Tuesday, May 13, 2008

five

baby blue eyes, april 2008

Hey there sweet pea!
It should come as no surprise to you that I am late with your 5 month letter. Being late is one of my best talents. I'll most likely be late to many events in your life. I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me. I hope you'll think to yourself, "She'll be here...she's just late again." And I hope you won't tell your dad when you get a tardy slip on the first week of preschool. He frowns on lateness. (But, I'm working on him.)
Why is your letter late? I've been busy loving on you, of course. That, and celebrating your dad's birthday, and enjoying Derby festivities, and many photo shoots, and a little shopping, and some cleaning, and several thousand loads of laundry. You know, the usual. Also, I was hoping that if I slowed up on the letters....you'd slow up on the growing up. But, you are relentless. You grow and you change every hour it seems. Proof: You no longer fit in your cradle. See picture below.

too big, april 2008

Maybe I have said this before but this...this is my favorite stage! You laugh now. It's a short and quick little laugh...but it is a contagious one. I tickle you and make loud, crazy obnoxious noises and straightaway your neck disappears and you laugh. The first time it happened I thought I was hearing things so I spent the next half hour singing and dancing trying to hear it just one more time. Turns out, you only wanted to laugh once that day. Now we hear it all the time, though. Much like your voice, your laugh is the sweetest I've heard. You are going to be funny.....I just know it.
laughing at daddy, april 2008 (maybe because he has his orange shirt on again!)

As if the laughing wouldn't be enough for one month, you decided to start rolling over. Up until the other day you haven't shown much of a desire to be anywhere but on your back. Then, just like that, you rolled over. I put you on the kick and play mat and looked back from the kitchen to see you on your belly with a bright red face! I let out an impulsive celebratory scream and almost scared you out of your onesie. I quickly put you back on your back so you would stop straining and then I waited around the corner with the video camera, paparazzi style, to try to get your new trick on film. Sure enough, you did it again right away. You remind me of myself once I learned how to do a backhandspring. I couldn't stop. I was so proud of myself I would just go out in the yard and do them just because I could! You are doing the same thing. Only problem is....you hate being on your stomach. The order of events usually goes something like this.
You roll over.
You pop your head up and look around.
You realize you are stuck.
You begin to strain and make your face bright red.
You spit up.
You cry.
I come and roll you back over.
You start all over again within 5 seconds.
There is a life lesson hidden in here, baby girl. If you keep doing what you are doing...you're going to get more of what you've got.
We'll keep trying to teach you how to roll back to your back until you get it. In the meantime, your dad and I will always be around to try to help you get "unstuck." That's true in life, too. You can count on us.
cheeks, sleeping in the swing, april 2008

The morning after your dad's birthday party, Gigi had you on the floor here in the great room playing with you. She stood you up in front of the mirror. I have done this many times with you but this time was different. You looked at yourself and a huge grin crept across your face. You were so happy to see you! You bounced and squealed and leaned in closer. This carried on for several minutes. That old familiar lump climbed the stairs to my throat as I watched you in front of the mirror. It is my hope that you will always be that thrilled with the person who stares back at you from the glass. I hope you will always be that proud and happy with yourself. When you are a teenager, you will (if you are anything like your ol' mom) stand in front of the mirror and complain whilst throwing a thousand clean, but inadequate outfits all upon the floor. You will wish you were taller or shorter or skinnier or more blonde or more brunette or more blue-eyed or more anything. I will try to remind you of your beauty (and, beware, I'll probably say something my mom told me so many times.... about how inner beauty is far more important than outer beauty.... and it will annoy you...but it is very true) I will run to an old photo album and come back to your room with this picture in my hand. It will remind you that you were once very pleased with your reflection.

hello gorgeous!, april 2008

Maybe I am being dramatic....but this next milestone aged you by years! I might have sat in the kitchen and cried if it weren't for how seriously cute you looked.
mmmmm, may 2008

You had your first taste of rice cereal at 5.5 months! And...the jury is still out...but we think you like it. You'd rather go straight for the bottle when you are really, really hungry.....but at lunchtime you willingly open the hanger that is your mouth for the little puddle-jumper airplane spoon. It's absolute cute overload when you open your mouth for a bite and then proceed to squeeze most of it out of your lips while you "chew."



After just a few days of "eating" you are really getting the hang of it. I even fed you rice cereal at the race track the other day! How is it that my tiny baby is old enough to eat semi-solids in public? Next thing I know you'll be feeding yourself!
going for a walk, may 2008

I am so glad you are mine, Isabella Grace. Each night before I go to sleep I stand beside a sleeping you and I put my hand lightly on your chest to feel it rise and fall. Our room is dimly lit by the glow of a little nightlight, yet it is enough light to see both halves of my heart sleeping soundly. You in your bed, your dad across the room in our bed. I stand there and hope that somehow, someway God knows how thankful I am. That He knows that my cup absolutely runneth over.
I love you so, so much!


PS. Not so much a milestone, but a very important bit of news, nonetheless...you got your first pair of gauchos this month. Each time I put them on you I say the very same line....
"Ewwwwwwwwww....I could eat you up for breakfast!"
I would attempt to tell you how cute you look in them but there simply aren't any words to describe it. I regret that I didn't get them in every color they had!

gauchos, may 2008
(with daddy's birthday balloons)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

a day for mom

Grandma 90, Mom 59, Sara 30, Isabella 3 months
4 generations of love


The only way I know how to be a mother is by having had the best one to teach me.
One who taught me by always putting my needs before her own.
One who taught me by holding me to a high standard.
One who taught me by putting notes on a heart shape in my lunch box.
One who taught me by laughing with me.
One who taught me by showing me practically the entire 50 states.
One who taught me by sitting on a curb and eating ice cream with me...with sprinkles.
One who taught me by always being there....always.
One who taught me by buying me special first day of school outfits.
One who taught me by cheering me on every chance she got...(every chance she still gets!)
One who taught me by being my mom first and my friend second.
One who taught me by crying in church. (I never understood it then. Now it's me who cries.)
One who taught me by trusting me.
One who taught me by giving so freely of herself.
One who taught me by teaching me that it is time, not money, that people need most.
One who taught me by having fun wherever she is.
One who taught me by hosting giant birthday parties for me each year wherein 10-15 loud girls piled onto the living room floor and talked on the swatch phone into the wee hours of the night.
One who taught me by always looking out for me.
One who taught me by showing me that an education was essential.
One who taught me by doing so much for others.
One who taught me loving so unconditionally.
I could literally go on for hours...but it is midnight now and since I am a momma....I must get my rest.

This mother's day...my heart goes out to this tiny angel who is the very one who made me a mother. I must give the glory first to God....for deciding that I was worthy of raising this precious soul....and then to my husband for helping to create her. Being her mother is the best and most fulfilling work I have ever endeavored to do.


Happy Mother's Day...to my mom and to my mother-in-law.....and to all the many wonderful mothers I know!

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Catching up on 2 tags...



Tagged by Minky.
maybe i should try to get to bed earlier.
i love the smell of Tommy, Isabella's head, fall air, the ocean, Italian food, my dogs, and lastly...the "new smell" be it a new car, a new house, new shoes...whatever.
people would say that i’m sarcastic. (not sure this is good)
i don’t understand why someone won't let me over when I have my blinker on.
when i wake up in the morning I always try to start by thanking God for the day.
i lost my willpower to give up soda.
life is a great blessing.
my past is part of who I am .
i get annoyed when I pick the slowest checkout line at the store. (Seems to happen every time.)
parties are so much fun. I love to entertain and I love to be entertained.
dogs...make our house a home. They are also very hard on a house.
cats .....are not my favorite animal.
tomorrow ....is a blank canvas...something to look forward to.
i have low tolerance for ...... animal cruelty, drunk driving, child abuse, and vegetables (except for corn.)
i’m totally terrified of .....sad things.
i wonder why I am a worrier.
never in my life did i .... think I would love motherhood as much as I do.
high school ..... seems so long ago.
when i’m nervous I get miserable, lightheaded, nauseous, cold.
one time I ... laughed so hard I cried.
take my advice: eat sprinkles with your ice cream.
making my bed happens less than it should.
i'm almost always thinking about some new creative project I'd like to do.
i’m addicted to bows for Ella, internet shopping, Graeters, taking photos, and lists
i want someone to clean all the floors and bathrooms in my house each week!

The rules: List as many random current items about yourself as you are old. Tag five other people by leaving them a comment on their blog.

1 My current favorite shows are 60 Minutes Dateline, 20/20, 48 Hours Mystery, The Office, and The Bachelor.
2 Speaking of the Bachelor, I really like Shayne even though I think she might be a little crazy. Her mom is who tipped me off on this. Yikes! Lips!
3 I am sad about poor Eight Belles. This sort of thing really gets to me.
4 I love iced tea.
5 I need new makeup.
6 I still have nightmares. Isn't one supposed to grow out of this sort of thing?
7 I always wear heels.
8 I love photographing people.
9 I wish I knew more about gardening.
10 Shopping for Ella is way more fun than shopping for me.
11 I love shopping, period.
12 I love vacations.
13 I love Wrigley's gum.
14 I love horse racing on a warm summer day.
15 I love outdoor seating at a restaurant (bonus points if it's on the water.)
16 I love decorating with pictures.
17 I love holding Tommy's hand.
18 I am currently completely grossed out by the many earthworms that slither into our garage. 19 Earthworms are disgusting, I think. I am not even interested in where they fit into our ecosystem.
20 I wish we recycled more. (ok...at all)
21 I have tons of ironing that I should be doing.
22 Most of the time I find the news very depressing.
23 I love sending and receiving old fashioned mail.
24 I love traditions.
25 I love happy hour with Tommy.
26 I love my daughter's smile.
27 I love quotes.
28 I would be lost without my planner. (My lists! My lists! )
29 I HATE getting gas (and it's even worse now that is costs $70+ for a full tank.
30 Friday is my favorite day of the week.

Wowza....I am old. Now, I am going to break the rules and tag people by leaving your names right here. If you think this sort of thing is a complete waste of time (which it probably is) and you don't want to do it...no problem. If you do, we'd all like to come and read your post. I tag (sorry, my blog link-er is acting wierd and I am too tired to wait for it) casey w, whit p, susan v, alison k, amy (of joel and amy), angie h, staci h, blake t, allison t, jane w, rhonda, jennifer k, erin t, jessica m, meg t, chesnye, christina m, jus or lib, and dad. Anyone else I forgot? Pick one or both of the tags and post on your blog. (Copy and paste the top one...it's easier.)

G'night.