finger… they do anything and everything for her! It is becoming very obvious why youngest children are often spoiled!
Here’s a look back to when she was only 6 months…
And now, a whole year later!
Happy Half Birthday Sweets!
Debbie says
Wow! She looks like you when you were a baby yourself. Happy Birthday Clara!
Wendy says
She is adorable.
Natalia says
Clara is adorable! I enjoy reading about your sweet children. Thanks for sharing them with us 🙂
Barb says
Oh my goodness, she is adorable! Happy Half Birthday Clara!
Martha Lawson says
Wow! She is really growing up! Precious!
JJ says
Happy 18 Months to Clara!!! Her joy radiates in the pics!!! What a fun group of kiddos!!!
Abbie says
I have trouble believing how fast the children are growing up. Now Clara is having her half
birthday. She is beautiful-as all your children are.
Andrea says
thanks Abbie! Time flies!
BB says
It is SO hard to believe that Clara is 18 months old already! I did a double take in reading that today, it was so unbelievable! She is sure a sweetie though. Hope she has a wonderfully fun ‘half birthday’!!
Lynn Arnsdorf says
I could scoop her up and lick her
Marcia Chesser says
She is a real cutie-pie! All of the kids are!
Andrea says
Thanks Marcia 🙂
JoAnn C. says
She is so precious. i love the Spider/Super Girl picture; can she be any cuter? Happy half birthday, Clara. Thanks, Andrea for sharing. This post made my day!
Andrea says
Yes, that is one of our favorite pictures of her so far too! Simon says her “super power” is being “super cute”! I agree!!
Chris says
Happy half-birthday!! I’m so glad she is so happy all the time. That is a blessing. I just have to say I love her “dish” full of vegetables, looks like something I would do. LOL
Andrea says
haha — that dish full of veggies was actually my storage container for all our roasted vegetables. She insisted I put it ON her tray and was gobbling them up!
Chris says
I thought that’s what it was! LOL
Margaret says
A kid that swipes veggies? What a wonderful “problem”!
Andrea says
i know — both she and James are excellent veggie eaters! Nora tolerates them and always eats them first to “get them over with”. Simon belabors the process and saves them until last when they are cold 🙂
Linda Tenhage says
This post could have been written about my little girl! She is also spunky, happy go lucky, adored by her siblings, and also our last baby! I love your idea for half birthdays – but I’ll have to start that next year – I’ve already missed three of them!
Andrea says
well then you are lucky too! So nice to have a happy baby!
Paulette says
My favorite pic is the superman costume. Makes me giggle.:)
Paulette says
She is absolutely precious! Is she ever Not smiling?!?
Andrea says
thanks — she is mostly always smiling 🙂 we are so lucky!