Birthday Celebration

It's my birthday! I LOVE everything about birthdays, especially mine -- the clothes (my tutu!), the food (ice cream and cupcakes!), the singing ("happy to ME!"), the presents (presents!), the party (Mr. Al!), and the family that came into town (Po-Po, Gong-Gong, and Da-Jiu!).

My first birthday gift a few days early

I think I'll just sit here and stare at it until you let me open it

Practicing blowing out the candle
after everyone sings to "Happy to Claire"

Getting a birthday haircut.
Hopefully next time Po-Po will do it for me.

Mommy and Daddy threw me a super fun party with a wonderful surprise: Mr Al! Mr. Al is my music person at school, and I love it when he visits. Every week when he comes, my daily report notes how much I enjoyed music time. When Mommy and Daddy were first thinking about my party, they asked me "who's coming to your party", and I instantly replied "Al!", so they figured why not. Of course, I also answer "Al" to other questions such as "who did you see at school today?", "what did you dream about", and "what do you want to do this weekend", but that's beside the point. Luckily, the daily reports were right. I really DID love Mr. Al and was so happy he could come to my party to play for me and my friends. And since the party was music-themed, so each of us got our own VIP passes with our pictures and musical toys to take home: maracas, mini-tambourine, sunglasses, and more.

It's my party!

Dancing with Mr. Al

Enjoying the show

I can't believe he's really here!

Blowing out my candles on my melting ice cream cake

Ready for cupcakes!

We took all of my presents home with me to open them over the course of a few days. That way, I get to play with each thing before moving on ... plus, it's a great activity that will take up time during the day.

Just one more?

My first high heels. I make this look GOOD

What would you like me to make you?

I would suggest that you not get in my way

Candles Part II
(or 20 if you're counting all those other practice times)
with leftover cake

One of the best presents I got this year was Da-Jiu coming to visit me for the weekend. It's not often I get to hang out with my aunties or uncles one-on-one like that, and we had so much fun together! Uncle Zong even won the coveted, never- before awarded "I put Claire to bed without any fuss at a reasonable time" award. Congratulations! He definitely cleared up any of the whole "Da-Jiu/Xiao-Jiu" confusion, and I miss him tons. He's right up there at the top of my list with Kirby!

Wheeee!

Cheers!

There's room for more if you want to come in

I love you, Da-Jiu!

And the winner is ...

Mommy and Daddy finally recognized the fact that I probably won't be going to school every day during the week and changed me to just two days a week. The other three days I'm at home with Mommy and Baby Gavin. We're definitely adjusting to all this together time, but I'm enjoying it.

A typical morning: reading and hanging out in our PJs

Practicing for next fall (or March madness): TEXAS!

Making dinner ... aspaapugaggaauu?

Ready to go out in our matching outfits -- caps, carriers, babies, jackets

Sportin' the Heisman look.

I call this look "ho, ho, ho". Seriously, I do.

You may have noticed the "Chandler-smile" I've been sporting recently. It's my new "Cheese!" face. Mommy's not sure where I even picked up "cheese!" in the first place, but she's not too keen on the grimace-looking smile that I flash her.

Cheeeeeez

Thank you to Gong-Gong and Po-Po for capturing so many moments during my party so that Mommy and Daddy could be free to be with me! For more "cheese" smiles and pictures from my party, please check out the February album!