Spending the holidays together as a Family

Clare's Dad recently came to visit, to meet Mara and see the family.

Proud Mama holding her baby girl.  Clare is still on cloud nine and can still hardly believe that Mara is now a part of our family.

Mara opening up her presents from Grandpa and Michael from Pensacola - a dress just like the one from her shower invitation!  Mara the Fashionista hugged it and wanted to try it on immediately.

Out to dinner with the entire family.  While at dinner at the Los Altos Bar & Grill, Mara got to meet John Chambers (the CEO of Cisco) who kept saying how beautiful she was and wouldn't put her down!!

Mara was so proud to recite the alphabet and numbers to her Grandpa from Pensacola.  Even he was impressed at how smart she was and how quickly she is learning English!

Recently we were invited to visit a fish farm up in Sacramento.  As part of our tour we got to see how they sustainably farmed their fish (sturgeon and trout) and got to see their farm.  Mara had a ball, feeding the donkeys and goats and saying "hee hah".  Here her feeding DeeDee the donkey.

As part of the tour they provided us with a meal made by a local chef - including their sturgeon and caviar, of which Mara gobbled right up! (It must be the Georgian in her....)

Then came Clare's Mom's yearly Christmas sing along party.   Mara spent nearly the entire time sitting on her Granny's lap playing the piano and singing along.  She's just like her Granny! It was really special to attend the party this year, since last year it was a combo Xmas party and Mara shower.  The guests loved to finally get to meet Mara!

She also took a fancy to a young boy named Devon.  She kept coming up to him and trying to kiss him!

What's a visit to Granny's house without visiting her chickens? Here walking down the steps with Auntie Amy wearing her fancy party dress and leopard print jacket - so stylish!

On Christmas Eve, Mara put out cookies, milk and her list for Santa.  As you can see, she also helped herself to the cookies.

There's nothing like the morning of Christmas to discover that Santa has made a visit!

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And Mara checking out all of her gifts.

Since Mara loves music, she asked Santa for different instruments.  Here Mara playing with her new electric piano.

And her bongos.

And her new dollhouse that her Auntie Linda gave her (and Nick spent three house assembling!)

But by far her favorite was the Dora guitar her cousin Max gave her.  We just wish it came with ear plugs.

Later on Christmas day, we packed up to go visit Granny.  Here Mara dressed up in her fancy Xmas dress (compliments of Anne-Sophie!).  She kept twirling around in it and saying "princess".  How could you not feel like a princess it?

Not only was this Mara's first with us as a family, it was Mara's first Christmas ever!  She also got to meet more cousins and 2nd cousins (Clare's sister's kids). 

To hell with an electric piano, it's always much better playing Christmas carols on Granny's baby grand on her lap! 

Season's Blessings

Mara enjoyed her first lighted boat parade in Santa Cruz, preceded by a party at Clare's friend Celeste's house.  Here riding in the car on the way - is someone excited about the party or what?!

A happy girl!

As always, Mara was the life of the party, making new friends and talking with everyone.

Mara continues to eat everything in sight.  When we got to the party, she plopped down in front of the table to munch! (And yes, the dress is a new Clare creation!)

Here shopping with Auntie Denise.  Mara likes talking about shopping more than doing it.

Mara is always styling:  yes her Mommy helps assemble her outfits but she definitely has a mind of her own of what she wants to wear.  Here with her cute cape and Doc McStuffins stethoscope.

Here wearing a custom knitted sweater that one of Clare's colleagues made for her.  So soft & fuzzy and a perfect fit!

Mara continues to be fascinated with puzzles.  Her junior preschool is definitely helping her to develop her brain.  Not only is her vocabulary developing, she is really starting to express herself!

This is not only Mara's first Christmas with us, but her first Christmas ever!  Let's just say she is quickly catching on - singing Jingle Bells and talking about Santa.

Mara playing with the best White Elephant ever:  a nutcracker music box theater!!

Sitting on Santa's lap.

All dolled up for our Christmas photo.

Taking a family photo for our Christmas card proved more difficult than we thought.  Here Mara running off from the camera.

Having fun on the holiday merry go round.

Always styling with her Daddy.

Making a gingerbread house with her friend Alessia.

This past week Mara came to Clare's work for a holiday Christmas party with the kids. 

At the party we discovered that Mara loves Karaoke - we practically had to pull her away!

Mara continues to be obsessed with Dora (we think she actually thinks she IS Dora).  One of Clare's colleagues gave Mara a hand-me-down Dora backpack filled with goodies at the party, which practically blew her mind.  Since the party, she walks up to you and turns around, patting her back to say "backpack".

By the Numbers

Mara had her four month doctor's visit which yielded as encouraging news as ever.  Mara has grown 4 INCHES in 4 MONTHS!!  Her doctor couldn't be more thrilled, although the downside of her bionic growth is a condition our doctor has never seen before:  her toes have actually outgrown her own toenails!  Poor thing:  her nails are growing in at the right size but at the top are too narrow for the size of her toe.  It obviously hurts but we just have to wait for them to grow out. 

Clare had to travel to Detroit & Calgary for her work, so she was able to bring Nick and Mara along to visit her grandparents, Aunt & Uncles and cousins.   Here Mara at the airport checking in her baggage.  She is quite the explorer:  loving the airports and airplanes.  All of the passengers and crew commented on how well behaved she is on the plane!

Mara loved seeing her family, and it was particularly touching to see her with new cousins, Alex and John.  Here at her Grandparents and Uncle Ed's house in Detroit.

Cousin John worked at a camp with special needs kids and was really good with her.  John said he loved her smile, said she smiled from the inside.

Another shot with John in her cute winter clothes!

Mara absolutely adores her Auntie Linda, always wanting to talk and play with her.  She took a bath at her Nona's house and ran through the house naked - if only I had captured that to use for future ammunition to embarrass her!

While we were in Detroit, we got to see Clare's first University of Michigan game while Uncle Dan, Cousin John, Nona & Grandpa babysat (and as always Mara behaved like an angel, loving the attention from everyone and playing with the ipad).  To say that Michigan's stadium is impressive is an understatement!

Even while miserably losing to Nebraska, the crowds were insane.

It was fun to tailgate before the game with our rockstar parking space right next to the stadium and thankfully it wasn't too cold.  Clare even tried Alex's wheat free beer!

Here the crew at the game!

After leaving Detroit, Nick and Mara traveled back home (and again, Mara was an angel although her Mommy missed her terribly) and Clare traveled to Calgary.  Calgary was a beautiful charming little town and of course Nick gave Clare fabulous restaurant recommendations.  Clare enjoyed a brisk walk down to the river to enjoy a fabulous meal at the River Cafe.  First squid from Vancouver.

And then smoked ahi with boar proscuitto.

Even being gone for a day, Clare was so happy to be back home with her family and to see Mara.  The first day back Clare and Mara were inseparable.  Here Mara cooking with her Momma making soup in her chef costume, cooktop and utensils that her Auntie Maia, Emily and Sarah gave her - as Mara says "so much fun"!!!

Of course her Granny missed her terribly so the first thing we had to do this past weekend was to visit.  Here Mara and Granny playing the piano together.

Celebrations

Mara experienced her first birthday party other than her own - her Granny's!  At first she was confused that we weren't singing to her but then quickly caught on (helping her Granny open her presents).

Mara is getting much better about eating on her own.  She makes quite the mess (thank goodness for Rosa who helps us clean each week) but it's incredible to think that she was being hand fed baby four months ago!

She is also brushing her teeth more, thanks to watching the other kids at day care and practicing herself.  We still need to take her to a specialist dentist since has "issues" with doctors.  Due to the malnutrition her teeth aren't the best our pediatrician says it's okay since it's only her baby teeth.  

At peace with Biko, playing in bed.  Biko has adjusted beautifully with Mara, realizing that she gets the attention so he gets as close to her as possible.  Now if we could just stop the meowing at 4 am in the morning?!

 

What more can a girl want than muffins and iPad Elmo counting game?  Yes! Singing the muffin man song while you eat!

What's a posting without Mara flaunting her great sense of style.  How many little girls do you know that can rock the rainbow leg warmer look?

This was Mara's first Halloween and it took her a while to figure out what it all meant (thanks to her friend Dora she started to understand quickly).  First came her appreciation for pumpkins (including the one her Mommy carved for her of Dora).  Then, she learned about costumes and candy.  Here dressed as Snow White at her school.

Here with another of her classmates at school.

Her school hosted a Halloween festival, complete with pumpkin patch, face painting and treats. 

Mara's favorite though was the parent who dressed up as Elmo - she fearlessly stalked him throughout the entire festival, demanding to have her picture taken with him!

At first we were going to pass on taking her out trick o treating, since we were afraid she would get scared of the decorations and massive crowds that swarm our neighborhood.  But, when we got home, Mara with her mind of her own, announced that she wanted to put her costume back on and go out!  Here Mom & Mara making their way out into the neighborhood.

Rocking her Snow White costume, complete with pony tails (which Mara calls "pone" tails) and Ugg's.  Too bad Mom had to carry her most of the way!

One final close-up of Mara, compliment of her Auntie Janelle.  She is such a happy kid!  Next week we hope to hear back from the county who are assessing her for special education.  Not only does she continue to have a voracious appetite for food, she also craves learning.  She loves her puzzles, A-B-C's and 1-2-3's.  We want to support her development and also keep her stimulated - hope to hear good things from them!