Miss Independant

Remember when we went camping and Claire snuck out of the tent and I had a little heart attack? I knew at the moment that I should have taken a picture but that would have stopped me from running over to scoop her up with my arms flailing.

The good news is it happened again and I had the presence of mind to snap a picture and let her do her thing. We were at a co-op meeting (there will be another post soon about co-op) last week and there were some basketball players that Claire was very interested in. So she made her way over to meet them.  About half-way there she turned around, waved at me and kept going (this shot is right after the wave.  She is that small speck at the bend in the sidewalk).

She is not afraid.  I don't think that's anything she has learned.  It's something she is and has been since before she came to us.

On Friday Claire will have been with us for one year (though tomorrow is the day that we went to the hospital to be induced (it was a LONG labor)). The more I get to know her the more I am convinced that the person she is was something that was determined long before she got here.  We will shape and influence who she is but I am increasingly convinced that we are working with material that was set some time ago. She has always been a sweet, caring little person.  She is demanding and loves to sleep (like her mother) and she is determined, hard working and a picky eater (like her dad) but she is also gentle, loving and happy.

Both of Claire's grandmas are coming for her birthday.  They arrive tomorrow (along with the rainy weather) and we are thrilled to have them even though my house is a mess and hasn't been dusted in weeks.  The good news is I don't plan on getting it done before they arrive (sorry) but I am going to get ready for party with 25 kids under the age of 6. Bring. It. On.

So what do you think?  Are we nature or nurture?