Claire's 1-week Birthday and Our BIG Adventure

Happy 1-week birthday Claire!!  We decided (like her cousin Liz) to put her next to a stuffed animal for each "milestone" to compare how she is growing.  Here was our attempt to take pictures.
She didn't love the idea at first...

But then decided she would work with us (with a little help from Dad).

Since Friday was Ryan's last day at home we decided we would try out first big outing - to EP center!  Claire was fussier than normal in the morning so we kept delaying our departure.  We finally were ready to go but figured we'd only get to the garage and then have to turn around and come back in.

To our surprise we DID make it to the mall!  We got to 3 stores all while Claire was asleep.  Ryan then suggested we also stop at Cub Foods to get dinner - I though we were tempting the gods by doing so...but we did get in, out (w/groceries!) and home before she needed to eat again.  We were quite impressed (both with ourselves and with her!). 

While at Cub Foods we ran into a former co-worker of mine and her 2 daughters.  It was the first time I was anxious to have people around Claire because I hadn't brought my Purell!  I do realize this  might be a bit over-protective and our parents (and our aunts and uncles) always say "I wonder how we survived!" (not having used Purell).  Yeah yeah, but she's not YOUR little bundle of joy!  And she's brand new, I just don't want her to get sick!

Not to worry, Claire is healthy. Though somehow mom got a cold -which by the way I don't think is fair.  Wouldn't you say I'm going through enough changes/challenges/joys at the moment and that I should not have to deal with a cold?!?