Weekend Highlights

Friday we went to the zoo with a friend. The weather was gorgeous and we got some great views of Asha and Chandra. Although when we first headed to that part of the zoo, the whole half of it was closed because an animal had escaped! The zoo keepers were all buzzing around and on their walkie talkies. I found the story here: http://www.newsok.com/dispute-sends-oklahoma-city-zoo-chimp-into-moat-again/article/3551930?custom_click=lead_story_title

Michael was gone at a men's retreat with our church so we had another sleepover at my parents house. My mom surprised Isabella with a new exersaucer. She loves it! She will reach out to play with it when she sees it.

We went to a friend's birthday party with a Minnie Mouse theme. Isabella got to wear some ears.

Isabella got a fun package in the mail from her grandparents in Germany with treasures from their travels.
Something that is not a highlight is that Isabella seemed to have adopted the notion printed on her shirt over the weekend and woke up every hour crying. She was congested and having some trouble breathing, but other than that I don't know what the deal was. It made for two exhausted parents!

Isabella's first foods

Making some baby food is on my 30 list. So I read a good book about first foods, and decided what I wanted to make.






These foods turned into purees to freeze.

We were waiting for her 6 month birthday to start trying some foods. So far instead of swallowing she thrusts her tongue and most of the food comes out of her mouth. We will have to keep practicing. Her doctor said (after I had already made it) no apples for now and to do pears instead as those move things along unlike apples. So I will have to make some pear puree to try. Here is the run down so far-

Isabella tries carrots:




Isabella tries sweet potatoes:




We gave up on the bib because she wanted to eat it instead. As you can tell she is saying...'Wow mom and dad, thanks for making this for me. You really shouldn't have!"


Isabella tries oatmeal cereal:

She prefers to wear the cereal rather than eat it.

And really, why eat the cereal when I can just eat the tray of my seat?

6 months

Hard to believe, but it has been half a year since you became our daughter Isabella! This month you outgrew lots of your clothes and became a rolling machine. Sometimes you prop your hands up like you might want to try to move forward, but not yet. You have the sweetest smiles for us when we get you out of bed in the morning and at nap. Your nighttime sleep has been crazy over the last month, but I think it is beginning to fall back into a pattern again. At your check up today you weighed 15lbs 11oz, were 25 &1/4" and Dr. Moore said you looked perfect!
Now for the monthly zebra pics:



(I had a lot more great pics of her smiling so it was hard to pick which ones to post. But instead I picked the last few, because I thought they were hilarious!)


Get this zebra out of here Mom!


HI-YA!


Dad is still in charge of bath time, and you still really like your baths. You are growing, growing and have a lot less room in the tub than when you were first born!


You had shots today and were very fussy after nap. We went for a walk because you usually like being outside. Once we got going you stopped crying and gave me this face.
You are such a blessing to us. We love how our lives have changed having you here. Love you baby girl!

Pops!

We drove out to Pops last weekend for Michael's new fav drink the Cola Azteca.

Isabella at Pops... and sadly no Dublin Dr. Pepper for her!

Family picnic

I crossed "have a family picnic" off my 30 list yesterday. I realize a family picnic is nothing like sky diving, rocky mountain climbing, or 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu. But this one for me was about being intentional about our family time and making memories. There are so many demands on families these days and distractions everywhere. I know too many families pulled in so many directions and busy with life they lose touch with the people that they share a home with. We make choices every day about how we will spend our time that impacts our family. This seems to be a theme with people I am currently working with. Spouses or children desperately wanting time from the other people in their family. It is my guess that most people wouldn't regret working less or spending less time watching TV, on the computer, on the phone in order to just be with the people important people in their lives. My advice is to spend the time today before people have given up caring if you will take the time or not and it is too late.

Goodness, this is not supposed to be a serious post! Didn't realize I was feeling so strongly about this! It can be sad to see families go through this process. Let's start over:
I crossed "have a family picnic" off my 30 list yesterday. Spending quality time together as a family and doing simple things that our kids will remember is important to me. So we had our picnic yesterday!! YAY! There are lots of great parks in the neighborhood to the south of us, so off we went with a blanket and our food.



It was a bit cloudy, but that always makes for some great cloud watching.






It was a beautiful day! And Isabella we will have more picnics when you are able to join us in eating food!

springing forward

We are loving the warmer weather! We have been enjoying going for walks, having the windows open, sitting on the front porch, listening to the birds, watching our bulbs getting closer to blooming each day...ahhhh.
Our girl seems to change and grow every day...







We went to Valerie's by our house today to get some cookies for St. Patrick's Day. They are so sweet to us there and Valerie loves Isabella. They have awesome cookies, bars, and cupcakes.

She begged me to let her try on her new swimsuit just for fun... and I gave in. I have been really been looking forward to picking one out for her. Our family kicks off the Summer with our annual trip to South Padre Island the week of Memorial Day. We relished last year, knowing our trip would be different this year as we would be running on a baby schedule, rather than doing as we please each day. Regardless, I can't wait to take her swimming and in the ocean. I just hope she likes to swim as much as we do!
Check her out!



So the suit is a bit big and baggy...but she has several months to fill it out!


Happy Spring!

Our thursday

She has figured out she can see me in the mirror when I am turned around. She smiles really big when she sees me and it is so fun! Of course this is when we are not driving!


We went and met Michael for lunch today at work. It was so nice we ate outside.


We ate in the forum at OC, which took me back to old times in college. It is really pretty this time of year with the fish bradford pear trees in bloom.


I took Isabella to the doctor this afternoon. She has seemed a bit congested the last two days, and last night she woke herself up coughing several times and was even more congested in the morning. I debated and debated about taking her because by noon she sounded better. Michael said I should 'trust my mother's intuition'. But I guess I am still not sure how well my intuition is developed and I wanted to be certain nothing was wrong, even though I was pretty sure she was fine. It was our first time at the pediatrician office to not sit on the "WELL" side. But I also wasn't positive she was sick and didn't want to join the very sick looking bunch on the "SICK" side. So, I sat in a neutral area by the door. They did a check for RSV, which she hated and screamed even more than with shots. Gratefully, the test came back negative, and the PA said she just has some congestion and nothing contagious or anything to worry about.
We have not been getting good sleep around here this week, and after several nights of that it really takes a toll. We ran into my Aunt at OC today, and she suggested a humidifier with eucalyptus oil to help with Isabella's breathing. I got that set up for her...so here's hoping tonight is better. Thank goodness for good under eye concealer!