Lately

 Picnic & playing downtown with friends

 Playing outside in the morning before the heat sets in. (That's a whale in case you can't tell)

 Beating the heat with water

21 Months

 Isabella, at 21 months you are constantly moving, often talking or singing, and getting more and more personality. You love to grab me and say "I got you!" then laugh and laugh and say, "I funny." You still love playing outside, running everywhere, blowing bubbles, coloring with chalk, and eating popsicles. You love books. A few of your favorites right now are: Commotion in the Ocean, Beach Day, and Thomas the Train. Two of them we have maxed out the check out time at the library and we will probably have to purchase them for our collection. You love trains, and when we drive by the train tracks you say, "Pease! More train, more train!" As if I can make the trains appear. :) Usually I am frustrated when we get stuck at the train tracks, but this last time I enjoyed it listening to you be so excited about it. You like to color, play with play doh, and help with some tasks in the kitchen. We make scrambled eggs together several days a week and your favorite part is putting in some pepper. You know several colors now. You love building block towers with Daddy and knocking them down. You have been enjoying watching Elmo. Sometimes you watch it while I take a shower. You used to pull back the shower curtain, get water all over yourself and the floor and cry while I was in the shower, and now if I put Elmo on you sit in your chair and watch it. The first few times you would still run into the bathroom every few minutes to check on me. Now you sit in your chair like such a big girl and when I check on you when I'm out, I'm still surprised to see you sitting there. You love my friends and often ask them to hold you or hold hands when we are together. You have finally started calling my friend Heather, 'Heather' instead of Mama Katie. You have discovered a love for watermelon this Summer. You also are loving grapes (which you insistently call blueberries, even when corrected), strawberries, fruit/spinach/yogurt smoothies, chickfila nuggets, and edamame. Your favorite treats are still chocolate, jelly beans, and marshmallows (shinos).

You have a wild, happy spirit. You have an equally strong, determined personality. We are both learning; me about how to set limits in a way that works well for you and you testing where all the limits are! :) 

I watch you sometimes and can't believe how big you are, and how much you are doing and saying. Happy 21 months baby girl!

****Zebra/chair pics from one year ago: 

Weekend scenes

 We began our weekend Friday morning with a trip to the water park with friends. Michael's mom surprised me with a season pass for a 1/2 birthday present, so we will be going more this summer to the water park (aka: human toilet, as my F-I-L calls it).

 Friday night our friends asked us to meet up at our fave burger place, that is finally open again! You should check it out!
After dinner we headed downtown for the kids to play. We ran into some other friends there. So friends, we should all just plan on meeting down there on the weekend. 

Saturday morning breakfast, Michael is the weekend breakfast cook.
After breakfast, Isabella and I went to story time at full circle book store with my mom and then out to lunch.

Saturday night date night: sushi, sno cones, and hanging out together in the park like when we were in high school.

Ah, the weekend, it goes by so fast! 

(And many thanks to Cox for fixing out internet after being offline for 4 days!)

Summer Solstice 2012

 We had a little summer solstice celebration after nap yesterday to welcome the first day of Summer. I explained it was the first day of Summer, an explanation that was lost on her.   We ate s'mores on the porch together.

Then we played in the sprinkler, "pool", and sand. And followed up with a popsicle eaten from the best invention ever. Happy Summer!

****Today was a much better day. We played at home in the morning, went to frontier city with Cappy and rode a train, had lunch at chickfila, read books, went to church, all without any major problems. I'll take it as it comes, one day at a time.

Raising her up

(The best way to eat watermelon in the Summer: outside, in your diaper, with water to wash off in afterward.)

Today was a discouraging day. I carried my child screaming out of the grocery store. She had multiple fits throughout the day. And the cherry on top was when she hit her friend tonight while we were over for dinner. Today was a particularly bad day. Luckily, most days are not to this caliber. But more often lately, I find myself struggling to find the balance giving her some freedom and creating a fun childhood for her with guiding her to grow up to be a well mannered, behaved person. I know a lot of her behavior is typical for her age, but hitting people and screaming when you don't get what you want is not an acceptable way to behave. I know there is plenty of time to help her learn these things, but also know this learning has to start early. I was haunted today by every parenting session I've had with a client, and the sound of my own voice saying, "You must be consistent", "Be firm, but calm", "You must model how to express anger in ways that are OK", "It's OK if you have to carry your child out of the store and you feel like people are looking, remember you are helping them learn what is acceptable and what is not"... blah blah blah. And while it is OK, it is definitely not an easy job to get to teach these things to your child in front of others.

 I guess Isabella is helping me personally learn what it feels like so I can have even more understanding and be better at my job, and have plenty of opportunities to practice patience myself. Thanks kid.  

Happy Father's Day

I was blessed to grow up with the most patient person I've ever known for a father. When I was little, one of my favorite things was having my dad blow dry my hair. I remember sitting on the toilet in our house in Australia and he would brush it all down in my face where I couldn't see. As he finished he would brush it all out of my face. He had a different way of doing it, but it was always done with such tenderness, it was really special to me.
There is just something really special about a Dad's relationship with his daughter.

I loved watching my Dad brushing Isabella's hair at the beach this year. She actually sat still for it.

I married a man that has many of the same qualities that I love in my dad, but at the young age we married, I don't think I thought a lot about what he would be like as a father. I have loved watching Michael grow into his role as a father over these past 21 months. He is also a compassionate, tender, patient, encouraging Dad, just like mine is. I talked to someone recently about raising daughters, and they mentioned the importance of the father's love and investment in the daughter for their self esteem. I'm so glad that is something that comes naturally for Michael and he so desires for Isabella to know how much he cherishes her.

Donuts with Dad father's day morning 2012

Is it good? (A favorite question these days)

Michael, I am proud of the father you are, excited to see how you continue to grow as a father, and so grateful to have you as my partner on this parenting journey.

We spent time with our families this weekend. Played at the water park.  Napped. Watched Downton Abbey. And ate good food.

Coloring with Nana

Isabella and I are also so blessed with a kind, thoughtful, and generous man for a father-in-law and grandfather to celebrate this father's day weekend.

I'm grateful for the time we get to spend with family and the investment our parents are making in our daughter's life.

Happy Weekend!

 Today we played with friends. We made a father's day craft, did some bubble art, and the girls played in the sprinkler.

We didn't have plans tonight and made a last minute decision to have a pizza picnic downtown at the park.

Playing with her hair is her telltale sign that she is sleepy. Happy the weekend is here and looking forward to celebrating the dad's in my life!