Yesterday we went to a cross country meet and Claudia had lots of fun. She likes talking to all the girls and practicing her starts. Ready-Set-Go!

Today we went to Quassy park with Jack and Hunter and will see them again soon for a birthday party and some fireworks at the Southbury town celebration.

Homework time.

Claudia enjoyed watching the Southbury 10K road race which went by our house last Sunday. Abby enjoyed it as well.

Cousin Monique is over right now so Claudia is having lots of fun. Claudia really adores Monique, which is good because Monique is a fabulous role model.

She went out with Uncle Rick and Aunt Pidge for dinner the other night as well. She smiles and giggles everytime she says "Uncle Rick".

Claudia has had an interesting week. She has started her "school" where she goes once per week to Monkey Business. She sings songs, plays on the mats, and listens to the teacher for about an hour. She talks about this all the time, which is good. She likes to point out her teacher's house when we go for walks (of course, it isnt her teacher's house). Claudia loves talking about school busses as she likes getting her Cousin Jack on the bus and her neighbor Leah also started kindergarten this year.

She also got a basketball hoop (3ft) that she is playing with. She loves practicing her shapes and will color in her coloring book all day long.

Claudia had fun today at the Newtown Labor Day parade and then saw lots of her relatives for a birthday party. Claudia practiced drawing her shapes with Elizabeth along with Tyrone and Tasha (Claudia loves the Backyardigans!). Needless to say, Claudia is a bit wiped out and had a bit of a tough afternoon. But after her nap the old Claudia has returned!

As most of you know, Claudia is very talkative with us and very shy with others. She has two "jokes" she likes to tell. We are curious to see if any of her friends and family can get her to say them. Of course, she won't stop once she starts.....

Claudia had a nice visit to Pennsylvania to see her Grandma and her Aunt and Uncle. Claudia really likes it there (as does Abby). She had fun going to the Corvette Parade that was shortened by a real severe storm. Made the news. Tree came down right in front of Aunt Susannah's house. Needless to say they sent all the corvettes home.

Claudia loves her purse.

Claudia is back from her vacation in Vermont. She went to Sunset Lodge where her daddy and her Grandma went when they were kids. Something like 55 years of visits. She was a very good girl the whole time.

Claudia loved going swimming. We swam once or twice a day. She liked sitting with Mommy and then swimming out to the dock. She is a big girl swimmer and likes to use her arms now (with help!).

After swimming we would have popsicles!

Claudia really wanted to use the kayak.

We had lots of nice meals.

Claudia loves her corn.

Claudia went to a carnival this week with some friends. She had a good time riding the cars and the slide.

Soon we travel for vacation. Lots of packing to do.

Claudia loves to sing.

Claudia went to watch Daddy ride in the Litchfield Hills Bike Tour. She checked all the equipment out when we finished.

Bathing beauty.

Claudia was part of a language study today at Haskins Laboratories. She was in a study last year as well. This time they were measuring how children respond to words spoken in differrent accents. Does Claudia understand a Connecticut accent as good as Jamaican accent?

After the testing we visited the Yale Art Gallery and Claudia did real well as this was her first visit to a real museum. We looked for babies and horses in the pictures and that kept us going pretty well. Its a real good museum (and its free..).

Claudia worked at the Kopec family farm today where she picked bushels of berries in her bathing suit (she also swam for a few hours).

She picked up the mail as well. In this picture she is waiting patiently for tomorrow's mail.