Claire Bearska, Neeska, Noska

Oh, our 2.5 year old little Claire bear.  She is SO MUCH FUN!  Every single day, she is SO MUCH FUN!  She is easy going, easy to please, easy to discipline, easy to console...basically, she is awesome!  While she is easy, she is also a two and a half year old girl...filled with emotions and moodiness.  But it is so cute and funny.  She has meltdowns, and while in the middle of it, I tell her to go find her blankie.  Once her blankie has been located, she snuggles it, with her fingers in her mouth, and all is well in her world.

She is curious!  She never means to do things that cause me more work, but her curiosity gets the best of her and she creates little messes all over the house.  She is different from her big sister, in that she doesn't gt bothered when her hands are dirty, or when things get spilled on her.  She doesn't care to be neat and tidy.  I will regularly find her opening various lotions, lipsticks, food jars, water bottles, etc.  If it has a lid...she will find a way to open it and touch the contents within.  When I do catch her making a mess, it is so hard to be upset with her, because she looks at me with her massive blue eyes and her gigantic smile...then innocently tells me what she has discovered.  Her intent is never to do something naughty...she just loves discovering new things.  Claire is the child that really keeps me on my toes and requires me to think a few steps ahead of her to lessen the probability of catastrophe.

Claire is the BEST little sister for Emily.  She literally is Emily's little protege, and does whatever Emily tells her to do.  They play SO WELL together (I am insanely lucky for this!) and much of that has to do with Claire's willingness to listen to and obey whatever Emily's imagination directs.  Claire is loving, sweet and loves to laugh.  So much personality wrapped up in her tiny little body.

Meltdown progression

Sick little Bear Bear

I resisted for a LONG time for Claire to feed herself (ultimate MESS), but she is now feeding herself...even cold cereal with milk!  

She loves the baby nursery at the Children's Museum

...and the make-up station

Has a substantial pony tail these days, but I still like putting her hair in pig tails.

She loves when James comes in her bed.

She is always along for the ride as we take Emily to all of her activities: preschool, ballet and gymnastics.  She is seriously such a good sport and so supportive of all that Emily does.  I don't think it has dawned on her that she isn't doing such activities yet.  She just likes watching Emily, and then once Emily is finished, always says, "Good job Emily!" while giving her returned playmate a big hug.