6 Weeks Old - Baby's First Christmas

Comparing size with the bear

Up close with the baby fat rolls - when we took Clara to the pediatrician
last week she weighed 10 lbs 6 oz!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

The three of us celebrated Christmas on its eve since Nathan was working on Christmas day.


Clara got a pony for Christmas from Great-Grandma Polderman. Please keep Great-Grandma in your prayers. She has had two heart attacks and is in the ICU. Nathan flew to Grand Rapids on Christmas to be with her and his family.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

...while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.

5 Weeks Old

Conversations with the bear

Big blue eyes - will they stay or will they go?

More Clara babble... She is a very animated speaker!

Letter to Clara: Month One

Dear Clara,

Today you are one month old. While I feel like I was pregnant yesterday, life before loving you also seems like the distant past. The delight of feeling you kick inside of me is no comparison to the joy of seeing and knowing you as a cuddly little person.


I love watching you as you sleep and catching glimpses of your baby dreams as they swiftly pass across your face. You have smiled and giggled in your sleep since your first week and we eagerly waited to be the recipients of your sunny graces...and when you bestowed them, we were smitten anew!


In addition to smiling this month, you have also gotten your first tooth and begun babbling to us. You seem to have quite a bit to say if you have a captive audience that cheers you on (and descends into baby talk in an effort to elicit your response!)





You have made my world so much bigger. Yet, the world seems like a scarier place now. I watch the news and shudder to think that you are living in this fallen world. I pray each day that the Lord will draw you to Himself and that your sojourn here will be characterized by faithfulness to His calling.

Love,
Mama

Rubber Ducky You're The One...

Erin's first word was "duck"...like mother like daughter?

So far, this is about as close as Clara comes to smiling at us while awake.

Bath time following major diaper malfunction.

No, she really isn't that chubby...although she has been feeding off and on for nearly 8 hrs today without sleeping!

3 Weeks Old

3 weeks old...yippee!

3 weeks old, the extended version

What can I say...God has blessed us with a beautiful little lamb!

Grandma and Grandpa Polderman

My parents were in town over the weekend to see their 3rd grandchild...and us as well. There is one thing Clara has no shortage of and that is grandparents...2 grandmas, 2 grandpas, 2 great grandmas, and 1 great grandpa!

Dream Girl

I managed to get a short video of Clara during one of her many animated REM sleep cycles. She often giggles and smiles during her sleep...one can only imagine what the dreamworld of a 3-week old infant consists of. We are looking forward to the day when she giggles and smiles at us while awake.