Happy Birthday Isabella!

Today is Isabella's first birthday!  Where has the time gone?  I don't want to spend her birthday blogging, but I thought I'd type up a quick post while she enjoys her Mickey Mouse pancake. :) 

This year has been the most challenging, exhausting, confusing, and just plain WONDERFUL year of my life.  This little girl is just so special and everyday I am amazed by the depth of my love for her.  I would do anything for this kid.  I am so proud to be her mama.

I'll post the regular monthly update Monday after her doctor appointment, but she finally took her first completely unassisted steps yesterday!  She's been able to take a few steps on her own for a while now, but only if we stood her up in the middle of the room and had her walk to us.  Yesterday was the firs time she let go of a piece of furniture all on her own and walked to me.  Hello toddlerhood!  




In honor of her birthday, the first photo:

She's Kind of a Big Deal

Isabella received a very special piece of mail recently:


Check out the return address

Seems fitting, you know since Isabella is clearly destined for greatness.  Maybe someday her signature will be printed at the bottom of these!

The timing was perfect, just in time for her birthday.  I guess we're lucky that I didn't remember to send my request until April. ;)

11 Months

Note: I wrote this Tuesday, but didn't have the chance to post it until now.

Isabella is 11 months old today!  In one month we will be celebrating her first birthday.  I can hardly believe it!  It's party central at out house.  I'm finishing up some party projects, making more and more lists, and scoping out potential birthday gifts.  Oddly enough, my hardest dilemma seems to be deciding on a flavor for her smash cake.  Pathetic, eh?  I keep thinking funfetti would be cute and festive, bu maybe I should "go all out" and make chocolate instead.  Decisions, decisions.

The Big Scary Monster is up to some new tricks this month:
-Still working on a couple of teeth, they seem to be giving her a lot of trouble lately
-Still cruising, but she can take a few steps on her own if we stand her up, she just won't attempt it on her own
-She usually gets an afternoon snack, and sometimes a morning snack
-Only nursing 3-4 times a day on average
-Sleep is excellent when her teeth aren't bother her.  She goes to bed 7-7:30pm and I don't usually have to go to her about 7am.  Sometimes I hear her wake during the night, but she usually puts herself right back to sleep.
-Singing!  It's so cute!  Especially when I sing to her and she sings back.
-We still haven't declared an official first word.  Clint is pretty convinced that she says dada, but she says it all the time, and she says it when she sees Audrey as well so I don't think she's quite there.  She only seems to make the mama sound when she's upset.  She seems to really be working on doggie and kitty cat.  Last night she spotted Bianca, and we both swore it sounded like she said "kitty cat."  We realize that it's probably a little too complex for her at this point, but it sounded just like it.
-She mimics our cat, Brenna.  She started making these odd sounds seemingly out of nowhere and one night Brenna was making her own strange little noises at the same time.  We realized that must be where she gets it.
-She's waving and clapping.
-Knows who Mommy, Daddy, Doggie, and Kitty are and will look for us if we ask her, "Where's your doggie?"  She can also find her baby doll if we ask her where the baby is.
-Recognizes the signs for milk, eat, drink and more, but won't do them herself.  We're working on mommy, daddy, dog, cat, and ball.
-Takes her baths in the 'big girl tub'  now.

I've been terrible about taking pictures this month.  The camera never seems to be in same room we are, and it's hard to get any pictures because she comes straight at me trying to get the camera!  She loves her electronics.


The aftermath of Hurricane Isabella

Hi Mom!  Doggies are great for pulling up!

Check out my new wheels!

Look at me go!

First pigtails!  So what if they're ridiculous?!

Our voracious reader.

What we've been up to

Since it's been nearly two weeks since I last posted I thought I'd give you all a little update.  The playroom is painted and in working order.  It is not done by any means.  Clint is going to move the cable hook-up to a different wall, I'm going to work on some paintings/wall decor, we need to buy a rug an curtains, and we need to build her toy bins.  This room is going to be very DIY, so it may take a while to get everything completed.  We're also in the midst of birthday party planning so the playroom project may have to take a backseat for a while.

Isabella has had some fun things going on this past week.  She went swimming for the first time at Tropicanoe Cove Wednesday.  They have a zero entry pool and she really enjoyed sitting and splashing.  She also thought walking in the pool was a blast.  The pool area isn't very big, and since it was family night it was pretty crowded.  Last night we took her to check out Family Night at Faith Community Center.  They have an indoor pool and she got to try out her baby float.  She didn't mind it, but she definitely prefers to sit and play in the shallow area.  The sky looked pretty bad as we were leaving and when we got home we heard on the radio that local emergency management was reporting a possible tornado at Faith Baptist.  Needless to say I was a little freaked out.  I HATE tornadoes and one was possibly spotted where we had just left.  Plus, we live awfully close to Faith anyway.

Isabella also started waving this week.  So cute!

Sorry there are no pictures, I forgot to take my camera both nights.  Oops!

Cruising!

Isabella started cruising tonight! 

10 Months

Isabella is 10 months old today!  How did my baby get into the double digits?  This is completely unacceptable!  She needs to stay itty bitty forever. 

We celebrated a day early by installing her convertible car seat and trying out a new walker toy.  I'd been thinking about buying her some sort of walking toy for a while, but didn't think she was ready.  Last week I caught her on her feet and pushing a box around the living room.  I guess she's ready!

We're in deep party planning mode here, well I am anyway.  Her birthday is a mere two months away so it's time to get serious.  I've been anxious to get started for a few months now but I restrained myself because it seemed to early.  Now it's sneaking up on us.

I think I've been pretty good about blogging this past month, but just in case here's what's new with Isabella:
-Four teeth!  She has the two bottom middle and the two top middle.
-Pulling up on everything
-Switched to the convertible car seat
-Will not be still for diaper changes
-Has to be fed veggies first, otherwise she'll ignore them in favor of everything else: fruit, meat, grains, etc.
-Drinking about 3 cups full of water each day at mealtimes
-Wearing size 12 months
-Likes to be outside, but hates the heat
-Taking one nap most days around 10 or 11, but getting tired around 5 or so

Of course, I have to include some pictures!


Playing with her cousin, Jaden.

First ride in the new car seat!

Ready to go!

Showing off her walking skills.

It's a car too Mommy.

Look at those teeth!

Four Teeth!

Isabella's bottom teeth now have some company.  Her two top middle teeth started to break through this weekend, and boy is she cranky!  Although, I think the crankiness is due more to her messed up sleep patterns.  She normally is up for the day around 7:00, but for the past several days it has been more like 8:30 or 9:00.  She still wants to go down for her nap at her normal time of about 10:00 though and then she doesn't nap well.  also, while she normally wakes up happy and babbling she has been waking up crying.  I know that's never a good sign.  She's just a whiny mess.  Hopefully she'll be back to her happy, playful self soon.