Croup can't even keep her down...

So my little lady is a tough cookie...Monday she started coughing so I made her a doctors appt...even though she wasn't feeling good at my sisters she was having a melt down to go outside and play with the other kids...Sammie said she was standing at the glass door banging and crying to come outside....so sad...so my sister lets her go outside...so even though she is coughing her head off she was running around laughing and playing...I guess she knew she couldn't waste the beautiful day!  Well I've decided she should have named her Grace because the sweet girl can't take 5 steps without falling...well of course on the day I have to take her to the doctor she wipes out and hits her little face on my parents front steps...which just happen to be concrete...so here is what my sweet angel looked like at the doctors office...

I feel like I should have worn a shirt that said "I promise I don't beat my kid" hahahahah She is hilarious!  Anyway so we found out she had croup...yuck...it totally sucked...so we spent that night rotating between a steamy shower and then bundling up and going outside to breathe the cold air....it was a long night but thankfully we just stayed home and cuddled the next day...Isabella is already back to her old self...Momma is a little under the weather but I'll live...so today she was showing off her new fork skills it cracks me up how it seems like she is always learning something new...so with croup and a bruised face she is still all smiles while she is eating tonight...I wish I was this resilient Ha Ha

Goodnight Baby

Every night I rock Isabella to sleep...I've caught some grief from some people about this...haha I've heard that I'm going to always have to if I keep it up...and that she needs to put herself to sleep...however because of the new sweet habit that has developed I can't let it go...Every night while I'm rocking (or trying to wrestle depending on the night) Isabella to sleep right as she is about to doze off she opens her eyes really wide and reaches up to touch my face and says (in the sweetest little voice) "Ma Ma"...I get tears in my eyes every time...it's moments like this that make it all worth it...so I'm going to continue to rock her to sleep she's not going let me hold her forever so I'm going to live it up while I can!  

So I went on my first mini vaca without my little princess...not gonna lie I was a mess...I went over every possibly scenario in my head before we left...got my Mom a POA for medical care...explained to her what she liked to sleep with and what she likes to eat...it's not like she doesn't see her everyday and raised 3 kids of her own...plus countless others (she might be a teacher haha) I just couldn't help myself we were barely gone 48 hours but I missed her like crazy!  She had a great time though...she got to go shopping with Grandma and stay up late haha my Mom was sweet and sent me tons a pics here are a few...thanks Mom you made it so much easier!!
 

 All Smiles

Peek A BOO

Happy Girl

Sleepy Time

Christmas

I can't believe how different Isabella was this Christmas....it's crazy to think that last year she was pretty much a lump hahah and now as I'm typing this she is running down the ramp of her new roller coaster crazy baby...in a year she has changed so much I can't believe how much she is just like a little sponge soaking up everything around her...to watch her is amazing she seems to learn something new every minute (which is scary)....it blows me away...we had such a good time with wonderful friends and family...it is nice to know how loved she is...it was nice to spend time with everyone!  She is so lucky to be surrounded by so many people that are excited to watch her grow and show her how special she is!  Christmas isn't about the gifts and I hope as she grows up she understands that!  She was hilarious with the presents though...whenever she opened one or anyone else for that matter she would say "OOOOO" or "WOOOW" before she even say what it was...I haven't laughed so hard in a long time!!  I'm so thankful that her and Boston have each other they were hilarious....they are going to be more like sisters than cousins!! We made it through the busy day with minimal meltdowns...I hope everyone had a great Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Being a Mom lets me be a little kid...

So I've decided that being a Mom has allowed my inner child to surface...hahaha I know most of you are thinking I've always been a goof but now I have an excuse...I get to wander through the Disney store and people don't think it's for me hahahha and I get to have a ball pit in my basement and push Isabella around on her little car and then watch her laugh as I tried to fit on it to ride myself...she really has brought me so much happiness...we were playing the other day I decided the moment needed to be captured so I found a box and set up the camera and put it on continuous shooting and got some cute shots...they definitely aren't "perfect" pictures but if you look closely at her smile it doesn't get much more perfect than that!!

It's funny I think that as much as this blog is for Isabella...for her to have a keepsake. I have a friend that says as the Mom you are the "memory keeper" and I want Isabella to have these when she is older...I think it's also good for me...I seem to blog about happy things when I'm stressed about others...it's like my way of reminding myself that everything is really ok!  Tonight Isabella didn't want to sleep and I can't help but find myself getting frustrated it isn't always wasy being here by myself....but it's more than worth it and now my sweet little angel is sleeping soundly in her bed and in the long run it's worth the work...

The Nutcracker

Over the weekend a sweet little girl that is very dear to my heart was in her first performance of the Nutcracker...Lets just start by saying that Olivia did a wonderful job she really shines!!  I was debating on if I should take Isabella or not...on one hand she loves music and lights and I really thought she would enjoy it....bbbbuuuttt on the other hand she is 1 (wow still not used to that) and doesn't exactly have the longest attention span....so after some deliberation I decided to take her and hope everything worked out....I know that Moms like to brag on their kids but Isabella was the best baby ever at the performance...once the house lights were dimmed and the show started my sweet little baby was glued to the stage....she was entranced by the show...I really think I might have a little dancer or maybe musician on my hands...if you can't tell I'm rooting for dancer...after intermission she was dancing and clapping on my lap and I couldn't help but see a little sparkle in her eyes when the audience applauded...I was so proud of her we even snapped a couple pictures of her watching the show!  Maybe one day I will be posting pictures of her first dance performance....not gonna lie I just got tears in my eyes....hahahahahah

Dear Isabella

Dear Isabella,
I can't believe you are one....I remember this time last year I was holding you in the hospital feeling very unsure of what to do...should I hold you or let you sleep in your bassinet...I remember the what if's in my head...what if I don't hear you cry....what if I can't make you feel better...what if I'm not good at this....what if what if...I remember thinking you were beautiful and that I could not believe that you were here...I remember it being so quiet in the room and I was just listening to you breath and it took my breath away...You still take my breath away today...You are sleeping now and just like a year ago today I'm amazed by you...amazed that in 12 short months you have learned to roll over, sit up, stand, walk, talk, climb, run and so much more...you have changed how I look at things...I have so many hopes and dreams for you, but mostly I hope that you know I'm always here and that I'm proud of you!  I hope that you always smile like you do now, with your whole face, you really are so happy...This past year has been amazing, there is no better feeling in the world than one of your hugs....I can't help but smile when I look at you...I can already see your determination yesterday you couldn't figure out how to get up onto your chair I watched you try and try again...you took a step back looked at it and figured it out...I hope you always take on things like that...just take a step back and try again!  You have taught me so much, you have taught me that there is something bigger than me out there, that I cannot control everything, you have taught me to never give up on what I want, that sometimes a bath can fix everything, the best pictures aren't always the "perfect" ones, what true love feels like...and I'm sure there is so much more I'm forgetting right now...Looking at you sleep right now I just can't get over what a little angel you are...I love you more than I can ever tell you...I hope you are having sweet dreams my little princess happy 1st birthday!!
Love
Your Momma

Look how you have changed beautiful girl!!