The Diary of Baby Rodriguez

Moving!

2010-07-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Oh my.. I have 3 sadly ignored blogs..

1 for personal, 1 for Etsy/crafts, and 1 for cooking..

I'm hoping that by condensing these into 1,

maybe they won't be so sadly ignored...

So for more blogged fun,

please go to my

All Things Belle blog

I will tag the posts that are family related for those that

want to skip to the parts about our crazy life!

Happy 5 Years To Us!

2010-04-09T12:39:00.001-07:00

What's Going On

2010-03-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that we've had a drama-free life for a few weeks now.

The pregnancy is going great; we have our 12 week visit this Monday.

I have more energy and less nauseous days.

And somehow our sweet Isabelle turned 2!?

She was plenty excited for her "par-tay"!

She woke up at 5AM day of asking for it..lol

We had close to 20 kids under the age of 10.

It was loud, it was chaotic, and it was a blast!!

We also took her to see Disney-On-Ice the day before her actual birthday.

Life is good once again.

Tomorrow we are going to church for the first Sunday in years.

(Thomas' schedule is temporarily Mon-Fri)

Then we are off to visit the Easter Bunny.

Will there be tears or squeals??

Lots of other fun things,

but (I'm at work..tee hee)

I'll be better about blogging now that life is a normal state of chaos..

And *tons* of pics on Flickr..

Docs Says..

2010-03-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

The biopsy did not show any cancer cells. My doctor is going to see me again in 6 weeks and possibly do another biopsy (this I figured).

For now the BIG C is off my plate and I'm backing to focusing on my little growing family!

Lessons Learned

2010-03-02T17:56:00.001-08:00

I thought when Isabelle was born and I worried every night

about SIDS for the first year of her life,

that I understood life is vulnerable.

I thought when we lost the baby last October that I finally

understood that life is vulnerable.

I didn't know squat.

When we found out this January that we were pregnant again,

we tried hard to squash our fears of another miscarriage.

We told anyone that would listen that we were to be parents again in October 2010.

We told ourselves we would not live in fear.

I proudly made a "Big Sister" cape for Isabelle.

This past Thursday I had my first ultrasound,

and I finally exhaled.

The beautiful baby had a heartbeat.

He was measuring exactly to the day where he was supposed to.

I went in later that afternoon for my actual OB visit.

And that is when I realized my morning had been the calm

before the storm.

There was something wrong with my thyroid.

Given my mother's own battle with thyroid cancer,

my OB ordered a number of tests to rule out cancer.

When I asked her what were all the possible scenarios.

She told me:

* it could be nothing

* it could be hypo or hyper

(both of which would only complicate my high risk pregnancy more)

* it could be cancer and she couldn't guarantee the baby's survival.

I was eerily calm while they removed

vial after vial of blood from my arm.

I cried quietly as they ran an ultrasound on my thyroid.

I begged for information from the ultrasound tech.

I bargained with a quiet God for my baby's life.

I waited 24 hours to hear that the blood work was normal.

I accepted that I worry to much.

I was chagrined with myself for being so negative.

I went on with life.

My mother called early Monday morning to remind me

to call her with the ultrasound results.

I had honestly put it out my head.

I knew that normal blood work didn't mean anything about cancer.

I went on with my morning.

I was consumed with life.

How many orders did I need to complete, did we have enough milk,

would Isabelle panic when Thomas worked that night..

And then the phone rang.

The nurse apologized first for having to be the one to call me.

The ultrasound didn't look good;

it was time for the next doctor.

The radiology report stated that

*there was (1) thyroid nodule - this is not a good sign

* that it was solid - this is not a good sign

* that it was about 2cm - guess what, another not good sign

I was calm.

I panicked.

I cried while Isabelle napped.

I cried while Isabelle played with Thomas in the other room.

I prepared myself that it could be cancer.

I glued myself to my laptop and researched until there

were no more Kleenex in the house.

Would they want to perform surgery before delivery?

Surgery could harm the baby's growth,

it could create premature labor at a time that baby wouldn't survive,

our baby could die...

Would I be able to get pregnant again after surgery?

The magical internet 8-ball said

that all signs point to no.

I spent the night wrangling a distraught toddler

that probably sensed my gloom and preoccupation.

Today I went to see doctor #2.

I expected to go over the results, again.

I expected to have a few weeks to wait before the biopsy.

I expected to be on pins & needles for a few weeks for results.

Luckily they did the fine needle test today.

Luckily the doctor said a surprising amount was liquid, NOT solid.

Luckily the type of cancer my mother had

is not connected to a hereditary gene.

Luckily the doctor said 85 out of 100 people

would receive a cancer-free phone call.

We are hoping to have results on Friday.

I work a full day on Thursday and Friday.

I am grateful that I will be distracted by

gum-smacking patrons that can't remember if "fiction" is true or not.

Dear God, I do understand how vulnerable life is.

I'm done with the lessons and

I would like a big slice of boring for

at least the next year.

Thank you.

Medical Hiatus

2010-03-01T12:15:00.001-08:00

My blogs will be on a medical hiatus for the near future.

The baby is safe, but there is a nodule in/on my thyroid.

Right now my hands are full with morning sickness, Isabelle,

and a growing list of medical appointments.

I'm still on Facebook with updates and occasionally on Twitter.

Hope to be back soon!

I'M 1 MONTH PREGNANT!

2010-02-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

Where oh Where Have We Been?!?

2010-02-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

Well Disneyland of course..

M.I.A.

2010-01-21T18:11:00.001-08:00

I'll be back to blogging tomorrow.

It is Sundance Film Festival week here in Utah.

That means snowboarding, films, gawking, and partying.

(and usually in that order!)

Come back tomorrow for some local Etsy favorites!

Working On Valentine Gifts..

2010-01-17T12:38:00.001-08:00

A sneak peek at what Isa is cooking up

for your Valentine gifts..

(P.S. doing crafts with a cranky toddler

only makes mommy cranky..)

So what's the word..

2010-01-10T13:21:00.001-08:00

No baby this month,

but all that means is Thomas & I can reserve our vacation in Vegas for our 5 year anniversary!

It will be our very first night away from the Isa-pie.

And of course we're scheduling it so hopefully

"What happens in Vegas.. is delivered 9 months later"

Not too much else to blog about.

Thomas' shift is back on nights,

and our little darling is having a very rough time with the change.

In other news, we will get to visit with my family over

the Sundance Festival

AND DISNEYLAND!

Isa-pie is going to go ape when she discovers she gets to visit

Toodles (Mickey Mouse) so soon.. and with her cousins that she misses terribly.

Everyday she asks for Max and Coco (Chloe)

What a fabulous January we have to look forward to!

So what's the news??

2010-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry ya'll...

For those of you on my Twitter and/or Facebook, you've been checking my personal blog for

some juicy tidbit..and still I have no news..

Later this week hopefully I'll have some news,

until then go check out

Flickr for a taste of our Christmas.. more pictures to come there as well!!

Thomas tracking Santa on Norad with: Max, Isabelle, and Chloe.

Hands down my favorite Christmas picture this year!

I love how our stinker is just peering out to watch.. such the Drama Queen!

See Ya'll Next Year!

2009-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

I shall return with more blogging the first week of 2010.

Isabelle send all of you a big wet kiss!

Knowing When To Say When

2009-12-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

This past week has been a barrel of stress. From Isabelle's canines that are just sitting on her gum line and causing random spaz outs to my never ending work pile, it's been rough. I know I do more than the average person. I'm not looking for a badge of honor, it's just how I'm wired. Ask my folks, they will tell you I've been this way since I could write a to-do list. I bite off more than I can chew, and 3 months later I'm crawled up in the fetal position boohooing my eyes out.

And honestly I look at the list and there is absolutely nothing I can or want to give up. From play time with Isabelle to making home cooked dinners, that's life. But honestly I can't do it all. I've been feeling like a failure, like everything I do is half assed. I've accepted I can't clone myself and I can't do it all.

So in 2010 I'm making some business changes. And we're hiring a cleaning crew. Thomas & I go round and round on this one. Honestly my time is better spent with Isabelle or Thomas, or working for that matter... And by hiring to do someone to do the cleaning, I'm helping someone else earn an income.

And.. we will be hiring someone to watch Isabelle for 1 day a week so we can play catch up. Right now when we really need to get something done, she'll watch tv for a little while and then wants to play..and rightly so, but we don't always have time to get everything done and read "Monkey & Me" 5 times in a row. We just don't. And I hate the seeing her zone to the tv. She's so dang smart and I feel like Dora is sucking her brain cells out (don't get me wrong, I do need a certain amount of Dora in our life!)

I feel better now. The house is a mess, I'm at least 1 work project behind, and my hair looks like crap.

But I have a plan.

And a plan makes that to-do list less bothersome.

Holiday Baking

2009-12-12T18:46:00.001-08:00

The Plan

The new creation - gingerbread w/ mini chocolate chip chewies

The perfection of peanut butter

Isa Owns The Joint...

2009-12-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Our kiddo has more character in her littlest finger than most people I know, and she's not even 2! We seriously are going to have our hands in full about 14 years...

At Gymboree this past week, one of the mothers told me about the Grand America's Gingerbread Village (did I mention it's *free). Holy cow, this hotel is the creme de la creme!! Decked out in her finest fake fur, our sweet Isabelle stomped around the place just like a princess. She was pretty interested in the Gingerbread village, but was howling for Santa. Sadly,there was no Santa to be found.

However, they did have a very fun teddy bear exhibit on the 23rd floor. A full suite chock full of teddy bears, candy, and playing a "Winnie the Pooh" movie on the TV. Let's just say Isa was ready to unpack and stay!

And of course.. many more photos on Flickr..

The Tiniest, Sweetest Baker Ever

2009-12-08T10:26:00.001-08:00

Our Snow Bear

2009-12-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

#2 is #1 !

2009-12-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Isabelle went #2 in her potty chair today!

It just about scared her out of her pants when she realized she had actually

gone #2 in her pretty princess potty throne.

I don't know how many times I told her

*what a big girl

* mama and dada are SO proud

on and on..

Her just rewards was a Dum-Dum lollipop.

Tomorrow at Target we'll get a reward chart and some M&M's for more rewards.

What to go little girl.. I mean big girl!!

Never thought

2009-12-04T19:57:00.001-08:00

I never thought when our children learned to say "no" that I would laugh my butt off and think it's the most hilarious thing ever..but it is :o)

Christmas Pics!

2009-12-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

I've posted all the Holiday pictures so far with the exception of the picture we will use for the Holiday card.. I wouldn't want you to pass out from the insane cute factor.

Go to my Flickr!

Isabelle and the Chocolate Advent

2009-12-04T13:58:00.001-08:00

Holiday Rush

2009-12-03T20:13:00.001-08:00

We had a holiday bonanza today! My parents told us about this fabulous Festival of Trees that they read about in Sunset magazine. It's a big deal here,but somehow we had never heard about it. There are tons and tons of trees that have been decorated and are sold to benefit the Children's Primary Hospital. So beautiful and just a fun family outing.

At the Tree Festival, Isabelle met Santa for the first time (last year we waited till the last minute and it was a pure disaster.. so don't ask..) She was SO excited. She was decked out in her fur coat and had her hair looking super duper cute. While we waited in line, she kept asking and signing for "Santa". She learned his name and our sign for him pretty quickly; she knows who butters that bread! And of course when it was our turn to have pictures with wonderful Santa, we had a full freakout. But we all need those pictures of our kids screaming with Santa..right?

Later this evening we traveled out to Heber for the "Polar Express". In jammies and the beloved fur coat (this girl has thing for coats..) She loved it for the most part. At times our train car was a tad too boisterous in their singing and freaked her out. She loved meeting Mrs. Claus, reading the "Polar Express", and looking at the Christmas lights outside the window. Again, asking and signing for Santa. Where was Santa?!? And another freakout during the great visit. Granted she was less scared and mustered the courage to take the gift bell from his outstretched hand.

I have TONS more pictures, but you just have to wait :o) I'll be working on the Christmas card this weekend and once they are mailed, I will post the rest of pictures on Flickr for all to enjoy.

Hope your Holidays are as much fun as ours. There truly is nothing like watching your child enjoy the magic of the season!

Holiday Decorating With A Busy Toddler

2009-11-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-29T14:15:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-28T20:24:00.001-08:00

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!

2009-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

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?!

2009-11-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

Apparently Mr. Incredible Is Not So Incredible

Thick as Thieves

2009-11-20T10:45:00.001-08:00

My Little Miss Matched

2009-11-19T16:06:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-18T14:01:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-17T08:05:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

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!

Real Quick

2009-09-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

My Etsy businesses are on a level of insanity..

but here's a quick pic of Ms. 18 months old!!

Will blog & post to Flickr when I can come up for air..

Blessed!

2009-08-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

While my goal is to blog weekly,

I had to brag about my little girl!!!

Last night I yanked her bottles from her cold turkey.

Thomas & I were tired of being lectured by the doc and we figured at almost 18months, it's time.

So she drank ALL her milk from a straw sippy cup.

Didn't fuss, didn't cry, didn't go looking for her ba ba's.

And she went to bed at 8pm...

tada..

didn't wake till 7:45..

People, that's the first night she's not waken up
(unless she was sick..)

Can I tell you how proud I am?!?

Love this little angel..

Hope you enjoy the picture of our artist.

And yes, she's already colored on: walls, clothes, self, mama..etc

Much Needed Vacation

2009-08-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

This past week was a long one for Isabelle.

From going to the dentist to getting an upper GI (my personal worst morning ever!),

we all were in much need of a vacation!

Isa got her haircut a fabulous salon :o), we all ate sushi at local Japanese joint,

and headed out to watch the Salt Lake City Real Soccer game.

Isabelle just loved the roar of the crowd

and the yummy warm churro on the way out.

This was the last week we could go camping given our hectic schedule.

So we decided to leave Thursday for a family camp out,

and join our Parish for the Church camp out on Friday - Sunday.

What a wonderful weekend!

Isabelle truly loves camping.

From playing in the dirt, playing in the water, and playing in the tent!

Once we joined the rest of the Parrish up at Heber Valley,

Isabelle made lots of new friends!

I think every older Parishioner adopted her as their "granddaughter".

She had lots of admirers and friends to play with.

There was a big waffle breakfast up at the Chalet Saturday morning

and a family style steak BBQ that evening!

While we're happy to be clean & at home,

it is truly hard to come back to reality!

**And it turns out that Isabelle only has gastric reflux. Thank goodness for small favors!*

TONS more pics on Flickr!!

Live!

2009-08-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you not on Facebook,this may be news..

I've been trying to upload daily video clips of Isa on both FB and Flickr.

Granted they are taken with my cell (much faster to upload!),

so they are not the best quality, but I hope they make you laugh!

Isabelle is doing awesome.

She *loved* her first camping trip.

Those pics are on a disposable, so it will take a little while to upload.

She came back dirtier than a pig, but she absolutely loved it!

We're so excited we can do more outdoor stuff with her.

We've gone fishing every week since the camping trip,

and actually have another camping trip planned later this month with our church.

We're coming down to AZ in September.

If you didn't receive the Evite, please let me know..

And go check out the videos!!

Rodriguez Visit

2009-08-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Thomas' big brother, Johnny, visited with his family last week.

To say that Isabelle and her cousins had a fun time would be an understatement.

I only wish Isa had some big brothers of her own!

Bailey & Brycen were so sweet with her - and of course she ate up the attention!

Here's to *free* babysitting :o)

**P.S. I've finally updated Flickr..**

All Grown Up!

2009-07-19T11:11:00.001-07:00

Ah, as Isa grows older my free time shortens :o) We spend the days reading, playing "tea party", and "ring around the rosies". She is so much fun and so dang smart it is really kind of scary. You can ask/tell her just about anything these days and she gets it. We've had to start watching what we say and do :o)

She got her first official haircut last month at "Cookie Cutters". I can not say enough wonderful things about this children's salon. Isa in the past was not a huge fan of having her head or hair touched, and I expected the worse. The stylist was very sweet with Isa, and I couldn't get her out of there! Doesn't she look all grown up with her pigtails?? She's become quite good about letting me do her hair, and most days she sports a ponytail & bow (just don't tell her there's something in her hair!!)

Isabelle is rockin' in her sign language class. She's the oldest and the only one able to sign, and she does love to show off! She recently learned "berry" after maybe me showing her the sign twice. Granted, "please" "sorry"and "more" sometimes all look alike..she's really amazing with it!

Time Flies

2009-06-02T08:09:00.001-07:00

So I don't have a great excuse as to why it has been MONTHS since I've posted.

All I can say is, time flies when you're having fun!

Isa News

I never thought I'd be "that parent", but I guess I am.

Isa is a genius! She really is!!

She talks all the time! Puts little sentences together and picks up new words daily.

People, she's not even 15 months!

And she loves sign language!

Her favorite sign is "baby"

She loves to hug and started giving kisses yesterday (she did it when I told her I loved her!)

Awww!!

She is SUPER active. She demands to be outside playing on our deck, chasing the dogs,

or on a long walk/jog in her stroller.

She is still not sleeping through the night, but hey, she's a busy gal!

She is the happiest baby I've ever met, and people often comment on that when they meet her.

Unless she has to stop playing or is under the weather, she is laughing & smiling.

She is very mischeivous!

Isa loves to try to play in the cat/dog water bowl daily..

.. she is so wonderful, we thought we'd have another..

we're trying for #2 now!

Daddy News

Thomas is doing awesome at work.

We're so happy that in a rough economy, Thomas' company is doing just great!

He is starting to have time to golf again!

And loves to go jogging with Isa.

And of course he's looking forward to hunting season later this year :o)

Mommy News

I'm in the process of filing my first patent!!

Of course it's crafty related..

I'm hoping to license it, make some $$, and be done with it..

I really don't want to start yet another business :o)

My etsy sales are great!

The library is wonderful!

Still volunteering with Junior League, and looking forward to more fundraisers!

We're so blessed!

I'll try to be back to updating on a regular basis!

Miss photos? Please check out the Flickr account for the latest..

(Not too many new ones right now, but that too will be updated this week!)

In Cora's Memory

2009-02-21T06:27:00.000-08:00

I don't know what I would if something happened to Isabelle. My heart leaps out of my chest every time she falls, my heart breaks whenever she has an owie.. So when I read about Cora Paige last night, I spent most of the evening crying.

Please, please, please consider buying something from a Etsy crafter that is donating proceeds to Cora's playground. I bought a few for Isa's birthday.

Hug your kids today and tell them you love them!

MORE!

2009-02-19T19:41:00.000-08:00

Isa understands AND can now do the sign for MORE!

Could two parents be any prouder?
I think not!

Studio 5

2009-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

You can see me on Studio 5!
http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=71&sid=5620864

Woohoo!

Not Every Girl Loves Tutus

2009-02-14T10:34:00.001-08:00

So Angel Pie hates tutus.. Maybe it's itchy, maybe too busy? I don't know, but they make her grumpy! So we had an unhappy Valentine..

Check out Flickr for more Valentine pictures (and the rare smile today..)

Bliss

2009-02-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

Do you know what bliss is?

Today bliss is watching my baby girl play with my best friend's son.

It just doesn't get any better than watching Quinn hug Isabelle

and try shove some Cheerios in her mouth!

Thomas found the viedo camera and hopefully

they will be just as cute today as they were yesterday.

This weekend will be my "happy place" for awhile..

I'll post pics when Karen & Quinn fly home,

I don't want to miss a minute of the action!

Big Girl

2009-02-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Isa can now

* walk while holding your hands

* crawl in warp speed

* laugh when you say "no" or "stop"

* feed the dogs her food

* eat all grown up food - no more home made purees!

She also has a TON of teeth coming in all at once..

I was wondering for how much longer she'd only have those 2 chompers!

Amazing

2009-02-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

I can not believe I'm planning our baby girl's first birthday! This time has flown faster than I was prepared for, though everyone tried to warn me. I cherish these days as much as I know how. I love watching her learn new things. She is so sweet natured and easy going - she is so much like her daddy :o)

When she was first born we took her to see a physician that specializes hand differences. He told us then that he wouldn't recommend anything be done to change her hand as based upon what he saw, her function would be perfect. And recommended that we wait till she was 1 before we had xrays taken. I remember feeling so alone, feeling that this doctor didn't care and wanting more information. I was so wrong.

I don't talk about Isa's little hand very much because it has become a non issue. She does have perfect function. There has been nothing that has been delayed or an obstacle for this lil' monkey. And I'm dragging my feet on making an appointment for her to get xrays. I get it now.

We will probably still get the xrays done some time this year. We feel we owe Isa all the opportunities avaliable. But if you ask me, I wouldn't change her hand if I could. We aren't meant to look the same. And she couldn't be anymore perfect than she already is.

I know there will be hard days and my heart will break the first time she says "I can't..." But I know my easy going gal will make it work and will only be stronger for it.

Before we were pregnant, I made it clear to Thomas that I want to adopt a child at some point. I still do. And if it works out, I really would like to adopt a child with a limb difference. I feel blessed that someone upstairs believed in Thomas & I, someone knew that this is something we could be awesome at as a couple. And we are. It would be awesome to be able to bring love and confidence to another child that may not otherwise receive it.

And with that said.. I'm not pregnant.. but we are trying for number 2

:o)

Oh.. I'm on Thomas' lap top, so no access to post pics this moment.. but there are tons on Flickr.. and I'll be taking a very special Valentine's Day photo shoot of Isa in the next week.

Blessed Day

2009-01-20T09:17:00.000-08:00

My heart is lifted hearing Obama speak.

I feel so lucky to have my children born and raised in this country.

My heart is lifted knowing how far we have come!

I don't think 1 man can change all the damage that has been done these past years,

but I'm so relieved that this man will try.

This man will care about my family's interests.

This man will help protect the country I love.

For those of you that do not support Mr. O,

I'm sad for you today.

I hope that in time, you will see and believe in his optimism and hope for change.

I hope that in time you can will see the beauty of today and what it means in our history.

**Isa and I are still sick.. so it will be awhile before more pics**

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry there has been a lag in the blog.

I've been working on a secret project - yes, it's secret for now and no it's not baby#2..

and it's been taking up SO much time.. more than I had hoped!

Isabelle is just rockin'!

She is cruising around the house, and we expect her to be walking on her on any day now.

She is her happy, amazing self!

Loved Christmas!

Loved playing (and eating) wrapping paper!

She loves to clap, wave, and say Da-Da.

She is working on the "mmmmm" sound

I will be posting pics on Flickr today and tonight..

Again apologies for the delay..

Very, very sorry Karen :o)

Hope everyone had a beautiful holiday!

I know so many of Isa's friends celebrated their first Christmas as well;

we hope Santa was equally good to ya'll!

Our house for one looks like Toys R Us!!

Much love..

It's All In The Wrist

2008-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-12T17:14:00.001-08:00

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!?!

2008-11-10T20:08:00.001-08:00

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

2008-10-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

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..

2008-10-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

Knock Knock, Who's There

2008-09-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

Where oh Where

2008-09-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-31T15:27:00.001-07:00

Playing with Sofie...

2008-08-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

Love her from head to toe

2008-08-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

How to Move On

2008-08-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-13T06:57:00.001-07:00

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

Heaven is more funny and beautiful

2008-08-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

We will all miss you Julia..

Happy Birthday Thomas!

2008-08-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-29T12:07:00.001-07:00

Heartbreaker!

2008-07-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-20T19:01:00.001-07:00

Quick Note

2008-07-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-07-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

"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!

2008-06-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-06-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-09T18:50:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-31T15:00:00.001-07:00

And I ended up reading and working last night..

What do I do now..

2008-05-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-28T09:59:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-04-22T15:54:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-20T16:00:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

* 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

2008-04-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

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!!

2008-04-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

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!