From little to big

Within a 3 week time period Claire went from little to big in so many ways.  

Claire is now sleeping in a Big Girl Bed!  Well, it's not actually a BIG bed, but we took the side rails of her crib off.  It all started after our trip to the cabin where it was more than apparent that Claire was far too big for the pack-n-play.  That combined with a screaming fit that she has been throwing for more days, weeks, months than I care to admit at bedtime, convinced me it was time for a change.  Funny that all that screaming was actually what was preventing me from making the change because I thought she would just keep screaming while also running out of her room 1000 times a night.

However, she surprised us again.  I told her that we might be switching her to a big girl bed and showed her what it would look like.  She was so excited we ended up doing it the next day.  Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best I had her help me make a "Big Girl Bed Poster" of expectations.  She LOVED this!  It gave her ownership over the situation and made her feel like she was the one setting the expectations!  Each night before bed she goes to her poster and reads it with so much pride and excitement.  And so far (I pray this doesn't jinx me) it has worked!  She is a pro and stays in bed until her wake-up clock turns green at 7am!  Way to go Claire!

That same week we were headed to the grocery store and her restlessness and energy combined with Clarks' need to be closer to me meant that I was going to be really brave and let her push her own cart.  I am going to admit I am a bit of a control freak and I always pictured me pushing my cart one way and her going another way, the trip taking 3 times as long and so on and so on.  Well...I should know by now not to think like that!  She LOVED it and stayed right by me and only crashed her cart into the back of my ankles two times! ;)

Look at her go!

Filling her cart with only the items on our list that are actually for her!  Too cute!

She was saying, "Wait mama, let me check my list before we go."

She has seen me push the cart and hold a list at the same time for almost 3 years and she said, "Look mama, I'm holding my list just like you."

Hard to believe this was July of 2011

She's been my shopping buddy for a long time.

But, Clark was happy to take her place in the front and I'm sure he is ready to be sitting up and out of his carseat now too!

The following week I got a manicure and pedicure which I must say never happens!  I am so thankful to my mom for watching the kids for me and a sweet friend who I got to go with!  When I picked up Claire and she saw it, she was all about it!  On our way home we stopped at Walgreens and I let her pick out her own nail polish for an at home mani/pedi!  She chose a clear polish with glitter, moons and stars for her finger nails and a pink glitter polish for her toes...totally her!

She wasn't in the mood for pics, but I managed a few.  This was so fun and I am sure will be the first of many at home mani/pedis in our future!

You really can't see the polish in this picture, but look at those little hands.

I love sharing these moments with her!  It is too much fun and more than I could ever ask for!  

We have another BIG GIRL post coming soon...it's so special I wanted to blog it separately!  Let's just say I am SO proud of her!!