Oops...

I didn't realize how long it had been since I last made a post on here. My bad. Not a whole lot has happened since her birthday, but here are a few updates:

1. Isabella has added a few new words to her vocabulary: banana (anana), cuddles (didi), hi (hah)

2. She's now added peanut butter and jelly to her diet. She had it for four straight days. The Dr. said to try it for 3-4 days without adding anything else new to make sure she doesn't have a peanut allergy. So far so good - keep your fingers crossed... Once she successfully adds peanut butter we can begin adding a new food every week. Next on the list: STRAWBERRIES! (most likely we'll start introducing these on Thursday). Barring any allergic reactions, there aren't any foods off limits anymore (except dairy - she's already had an allergic reaction).

3. She has a new favorite type of book. She LOVES the interactive books that have the "peekaboo" flaps and different textures. Her current favorites: Corduroy's Sweet Surprise, Pat the Bunny, and Where's Baby's Belly Button.

4. Two weeks ago we had her pictures professionally taken and we purchased enough that they gave us a disk of all of the images. She was such a ham. She was posing and enjoyed every moment in front of the camera. I'm in trouble...

For your viewing pleasure, here are a few of the pictures from the photo session:



...and some random pictures from the last couple of days (including the new table and chairs I purchased at a ridiculously low price from the Kidcraft Warehouse Sale(where I stood in line for over an hour just to get in - well worth it though)):

Isabella's Birthday Week Day 4 (Party Day!)

I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't nervous the entire weekend. I've never hosted a "Passover" anything, much less a party with FOOD. With the help of some delicious family recipes, Mom's kosher-for-passover lemon bars, Faye's kosher-for-passover brownies and flourless cupcakes from Sprinkles, I believe I actually pulled off a rather tasty party - all things considered.

After running errands all morning (picking up cupcakes, balloons, additional party favors, etc...), by the time I got home, I had exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes to finish assembling the party favors, set out the food trays, shower and get ready. Fortunately, Faye, Grandma and Grandpa stepped in to put together the favors (and they did a great job). Mom pitched in to help put out the food and that left me free to get ready. Isabella was sweet enough to take a nice long afternoon nap, so she slept through the entire thing. She woke up after her party had already started. I rushed to get her dressed and attempted to change her earrings for the first time since getting them pierced 2 months ago. It took 5 different people and lots of peroxide and Aquafor to get the job done. She was screaming bloody murder. It's not because she was in pain, it was because she hates being restrained. With tears streaming down her face (but really pretty earrings in her ears), she entered her party to see all of her friends. For someone who LOVES crowds as much as Isabella, it took her an awfully long time to loosen up. This was due in part to her having just woken up and partly because there were 50 people to adjust to. She wanted me to hold her for the first 45 minutes. Once we sat her down to sing Happy Birthday and give her a cupcake, she was fine.

If you recall, on her actual birthday she was totally disinterested in her "leavened" cupcake and hardly had two bites. Today was a completely different story. The child prefers chocolate; what can I say? She devoured the "unleavened" cupcake (a delicious dark chocolate flourless cupcake). I had to take away half of it so she wouldn't make herself sick. It was so cute. She loved every minute of that.

Isabella's Birthday Week Day 3

With her Mimi, Grammy and Jiddo already here, the rest of her out of town guests arrive today. Her Papa and Aunt Meagan pulled up around noon and were shortly followed by her Great Grandma and Grandpa Ray. A couple of hours later, her Aunt Sandy, Uncle Ike and cousins Aaron, Andrew and Allison arrived from McAllen. Isabella was SO excited to see her cousins. She adores them and lights up when they come in the room.

Isabella opened a few presents then went down for an afternoon nap. While she was sleeping, her cousins went to the park to expend some energy. She woke up after about an hour and while I went to the gym, her Mimi and Papa took her outside to play until her cousins came home. After dinner and a fun bath with her cousin Allison, it was off to sleep.

Since everyone headed back to their hotels a lot earlier than expected, we were able to knock out all of the food prep for her party, set up and still be in bed by 10.

Isabella's Birthday Week Day 2

Isabella had her 1 year doctor's appointment today. She weighed 17 lbs. 14 oz. and was 27 1/2" tall (both stats were the 7th percentile). She received 3 vaccines and was a trooper. She cried when they were given, but was fine immediately afterwards, as she always is. The Dr. wants to see her back in a month to check some fluid in her ears, but otherwise will see her again at 15 months.

Isabella's Grammy and Jiddo (David's parents) arrived in the afternoon to help Isabella celebrate celebrate her week-long birthday and the 2nd Sedar. After a rough night with Isabella waking up crying several times for us in the house and a long day of driving for her Grammy and Jiddo, we managed to accomplish an impressive feat: we got through the entire Sedar in less than 20 minutes! It was the greatest Sedar EVER! We'd made a very multi-cultural meal and I think we were all anxious to get to the "eating" portion of the Sedar. While my matzo balls turned out terribly, the other courses were divine. Isabella enjoyed the meal a little earlier in the evening, but she liked it as much as we did - you could tell.

Side Note: If I haven't mentioned how much I appreciate the fact I married into a Sephardic family, let me take this opportunity. You don't realize how much easier Passover is when you can eat rice. Thank you Tawils!

Happy 1st Birthday to Isabella!

Has it really been a year? There are days it feels as though I gave birth about 2 months ago, yet I can't remember what life was like before she was a part of it. Lucky for Isabella, her birthday fell right, smack dab, on the first night of Passover. Her Mimi (my mom) came in town in the late morning, we cooked ALL day (not to mention the days of cooking I'd spent prior), and Isabella had her second 1st Sedar of her life. Other than her birthday, this is the first repeat holiday she's had!

David came home early from work so we could celebrate the big day with a little "leavened," sugary goodness :) I'd purchased a single cupcake from Tom Thumb for her to enjoy during the day of her actual birthday (before sundown). I ordered my favorite: white cake with white icing. As it turns out, the cupcake was just that; my favorite. I thought for sure after never giving her a sweet food of any sort before today she'd be chomping at the bit to eat it all. Boy was I wrong. She took one bite and was done. She picked up a big piece of cupcake, looked as if she would eat it, and threw it on the floor. I guess there are worse things in the world than a child who is indifferent when it comes to sweets.

Isabella opened a few presents before the Sedar, and as usual, was more interested in the wrapping and tissue paper than the gifts themselves.

We made every attempt to get Isabella involved in the Sedar, and despite unofficially moving the start time up an hour, it was still a little too late for her. She did like the food, however. My kinda girl; she likes gefilte fish AND mazto ball soup. Here are some photos and videos from her birthday:





P.S. Happy Birthday to my Dad Randy and to Aunt Fonda (both on the 8th)!!!

Meal-Time Success

I am proud to say Isabella can now communicate a complete meal with me. From start to finish, she knows the signs (well, at least her version of the signs). She can tell me she's hungry (she uses the same sign as "more," but I know what she's saying). Once she's eating and she wants more food, she uses the sign again. She can point to which food item she's referring. She can tell me "please" before I give her the food and once she's had enough, she gives me the "all done" sign. It's amazing how we can communicate without words. I know all parents believe their child is more intelligent than the norm, but mine really is. Here are the videos to prove it: