We are TWO!!!

We... meaning Isabelle of course! Her birthday was wonderful! We had just our families over to celebrate with her and our wonderful neighbors with their 2 boys. There was, of course, more food than people that will last us for many days to come, a ton of great gifts that Isabelle loved opening and tearing the paper into small bits and a really yummy custard filled chocolate cake.

My one big wish was to have both families in a massive family photo... and I got that! So Yeah ME! After that, I didn't really care what was taken, except a good birthday with family. We got MANY photos and videos of it all.

Still to come are her actual 2 year portraits which I plan on doing sometime in the next week (as well as my business logo... stayed tuned for that).

Enjoy!

Yes, you see correctly... there is a pink tricycle. However, the bubbles were taking over in that area - they were Diego bubbles!

One of my new FAVORITES!! Me and my baby

There was outside fun too!

I know, I know... white dresses and goats?!?!?!

Isabelle was so helpful, she pushed Baby Brianna around in her stroller when we were outback... looking at all the new grass growning in the backyard. See it?!?!?! I mean, see Isabelle peeking?

After everyone had gome home, (mind you this a day of no nap and this little angel held her own perfectly) she went through all her presents again, with my help, and found some she wanted to take outside and play with. Can you guess? You are probably right... the Diego bubbles and the tricycle!

Maybe someday we will use the tricycle as it is meant to used - riden. Till then, it is a great seat for blowing bubbles.

There are photos that are still on the camera that I haven't even had a chance to view yet... but to keep you anticipating till then, I will tell you what two other items she LOVES!!! Her new stuffed huggable 'elepemints' and her new pair of sunglasses! Oh, so cute!

Most of her gifts are for the outside, since we almost have a livable backyard... so sandbox, and play area are in the future.

In Four Days...

... Isabelle will be TWO! Two years old already! WOW

(and as for the potty training... it was a 'flash' - we havent touched it since)
It'll happen in its own time. No worries here.

Let's get this Potty Started

Yes, I spelled it right....

When Isabelle was about 18 months old we bought her a 'potty.' She has played on it, used it as a chair, pretends to sit on it in our bathroom and go potty. She is sometimes into it and sometimes (mostly) not. My goal was to buy it when she was young, let her play with it, look at it, get used to it and then when she hit 2 years old, to really start working with her and potty training.


Well, I have started researching all the different potty training tips... getting children's books about the potty for Isabelle to look at to sticker prizes when she does good to use or non use of pull-ups (which BTW don't hold as much as diapers) to looking for 'all' the signs of her 'telling' me that she needs to go potty to setting a timer and asking her every 20 minutes each day if she needs to go potty and sitting on it every 20 minutes to using bribes or not to how excited or not you should get if they do potty in the potty. Yes, there is a lot here and every place I have been has hundreds of tips to help.

Oh, and Girl potty training and Boy potty training is VERY different. Supposedly girls are easier because of the aiming issues... however that can be solved for boys by putting a 'target' in the potty for them to aim at. I digress....

Since Isabelle does like to 'sit' on the potty, every time she asks to go 'potty' I say OK and off we go. This can last from 30 seconds to 10 minutes of bathroom 'fun.' And she is loving to wear pull-ups now, like a big baby girl (as she calls herself). Today, unlike no other we went in and sat on the potty when she asked and read a couple of books (no, not potty books - number/counting books). While there... she tooted. Yes, you read correctly. She tooted and thought it was the funniest thing!!! It makes a whole new sound in the porcelain. This of course made her want to stay longer on the potty... go figure, I am not in the mind of an almost 2 year old. But finally she was done and stood up ready to go and as I got hte pull-ups to put on her she started freaking out... 'mess mess mess...' and pointing down her leg. Hahaha, yes I laughed at her... she was peeing right down her leg, so I VERY quickly plopped her back on the potty to finish. I got super excited and we Hi-5'ed a bunch... there went that tip of excitement.

I'm sure there will be many an adventure with the potty, but we are off to a great start!

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As I was leaving this morning, I had to go back in to get the camera and take this photo... snow on our spring tullips.

'Hoppy' Easter!

The day started out pouring and has been raining since. That's ok, we played in the rain in our new raincoat and rainboots! And of course, a new Ladybug umbrella.

It is hard to tell in this, but daddy is pointing out a puddle to splash in.

We then went next door for a grand Egg Hunt... the big kids were all outside, and the four toddlers hunted inside. Isabelle REALLY gets the idea of hunting for eggs and putting them in the basket. She tied for first place! :) That's my girl.

Then off to lunch with my parents. The Easter Bunny was there and unfortunately he scared Isabelle. Santa Clause, to her, is great... The bunny... not so much. But she looked so pretty in her new dress that we attempted a few photos... the whole while her attention was on the big bunny... making sure he stayed a descent distance away.

Balance on one foot - trick

If the week is good... I am going to try for a photo in her Easter dress again.

Spring Break Still

I know, there is a lot here... but like I said, we have accomplished a lot in these most wonderful days. I have done 2 of the three photo shoots already, played a lot, finished the back and planted our Christmas tree from this last Christmas.

Remember back in all the 'snowed-in' photos... and the tree that was frozen to the truck that was supposed to be our live in-door Christmas tree that never made it in? Well, now that the ground is no longer frozen, I went out to the area newly named the 'manicured forest' (yes, I have named different areas on teh property) and dug a really, REALLY big hole and planted the tree. Hopefully it isn't too late and the tree will survive. A 90 foot tree in that area would look amazing (in 30-50 years of course).

We needed a snack before the long walk. String cheese is a favorite!

There are still 4 more days of this break...

Art Time

A new fun time with Isabelle is play with play-doh. She loves to squish it and have me make balls so she can roll them out. She has an old wooden kitchen set that was mine that she uses for play-doh.

Daddy loves to sculpt in his spare time. (I know, what is spare time!) Anyways, the current center piece of our dinning room table is Eric's current sculpture. It has taken me a while to get 'used to' this sculpture, just there, staring at me as I enter the room... Now I can walk in and my heart only sometimes skips a beat, usually if it is facing directly at me.

I digress... the other night Isabelle really wanted to 'sculpt' with daddy, so we got out her play-doh and she had a blast. Art time with daddy was very fun, especially with the rollong pin. There are so many uses for them.


I do believe that I have rambled on enough for you to have to actaully scroll down to see the new center piece. It is actually really good, the detail is amazing and realistic. He is sooo talented!

'I am looking at you'

Don't worry Katie... Alien (as Isabelle calls it 'Lian') will be put away prior to the party... It will not be your center piece.

Goats

Have you forgotten that we have goats?? Though this winter has been a rough one, the goats survived (two weeks in the garage too when the snow was real bad) and now that the weather is great, out of their pen they come. They love to wander the yard, eatting all the yummy crunchy leaves on the ground (good) and the flowers and baby trees that we planted (bad). Isabelle love running aroudn with them too. Of course, I bet once you see the photos, you can guess when Isabelle no longer liked them.

And Puddle Jumping

Puddle See, Walk, Run and Splash.

... and peeking at horses through the fence.

And Pinecone picking

Bubbles

Yes, over this break the weather has been a dream, so besides all the major back yard work, we have played bubbles too. Isabelle is quite the bubble maker!

Isabelle's Help

Yes, you read correctly, Isabelle helped out the last few days with raking too!

Of course, raking got boring quickly, so other things like rocks and little hills became more fun.

Look over there. That way. Which way?

Where do I Begin??

Hahaha... Spring break has been so busy, but a lot has gotten done. (of course none of it school work - which I shoudl do some of before this break ends... but I do have WASL time to get caught up). The backyard is the biggest success! And Isabelle helped with her new rake and shovel. Mostly she just ran around on nice flat ground. But we are now level, tilled, raked (and I mean we raked the entire back yard, about an acre or so) and then picked up all the lines that were raked. We raked twice too. Had to get all the rocks, sticks, plastic, trash, washers, nails, rope, glass and whatever else there was out there. Yes, there is probably way more out there, so bare foot will never be an option... but playing and running is so SO close!

All we need now is that rain that predicted... the dark clouds mean that it is coming! So here's hoping that the rain comes in tonight (we don't want the birds eatting all the grass seed that we spread. (We meaning my neighbor mostly and me - when Isabelle was napping. You will see me in one photo later picking up the lines). "They" are prediciting snow too... Nooo!

Can you believe it... finally a back yard to play in!

Here are some before pics to remind you what we had to start with:

So all prior photos are from last July, last summer, of 2008. Yes, do the math, we have had a dirt back yard for almost a year. At least it was flat.

The following photos are from the last 3 days... :)

It is hard to see, but there are some lines there; kinda near the wheelbarrows.

In case you didn't see me... Do you see the stump on the left middle... just to the right and up a tad there is a black dot (wheelbarrow) and a green dot (me); then there is the shed and goat pen. Yes... all that was raked twice then picked up. Oh, there is more that I couldnt' get in the photo too... would need a panoramic lens for that.

Me... Leaping for joy... Actually, leaping cuz I can, knowing there are no holes to fall in. :)

Ta-DA

Now Rain! And Grow!!!

Uh-Oh

We are in trouble... Isabelle has figured out how to twist off caps. Examples of this include caps to the milk, and other juices, caps to toothpaste and any and all jars. I thought this came later in the years. I'm not ready for this mess...

April Fools!!

Happy April 1st everyone! Anyone had any good tricks played on them or played tricks on others?? I am keeping a book and would love to hear what you got. I will say that goats come in handy on this day. ;)

Anyways, nature is playing a trick on us... foiled our plans of outside sunny play and has decided to snow... again.

Other than that... I work two days this week and then have all next week off for Spring break... and that is no joke. During this time we are going to (hopefully) accomplish a lot. First will be to 'toddler' proof the house changing all the baby proofing since Isabelle is no longer a baby and has figured out how to get around all the baby proofing. We are going to design plans for an outside play gym/house/swingset thing for Isabelle so when the weather gets good enough to work outside, we can build it. (Buying one is ridiculously expensive!!! The cheapest we have found is $1200 and there are no swings). Again, if the weather permits, I am going to plant flowers and bulbs and other pretties in my gardens :) And if the weather is not good, as in still snowing then we are going to finish the play room downstairs for Isabelle. It is all framed up with a sweet little doorway to get in (and yes it is little-you MUST duck). All that is left to frame is the loft area and then on to drywall and painting! So by mid summer it should be complete... ha ha ha

Oh, this is a treat!!! It is a NEW 'Go Diego Go'!! You can now believe how exciting this is!!! I must go cuddle my baby and enjoy the new show.

Till I post again!