Today I turned 28. Claire must have sensed the excitement in the air since she woke up at 6 am...a solid one to two hours earlier than she normally wakes. Thank you dear baby. My theory is that she was so tickled to be celebrating my birthday that she didn't want me to waste any time on boring ole sleep. Again, thank you dear baby. Luckily, it was one of the rare occasions in which she woke up and wasn't instantly ready to rip off her jammies, throw on her cape, and go save the world. Instead, it was a lazy, cuddly wake up. I actually tried to get out of bed and she patted the spot next to her and made the noise she normally reserves for calling the dogs over to her. Thank you dear baby. We got some good snuggles in and I got an unsolicited "I lu loo"...which are the best kind of "I love you's". She knows what it means. I just know it.
Then Claire decided that since it was my birthday, she wanted to treat me to a coffee...unfortunately she forgot that she doesn't have money so I picked up the tab. Then we went back to bed and read books (her idea "night night?") while we shared my breakfast sandwich. For some reason she kept saying "more please daddy" when she wanted another bite, maybe it's because I was laying in his spot...very confusing.
It went on like this for at least a half hour before Claire decided that she needed to watch the news. Current events are important to the kid. Plus, Jerry Springer comes on after the news program we watch and it normally takes me at least 30 seconds to realize it and change the channel. Judging by the speed in which she runs over to the TV to watch the audience chanting "Jerry, Jerry", it might be the most thrilling 30 seconds of her day.

One perk to my birthday morning (aside from the snuggles) was that the lighting in my room is kind of cool in the wee hours. Who knew? Well, Kyle knew since he's up at the crack of dawn but it was news to me.
 

And a picture of my first born.