Holy Frijoles, Batman...We're Walking!!

After lots of effort, and many bumps and bruises along the way, Isabelle is finally walking. I'm not saying that she is at the "totally-and-completely-balanced-and-injury-free" zone just yet, but she is definitely able to walk from one side of the room to the other. Granted, she looks like a drunken sailor when she does it (check out the video), but all her practice is paying off! Who would have thought a few months ago that my little ball of mush, who barely had the ability to sit UP on her own, would be standing up by herself and walking around the room? I kind of love it when she does a pseudo "downward-dog" inspired position, as if she were doing Baby Yoga, in order to get herself to standing. But my absolute favorite is when she gets really excited and starts walking with her hands above her head, as if to say, "Whooppeee, look at what I can do!!!". Two words: Izzy Rocks!

In other Izzy-related news (what else would I write about...this blog is pretty much all about her), my fantastical daughter is eating anything and everything under the sun....and yet Cow's Milk remains on her list of no-thank-you's. My May-born Taurus friend warned me when I was pregnant that I should try to go into labor early or hold out until the end of May because Tauraus babies are STUBBORN. Holy crap was she right! This child has been a stubborn, little mule from day one. No bottle, only boob....no pack-n-play, only crib....no sippy cup, only straw cups. JEEZ! Fortunately her pediatrician informed me that I can supplement her diet with cheeses and yogurt, and even orange juice that has been fortified with calcium, to help her get what she needs for when I want to stop breast-feeding. As it is, we've gone from BF four times a day to twice (morning and evening before bed) and Izzy doesn't seem to miss it all that much. As of two days ago, she stopped tugging on my shirt in public going "boo boo boo boo"...so thats a start.

The thing of it is that for all the huffing and puffing I do about breast-feeding, I think that I'm really going to miss it. Yes it is true that I felt trapped by the "timing" of all the feedings, and even more so because Izzy never took the bottle, but I know that I'm going to miss those moments that only I can experience with her through that time we have together. It is definitely going to be an adjustment that both of us have to make...and most likely, she'll have an easier time of it than I will.

Where has the time gone?

Where has the time gone? My little girl is turning ONE in 3 days and I just can't believe it. It feels like minutes ago I was ranting and raving, complaining and venting, wondering and worrying about the 3-month-old diet, the 4-month-old growth spurt, the 5-month-old sleep issues and so on and so forth! Now, I there are new things to fret, stress and awe over...such as the fact that Izzy is SO close to walking and she is starting to pick up words (it seems that her first word is unofficially "THIS"). My husband and I are even more in love with her now than we were yesterday...if that's even possible. I'm so excited to continue to watch her grow and I have to say that this past year (with ALL the ups, downs, and in-betweens) has been the absolute best year of my life. Happy Birthday Bunny...Mommy and Daddy love you to bits!!!

The latest videos of my little muffin

I have been a terrible blogger these past few months, but to make up for it I am posting a bunch of Izzy's latest, greatest moments captured on video. There are six videos to enjoy, so make sure to check them all out! And away we go...

So much to tell!

Okay, so I completely and utterly suck! I promised myself that I would keep up to date this month with my blog, but I have been so lax and there has been a LOT to write about. Last time I wrote, Izzy was just about to crawl. She would get herself up on her hands and knees and rock back and forth. These days, not even a month later, crawling is OLD NEWS! Isabelle is a Master Crawler and has now started to pull herself up on anything sturdy (and even some not-so-sturdy objects which results in the inevitable "Boom" and sometimes a good cry). Although she's not quite walking yet, she is raring to go. I was amazed at how quickly she went from crawling to pulling herself up...and of course she keeps me EXTREMELY busy chasing after her and making sure that she doesn't hurt herself and get into something she shouldn't be touching. I think that my favorite part of it is the way she looks over at us when she has gotten herself up to a standing position as if to say, "Aren't you proud of me?". And, as per our job as awesome, loving parents, we respond with a loud "YAY!" and major hand clapping. Her face lights up, she gets a little distracted, plops to the ground and tries all over again.

Another new thing on the Izzy-development-front is her distinction of words. She has started to show that she understands "Mama", "Clap hands", "Hi baby" (she waves to her own reflection) and "Papa". She also knows how to "give kiss" and I think it might be my absolute favorite thing that she does. She hasn't quite grasped the concept of "No" yet (or perhaps she has, but just likes to make things difficult and interesting), but she's always quick with a smile and we just can't resist her.

Izzy continues to make friends and really loves being around other children. Today my friend and her daughter came over to play and Isabelle was in all her glory. She even gave a kiss to my friend's daughter...it was adorable. I can't believe how big she is getting and how quickly she is learning about the world around her. It is so exciting and beautiful to watch and I count my lucky stars that I am able to be home with her to experience these special moments on a daily basis...and I am even more excited to share them with our family and friends!

"Playing" with friends

Now that Isabelle is a little older, I am able to take her out more often to friends' houses on play-dates. It is interesting to watch her "play" with other children. I used to think that she could care less whether or not other children were in the room, but I came to realize that she enjoys being around them. The other day, we were visiting my friend "C" and her 14 month old son "L". Isabelle was making loud, whining noises every few moments. I thought, perhaps, she was fussing or tired, but when I paid closer attention it became clear that she would only make those noises when "L" walked away from her. It was her way of saying, "Hey you, come over here!". Keeping true to her demanding nature, Isabelle continued to whine at "L" until he finally came over and then she upped the ante and whined even louder until he gave her the toy he was holding. Looks like we have a diva on our hands!

It's pretty adorable how she interacts with other babies her age and younger. Recently, while hanging out with Pocklock and her daughter Lyla (Bean), Isabelle tried to hold her hand and touch her face. She even "helped" her learn how to roll over (this consisted of rolling over herself a few times and then laying there staring at Bean until she successfully figured it out). I am really looking forward to the next few months and years as Izzy starts to really "play" more with other children...although I have a sneaking suspicion that she'll be the kid who needs to have ALL the toys. Diva!

A short letter to my munchkin

Dear Isabelle,
You are almost there pumpkin. Getting up on your hand and knees and rocking back and forth is the pre-cursor to crawling. Now, put one hand and foot in front of the other and start exploring the world around you! You can do it! Stop whining when Mommy puts you on your belly and get your little tush in action! By the way - I love it when you smile and laugh at all my silly antics. I think you have the most beautiful smile in the whole world. You crack me up with your noises and you have an unhealthy obsession with my feet (what is up with that?). I promise that there will never be a shortage of Cheerios in the house...or hugs and kisses. It really makes my day when you get excited as Daddy walks in the door (it makes his day too). You are the light of our lives and we love you to bits. Keep working hard at the crawling thing and before you know it you'll be cruising around the house and I'll be chasing after you wishing you were still immobile under your playmat. I love you for eternity...Mommy.

My daughter...the crocodile

Poor little peanut...her beautiful, smooth, creamy skin has become scaly and dry as of this past week. I don't know why she has all of a sudden turned into a crocodile, but I think it has something to do with the weather, the heat in the house and maybe the detergent I use (of course I am switching to Dreft Detergent immediately to remedy that part of the issue). Izzy's doctor has recommended that I start to use Aquafor on her skin in the morning when she gets up and at night right after her bath. I am basically slathering my baby in this Vaseline-y type of "lotion" morning and night and I don't see much of a difference. I don't want to use a steroid eczema cream if I can use something else, but this poor kid has skin like an iguana. I'm going to give the Aquafor a few more days...and hopefully it will start to work.

In other news, Isabelle will be crawling any day now (see video for reference). Even though she gets frustrated when she's on her belly because she hasn't quite mastered this feat just yet, she still seems to have the basics and I can't wait for her to reach this milestone. I'm sure I'll be kicking myself for saying that after the first week of having to chase after her as she crawls toward something potentially dangerous, but I am looking forward to seeing her enter into this new phase of her life. I'll be keeping everyone posted of her progress and will be child-proofing the house in the meantime.

The Veggie-Fruit Fake Out Maneuver

I am certain that this is something that all mothers are very familiar with...the Veggie-Fruit Fake Out Manuever. This move is used when your lovely, sweet child (who used to LOVE her green veggies) suddenly decides that:

a) she no longer like them at all and will throw a minor fit if you try to get her to eat them

b) there are far better uses for them, such as make-up for you and new paint for the walls and

c) she ONLY wants fruit and will demand it in the most annoying way possible (see video for reference)



Isn't that just...AWESOME! Ugh! It is literally a battle to the death to get Izzy to eat her green veggies (or really anything other than fruit). Therefore I have learned, practiced and perfected the Veggie-Fruit Fake Out Maneuver and I'm here to share my expertise with all mothers.



There are a couple of ways to attempt this oh-so-important and useful manuever. The first fake-out move is to scoop some veggies onto the spoon with a small dollop of fruit on the tip. When your baby smells and maybe tastes a bit of that fruit on the front of the spoon, he or she will (hopefully) be more likely to open his or her mouth for the entire spoonful. This may not work more than once or twice because your baby is a smartie and will catch on quickly. This is why it is necessary to have an abundance of fruit because the next spoonful should be all fruit...this makes your baby think that more fruit will be coming and you can repeat step one again. It's all about the trickery.



The next move in the fake-out routine is mix, mix, mix! Green beans and sweet potatoes? Delish! Greens and apples...why not? Peas and Pears...if it works, go for it! I recommend a one-to-two ratio of greens to mixing-component until your baby has given in to the fact that he or she will be getting green veggies one way or another.



This not-yet patented Fake-Out Manuever has been working fastastically for me for the past week or two...and will hopefully continue to work until Isabelle decides that she no longer likes fruit and only wants bread. She certainly keeps me on my toes. :-)

I'm BAAACK

The holidays wreaked a bit of havoc on my blogging time and then, let's face it, I just got lazy. But now I'm back and in full swing mode...ready to blog away about Isabelle and all her funny (and sometimes annoying) antics.

MY TRIP TO MONTREAL
by: Isabelle

Let's start with a little tirade about the car ride...it was 6 hours long! Mommy and Daddy know that I hate the car seat for even 20 minutes, much less 6 whole hours. I know that Mommy tried to trick me into sleeping, but she doesn't seem to realize that I'm too much of a smart cookie for that maneuver and boy, did I let her know it. I gave her a piece of my mind for at least half of the trip and after all that, I really needed a beer...so Daddy let me try his (just kidding...don't get your knickers in a bunch. It was empty!).



Once we were out of the car, Grand-Papa showed me around so that I could get used to my new surroundings.

We relaxed and I had a nice cold coca-cola to refresh myself (just kidding again...I'm still a boob-chic who loves nursing all the time). I really loved spending some time with my Great Grand-Maman. It was the first time I was meeting her and she gave me TONS of kisses and hugs. She even cried a little when she hugged Mommy and Daddy and I think I heard her saying "Merci" a lot, which means "Thank You" for all you non-french speaking folks.

My cousin Frederick held me and played with me. I'm still trying to figure out how to say "You Rock" in sign language, but I probably need to gain better control of my hand movements first.

When I met my aunt Monique (Grand-Papa's sister), I was a little unsure of how to react, but then she and Grand-Maman started to dance around and sing. They looked so funny, I couldn't help but smile and have a good time.

By the way - for 84 years old...Grand-Maman is pretty strong. Her hugs are like vice-grips!

Mommy and I got dressed up for Christmas. I may have cried a little, but in my defense there were lots of people there and I got nervous...so sue me!

Daddy made everything okay though. He always makes me laugh.

I decided that before I went to bed, I would check Santa's pockets for any leftover gifts he may have forgotten to give me. I doubted he was holding out on me (I mean, I did get just about every toy in existence), but it never hurts just to check.

Hee hee...I found one more small gift, but I'm not telling what it is. It's my secret with Santa and since he just stands there and dances from side to side, I'm pretty certain he won't tell anyone.

The next day, I helped Grand-Maman bake a pie. I did most of the work, but she took all the credit!

As a reward for all my effort with the cooking, Daddy played my favorite game with me..."Find the Baby". That baby is just everywhere!

Not only did I cook, but I also helped to set the table. I am such an awesome little house guest.

Grand-Maman bought me a comfy, warm hat to thank me for helping her with all the holiday preparations.

Grand-Maman told me some really funny jokes and we laughed together for a long time.

I laughed so much I thought I may have had a little accident, so I took a moment to check. Luckily, Mommy was nearby to take care of the incident.

After all that partying, cooking and socializing, it was nice to be able to just take a quiet family walk with Grand-Maman, Grand-Papa and Daddy. But boy-oh-boy was it cold out there!

My first trip to Montreal was fantastic. I met lots of new people and family members and I can't wait to go back when I'm a little older so that I can join in the conversations more and play with everyone. Maybe I'll even be nicer to Mommy and Daddy during the car ride...probably not though. :-)

DON'T Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I haven't seen this much snow in a long time. When I was living in the city, it would snow a lot, but hardly ever stick to the ground. If it did stick to the ground, it was beautifully white, making the city looking fresh and clean for about 30 minutes and then it was slushy, dirty and brown from all the cars and people. Up here in the 'burbs, everything is covered in a blanket (a very THICK blanket) of white, puffy snow...which obviously makes it difficult to do anything or go anywhere. I was supposed to pick up Marc from the train station. Not a hard task on most days, but today with the snow and the baby, this task was impossible. In pre-baby times, I would have gone outside, shoveled the driveway, warmed up the car, given myself PLENTY of time to get to the station and gone to pick up my hubby. But today, if my neighbor hadn't (luckily) been on the same train as Marc and offered to drive him home, I would have had to first make sure the baby was down for a nap so I could go outside to shovel, shovel as fast as possible before she woke up from her nap, feed her after she woke up just in case the trip to the station took forever, change her, bundle her up and get her into the car seat (unwillingly, on her part, of course), and then drive as slowly and carefully as possible to pick up Daddy. Meanwhile, I'm sure she would have been screaming the whole way because of her aversion to said car seat, which wouldn't have mixed well with the stress I would have felt driving in this weather and on top of that I would have been stuck in the traffic that I've been hearing about from my neighbors due to accidents and poor (or non-existent) plowing situations. Boy am I glad that we have nice neighbors (did I mention that one of them has already plowed my driveway since he was already doing his own and my other neighbor's father is going to come by later with his truck and do ours when he does his son's?). I wish that Marc hadn't gone to work today because since the first snowflake started to fall, my stomach has been in a knot that won't be untied until he safely walks through the door. This crazy weather has also put a damper on plans I had with my friends tonight...our annual instead-of-gifts dinner. Thankfully we were all able to reschedule for Monday. I would have been super pissed and sad if we couldn't have picked an alternate date.

As a kid, days like today mean a snow day, a snowball fight or a snowman, but as an adult it becomes shoveling, stressing and kinda sh*tty in general. I'll probably enjoy snowstorms more when Isabelle is able to play in the snow, but until then I'm perfectly happy with just a little flurry or, better yet, no snow at all.