Just want to share the good news from Bella's appointment with the pediatric cardiologist. She behaved WONDERFULLY - the EKG tech's comment was that was the best pediatric EKG ever - and I believe her because she gave her a hug, gave her 2 suckers and a roll of stickers for behaving so well.
The ped card. thinks Bella has a very small VSD, meaning a hole in the muscle between the two ventricles of the heart. This should go away on its own, is nothing to be worried about, no need to restrict any activity, nor even to mark her as having a heart problem on any paperwork. He said we can say she has an innocent heart murmur, although it technically is probably not truly what they consider an innocent murmur, as it doesn't change in sounds as she changes position (sitting up vs. lying down). She will not need any medication for it, and should outgrow it as time goes on, although given she is so petite, he said we may be able to hear it until she is a young adult. She doesn't need any further monitoring or tests either. The echo being normal a few months ago is not surprising because he said when these are so small, they are really hard to visualize on the echos. So grateful to have her get a clean bill of heart health!
Because the ped. card appointment was in the same office as her regular pediatrician, I had her weighed, as her pediatrician had recommended to monitor her weight gain. She's been pretty consistent at the 10th percentile since 9 months old but at her 2 year appointment she dropped to the 5th, and he and I thought it a good idea to have her weighed again in a few months before getting too concerned. He called last night at 5pm with the good news that she's back on her curve, and we don't have to have her weighed again until her 3yo appointment.
So good news all around yesterday for Miss Isabella (and a relief for her mommy and daddy!)
After the appointments, we went to Walmart to print some pictures off for the new house, and then I took her to eat and to Monkey Joe's. She LOVED Monkey Joes, although Mommy needs to get some more knee surgery/muscle tone/exercise before I take her there by myself again... haha!
Well I have to run, we're off to run errands for the house (again) and try to get some things crossed off our list.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Feeling the urge to blog!
Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I wrote on my blog. I've thought about it at different times, thinking I'd really like to take a minute, jot down what's going on, because life goes by so quickly and what is today's normal is forgotten in one week, one month, 1 year. Life is just so busy, but it's really no excuse to not take time to do something I enjoy, which is journalling, and recording our family memories and my thoughts. I think FB took over a little bit, because I would write on there instead of here. I gave up Facebook for Lent though, so I figured now's the time to start back blogging and writing down things Bella will want to know someday about herself when she was little.
Isabella is now 2, and amazing me every day with things she's learning, and sometimes we have no idea from where. Just this week, she's started putting her shoes on her own (velcro of course), she peed in the potty for the very first time, and she can now sing Jesus Loves Me, even if most people (aka everyone except for Mommy) wouldn't recognize it unless you told them what she was singing. She gets about the 2 or 3 words in every line in, which I consider awesome. She even made Jodi her babysitter cry by singing it to her the other day. Mama was so proud :) She's definitely a two-year-old, opinionated and wants her way in almost everything, but she really is a very good girl in the grand scheme of things. We drag her around at least one of the weekend days doing errands for the house, and she does so well, even when it usually means her missing her nap. She's sweet, gives the best hugs, almost always tells me "Mommy I Love you" when I tell her I love her. She idolizes her 'papi' and they love to hang out together. Elmo, Dora and Barney are her favorites, with Elmo probably winning out over all of them. She loves her Dora and Elmo Search & Find books, and her Nemo search book, and is amazingly good at locating anything you ask her to. She sometimes says "ummmmmm......" as she's looking at it, and it cracks me up. Most of all, she loves to laugh and it really is the best sound in the world.
I got a promotion to Support Manager over my area as of Jan 1st, and it's going good, but takes up a huge amount of my time and has presented challenges I never imagined, mainly with in dealing with interoffice politics and personnel. I think I'm learning though and it's slowly improving... most days :) Beto's been very supportive and didn't really complain that I spent a lot of time in Peoria in January and February getting my hands around everything... Now I travel down there just 2 days a month normally, which is much more doable, and can come back the same day I go. It was really hard to be away from Beto and Bella at night at first, more than I expected!
I am still going to WW meetings, I started last June I think it was, and I've really been doing it in fits and starts. I'm down about 20 lbs in total though, so I tell myself how much better that is than the alternative. I'm trying right now to get back on the tracking bandwagon, and today went well. Here's praying I can keep this up.
Beto started a new job March 1st in accounting in Clinton and he seems to really be liking it. I'm very proud of him, and so glad he found something in his career. The position is AP and Supply Chain Coordinator at a hospital and gives him exposure to two areas, which he considers a plus in the long term. I'm enjoying not as long of hours and the fact he is home with us more, and for now no weekends, although there may be the occasional one later on.
As I mentioned, we are working hard on our new house. The plans are all drawn up, we have all the bid requests out and just waiting to get them in, and trying to get our head around the entire project and all it entails. My dad is helping us answer a lot of questions, and we are doing a lot of legwork on the weekends running here and there, plus reading books to educate ourselves. We're hoping to break ground by May 1st. Lots to do before then though!
Tomorrow I'm taking Isabella for an EKG and chest x-ray then going to see the pediatric cardiologist recommended by her pediatrician. This is a follow up to a previous echocardiogram we had done around 18 months old. Probably nothing serious but as it gets closer, I get more nervous, especially because I'm taking her by myself. Beto's a comfort to me in these kind of things, but I'm a big girl and I'm sure I can handle it... :) Praying nothing serious comes out of it, but also that we get some definite answers as to what it is that our ped is hearing, so we can know once and for all.
Well I think that's it for tonight - I've ate all my WW pointsplus for the day, so I am going to head to bed before I eat something else :) Nite all!
Isabella is now 2, and amazing me every day with things she's learning, and sometimes we have no idea from where. Just this week, she's started putting her shoes on her own (velcro of course), she peed in the potty for the very first time, and she can now sing Jesus Loves Me, even if most people (aka everyone except for Mommy) wouldn't recognize it unless you told them what she was singing. She gets about the 2 or 3 words in every line in, which I consider awesome. She even made Jodi her babysitter cry by singing it to her the other day. Mama was so proud :) She's definitely a two-year-old, opinionated and wants her way in almost everything, but she really is a very good girl in the grand scheme of things. We drag her around at least one of the weekend days doing errands for the house, and she does so well, even when it usually means her missing her nap. She's sweet, gives the best hugs, almost always tells me "Mommy I Love you" when I tell her I love her. She idolizes her 'papi' and they love to hang out together. Elmo, Dora and Barney are her favorites, with Elmo probably winning out over all of them. She loves her Dora and Elmo Search & Find books, and her Nemo search book, and is amazingly good at locating anything you ask her to. She sometimes says "ummmmmm......" as she's looking at it, and it cracks me up. Most of all, she loves to laugh and it really is the best sound in the world.
I got a promotion to Support Manager over my area as of Jan 1st, and it's going good, but takes up a huge amount of my time and has presented challenges I never imagined, mainly with in dealing with interoffice politics and personnel. I think I'm learning though and it's slowly improving... most days :) Beto's been very supportive and didn't really complain that I spent a lot of time in Peoria in January and February getting my hands around everything... Now I travel down there just 2 days a month normally, which is much more doable, and can come back the same day I go. It was really hard to be away from Beto and Bella at night at first, more than I expected!
I am still going to WW meetings, I started last June I think it was, and I've really been doing it in fits and starts. I'm down about 20 lbs in total though, so I tell myself how much better that is than the alternative. I'm trying right now to get back on the tracking bandwagon, and today went well. Here's praying I can keep this up.
Beto started a new job March 1st in accounting in Clinton and he seems to really be liking it. I'm very proud of him, and so glad he found something in his career. The position is AP and Supply Chain Coordinator at a hospital and gives him exposure to two areas, which he considers a plus in the long term. I'm enjoying not as long of hours and the fact he is home with us more, and for now no weekends, although there may be the occasional one later on.
As I mentioned, we are working hard on our new house. The plans are all drawn up, we have all the bid requests out and just waiting to get them in, and trying to get our head around the entire project and all it entails. My dad is helping us answer a lot of questions, and we are doing a lot of legwork on the weekends running here and there, plus reading books to educate ourselves. We're hoping to break ground by May 1st. Lots to do before then though!
Tomorrow I'm taking Isabella for an EKG and chest x-ray then going to see the pediatric cardiologist recommended by her pediatrician. This is a follow up to a previous echocardiogram we had done around 18 months old. Probably nothing serious but as it gets closer, I get more nervous, especially because I'm taking her by myself. Beto's a comfort to me in these kind of things, but I'm a big girl and I'm sure I can handle it... :) Praying nothing serious comes out of it, but also that we get some definite answers as to what it is that our ped is hearing, so we can know once and for all.
Well I think that's it for tonight - I've ate all my WW pointsplus for the day, so I am going to head to bed before I eat something else :) Nite all!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Catchup / News
I can't believe I haven't written on my blog in over a year. I do have text files where I made notes about Isabella's milestones and I may go back in and backfill some blog posts, as I've found it comes in very handy later on when I'm doing my scrapbook pages or writing in her baby book.
Anyway, it is hard to know where to start to catch up.
To begin, my baby girl is not much of a baby anymore. She's 21 months old, and she's a sweetheart and a handful all at once. She's definitely strong-willed and wants her way all.the.time (hmmm... kinda like her mama) but she also has a very sweet side and gives hugs and kisses without prompting now, and has a smile on her face most of the time. She also talks up a storm - Beto says he doesn't understand a lot of what she says, but I can understand most everything. She speaks a combination of Spanish and English, basically choosing whichever word is shorter/easier.
Beto graduated WIU in May with a second Bachelor of Accountancy degree, and is now looking for an accounting job. He just got called for an interview this Friday for a Staff Accountant position (via a temp agency), and we are rather excited. We are more excited though about a position at Deere that seems to be a perfect fit for him.... he applied and we are waiting to hear. I am praying hard things will go well for him, he said he doesn't want to get his hopes up, but it was obvious how much getting called for an interview meant to him, and how excited he is about any job prospect in Accounting. As he should be, after all the hard work he put in at Black Hawk and WIU to get to this point. He is also taking a tax class 2 nights a week right now as well, in order to give him more practical tax preparation experience, as he'd like to start his own tax preparation business at some point in the future. I'm so blessed to be married to a man who applies himself and continually tries to improve himself. <3
Besides Bella, work and school, we have another project we have been busy with. We are planning to build a house in Spring 2011, and have been very busy designing the floor plan (now at least 95% done). We've talked to the builder we want (who everyone says is excellent) and he is available for that time frame. On the 20th we are going to meet with a family friend who is a project manager at a lumberyard, and get things finalized in order to have the blueprint drawn up, get a materials list and then start getting quotes for everything to ensure we can afford everything we want. We are planning on an 1800 sq foot 3BR 2 bath ranch with a walkout basement. We'll eventually add another bathroom, bedroom and at least one office (maybe 2, one for both Beto and I) in the basement, but that will wait until we get the main floor done. It's very exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. You don't realize how many decisions you have to make when building, until you start getting into it. Thankfully Beto and I are agreeing on the majority of things at this point, the only place we're still "discussing" is the flooring in the kitchen, which I think is a pretty minor discussion in the overall scheme of things.
Life never slows down, and I can only see it getting more and more busy in the next 6 months. On top of raising a toddler, the house project, and a possible new job for Beto, I also have received a promotion at work to take effect January 1st. The job itself is one I know and have already done in the past for the most part just without the title, but it will mean traveling to the office one day every 2 weeks, plus added management responsibilities once it is official. I'm excited but nervous. That could actually describe a lot of things in my life lately ;)
I also rejoined WW in June after having gained back all the weight I had lost, down to the last tenth of a pound. I'm in my 21st week and I've lost 21.4 lbs so far. It is definitely going much slower this time around, but I also have not been making/finding the time to exercise so that is to be expected. We just got Mom's treadmill moved to our house for the winter though, so I can walk at night after Isabella goes to sleep. Now we just need to figure out what's wrong with it because we turned it on the other night and the band is slipping. Hopefully we can get that straightened out soon, as I really do enjoying walking and I'm looking forward to being able to walk while I watch TV at night - two of my favorite stress relievers combined, what could be better!
That is about it for now. I hope to keep up with this much more often now, as it's a great way to keep memories as well as organize my thoughts on a lot of things.... I miss the chance to get it all down on "paper"!
Anyway, it is hard to know where to start to catch up.
To begin, my baby girl is not much of a baby anymore. She's 21 months old, and she's a sweetheart and a handful all at once. She's definitely strong-willed and wants her way all.the.time (hmmm... kinda like her mama) but she also has a very sweet side and gives hugs and kisses without prompting now, and has a smile on her face most of the time. She also talks up a storm - Beto says he doesn't understand a lot of what she says, but I can understand most everything. She speaks a combination of Spanish and English, basically choosing whichever word is shorter/easier.
Beto graduated WIU in May with a second Bachelor of Accountancy degree, and is now looking for an accounting job. He just got called for an interview this Friday for a Staff Accountant position (via a temp agency), and we are rather excited. We are more excited though about a position at Deere that seems to be a perfect fit for him.... he applied and we are waiting to hear. I am praying hard things will go well for him, he said he doesn't want to get his hopes up, but it was obvious how much getting called for an interview meant to him, and how excited he is about any job prospect in Accounting. As he should be, after all the hard work he put in at Black Hawk and WIU to get to this point. He is also taking a tax class 2 nights a week right now as well, in order to give him more practical tax preparation experience, as he'd like to start his own tax preparation business at some point in the future. I'm so blessed to be married to a man who applies himself and continually tries to improve himself. <3
Besides Bella, work and school, we have another project we have been busy with. We are planning to build a house in Spring 2011, and have been very busy designing the floor plan (now at least 95% done). We've talked to the builder we want (who everyone says is excellent) and he is available for that time frame. On the 20th we are going to meet with a family friend who is a project manager at a lumberyard, and get things finalized in order to have the blueprint drawn up, get a materials list and then start getting quotes for everything to ensure we can afford everything we want. We are planning on an 1800 sq foot 3BR 2 bath ranch with a walkout basement. We'll eventually add another bathroom, bedroom and at least one office (maybe 2, one for both Beto and I) in the basement, but that will wait until we get the main floor done. It's very exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. You don't realize how many decisions you have to make when building, until you start getting into it. Thankfully Beto and I are agreeing on the majority of things at this point, the only place we're still "discussing" is the flooring in the kitchen, which I think is a pretty minor discussion in the overall scheme of things.
Life never slows down, and I can only see it getting more and more busy in the next 6 months. On top of raising a toddler, the house project, and a possible new job for Beto, I also have received a promotion at work to take effect January 1st. The job itself is one I know and have already done in the past for the most part just without the title, but it will mean traveling to the office one day every 2 weeks, plus added management responsibilities once it is official. I'm excited but nervous. That could actually describe a lot of things in my life lately ;)
I also rejoined WW in June after having gained back all the weight I had lost, down to the last tenth of a pound. I'm in my 21st week and I've lost 21.4 lbs so far. It is definitely going much slower this time around, but I also have not been making/finding the time to exercise so that is to be expected. We just got Mom's treadmill moved to our house for the winter though, so I can walk at night after Isabella goes to sleep. Now we just need to figure out what's wrong with it because we turned it on the other night and the band is slipping. Hopefully we can get that straightened out soon, as I really do enjoying walking and I'm looking forward to being able to walk while I watch TV at night - two of my favorite stress relievers combined, what could be better!
That is about it for now. I hope to keep up with this much more often now, as it's a great way to keep memories as well as organize my thoughts on a lot of things.... I miss the chance to get it all down on "paper"!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Happy 1st Birthday to our sweet Isabella!
Wow, how life can change in a year. One year ago today, I became a mommy when our sweet Isabella was born! And now I can't really remember what life was like before she arrived, and can't (and don't want to) imagine life being any different. The past year has been challenging at times, but so completely blessed at the same time.
Beto, You and I have grown and learned what it means to become parents and all the responsibilities that brings, but also all the wonderful moments we have shared celebrating Isabella's first smile, her giggles, her milestones. (And I think for the most part we've adjusted pretty well to the changes that brings to our relationship too.) I am very blessed to have such a good, hands-on daddy that does his best to share the responsibilities and work having a baby brings. Thank you, baby, for all you do! Being a great father really seems to come to you naturally
Isabella, You really are so much more than we ever could have wished for or imagined. You bring us joy that I really can't describe... and although it's cliche, you probably won't really understand it until you become a mommy someday. Your smile lights up even the drabbest day, and your baby giggles make my own giggles bubble up from deep within. Even when you're cranky, tired, or screaming just because you can, I love you with all my heart, and I always will. Watching you grow has been amazing - I found myself throughout your first year stopping and reminding myself to take a breath, enjoy that moment and remember it because you were growing so fast. Daddy and I have often stopped and look at each other and say can you believe how much she has grown/changed/learned? Someday when you are older, you will hear that Daddy and I waited a long time for you and were at the point where we thought we may never be able have a baby. Then God gave us you. And boy, what an amazing gift He gave us!
At one year, your personality is already shining through. You love to smile and make others laugh. If I say the word "funny", you chuckle to yourself, and make others laugh. When I took you to the office with me, we were in a meeting and others were making fun of one of my coworkers and laughing. They all got quiet and that's when you let out a good chuckle, making everyone laugh even more.
You are such a good baby and very patient when we are out and about, but you do hate to be bored. Most of the time, you need something or someone to play with while in your carseat, or (just lately) you have start to screech. You also seem to hate the dark - if you and I are in the car alone and it's dark out, you do not like to be in the back by yourself unless I give you your cell phone whose buttons light up. Then you are ok :)
You can be pretty impatient too though, especially when you want out of your carseat or when you want more to eat. Just lately when we are eating, if you want some (or more) of what we have, you will let out a screech to let us know to give you some. It's effective (but hard on the ears). Your voice sometimes is so quiet and sweet, you like to talk to yourself quietly and say "Ducka-ducka-ducka" and rolling your tongue pronouncing some unknown word to us. But boy, you also can be loud (and I think Mommy - the loudmouth - can take some credit for that). When you are loud, you have a very low voice. It makes us anxious to see when you really start to talk what your voice is going to sound like. RIght now you mainly say Mama and Papa or Dada (depending I think on whether we are speaking to you in Spanish or English). You can say Bye-bye when you want to, and you like to say ba-ba-ba-ba to lots of different things, but I'm not sure yet what it means. Just this week, you've started to repeat sounds that are amazingly like some of the words Mommy says, so I think more words are coming soon.
You took your first steps the first days of December (at just a little over 10 months old) and when we got back from Christmas in Mexico, you started walking across the living room all by yourself. Shortly after that, you decided that it was enough to have shown us you could do it, and went back to mainly crawling, which then morphed into you "walking" on your knees. Jodi your babysitter said she has never seen another child walk on their knees like you do. The last two days though, you've started to walk normal again. Just like most things you do, you CAN do it, it just depends if you want to or not.
About 2 months ago, Jodi taught you to respond to "How big is Isabella" and you throw your arms up as we say SOOOO BIG! Daddy and I have also taught you to put your forefinger up when we ask how old you are going to be. It's so cute - luckily we got it on video so you can see someday. I'd been trying to teach you how to blow kisses for a few months now, and last night it clicked (like a lot of things lately I noticed) and you blow kisses. But your manner of blowing kisses is unique - just like you! You kiss your hand and then have to put your hand against our lips - "transferring" the kiss to us. Again, so cute! :)
Your bottom middle 2 teeth came in at 4 months, and you have had your top 2 middle teeth for a few months now - maybe since 8 or 9 months even, but the other 2 top side teeth have finally popped all the way through, and this last week, the other bottom 2 have came through as well! So on your 1st birthday, you have a total of 8 teeth!
Everyone still comments, even at 1 year of age, on your hair, and how MUCH you have of it, and how beautiful it is. You do not have the typical head of baby hair - it is "regular" hair, not wispy fine baby hair. You got your haircut short for the first time in Mexico, and everyone loves it (but Mommy secretly misses your waves/curls you were getting before we got it cut). It IS cute though and amazingly similar (without trying) to a haircut Grandma gave Mommy when I was little.
You've had your fair share of illnesses during your first year - none serious though thankfully! The most "serious" - around 2 weeks old, you got bronchiolitis. In November at 9 months old, you had your first surgery to put ventilation tubes in your ears, due to having at least 6 or 7 ear infections in the first 9 months of your life. In December, the week before we went to Mexico, you got a bad cold, plus had Roseola on top of it, which causes high fevers and then a rash. Even now, you had a fever the last 2 nights, but thankfully woke up this morning without one! After your 9 month appt, I even counted up that since you were born, we had not gone more than 2 weeks without visiting Dr. Brodd at least once, due to colds, fevers, ear infections. But while you have been sick with your fair share of typical childhood ilnesses, we are very aware that there are many other families whose children are facing serious illnesses, and we are thankful that you are as healthy as you are!
Well my sweet girl, I think that is a good start at describing you at age 1. Tomorrow we take you for your 12-month appointment, and we will know your height/weight at age 1. For now, I wish you a very Happy birthday my sweet funny girl, and I want you to know that Mommy and Daddy will always love you, always be there for you, and we thank God above for blessing us with you!
Beto, You and I have grown and learned what it means to become parents and all the responsibilities that brings, but also all the wonderful moments we have shared celebrating Isabella's first smile, her giggles, her milestones. (And I think for the most part we've adjusted pretty well to the changes that brings to our relationship too.) I am very blessed to have such a good, hands-on daddy that does his best to share the responsibilities and work having a baby brings. Thank you, baby, for all you do! Being a great father really seems to come to you naturally
Isabella, You really are so much more than we ever could have wished for or imagined. You bring us joy that I really can't describe... and although it's cliche, you probably won't really understand it until you become a mommy someday. Your smile lights up even the drabbest day, and your baby giggles make my own giggles bubble up from deep within. Even when you're cranky, tired, or screaming just because you can, I love you with all my heart, and I always will. Watching you grow has been amazing - I found myself throughout your first year stopping and reminding myself to take a breath, enjoy that moment and remember it because you were growing so fast. Daddy and I have often stopped and look at each other and say can you believe how much she has grown/changed/learned? Someday when you are older, you will hear that Daddy and I waited a long time for you and were at the point where we thought we may never be able have a baby. Then God gave us you. And boy, what an amazing gift He gave us!
At one year, your personality is already shining through. You love to smile and make others laugh. If I say the word "funny", you chuckle to yourself, and make others laugh. When I took you to the office with me, we were in a meeting and others were making fun of one of my coworkers and laughing. They all got quiet and that's when you let out a good chuckle, making everyone laugh even more.
You are such a good baby and very patient when we are out and about, but you do hate to be bored. Most of the time, you need something or someone to play with while in your carseat, or (just lately) you have start to screech. You also seem to hate the dark - if you and I are in the car alone and it's dark out, you do not like to be in the back by yourself unless I give you your cell phone whose buttons light up. Then you are ok :)
You can be pretty impatient too though, especially when you want out of your carseat or when you want more to eat. Just lately when we are eating, if you want some (or more) of what we have, you will let out a screech to let us know to give you some. It's effective (but hard on the ears). Your voice sometimes is so quiet and sweet, you like to talk to yourself quietly and say "Ducka-ducka-ducka" and rolling your tongue pronouncing some unknown word to us. But boy, you also can be loud (and I think Mommy - the loudmouth - can take some credit for that). When you are loud, you have a very low voice. It makes us anxious to see when you really start to talk what your voice is going to sound like. RIght now you mainly say Mama and Papa or Dada (depending I think on whether we are speaking to you in Spanish or English). You can say Bye-bye when you want to, and you like to say ba-ba-ba-ba to lots of different things, but I'm not sure yet what it means. Just this week, you've started to repeat sounds that are amazingly like some of the words Mommy says, so I think more words are coming soon.
You took your first steps the first days of December (at just a little over 10 months old) and when we got back from Christmas in Mexico, you started walking across the living room all by yourself. Shortly after that, you decided that it was enough to have shown us you could do it, and went back to mainly crawling, which then morphed into you "walking" on your knees. Jodi your babysitter said she has never seen another child walk on their knees like you do. The last two days though, you've started to walk normal again. Just like most things you do, you CAN do it, it just depends if you want to or not.
About 2 months ago, Jodi taught you to respond to "How big is Isabella" and you throw your arms up as we say SOOOO BIG! Daddy and I have also taught you to put your forefinger up when we ask how old you are going to be. It's so cute - luckily we got it on video so you can see someday. I'd been trying to teach you how to blow kisses for a few months now, and last night it clicked (like a lot of things lately I noticed) and you blow kisses. But your manner of blowing kisses is unique - just like you! You kiss your hand and then have to put your hand against our lips - "transferring" the kiss to us. Again, so cute! :)
Your bottom middle 2 teeth came in at 4 months, and you have had your top 2 middle teeth for a few months now - maybe since 8 or 9 months even, but the other 2 top side teeth have finally popped all the way through, and this last week, the other bottom 2 have came through as well! So on your 1st birthday, you have a total of 8 teeth!
Everyone still comments, even at 1 year of age, on your hair, and how MUCH you have of it, and how beautiful it is. You do not have the typical head of baby hair - it is "regular" hair, not wispy fine baby hair. You got your haircut short for the first time in Mexico, and everyone loves it (but Mommy secretly misses your waves/curls you were getting before we got it cut). It IS cute though and amazingly similar (without trying) to a haircut Grandma gave Mommy when I was little.
You've had your fair share of illnesses during your first year - none serious though thankfully! The most "serious" - around 2 weeks old, you got bronchiolitis. In November at 9 months old, you had your first surgery to put ventilation tubes in your ears, due to having at least 6 or 7 ear infections in the first 9 months of your life. In December, the week before we went to Mexico, you got a bad cold, plus had Roseola on top of it, which causes high fevers and then a rash. Even now, you had a fever the last 2 nights, but thankfully woke up this morning without one! After your 9 month appt, I even counted up that since you were born, we had not gone more than 2 weeks without visiting Dr. Brodd at least once, due to colds, fevers, ear infections. But while you have been sick with your fair share of typical childhood ilnesses, we are very aware that there are many other families whose children are facing serious illnesses, and we are thankful that you are as healthy as you are!
Well my sweet girl, I think that is a good start at describing you at age 1. Tomorrow we take you for your 12-month appointment, and we will know your height/weight at age 1. For now, I wish you a very Happy birthday my sweet funny girl, and I want you to know that Mommy and Daddy will always love you, always be there for you, and we thank God above for blessing us with you!
Friday, October 16, 2009
This is what 8.5 months looks like
Isabella at a little over 8.5 months, 10/16/09
She likes to tilt her head to one side and gives you a cute smile
She started batting her eyes at Grandma and Grandpa the other day. She did this for just one day a month or so ago, but out of the blue, without anyone telling her to, she did it again on Tuesday night
She is taking bottles again at daycare! YAY! I can’t stress how much of a huge YAY that is in our lives. Jodi had to force her for about a week to take the first bottle of the day, and then the rest would go down fine. Now she’s drinking all 3 of them without a fight.
While Beto is in school on Tuesday nights, Isabella and I are enjoying going to my parents’ house for dinner. They get to see each other and spend time together, and I get a little break from being the only one taking care of her on Tuesdays. We come home just in time for some cuddle time, one last nursing and then bed.
She’s cruising – she will hold on to the wall or the couch and move herself around the room. She also is getting braver and will try to take steps without holding on to anything. We’ve had a few falls, but nothing big (yet), and she gets up and just starts trying again.
She’s started to dance/bounce to music. She has a LeapFrog music table that she loves to stand at, and when it’s in music mode (vs the ABC/123 mode), she starts to bounce and dance.
She LOVES to grab my glasses every chance she gets. Everything goes in her mouth and she’s started play biting again. Teeth must be moving again
The minute I walk out of the room, she cries, but she is getting better about it (most days)once she sees I come back.
Last Friday, went to the peds and found out Isabella had her 3rd (maybe 4th) ear infection. In both ears. Just like her mama – I had double ear infection, bronchitis and probable sinus infection last week too. I really hope she doesn’t take after me with all the ear infections I had as a child. We got her (and me) antibiotics and we’re both feeling better.
We let her cry it out a few nights this week, and after one real night of it, her and our sleep got better quickly! Tues nite/Wed AM she woke up in the middle of the night, I fed her, she fell asleep, I laid her down, she woke up as soon as I laid her in her crib. Repeat 3 times and the 3rd time she woke up, I gave her a nebulization because she was coughing (from all the crying), fed her, she fell asleep but woke up as soon as I laid her in her crib. I was exhausted (after 2 hours of this) and I put her back down in her crib and went back to our bed. Beto was up (how couldn’t he be?) and we decided to let her cry it out (since we knew she wasn’t hungry, in pain, etc.) it took her between 30 and 45 minutes, and she conked out.
I have been exhausted this week because I think I’m still recovering from my cold/infections. So I started doing her last nursing in our bed and then putting her in her crib. It seems to be working. Wed night she slept from 9pm until 1am and then from 1:45 to 5:30am. She was wide awake at 5:30 though! Then last night, she slept from 8:15 to 9p, nursed her a little more, and she slept from 9:15pm until 3am, I nursed her and she went back to sleep until 7am! She and I are BOTH much happier people!
We’ve been reading a lot more books lately, and Isabella will sit still very well for it. She likes to hold the book herself and lets me just flip the pages.
In other news (and I don’t think I’ve shared this here yet…) we bought our tickets for Mexico for Christmas. Can we say EXPENSIVE? but definitely worth it to have Isabella spend time with her grandparents, aunt and cousins. I cannot wait! I’m worse than a kid counting down to Christmas.
It’s started to get very cool here, we’ve had our first hard frost already, and they just started picking corn this week, but I think have only been in the field one day for just a few hours. I wish it’d stop raining, I know this is very late (and very cold) for them to just be starting to harvest. Praying they will be able to get in and get it done asap.
We are hoping to take Isabella to a pumpkin patch this Sunday. It’s supposed to be a little warmer (high 50s and sunny) and I really want to get her a pumpkin and take some pictures in the pumpkin patch. Beto is busy studying for another test next week, but said he could take a short break Sunday to do this. We will be so glad when this semester is over – only one more class to go after this semester!!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Productive day!
Well Isabella and I were up at 8:30 this morning while we gave Beto a chance to sleep in since he had been up until 3am studying. I took some pictures of Isabella trying to get one good enough for her passport, and finally succeeded, thank goodness. In the afternoon, we ran up to R.F’s post office and ordered her passport, then had a late lunch at the Candlelight and went grocery shopping at Walmart. I am on a freezer meal kick again (seems to be a fall thing?) and bought myself a new book that just got here yesterday callled Fix Freeze and Feast. So far I am really liking it. I got enough food today to make 4 different recipes, where each recipe makes 3 meals each. I already have made two of them, and it literally only took me about 30 minutes to throw both recipes together (or less). So I now have 6 meals ready to be frozen – how cool is that?! Now tomorrow I just have to clean out the freezer we bought on an auction a few weeks ago.
Isabella went to sleep about 10 but woke up at 11 wanting to eat some more. I just got done feeding her again and put back to sleep. I’m tired and it’s late, so that’s it for now. Hope you all are doing well!
Friday, September 25, 2009
My baby girl is changing so fast
Well my baby girl is just doing so much so quickly.
She is now saying mama. Of course she only says it when she’s “whining” – it goes something like mamamamamama while crying for me. She first said it on Wednesday night when I was trying for hours to get her to sleep. It is still really sweet to hear :)
She’s pulling herself up to standing everywhere now. Her favorite place is at the gate between the kitchen and the living room. She’s gotten a lot steadier on her feet and even tries to let go now and can balance herself for a few seconds on her own.
She moved to her own bedroom this week. After 3 nights in a row where she woke up right when we tried to go to bed, I decided it was time and the best for all of us to sleep better. In fact, it has helped. She is still waking up 2-3 times a night but I have heard her wake up occasionally, cry and then soothe herself back to sleep. We are keeping it dark in her room on purpose though so she can’t see we aren’t there. This has been coupled though with her going to bed later and later. The last few nights she hasn’t been in bed until after 10. This is after we were doing really well with an early bed time between 8:30 and 9pm. I think that’ll work itself out though, and she isn’t whiny or anything, basically just wants to play quietly on the floor a while longer before bed, so I’ve let her.
She and I both have had another little cold this week, but we’re both starting to feel better thankfully.
She has started waving bye bye now. The first time she really did it was Wednesday with my dad – he was waving at her and she started waving back. It’s so cute!
Tomorrow we’re hoping to go get Isabella’s passport; we have to get some pictures of her that meet passport requirements first though, which is easier said than done. We tried tonight, but it didn’t work, so we’ll try again in the morning.
Oh yeah, and our big news is we made an offer on a house here in town today. We are pretty sure it won’t be accepted though because we made a low offer due to all the updating the house needs. We’ve estimated a good $30,000 in updates, so we’ll just have to see how desperate the owner’s son is to sell. (The owners are in a nursing home) If it goes through, I’ll post more details soon. We should know by end of day Monday.
I’ll try to update again soon. Sunday is her 8-month “birthday” so I’m hoping to have some nice weather to take some good 8-month pictures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
