It's All In The Wrist

So Sweet Pea has a new trick up her sleeve!

She loves to clap, clap, clap.

And every time she claps, she looks lovingly at you in hopes of praise and that you'll clap too!

This goes on all day :o)

It's so adorable!!

And the way she claps is too cute.

She slaps her right hand on top of her left rather than palms together.

We keep showing her the "right" way to clap,

but seriously she's so proud of her way, I don't think she'll change the way she does it any time soon!

Today we welcome Baby Purvis into the world!

Congrats Mei & Doug!!!!!

Isabelle can't wait to roll around with another buddy :o)

The Best Un-Thanksgiving Ever!

I've always felt that there is too much emphasis on the date of a holiday. Aside from Halloween, I honestly feel like a holiday can be celebrated a day or two early..

in this case it was almost a week!

Thomas and I decided to stay at home for the holidays this year; with the baby, economy and just our general desire to stay home..

My parents were able to come out this week to celebrate Thanksgiving early.

It felt so much like Thanksgiving I kept forgetting that it wasn't for the rest of the country. I had eagerly anticipated my Twilight Zone marathon on TV and why the phone was so quiet. Then I remembered. Thomas knew how much I was missing my favorite sci-fi show, and ran down to the library with Isabelle to pick up some Twilight Zone dvd's - what an awesome husband!!

Thanks to our early bird baby, my mother and I got an early start on all the cooking. We made all our favorites and tried out some new ones. We had deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, crab dip, and a yard o' beef for starters. Then we had a golden baked turkey, my yummy sweet potato casserole, REAL cranberry relish, oyster dressing, bacon & onion green green beans, and mashed potatoes. For dessert we enjoyed pecan pie with Bourbon whipped cream.. all from scratch! It was YUMM-O!!! And leftovers this morning are all the better!

We topped the evening off by watching "Miracle on 34th St."..

we'll be watching "It's A Wonderful Life"tonight..

This year I'm so thankful! Thankful we were blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Thankful to be blessed with a loving and supportive husband. Thankful for my loving parents that are always there for us and Isabelle. Thankful for all the wonderful friends in my life. Thankful Thomas' job is secure in an unstable economy. Thankful for all that we have and more..

I hope all of you have an equally beautiful holiday and truly feel thankful in your lives...regardless of when you celebrate the day!

Karen rocks!

My best friend from my crazy ASU days is the best! She's coming to visit us in Feb with her baby boy Quinn!! I know how hard it is to travel with a youngster, so it means all the much more that she's going to brave it!!! Thanks Karen! We love you soo much and can't wait to spend a weekend with you! ((Fingers crossed Annalee can make it too!)

And anyone else that would like to visit, PLEASE DO!

We have tons of room, great mountains to ski & snowboard on,

and I've refound my cooking mojo - so you'll eat well!!

Isa is on the mend, but still has a mean runny nose..

Not sure if she'll have a "8 month" photo,

but the Disney pics were taken super close to her birthday!

My folks are coming out this week to celebrate an early Thanksgiving.

So excited!! We're going to party like Pilgrims ;o)

All our traditional meals,"It's A Wonderful Life", and some Twilight Zone!!

I'm thinking of doing a non traditional meal on the actual turkey day

since it will just be the three of us..

Maybe a turkey & cranberry raviolis that I saw on Food Network..

or maybe a Shepard's pie... we'll see

Thomas wants me to dress the baby up as a turkey & take photos..

I told them there was only one turkey in this house and he was it!

Happy early Thanksgiving!

8 months!

Angel pie turned 8 months today!!

I would have done a photo shoot, but sweet Isa has a cold.

I spent the better part of last night cleaning vomit and wiping her nose..

Oh, well I'll try to do a shoot later this week if she's up for it.

And Thomas had to lower her crib.

She has become amazingly good at sitting up on her own..

Happy Birthday Angel pie, hope you feel better soon!!

Fun & Flirty Turned 30!?!

Years ago I planned on celebrating my 30th birthday in Vegas.

Booze, dancing, and lots of gambling..

and then my prayers were answered and we got pregnant.

So we celebrated my big 30 at Disneyland with Isabelle & my parents!

What a wonderful week!!

My parents got us rooms at the Paradise Pier Hotel inside the park! WOOHOO!!

Isabelle loved the parades and now waves ALL the time :o)

She even went on 1 ride all strapped in by herself!

Not a huge fan of the submarine ride or the very loud shows,

but all in all she had a blast!

I brought her Snow White costume with us for her to wear on her first day.

We decided that she is more of a Tinkerbell!

Guess what she's going to be next year :o)

Isa will be Tinker, I'll be Peter Pan (Thomas refused), and Thomas will be Hook.

On our last day we actually ran into Dennis Quaid.

Of course I was my dorkey self.

I always seem to do and or say something ridiculous when in the presence of a celeb,

and this was not an exception..

I'll post the pictures on to Flickr soon!

And we've started planning a trip to Walt Disney World next year!!!

Halloween party

We all had too much fun! And I have too many photos to go through! But while I'm processing my pile of pics.. here is one to tide you over!

Ch-ch-changes..

I am both proud and heartbroken to announce the Isabelle is growing up!

She CRAWLED for the first time today at Gymboree!

Nothing like bubble wrap to inspire a baby!!

And she's now getting used to a sippy cup..

Seriously where did the time go??

At 7 months

At 7 months Isabelle..

..can sit up like a champ

..rolls as her major mode of transportation

..loves sweet peas and despises cherries!

..grabs equally well with both hands (usually mommy's hair)

..smiles, laughs, and chitter chatters like it is going out of style

..loves her doggies and kitties

..loves Gymboree

..has her 2 front lower teeth (ouch!)

..is not sleeping through the night (yawn)

..is the love of our lives!!

Isa and her peaches

So we bought Isa her high chair! She has finally mastered sitting - it took a bit longer than we expected, all she has wanted to do is stand! That's my girl :o)

And since she can sit, it's time to bring on the food. She's tried a tiny bit of mashed banana with her cereal and a tad bit of applesauce.

Tonight I broke out my new baby food books and made her first meal in the highchair.. PEACHES! I mixed them with a little cereal, and boy were they a hit. I think I took a bijzillion photos.. but with a face like this, could you blame me??

My girl at 6 months!

Knock Knock, Who's There

The first tooth!! Isabelle has cut her right front tooth!! She forced my finger into her mouth this afternoon to check it out!

I'm so proud of my little girl :o) She did without any crankiness!! Angel baby indeed..

A girl and her duck duck

Where oh Where

Where did the time go? I'm stunned that Isabelle turns 6 months this week. She's become quite the chatty cathy! She can say da-da-da, la-la-la, and some others. I can't convince her to try mama, but I'm sure that's around the corner!!

We have a couple different photos shoots planned - both of which I'm not the photographer. Usually my panties would get in a bunch over it, but I'm super pyched about being in these pictures! I'm in hardly any with her and she's going to wonder where I was the first year of her life!! If I get permission from the photogs I'll post them.. One of the photographers is a friend from a photography group. She takes AMAZING shots. And our pics may be used for her business - The Rodriguez Family as models..teehee

My folks are coming into town to celebrate the big day.. I'll post more of our stories of the munchkin soon!

Please vote for little ol' me!

Wahoo! I had completely forgot that I entered my needle felted le lapin pillow in an Etsy contest.. well I made it to the 40 finalist..

Come cast a vote for me and you could win an Etsy prize too!!

Here's the link

I'm sooo giddy I feel like a little schoolgirl :o)

Isabelle and the August quilt

Playing with Sofie...

Love her from head to toe

How to Move On

I've been wondering how to move on in this blog. There hasn't been a day when I don't think about Julia and her family. Wondering how they are doing, why this happened, and the injustice of it all. With that said I know Julia would not want us to wallow, and would prefer to be celebrated!

And I'm just a little feisty.. so this weekend I'm going to be making "CANCER SUCKS" buttons. If you would like one, let me know! And if you would like it to read the way Lexy says it..just let me know (I'm trying to keep this family friendly!..lol)

Here's to you Julia!

Stay tuned for pics of Isabelle's big 5 month birthday!!

Isn't she Beautiful

((Thanks for posting pics Lexy!!!))

Heaven is more funny and beautiful

We will all miss you Julia..

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Happy Birthday sweetie pie!

We celebrated Thomas' 34th this past Thursday.

I have never made him cake! So for this birthday, I baked him exactly what he asked for:

a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkes..

Some kids never grow up :o)

We spent the day at the zoo with Isabelle.

The SLC zoo is pretty small compared to what I'm used to in So Cal, but it was

still lots of fun!

Hope you had a wonderful day lovebug!!

**Off to catch Isabelle, she is rolling baby these days!!**

Isabelle as Fairy Princess

Heartbreaker!

Sorry I've been bad about blogging. Life is just so wonderfully busy with lil' Isabelle, it's hard to pull myself away.

Even more photos on Flickr of this incredible angel! She is rolling, scooting, found her feet, realized she can close her mouth, uses both hands amazingly well to grab anything - like mommy's hair!, and in general is the light of our lives..

P.S. The cutie she's holding hands with in the previous post is Brooke's baby. Born on the 4th of July.. that rascal is going to think for years that all those fireworks are for his birthday!

Isabelle Has A Boyfriend

Quick Note

We are getting ready for Gymboree so I only have a moment. We had a fabulous albeit chaotic weekend up in Washington :o) I have many pics and stories to post..hopefully later today or tomorrow.

Best thing, Isabelle now knows how to blow raspberries. She'll do it in response to yours and on her own. She has the most pride in creating them ;P Gotta love this baby gal..

Thank you Obama!

"Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It's understanding that the struggles facing working families can't be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving a the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. It's understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand.... America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love. The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals."

-Thank you Lexy..

She sees them!

Isabelle is a huge fan of the baby swing her auntie Annalee bought her. And since it seems to put her to sleep for 2 nice naps everyday, I'm a huge fan :o)



Above the swing is a teddy bear mobile. It's been there every day she's been in the swing. I had thought for sure she noticed them. I was wrong, because today she noticed them for the first time!



I was in the kitchen cooking dinner (and no it wasn't frozen pizza..ha,ha) and I heard her exclaim. She was looking up at her teddy bear in total amazement! So sweet..

*** UPDATE*** the bears attacked! I kid you not, not one minute ago my angel was sleeping in the swing and bear mobile fell on her!! she slept through it, but what a freaky thing to happen right after i blogged.. apparently the bears wanted to remain anonymous

I also opened up my Etsy store. Here are some pics of my lovely model..

Gymboree

We had our first Gymboree play date today. How much fun!! Isabelle just loved it! From the songs to the baby massage, this girl was in heaven. She squealed over "Criss Cross Applesauce". I think I will try to get some video footage of her and I doing it at home this weekend.

Needless to say if it makes her that happy, I signed up on the spot. Anything that gives her so much joy, is a "must" in my book!

The other mommies were super nice and welcoming!

And this is the first time that when I introduced Isabelle, I didn't mention her hand. It was a very freeing feeling to trust people and give them the chance to love her without the explanation. And of course they did - I mean really who couldn't just eat this little munchkin up??

Blankets of Belief

First off let me start by saying that I don't believe in this war. Never have, never will.
I have no respect for W and don't think I ever will. And I am happily voting Demo this year.

With that said (and hopefully people will stop send me anti-demo emails..growl), I fully support our troops. And I try to do what I can to help them.

I've been a part of Soldiers' Angels for the past couple years and this year we are throwing a blanket drive.

Even if you don't sew, please consider joining us (you can always do the fleece tied blankets!)
Here is the info: Blankets of Belief

Even if you don't support the war, LIKE ME, consider sending some home spun love to our men and women that are not able to return home to their families.

Oh and do them some more good and vote OBAMA!

((stepping off soapbox))

*This message was endorsed and support by the one and only Isabelle

So behind!

Ack! I'm so behind. I have the same excuse, lovin' life with the darling Isabelle!

We had a fabulous first Father's Day with my folks. We went to Gardner Village for Pioneer Days, Thomas cooked a roast in the ground (and it was good!), and we watched Lonesome Dove. My hubby's father always watched it on Father's Day and my cowboy wanted to keep with tradition. So Isabelle bought him Lonesome Dove, the spaghetti Western collection, and I bought him golf lessons. Thomas so rarely gets to do something that isn't work or Isabelle related! And I told him that when Isabelle starts her golf lessons, I will too!

Isabelle and I made my father a Shutterfly photobook. He loved it! That will be our annual gift for Poppy!!

Let's see.. Isabelle turned 3 months! I can't believe it. I've had to put away a number of clothes - some she never had the chance to wear :( She can flip on her side and from her side flip to her tummy, but not all at once. Isabelle is also sleeping in her crib! She outgrew her bassinet and papasan. I can't believe how fast this is all going..

We took her to Park City this past week. She slept through it all, but it was SO nice to do something as a family. Most weekends Thomas and I take turns getting errands and chores done, so this was a well deserved treat!

And last but not least, Isabelle and I went to the Zoo today with some other mommies. It was hot as blue blazes and she slept through it all, but I had a chance for some mommy chat and take photos.

And this blog is empty of photos because I've been uploading all morning to Flickr and seriously can't upload one more photo..

alright you lucky ducks, since this is SO flippin' cute, I added it.. Want to see more?? Go to Flickr!

Alright I'll be better about blogging.. lots of love - J&I

Isabelle's First Real Laugh

I knew my girl had some personality, but this takes the cake! Thomas and I have been eagerly waiting for those baby chuckles to develop into a full laugh.. and tonight we're both there to share in this special first!

Isabelle has been kinda cranky today, no surprise given her busy weekend. I was holding her trying to shush away her blues. Teasingly I joked with her about her "I want to eat, no I don't want to eat" ways, when she belted it out. A full with squeals and all..

A laugh inspired about driving her mommy slowly crazy :o) Like I said, I knew my girl had some spunk.

What a super, special night...!!

And yes after having a good laugh spell, she went back to crying for the bottle as she swats it away..

Milk Maid

and the breastfeeding saga continues.. amazingly I made more milk than ever while we were on our trip in Arizona (lots of pumping in the car..). I've accepted that I'll never make enough to meet all of Isabelle's feedings, but so far I can do about 3/4ths.. I also read that with subsequent children, it is possible that your body will produce even more milk. I have hope that maybe I can breastfeed in the future.

I recently bought a pumping bra: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Expression-Hands-Bustier-Nursing/dp/B000MFVOGW/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1213047964&sr=8-1

It is awesome! Granted you're still hogtied to the pump, but I can knit, email or play with Isabelle. Considering I'm pumping every 3 hours for at least a 1/2 hour.. this is HUGE in my life. I can't believe it took me almost 3 months to buy it. If you're pumping - go buy it!!

And if you can believe it, someone in our family was rattling off a story about some other woman's breast feeding issues and their similar lack of patience?! Um it took all I had to not fall over in disbelief. In this day and age I would hope that our fellow women would support each other. And if you think I don't have patience and that's what killed the whole breastfeeding thing - see note above about how many hours of my life are dedicated to being a milk maid. *sigh*

Our Trip To Arizona

It was SO much fun catching up with everyone! We drove to Kingman on the first day. Isabelle had a chance to chat with her Grandpa Dan and meet her cousins, Bailey and Brycen. Bailey was completely enchanted with her. It was pretty cute to watch. Granted neither boy thought having to wash their hands so they could play with her was fun (what is it with handwashing and kids.. you'd think it was painful..lol)

Thursday we drive down to Phoenix and had dinner with my two closest friends, Karen and Annalee. I can't believe these girls! Annalee flew out from CA for the night just to spend time with us, and Karen drove up from Tucson with her baby boy Quinn. Sometimes I'm just in awe of how great our friends are!


Karen with Isabelle

Isabelle and Annalee

The Quinn Man

.........

Friday we had lunch with Pete, Amy, and lil' Peter. I think Peter was a tad jealous of Isabelle, but that didn't stop him from hamming it up! And before we left we had a chance to catch up with Nicole and baby Anthony. What a kicker!! Nicole is going to be very busy with that active boy!

And later that night of course we had our pool party. Can I tell you how easy it is to have a party at a hotel - I think I will only have parties at hotels now :-) Oh.. and I didn't get any pictures, but Isabelle and I had a fun time in the hot tub - she is such a water baby! There were SO many babies..Paige is such a sweetie pie and Addison is getting SO strong!! I'll be posting the pics on Flickr. I didn't get a ton - I was pretty paranoid about all the splashing near the camera..

.....

Saturday we packed up and headed to Chino Valley to visit with Thomas' mom. Isabelle of course enjoyed the break from being in her car seat and loved the poncho that Nana crocheted for her.

Sunday we journeyed home! All in all Isabelle did really well considering the amount of time she spent in her warm car seat. Aside from a few crying sessions and not wanting to sleep, we all survived. I think it will be awhile before we take her on another road trip though..

The Craft Blog

Okay so I finished laying out my crafty blog: All Things Belle

CC is welcome!!

Again, this new blog will just be about my businesses and general craftiness...

Wrong Day To Be Walking

Isabelle and I have taken to strolls around the neighborhood. With a SLC library super close and so many parks around, there is tons to amuse little Isabelle. I met with another mommy from one of my SLC mommy boards today to do some stroller walking. It was really nice to get out of the house in this fabulous weather and have a mommy chat. Mary Anna, the other mommy, has a little girl just a few months older than Isabelle. Lucky me - I get to see what fun awaits me!!

Turns out though today was the wrong day to be walking! A cougar was spotted and caught just a couple blocks away!!!! Just a tad scary. It won't keep us from what is becoming a morning tradition, but maybe I should be packing some heat :-/ Just kidding.. kind of..

Happy to report that my Wii Mii is skinny! I've lost enough weight to make WiiFit happy... I am still hoping to lose 10-20 more, but at least I look great on Wii!!

Isabelle is SO excited about her big AZ debut!! She's busy today picking out her most stylish hot weather outfits :-)

Lots of slobbery kisses,
J&I

Lucky Am I!

And I ended up reading and working last night..

What do I do now..

Okay so for the first time in..months I have some free time. Isabelle is fast asleep and Thomas is at a party.

I have free time.

What do I do?

Do I knit? Do I get some long over due work in? Do I work out with WiiFit (which is kicking my behind..and my avatar is chunky..boohoo) Do I read? Do I get some extra hours of sleep? Do I start on Isabelle's June quilt?

I've been sitting here for about an hour now contemplating what to do with my free time.. and feeling guilty because I haven't decided and this rare moment is slipping by..

Wise, experienced moms.. tell me will I always be paralyzed with options when these rare moments come up??

AH! Maybe I should wake Isabelle up, this whole free time thing is TOO MUCH PRESSURE!

Missing In Action

Sorry it's been quiet here. These past 2 weeks were more crazy than normal. We had Isabelle's Baptism (pics can be seen on Flickr). All in all it was great, the only disappointment was I developed a nasty stomach flu and missed the party I planned for months :/ Isabelle loved all the attention, but was sick in the evening all weekend. Amid the chaos it was lovely to catch up with Pete & Amy and our families.

And we'll be in AZ for a visit soon! Looking forward to seeing all the new babies and introducing our friends to the lovely Isabelle!!

Isabelle is doing wonderful! She is still sleeping through the night (to me this means 5+ hours). Smiles all the time, but still hasn't had a full laugh;just a giggle here and there.

I've decided to replace the Belle Paperie newsletter with a blog. It will be named "All Things Belle". I'll be blogging about both businesses, my own hobbies, and that sort of thing. Once it's up and beautiful, I'll post the link. It won't have family or Isabelle updates, but if you are interested in what I'm doing craft/business wise.. that will be where to read about it!

I've also pledged to myself to get out and photograph for at least an hour a week. The skills I was developing have really started to slip. The only way is to practice!! I spent an hour yesterday taking pics of Isabelle in her crib (those will be posted by next Monday) and I'm hoping to drag the family to the Scottish Festival at Thanksgiving Pointe. Nothing like men in skirts to ignite some photography inspiration!!

**Latest photos are up..must say they are darn cute.. so easy with such a sweet subject!**

Busy Izzy

This past week has been SO crazy. From planning her Baptism party to Mother's Day..

well let's just say I've had a few too many irons in the fire.

My first Mother's Day was just too fabulous. We celebrated on Saturday because Thomas works Sundays. My mother and I shopped in the morning at a few of our favorite Utah craft stores, relaxed rocking Isabelle in the afternoon, ate a YUMM-O Indian dinner, and opened gifts.

Thomas bought me a necklace with Isabelle's birthstone. My favorite piece of jewelry next to my wedding ring! And my folks bought me a diamond cross to wear at

Isabelle's Baptism - my next favorite piece of jewelry ;-)

And of course we took TONS of photos. I will be uploading those as time allows

over the next few days. The photo on the blog was for Mother's Day.

No words to express my love and joy.

Thank you Isabelle for letting me be your mother!!

And my girl is 2 months! ACK!

She smiles nonstop all day and is on the verge of laughing.

If only there were a pause button, this goes all too fast...

Sick and Tired

Sick and tired. That's been our girl. She is finally getting over the worst of it. Poor thing has been SO congested and miserable. The only things that have appeased her is her cow cool mist humidifier and being held..all the time.

And we have her heard her cry. It is SO sad and yet kinda funny (sorry, Izzy). It starts by her jutting out her lower lip into this full out pout and then the lips tremble until she makes a kitten like cry. You know she's mad and has had it with you, but you can help but smile.. unless it's 3 am and you're crying (or at least want to!)

No pics. Figured a crying, snotty Isabelle may not be what you want to see.

She is back to mainly smiles today (especially after her #2 diaper changes.. silly little one!)

And we got to visit with Kelly E. last night! Woohoo!! Isabelle of course just loved her, and showed her the gummy smile many times. Kelly was SO sweet and bought her the most adorable stuffed monkey and book (monkeys are a favorite in this house!)

Looking forward to my mom & dad coming out tomorrow too! While Isabelle had a cold, they were ejoying Maui! Lucky ducks!!!

Mom Guilt

Ugh! I went back to subbing this week at the library. A whole 9 painful hours away from Isabelle!! And she developed a small cold (we hope that's all it is.. RSV tests were negative) while I was at work.

2 words for you

MOM GUILT

Ugh!

And then my mom asks if I think she had such a rough week because she missed me.

Thank Mom.. way to rub it in.. is this payback for my teen years??

Here is a pic to make you laugh! I love how she already looks like I'm driving her nuts :-)

3 Random Things

So Karen tagged us http://desertdealsdiva.blogspot.com/
.. not sure if it's me or Isabelle that should answer.. so we both will!

My 3 random things
- I have a love affair with knee socks. The more colorful the better
- I hardly have painted fingernails.. sometimes pedicures, but never manicures
- I am jealous of this old guy's garden. And Thomas LOVES to tease me about it. Grrr..

Isabelle's 3 random things
- I love, love, love music. Doesn't matter what kind.
- I am a water baby. Bath day is fun day!
- I laugh in my sleep.

And I am lazy.. so if you're reading this... consider yourself TAGGED!

The rules for 3 random things:
1. Post 3 random things about yourself.
2. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
3. Tag at least 5 other bloggers. (or you can be lazy like me..)
4. Let then know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog with an invite to participate.

Life With Isabelle

So my little angel has learned how to pinch!

And pinch she does with a fair amount of glee.

I'm happy to know that she pinches equally well with her left hand.

Granted I don't like to be pinched hard on the bosom,

but it's a sign that she's already learning how to use her fingers.

(P.S. That is a staged pic, so no worries about blankies in bed!)

Now that she's awake for about half the day, she's getting kind of bored. Apparently there is only so much snuggling on the recliner with mom that she can stand. So I finally tried to put her in the swing Annalee bought her. Um... she was pretty down right scared the first time. She is starting to warm up to it, but Isabelle is pretty much of the opinion that if she is gracing you with her presence, you will hold her. And since I know in 13 years when Isabelle's convinced I'm the most embarrassing mother known to man, all I will wish for are the days when I could hold her.. so I gladly hold on to her all day :-)

Okay love the idea of giving a potted plant or flower as a favor! Problem is her signature flower (yes she has one already!) are pink & purple tulips.. no one is shipping bulbs till fall!! Grr.. still like the idea, so I'll have to see what nurseries are selling these days..

I'll be posting more "Life With Isabelle" pics on Flickr today..

Ugh!

When did party favors get so cheesy?

I'm gearing up for Isabelle's first party ever! I'm so excited and daunted by the task. I want everything to be perfect for my little girl, and well that's becoming a tall order.

What on Earth do you give as a favor at a Baptism party? I would like to give each couple a memory album of the day, but for obvious reasons I couldn't give that at the party. So what to do?

The Internet is chock full of every hideous cheesy favor you can imagine. And they are the same for each occasion! I don't want her name and Baptism date slapped on a candy bar, bubbles, soap, or anything like that. Can you believe I actually saw today where they were selling Cosmopolitan and Margarita mix as a favor for this religious occasion!! Granted there will be champagne and beer at the party, but as a parting gift?!?

Ugh! What to do when there are too many guests to buy each person a real gift..

Our Announcements

Now that everyone should have

received Isabelle's baby announcements,

I have more pics up on Flickr for

your viewing pleasure!

Isn't she just adorable?

Love, love, love pics of my hubby and baby girl.

Blessed.

'nuff said.

Mini Milestones

* I packed my maternity clothes away. HOORAY! The poundage is slipping away. As much as I LOVED being pregnant, I'm SO happy to have a waist again. Granted I'm not slipping into my size 4's anytime soon - remember the blog title is "mini milestones".. Once the doc gives me the okay to exercise I'll be running those late night cravings off!!

* Isabelle slept for 5 hours last night! It was an amazing thing, a beautiful thing, a much desired thing. Keep it up sweet girl!!

* And my milk production is finally increasing. I now have 2 lactation consultants, take every herb known to man that is supposed to help, drink water like I'm a fish, and much much more. I'm hoping in the next week or two we can go back to ONLY nursing.. If anyone else is having some nursing issues, keep up with it.. Things can get better!!!

And I guess that's about it for milestones. Isabelle's hair is getting longer and darker. Her eyes are more of a steel blue now as well. She is as beautiful and sweet as ever.

Hope all is well in cyber space...

Hope you laugh

Since I know most of my readers are my friends, and I know this has been an emotional week for everyone.. I thought I'd post some light-hearted fun. Hope you laugh so hard you snort Julie ;)

This is why I love Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/2006/08/juice_bag_progr.html

You have to click and listen to "Juice Bag Progress", the other audio isn't working because she's updating the site.

Yup, this is why Thomas & I had a baby...

1 month!!

How is my baby girl already a month old?? In honor of her big first birthday, I've created some top 10 lists..

Top 10 things I love about Isabelle
1. Her smile (she is a smiley baby.. until I bring the camera out!)
2. Her sounds (she "sings" while she eats and sleeps)
3. Her grunts (hilarious!)
4. Her incredible sweet nature (we are beyond lucky!)
5. When she grasps my fingers (i know it's a reflex, but it tugs at my heart!)
6. Her way of looking angelic in each and every outfit (and she's got tons!!)
7. Her big beautiful eyes ( now she's awake more we get to see them!)
8. Her baby chick hair-do (and Thomas thinks I should be able to comb it..ha,ha!)
9. When she looks at me like I'm the greatest thing on Earth (helps calm my fears!!)
10. Her Bell butt (my baby got back!)

Top 10 Things I Know Now About Motherhood
1. To "worry" is no longer a verb, it is a state of being
2. Although you're always sure you probably doing something wrong, you're utterly convinced no one else will do it as well as you
3. When you think you have nothing else to give at the end of the day, you magically find a way
4. Women and men do things different (ie. burping, diaper changing, etc..)
5. No one is good enough for your child :-)
6. Showers are a gift from God when there is time
7. You had SO much more free time than you ever imagined
8. Time flies
9. Your mother was right
10. All single parents should be given standing ovations 24/7

All my love to ya my sweet baby girl!

Work Shmurk

So Thomas goes back to work tomorrow night :( Isabelle and I are very bummed, as is of course Thomas. These 2 weeks have flown by so fast. I'm just grateful that we've had this special time together. I spent the morning cooing with Isabelle and making chocolate cigars dolled up in pink foil for his big day back.

And the county was nice enough to give me 3 months off. Granted it wasn't paid since I'm a sub and all, but to not have to worry about work was great. I just signed up for my first 2 shifts back. UGH! It was sooo hard. The only good thing about returning to the library is knowing it gives Thomas & Isabelle some dedicated time together.

As far as Belle Paperie. Well I was given 1 week off... Seriously they came out of the woodwork before I went into labor. Isabelle and I spent some time last week working on samples and production. I technically closed for the month of March, but that didn't stop the orders..

Truth be told I know I'm lucky. I'll be spending somewhere between 8-12 hours/week away from my precious girl.. It will be good for Thomas & Isabelle and for me as well (Thomas told me this afternoon that I wear pj's everyday..and there maybe some itsy bit of truth in that statement..)

Sweet Isabelle's Stats

Miss Isabelle is back to her birth weight, so the doc was thrilled! And of course so are we!! That 8lbs. 5oz. puts her in the 60th percentile.

She shrunk! After 3 hours of pushing (yes I do deserve a Mommy medal, thank you!) her head was tad cone shaped.. so now she's just over 20inches. And this too puts her in the 60th percentile area.

The big question... Does she have a Rodriguez head (normal) or Bell head (slightly larger than normal..ever wonder why you don't see me with a hat??).... and it's a Rodriguez head. I don't remember the exact measurement, but it puts her in the 20-30th percentile. This should please her great grandmother :-)

Isabelle was SO strong when they took blood from her foot, though it is very sensitive right now. She gulped down a bunch of milk and is konked out!

Mixed Bag

So for Isabelle's 2nd week birthday, we paid a visit to the Children's Primary Hospital in SLC. Ugh! She had her first appointment with an orthopedic doc. I was not looking forward to this. I had no idea if this would be the first of many doc apts or not. I did dress her super cute in a denim jumper and ultra chic shoes from Kelly E... I figured we may not be happy about having to see a doc, but at least we can be fashionable doing it :-)

This doc actually doesn't think she has ABS, rather he believes that she has a form of brachysyndactyly. Apparently with the "brachy", not all cases have the webbing - as Isabelle does not have.. rather she just has the short fingers on her left hand. At this time the doc doesn't want to do xrays or anything.. too early at 2 weeks of age. I still want to get more info and a second opinion.. it's not that I don't trust or believe this doc, I just want to make sure we have all the information that is available. He too believes like our ped, that Isabelle will have amazing use of her left hand thanks to her normal sized thumb. And he doesn't think she will need surgery - this of course depends on how the bones form.

I guess that is the one positive.. no foreseeable surgeries.. Thank God for small favors..

And we're off today for Isabelle's 2 week Ped visit.. I'll be sure to fill ya'll in on how awesome she scores!!!

P.S.
I have the doc notes now. He diagnosed her with: Symbrachydactyly‏. The nurse seemed to think both terms referred to the same condition, but for those that are looking into this, you'll find that Symbrachydactyly‏ is a far better explanation.

DVT Awareness Month

Did you know that DVT's kill more people than breast cancer & AIDS combined??

Isabelle and I hope you will take a moment or two to learn more about this silent killer. It effects Isabelle's mommy & grandma.. Sadly chances are she might have the same genetic issues.

But DVT's are not solely an issue for people with blood clotting issues.

Do you know if you are at risk? Do you know the signs?

You can learn more here: https://www.preventdvt.org

Isabelle's Easter

Our Easter Chick!

Or is it a duck? I'm not sure, but either way she is adorable isn't she?

My darling Isabelle was SO patient with me yesterday.

She been given tons of

gifts and outfits, and of course everyone wants pics!!

Our Easter was super casual and yummy!

My parents gave Isabelle the most adorable Pottery Barn Easter Basket - I'm sure she'll be all about stuffing it full of eggs next year!

And we gave her a purple cow (it was cute!)

I made her an Easter Quilt, nightie (my mom helped with that... we both were too eager to try a new pattern so we both worked on it!), matching shoes,

and of course some handmade plush peeps.

Though I think the peeps look a tad deranged..

Oh well, I'm sure she'll love them :-)

We had planned on dyeing Easter eggs, but that didn't happen..

Oh well we'll try again next year!

And my clients don't seem to "get" I had a baby less than 2 weeks ago..

So Isabelle has ventured into my office downstairs and is becoming

well acquainted with what mama's work is all about.

Hope ya'll had a yummy Easter!

The Real Easter Post Is Coming Tonight

So I'll post the Easter news later tonight. I'm going to do some photo sessions with her and there is some news I had wanted to blog about, but didn't find time (imagine that! lol)

Isabelle has put back on most if not all of her weight. She is back to being a greedy gobbler and it is music to both Thomas and I.

She lost her umbilical cord! It had been hanging by a thread and I knew it would happen soon. I went to change her Friday night and it was gone! I remembered that dogs were following me and I panicked! Did the eat it?!?! UGH! Luckily Thomas found it safe and sound. He actually asked if I wanted to keep it, but I informed him that although I love all of Isabelle.. that her umbilical cord was biowaste. Sorry Angel, that ain't going in a scrapbook!!

My mother and I went on some errands for a couple hours. The longest time Isabelle and I have been apart. It was pretty hard, but I was buying her fabric for her April & May quilts.

She is still an Angel! We had some doubters in the family, but it looks like we have been blessed with a a very easy gal. (Though Thomas thinks she has fussy moments.. goodness, I hope we don't have a fussy child later or my hubby will go nuts!)

Thomas and my dad took her on first walk outside (that's a pic of my pops with Isabelle in our front yard) Apparently it sent her to sleep, but it's good she got outside.



And last but not least Brooke visited us yesterday and brought the yummiest cupcakes! She is the sweetest gal and looks so flippin' adorable pregnant!! I can't wait till our babies can play together :-)

Okay.. so Easter pics and post to come later tonight.

Isabelle's First Week

I can't believe our baby girl is already a week old!

Everyday we are truly amazed by the immense amount of love she has created.

Our hearts are lifted by her coos, her "smiles", and gentle spirit.

During the pregnancy I had prepared myself for sleepless nights.

I read that it was "okay" if you didn't feel an immediate
bond at your child's birth.

I feared that I would be scared by her cry.

And none of this has been in our lives.

We have been blessed with such an easy baby. My parents have been here to help, and I'm embarrassed to say Thomas and I
are not sleep deprived.

Bond we did.

No one prepared me that when you deliver a baby,
you deliver your heart.

The love for your child is without end and pure.

I have found Thomas and I are not scared by her infrequent cries.

We are calm and overcome by wanting to meet her every need.

These past days have been the most meaningful of my life.

I treasure every moment I have with her.

Sweet Isabelle.

What amazing days these are..

Isabelle Clara

Things are nuts here to say the least, but before my email inbox is anymore bombarded :-)

Isabelle Clara was born at 3:24pm on 3/12/08
She was 21.5 inches and 8lbs 5oz.

Here is baby and mother :-)

More pics and info to come soon..

Sit Jenny Sit

So I had my pelvic exam. I'm not dilated and only about 50% thinned out. We were looking at being induced on the 10th. We had just figured out the best day to go into the hospital and were getting our ducks in a row.. then I had my NST today.

My amniotic fluid has made a drastic drop and my blood pressure is up quite a bit from yesterday. So here in the recliner I sit.. and that's about the extent of my world for awhile. We go back in Friday to see if rest has helped or if Izzy will make her debut.

This week has been pretty hectic getting Belle Paperie in order for a month off and finishing up production & consultations. I knew I would be doing alot.. aparently it was too much.

So.. it may be awhile before I blog, call, or email. All is well I'm sure, it's just the first issue that has blindsighted us.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know, I know.. I don't celebrate the holiday. I will now - in my own way - moving forward. My grandmother would be heartbroken to know I've shunned the day, so for her and Isabelle I'm trying it again.

Thomas is still prohibited from buying me a gift (though anything handmade is welcomed) and we avoid the overpriced dinners. Yeah, he's not exactly complaining :-)

I did however make him, Isabelle, and my folks some gifts. It was enjoyable to do it. I really can't wait till Isabelle is old enough to make Valentine cookies with me for her daddy and of course all those handwritten valentine cards that will melt your heart!

Hope ya'll received your Valentine cards. I didn't have time to Photoshop, so yes those are my scars from injections - my war wounds for my most loved daughter!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Forget Hallmark and jewelry stores.. just enjoy a day dedicated to those that love you and those you love!!!!

Your Candy Heart Says "Hug Me"

A total sweetheart, you always have a lot of love to give out. Your heart is open to where ever love takes you! Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a surprise romantic evening that you've planned out Your flirting style: lots of listening and talking What turns you off: fighting and conflict Why you're hot: you're fearless about falling in love

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

What in the Blue Blazes??

Okay sorry to say this post is not Izzy related (unless you account for the fact that we are still the dynamic duo)

'member when I said the brides can smell the injured gazelle and suddenly flock to me like a case of fresh meat? um well it's gone nuts!!! I have maybe another 2 weeks before I bring my rockin' angel into the world, and the phone & emails won't stop!!!! I seriously have 6 new brides from just this morning..

I know it's SO bad to complain about a thriving business. Thomas just finds it all so hilarious, given my hunger in the beginning. But seriously this sucks! I can't turn business away (those chatty brides LOVE to chatter about vendors), and I honestly don't have the desire to tie one more stickin' ribbon..

Okay I know no sympathy for me..

Incredible Isabelle

I don't know what has gotten into this girl, but she pretty much moves nonstop these days! She whipped right through her NST (and I had a LONG contraction..sigh) and her ultrasound looked awesome. Isabelle is in a great position and seems to be more than ready to make her debut!

I have my first pelvic exam next week. Lucky for me my parents are in town, so they will be able to go to the apt with me since Thomas is working that day. I'm very eager to know if I've started dilating.. her head is super far down into my pelvis already, so I think there is a good possibility!!

I had been flying through my baby sewing project... until now. I'm sewing an insert for her carrier - something warm and fleecy to keep her warm (it's still pretty frigid here!)And the pattern is horribly written and I bought the wrong kind of zippers. UGH! What I would do for a glass of Pinot :/

I am also sewing her the MOST adorable Valentine's Day stuffed animal. You will die when you see the pics.. and yes I know I am VERY behind in pics..

AND a huge congrats to Nicole!! I can't wait to see even more pics of Anthony Jr.!!!

First False Alarm

So all day yesterday I had Braxton-Hicks.. alot more than normal. At the NST and OB visit everything was fine, and I tried not think about it.

Late last night I started to have contractions every 4 minutes.. um yeah, a little close. But I was able to talk and move during them.. a sign that this wasn't really labor. It stoppped about an hour later.. Interesting stuff I must say. I was in complete denial - my suitcase isn't even packed!!!

Hope Ms. Isabelle can wait till March 3rd - tentative date for inducement. Today she is full of energy and moving nonstop....

We had our breastfeeding class last night. Yes, Thomas went! I had asked him to go with me and he being the great hubby he is, obliged me. The teacher was a little odd, but in general pretty good class. I can't say I learned too much new stuff - I've been quite the reader. And it looks like although I will be able to have a glass of wine fairly soon, STILL NO SUSHI!! UGH!! Looks like I'll be Ahi free until Isabelle is trained on boob and bottle.. The things you do for love :-)

Cause You Never Know

Isabelle had wonderful results at her nonstress test! And I have started to drop according to my doc. I had a funny feeling I did.. my body looks different and the bathroom is a common place for me these days. It's funny though, I'm such a sound sleeper I don't wake up running for the potty like most moms.. downside is I'm in super pelvic pain when I do wake up..

And the drama of the car accident from last July is over. It's been finalized as a no fault. Pretty annoyed with it all. I'm just hoping the universe has a good reason for it. Ugh, Mr. Poopy Pants I'm sure will get his one day if he hasn't already. I'm not going to send more poop, I'm just going to hope that there was a reason for all of this..

And I'm SO glad Mitt loves America, because he's out! It's because he loves America.. or so he says.. I'm sure that loss of 35mil and lagging in the polls had nothing to do with it! WOOHOO! As most of Utah sheds a tear, I well.. do a little happy dance.

Super Tuesday!!

I voted for the first time in presidential election! If W did anything worthwhile during his time in office, it was to motivate me to get involved. I hope others were equally motivated. Arrived at the polling location as soon as they opened and didn't have to wait in line. Although I have no patience, it would have been nice to see a larger group of people.. oh well.

Thomas didn't approve of my final vote, but we learned a LONG time ago how to deal with such issues. And actually neither one of our feathers get ruffled. Considering when we met I was a vegetarian, PETA supporter and he was sucking down elk ribs from a previous hunt. It's kinda nice though that neither of us tries to change the other. Granted I've discovered that meat tastes good and Thomas' views on the Bush administration have changed..

The curtains are done.. another project I'm pretty proud of. My next big project is to reupholster a glider and ottoman.. too bad I can't have any wine to help me through it :-)

If you're in a Super Tuesday state - GO VOTE!!

Oh Mitt, You Crack Me Up!

So here is a headline from a Utah Newspaper:
"Romney puts campaign on hold to attend Pres. Hinckley's funeral "

Hmm.. I doubt that is actually true. What better way to secure some Utah LDS conservative votes before Super Tuesday?? Of course he couldn't have predicted his death and I'm sure as a devout Mormon he is feeling some sadness of Hickley's passing, but really could this not be any better for him??? Ugh, I can't help but feel that he is exploiting the situtation..

Anyone else think his temper is amusing? I've yet to see him in a debate/interview/etc. where his fur has not been noticeable ruffled. He just seems SO unhinged to me..

Isabelle & I are still undecided on what to do this Tuesday. Thomas, my parents, and close friends are all divided! Not that I would vote for someone based on peer pressure, but all of these people in my life are intelligent and make valid arguments. So torn...

As we were hit with what feels like a foot of snow in a couple hours, I will be staying inside today!! And while Thomas is working I think I will actually watch the SuperBowl.. love commercials :-)

Forget Diamonds, Pedicures are a Girl's Best Friend!

Had my final baby shower today!! My awesome friends treated me to a wickedly good pedicure at NAILED in Sugarhouse. Such a cute day spa :-) I had awful back pain last night (to the point where I thought my back was going on out).. so all that time spent with a heating pad and Tylenol helped today! I woke up full of energy and truly enjoyed my shower :-) We also ate Trio - splurged on a yumm-o creme brulee and then did a little shopping.

Bliss is good friends, yummy dessert, and freshly polished massaged toes!!!!

We are off to Mass in just a few moments. I think the Catholic guilt is contagious! We missed last week because I was too sick to move, and I felt guilty all week!!! The church has a great circle of mommies that meet every Monday. I will be going either this coming Monday or the following. Wanted to meet everyone before I have Isabelle :-)

I can hardly believe that she can be here anywhere between next Wednesday and the first week of March!! My parents are off to Puerto Rico and I have promised I will not give birth (I hope I can keep that promise!!!!)

Almost done with her projects that I planned to do before her birth.. And yes I will post photos when I am done. I'm most pleased with her musical mobile that I'm creating.. so sweet and angelic :-) I wonder what all those naysayers will say if I am able to keep up with my craftiness after Isabelle is born. Ah, who cares! Some people always have some dig :-/

Anywho I'm enjoying some relief today and can't wait to feel Isabelle rock out to the choir tonight :-)

The Truth About the Hospital

Okay I'm still excited I am having my baby at the new hospital. Everyone in SLC county wants to have their baby there, and I'm lucky enough that both my Ob/Gyn and High Risk doc practice there.

But here's the truth..

Pro's
* You don't have to share a labor or recovery room
* Both rooms have jacuzzi jet tubs
* Pretty nice food & drink accomodations for family
* They don't kick out people for certain "visiting hours"
* They have birthing balls and birthing bars.. which I will be requesting
* And in general pretty spacious rooms
* They are not BIG screen, but there are flat screen Tv's in both rooms
* Every electronic hookup you can imagine ( I can bring my Wii and MP3 player if I so choose.. I am planning on brining the latter and my DS.. I'm not playing Wii in my first few days with Isabelle..

Con's
* Those beds look like torture devices.. UGH!!! Comfort is the absolute last thing that comes to my mind. It looks like a jail bed (not that I've ever been in jail.. really, it's true.. all I've ever received is moving violation tickets)

* Beds for proud papa's look even worse!!!

So in general the hospital is great, but I was hoping to get some sleep in before we go home and people start visiting. In the hospital there is no cooking, cleaning, or trying to appease anybody's else's needs (aside from Isabelle).. and I was hoping to enjoy that with some good nappy naps.. Oh well :-/

Baby Test

Had our 2nd nonstress test today. Isabelle passed just fine. She is being quirky lately. Some nights you would swear she is looking for the way out.. other days so quiet (but always passes her kick tests)

And I have a new best friend! They're warm, comforting, and ease some pain. I LOVE MY HEATING PAD!! I look absolutely ridiculous with a heating pad tied around my chest, but hey I'm up for anything these days that reduces the pain.

Thomas is being super supportive and loving. Couldn't ask for a better hubby!!

And every animal in this house is love starved. They are getting their normal lovey times, but I think they sense that baby will be here VERY soon!!

I Just Want to Bang on the Drum All Day

So I called into work yesterday and have released my last 3 shifts for subbing at the library. I will be going back in April, but I'm at the point in the pregnancy where everything hurts. Apparently I grunt alot too (according to Thomas) Right now bras are the worst enemy known and I'd give anything to not feel like my rib cage is splitting.

But of course you know what that means... the brides are rolling in. They are a quirky bunch. They can sniff out the weak gazelle! They always tackle me for work when I'm least inclined. And I found out today that I'm one of Envelopment's best accounts. My little business does better than alot of the retail stores. Sadly this had motivated me... NO!

Thomas and I are going on the hospital tour tomorrow. Apparently they have super comfy beds for the proud papa's and big screen tv's.. We shall see.. And I have decided to have a "walking epidural" for a number of reasons. I thought I'd be all about the drugs, but given some factors it seems like having some feeling "down there" might be the best situation for Isabelle & I.

And the basement is almost done.. almost.. But I still hate contractors.

Another Night at the Movies

Well since Thomas is on nights and my work is decreasing, I'm back to my movie habit. I try to pick ones that Thomas would refuse to watch or sleep through. However last night HBO aired "Children of Men", a movie I thought would be worth TIVO'ing for us to watch later in the week.

I got hooked in, and I want those 2 hours of my life back. What a piece of crap!! I'm sorry, it's very hard for me to watch something for its pure entertainment value. Blame it on my BA or my own pop's need to dissect, regardless I analyze too much.

This movie does not try to explain why fertility ceased or why it starts again. It doesn't try to explain why the world (or at least the UK) has been brought to its knees or the connection to infertility. It doesn't explain "The Uprising" or "The Human Project". There is no insight nor thoughtful scientific discussion. It's 2 hours of crap.

Boo Hiss. I typically love Julianne Moore's choice, but was this just for money?

And last week we watched "The Kingdom". Very hard for me to accept the movie set. It was largely filmed on the ASU East campus.. I know that place like the back of my hand.. Really weird to see it as "Saudi Arabia"..

Oh and we watched "The Last King of Scotland". It was okay.. parts of the movie were interesting. The acting was good..

P.S. I hate contractors.. It is starting to feel like our basement is cursed. Note to self, make contractor voo doo dolls..