Holiday Decorating With A Busy Toddler

We love the holidays around here. In fact we put the decorations up as soon as we can and are quite poky about putting them away.

Isabelle cried when we put the Halloween decor back into storage, so I knew Christmas was going to be heaven for her.

Alas we need the toddler gate as her fascination much akin

to the curiosity of a cat, and leads to an equal amount mischief.

Her favorite part of the decorations?

A Dora or "D" ornament

that we had a couple years before her...not sure why we have it, but it gives this little girl a never ending supply of joy to point to the Christmas tree and shout "D".

Her other favorite was trying to eat the "snow" for the Christmas village. Eerily similar to her Daddy's favorite part in the holiday movie "Elf" when Will Ferrell's character munches on cotton balls.

Sammy's Friends

When Isabelle was born and

we discovered she had symbrachydactyly,

I read everything I could on it and joined a couple online forums.

Sammy's Friends is a Yahoo group that discusses the ins and outs of being a family with a limb difference. They have seen me through so much; and I know I don't tell them enough but I'm so grateful for these wonderful people. They helped me over the initial shock, questions about the best surgeons, and even just run of the mill extended family issues.

They have a CafePress site where

you can buy items with the logo.

The little bit of money that is made

goes to helping group stay afloat.

This Christmas we are spreading the joy with their

2010 calenders.

Isabelle is in May - isn't she adorable?!

I know money is tight this year,but if there is someone special

on your list that has everything. Please consider

buying one of these calenders.

We've bought a bunch for those close to Isabelle.

We hope they especially enjoy seeing Isabelle's face in May,

but it's really much more than that.

This purchase is helping a group that has helped us

and so many others.

Our culture is so caught up in one

definition of beautiful and perfect.

I double dog dare you to look into these faces

and not see God's perfection.

Thankful

I am thankful for being back home with WiFi access :o)

I am thankful for my loving husband, amazing daughter,

incredible parents, and the friends & family that know me and still love me.

I am thankful that my husband's company is strong

and that Etsy allows me the opportunity to work at home with my daughter.

I am thankful to know my parents will soon live minutes away, not days.

I am thankful for our health.

I am thankful for the hope and dream that 2010 will start

off with a bang or rather a pink plus sign.

I am so very thankful.

Thank you TLC!

I was never a huge fan of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 show. I watched it now and then before Isabelle was born. And after we had her, I would watch the show to feel better about my piles of laundry, the nights when frozen meals were called "dinner", and my belly that will never be the same post 1 baby. If Kate could wrangle 8 plus a half involved dad, I could absolutely be a good mother to my 1 daughter and extremely helpful husband.

So often I read and heard Kate labeled a bitch. Really? You think so? I'd love to know how many mothers really feel that way. As involved as Thomas is, when we travel I do all Isabelle's packing. If I forgot it, it ain't there. If the prescriptions weren't refilled by me, it ain't there. And a ton of other things. I'm not complaining, I'm simply stating a fact. I am our children's primary caregiver. And when we travel, I'm a bitch. I'm stressed before we get into the car. Did I remember everything? Is Isabelle going to pitch a fit? Is she going to nap okay? Is she going to refuse all food while on vacation, AGAIN? Now people, multiply that by 8.. I don't think we would still be married. I'd be on tabloids labeled a monster and have my hair ridiculed. And for what? Having a pretty normal reaction to the stress of motherhood.

Kate, I have your back. From the episodes I did watch, I don't honestly think I'd be that different. Maybe that doesn't say too much about me, but I'm being honest.

I wish TLC had the fore site to cancel this train wreck 2 years ago. My heart breaks for those kids. I'm sure they would have chosen a different life for themselves. Who wants to be under a microscope and the have your parents scrutinized along the way?

I truly hope this family can find some peace, even Jon. Don't get me started on Jon... Ugh. While I no longer will have my go-to show to feel better about my slip ups a SAHM, I'm relived we can close the window into their lives.

Best of luck Kate + 8 (and alright Jon, I wish you some luck too.. well definitely therapy)

Thankful For Childproofing?!

While Thomas and I would never discourage childproofing gadgets, we have found they have done harm inadvertently. Those foam corners for coffee tables were ripped off in a matter of seconds and shoved in the mouth. The drawer locks allow just enough room for a toddler to shove her hand in and close hard..

Here is the latest childproofing escapade...

The goal -> to open a childproofed entertainment cabinet

The result -> a nice welt that will be a lovely lavender and black in family Thanksgiving photos

Ask the munchkin, and she'll tell you it was worth the pain (about 5 minutes of sobbing and cuddling)

Yes, folks this was a safe re-enactment.. I don't sit around with the camera waiting for moments of pain to capture on film.. Well, not most days..

Mr. Incredible

Apparently Mr. Incredible Is Not So Incredible

Thick as Thieves

My Little Miss Matched

Did you know there is a store that purposely sells mismatched socks?

Those who know me. I mean really know me.

I mean those that know what I look like when I wake up

and don't want to talk for the first 10 minutes of the day.

They know I love socks.

The longer the better.

The brighter, ridiculous the better.

(Though I particularly love cute and fuzzy too)

And I typically don't care too much how I look,

so I've been known to where mismatched socks, clothes on backwards, or inside out.

And looks like my daughter is following my path.

((Huge grin!))

She insisted on wearing this pair of mismatched Mickey Mouse socks.

I could not be more proud..

So Cuddly

There is something about this little angel in the fluffy pajamas that gets me everytime..

It's a good thing she doesn't know to ask for a real pony this Christmas,

or we just might have to get one for her!

MWAH!!

Doing the Potty Dance

Quite a few months ago Isabelle starting to show a lot of interest in the potty. Excited over the prospect of being diaper free, I ran out to Target and bought her a fancy pink throne that plays music when you "go".

Well she does love her throne, but has yet to "go". Our little angel loved having a dirty diaper. If she was all of a sudden really jubilant, you could be sure she had a super stinker waiting for you. Finally this past month she decided that having a dirty diaper really wasn't all that grand. She began to grab her diaper after she went and then started to tell us that her "foo foo" hurt. We are so close I can feel it! Yesterday she grabbed my hand and led me to her potty right after she had done the deed in her diaper. We've yet to do any kind of formal training with her, but I think when we get back from our Thanksgiving trip, we will try to.

It's an odd thing to be excited over pee & #2, but honestly each step your child takes is such a miracle and fascinating. So bittersweet to watch Isabelle move further into toddlerdom, but what a wonderful ride. Being a parent really does teach you that life truly is all about the ride and the little details.

How Did This Happen

Wow.. letting the blog slip again, okay peoples I will try to be better!

Turned 31 this month! Ack!!

We took our annual trip to Disneyland and a fabulous time. It was pretty busy, so we may have to slightly change the dates for 2010 in hopes of finding a less crowded time.

You would never ever know this country is having money issues!!

Somehow I did not take a solitary picture while in Disneyland.

I know, I know..

Part of it is I don't think we got into the park before 4pm most days (Isa's naps..)

And well Isa was either hiding her face or squealing with joy over "Toodles" aka Mikey Mouse..

Not too much ability to fiddle with a F-Stop while grasping a toddler, stroller, and some sanity..

**The picture featured is Isa with one my dearest, best friends Annalee.

Thank you so much for making the drive!! **

And I got sick on the last day.

Feel pretty fortunate it that it is just your run of the mill cold,

but now Isa, Daddy, and Grandma have it.

Sorry!

Blame SWA and their dirty recirculated airplane air!

***

As most of you know, we lost a baby last month.

Physically I'm still recovering. I always thought these were fast, but my body apparently wanted to be pregnant as much as my heart did.

Most days I'm back to normal, but then someone at the library that is unaware of the situation will ask how the "baby" is, and it takes me a minute to realize they mean Isa.. and then it takes me a couple more minutes to pull myself back together again.

Isabelle, the bright girlie she is, was well aware we were expecting a baby.

She would kiss my belly and tell the baby hello.

It still breaks my heart when she tries to and I have to explain that the baby is in heaven.

We are hoping for another bright pink line in 2010.

So keeps those prayers, good wishes, and baby dust our way.

It is much appreciated!