Sunday, May 29, 2011

11 weeks- Our baby doll!

So, as I have mentioned before, Claire does not love tummy time, she actually hates it! I was feeling guilty and wondering if she wasn't get strong in the right way because she never is on her tummy. So, I laid her on the floor and with in seconds she was pushing herself up looking around! I was so proud of her!

There she is! Little Miss Blue Eyes.

She is so absolutely precious. She is feeling so much better and doing so well. She has been talking back when we talk to her for a few weeks but now she loves to sing! When I sing and dance with her she starts smiling and singing and getting so excited, in the end it sounds like she is crying but she is smiling ear to ear, happy as can be!


I will do anything to get a smile out of this baby. I love her smiles they melt my heart and make me feel like I am worth a billion bucks! It is just hard to get a straight on shot of a smile because she will smile at me, then when I bring the camera up she gets distracted by the camera...Oh well, I am sure she will figure it out.

We just love her!

She is our little baby doll!

Pure Preciousness!

I never knew how good it would feel to be a mom :)

The Zoo


So I am not sure why we went to the zoo when we pretty much live in one with 17 people under the same roof ;) Ha, no it is really fun. This last Saturday we went to the zoo. The Cincinnati zoo just happens to be literally across from the University of Cincinnati campus. We bought season passes so Claire and I will have something to do while Ryan is in school.

I didn't post too many pictures of the animals, but I HAD to post this picture. I absolutely love manatees!!! They are my FAVORITE animals! They are so soothing and relaxing to watch. I was so happy when I found out this zoo had them!

Ryan just wanted to show off his muscles by wrestling a 'gator...No big deal, all in a days work for Ry ;)

Anna, thought of a better use for the gator... hehe


Claire spent most of the visit asleep in the stroller.

Uncle Austin looking dashingly handsome. He is 13 1/2 years old and is wonderful with little Claire.

Little Levi is 11 years old going on 35.! He is such a hard worker and tries to help everyone around him!

Auntie Annie Ann is such a great aunt! She is always helping with Logan or Claire. She is going to be 10 years old this June! Crazy!

Little Logan excited to be alive!! He is so fun :)


I just love my little siblings! Unfortunately Trina and Nick were on a photo strike and didn't want their pictures taken...

I realized I haven't been taken that many family pictures because Claire is just too cute I only want pictures of her but I figure posterity might want pictures of the whole family...

I just love my little family! It feels so good to be at this point in my life!!

The zoo wore these babies out! It was a success :)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Claire's Cuteness


Now that Claire is feeling better, I have much more time to blog and document her incredible cuteness!! Enjoy :)

This is some more Claire/Grandpa time. I love seeing people I love play with my baby. It is especially sweet to see my parents playing with her and loving her. We are so blessed!

Is there anything cuter than little Logan? Not really! He is so precious! He loves to hold little Claire. He starts talking in his special Claire voice and reaches out for her. He gets mad if you take her away. He is only 14 months old and is already a great cousin!

Daddy and Claire hanging out before daddy had to head out for work. They really love each other!

My aunt Melinda made some bracelets for Claire. She LOVES them! She will rub them all over her face and lips. It is so cute to watch her play :)

My mom and I couldn't resist taking a little naked baby picture. She was exactly 11 weeks the day this picture was taken. I just love her!

I can't get enough of her face :)


My grandma sent this extra precious outfit to Claire. I just loved it! She looks like a little doll in it.


So happy!



Is there anything better than chubby baby thighs? Nope!!


Isn't she a little too young for attitude? Man this face could say a thousand words :) We are just completely in love!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bouncer Time

Claire does not enjoy tummy time, at all. Our substitute for tummy time is bouncer time, and as you can tell, she loves it! I love this picture! She was really proud of herself when she realized she could hold herself up. She is just the best !!

This is her focusing on standing up. She is doing great!

This face just says it all!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Exciting News!!!!!!!!

Why is Mr. Loveland so excited??? It might have something to do with what is on his shirt....
Let's get a closer look:

Wait! Why would the Cincinnati Bearcats make him so happy???

Oh because he is going to be one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He got accepted into the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Cincinnati!!! He is going to start this fall. And yes, we will finally be moving out of my parents house....I am a little sad about that, but I guess by the time I am 24 years old, it is time ;)

I am so grateful for Ryan and how hard he works for us. He is amazing! This is going to be a difficult program for him, but I know he can do it! He is so smart and compassionate. I am so happy for him!

Exciting news #2

Ryan and I have made a big decision that I thought I had made a long time ago, but had to do some serious rethinking over.

I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but I struggled with this after I became a nurse. Not only did I spent long hard hours going through nursing school but I found delivering babies and working with the women and families was so satisfying that part of me was thinking maybe I could work out being a mom and working part time. Ryan, being wonderful as always, whenever I would talk to him about it, he would just say, "Jeni, I know we will do the right thing, we just don't need to stress about it when Claire is so young."

Well, I was agonizing over this when one of my friends, who is a nurse, called me up. For some reason we started talking about it. We brought up the fact that back in the day, the General Authorities would actually say that women should not work but now they have backed off from saying that so firmly because so many women get offended. She said, "You know, I have never heard anyone say, 'I wish I would have spent more time away for my children.' No, they always say the opposite..." I knew that, but for some reason after having Claire, it just struck home more." I told my friend I just felt sick when I thought about working, but it was a hard thing for me to think about giving up. She said, "Jeni, you know that is the answer. If you feel that bad about something, it is not right." She was so right. I decided right then and there, that I was not going to work at all, as being a mother.

This maybe something silly to blog about, but I just cannot express how free and happy I feel when I say, "I am going to be a stay at home mom!!" Every time I look down at Claire and see her smile or goo or just sleep, I know this is the right decision for us.

Ryan is incredible. With Ryan going into graduate school maybe people would say it is excusable to work right now, and some people even judge me and think I am crazy for not working when money will be tight. Ryan is so in love with Claire and so supportive of me, he wants me to stay home, too, so Claire can get the best care possible. I love him so much. He is exactly the kind of Dad I prayed my future kids would get :)

****Disclaimer**** I am not judging ANY mom out there. This is our decision for our family and if others moms want to, or need to work, then that is there decision, not mine. I felt this was important to put for my children and there children to read in our blog book. Please, no negative comments. Thanks !!



9 weeks

Claire and Grandpa White (my dad). This was taken after church. They are quite a handsome pair!

I think grandpa is just in love with her!!

I have to admit, I just LOVE dressing her up! It is too much fun! She is such a doll!

One of her incredibly precious poses. She is just so deliciously precious!!

She is only 9 weeks but she is almost sitting up by herself! I know it is crazy but she holds herself up so well for a few minutes before she wears out,

Yup, she is her daddy's daughter :) They look so much alike! I just love both of them so much! Life couldn't be better!

8 Weeks

She just keeps getting bigger and bigger!!! I love this face!! She puckers up her lips and makes sounds like she is singing. She is feeling better everyday and the better she feels the more personality she gets. The other cool thing about her feeling well is she is taking more and longer naps. It is just wonderful to see her so happy!

Uncle Scott and his family have moved in my parents house too!! How cool! Now there are 17 people living here! It is actually really great! Logan, absolutely LOVES Claire, he has this high pitched voice he uses just for Claire. It is really precious! Uncle Scott is kinda found of her too. Claire likes them both, but she especially likes Aunt Roberta. It is so neat!


My little munchkin, waking up from a nap, giving me a look that is VERY much like her dad....
It melts my heart!!