17 months

This past week we went to Maroa and watched our niece, Caisey, play basketball. It was her 8th grade night and she and her parents were introduced before the game.

We didn't get very many good pictures since we were trying not to use the flash. Caisey started the game and played the majority of it.

This week Claire also turned 17 months old. We are a few days late with pictures, but at least we got one with a smile.

And one proving that the terrible twos aren't very far away.

At 17 months Claire...

• Loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the Hotdog song
• Talks about babies and carries her doll around the house. She's also been seen trying to feed her baby cherios and her sippy cup.
• Climbs in the bathtub.
• Likes to sit on her potty chair but that's all she does.
• Reads lots of books. She likes to say "what's that?" and have us tell her. Or she will point to the characters when we name them.
• Grandma Marge has taught her what to say in response to "I-L-L" and it sounds a little like "I-I-I"
• She pulls the kitchen chair up to the counter to help make supper
• Pretends to talk on the phone but refuses to talk on the phone for real
• Pretends lots of things are telephones and holds them up to her ear.
• Holds things up to her eyes (phones, books, sunglasses) and says "CHEESE"

Trick-or-Treat

Claire had her first Trick-or-Treat experience this past weekend. She was the cutest little lion in town! She held daddy's hand as we walked from Ms. Mary's house, to Ms. Roberta's to Ms. Sandy's.

She didn't care too much about the candy but liked to walk right in the door and make herself at home! She really enjoyed her cheetos from Ms. Sandy's house!

After a couple of stops in Piper City we headed to Great Papa's house in Gilman. He was so excited that Claire stopped by to play! And Claire helped pass out some candy and fruit while we were there.

Claire had her first taste of smarties and now she's in love!

After Great Papa's house we headed to visit Uncle Russ & Aunt Janet & Kelly. They had kitties and horses so Claire was in heaven. She even gave the horse a kiss!

We made a stop at Great Grandma Ficklin's house and got a TON of goodies before heading to Gammy & Papa's house for some trick-or-treating and pizza.

We've had a big week since Halloween too! Trever was gone Monday-Thursday for work so Monday night Grandma Marge came home with me and played with Claire while I packed up some stuff and did a little cleaning. On Tuesday we got up really early so that I could go vote and then we all headed toward Farmer City. Claire spent the day with Grandma and then we went trick-or-treating in LeRoy. We went to Great Grandma's house, "Aunt" Barb's house and JP & Linsay's house. At Aunt Barb's she had her first experience with pop rocks which was pretty entertaining. We came home Wednesday night but not until we took Shelbie out for dinner and did some trick-or-treating at the Voelkers. Thursday night we hung out at home, took a bath and hit the sack waiting for daddy to come home. Trever got home about midnight and then came home early tonight so we could have a normal evening as a family. And, he is in charge of dinner. It looks like we are having pork burgers and cornbread stuffing from a box. Yummo!