We've been talking about President's Day the past week, that the girls would be home from school that day, and the things we had planned. This morning we all came down to breakfast to find gifts at our places that Darren had made for each of us. When we thanked him and asked what they were for, he gave us a classic Darren look and said, "I made presents for Presents Day!" The girls quickly corrected him, so he wanted to know what we do for President's Day. Hmmm, that made me think. We, ummm, talk about the Presidents? Put out the flag and enjoy a day off from school? Not nearly as exciting as a day for getting presents. 

Last week Adriana brought home a note from school saying that she hadn't passed her vision screening. A not-so-quick visit to the optometrist confirmed that she does, indeed, need glasses. They arrived yesterday.

I wondered if it would take her a while to get used to glasses, but I needn't have worried. Kendall said on the way home Adriana was, in typical Adriana-style, so excited by how well she could see. "I can count every single blade of grass!" Adriana also likes that she looks "older" and "like a scientist" with her new glasses (lately she's been making different potions and inventions, and for Christmas she has asked for beakers and test tubes). Of course, she's still our funny Adriana. Here she's using my cane and pretending to be an old man. :)

Over Fall Break the kids and I went up with my mom to visit my grandparents in Kaysville and Ogden. I hadn't been to see Grandpa since he's been in his assisted living home. It was nice to visit with him.


We also got to pick apples at GG and Popper's house. I'm not sure exactly how many pounds we picked because my mom and Christine took some of them, but I estimated that I had about 40 pounds of apples that I kept. So far I've made crockpot applesauce and several batches of apple carrot muffins. I foresee apple jam, dehydrated apples, apple waffles, more applesauce, and maybe some apple crisp or pie in our near future.

On the way home from Ogden we were able to stop at Christine's house. She very graciously shared some of her pumpkins with us. I haven't put up Halloween decorations (they need some repairs after the move), but at least we're looking a bit more seasonal.

And for some exciting news, those pictures were taken just as Darren and Clara and I got back from taking a WALK around the block. It's the first walk I've been able to go on since breaking my foot nearly two months ago. Hurray for finally getting good news from the doctor this morning!

And hurray for not needing this any more!

 I'm now off the crutches and can start with some strengthening, range of motion, and eventually balance exercises. I am definitely motivated to work hard on those exercises, because I am more than willing to be able to drive again! Hopefully in another week or two. I'm also grateful that I'll be able to go trick-or-treating with the kids without having to hobble around on crutches or use my really nifty scooter.

I just looked at the calendar and realized that Clara is eight months old today. Considering that she was only two months the last time I posted pictures on our blog, a lot has happened and changed. We've had four family birthdays, moved, Adriana was baptized, a new school year started, and I broke my foot in several places, amongst other things. Each of those things deserves its own post, and lest I overwhelm myself and never finish this post, I'll just stick with a Clara update.

She is tall! Clara has continually stayed in the 100th percentile for height, although in typical Sawyer baby tradition now that she's started solid foods she's starting to lean out (only in about the 30th percentile for weight). Because of her height she is already in 12-month clothes; we kind of skipped 6-9 month clothes altogether.  Not a surprise where she got her height, of course.

At seven months she was crawling (rolling and scooting at six months, but not officially crawling until seven months), which was earlier than any of our other babies. She's actually become mobile since I broke my foot, and for a while there she was faster than I was. :) And she is go, go, go. Clara never holds still and very determined, and her favorite toys are those she doesn't think are "baby toys." She's also a grabber. Glasses, earrings, arm hair, none are safe in her vicinity. 

We also have another early talker on our hands. Clara loves to babble and imitate us, and she is loud! You always know when she is around, and if she is happy or sad. Most of all she loves undivided attention and entertaining from others. At seven months she could imitate several words ("Daddy" and "yeah" two of her favorites), and she'll say "Mom-mom-mom-mom!!!" very loudly, while signing milk, when she's hungry. We think that her first real word, though, has been either "Hi!" or "Hi-ya!" She says that with a huge grin on her face when I get her up in the morning or up from a nap, or sometimes when her sisters get home from school, often accompanied by a funny little wave.

Food is very motivating for this girl. Thankfully she's not a picky eater, just don't be too slow getting the spoon to her mouth or she will make it very clear she is unhappy with you. Clara loves feeding herself (or eating fun treasures she finds on the floor), but with no teeth yet she's still a bit limited in what we'll let her feed herself. She loves baby food and baby cereal, though (except baby food meat, which she'll literally gag when we try to feed it to her). I think the first time I fed her baby food I must have made loud "Yum, mmmm, mmmmm!!" noises, because between bites she'll usually loudly say, "Mmmmmm!!" Such a funny girl.




 Clara is not a fan of sleeping, at least at night. We're pretty sure she is our last child, though, which helps me know that this phase will end (and not just start with another baby). You'll notice in this blog that there are very few pictures of her sleeping.

Here are some pictures of our sweet, determined, energetic, mischievous, delightful baby from the past six months.

And that catches us up from the summer on Clara pictures. Cute girl!