Bang Bang Bang

Goes the baby...

Yes, this is how Isabelle wakes up now... by banging on the sides of the crib which bang against the wall. Sometimes they are soft kicks and sometimes I swear a foot or something is going to go through to the kitchen , there is so much force. Up from naps or first thing in the morning... bang bang bang. These sometimes come with happy screams or lots of garbled talking and other times belly bursts of pure laughter! Which of course makes me laugh and wait a little longer in getting her, since she is obviously enjoying herself. So I might have a hole in the wall to fix someday, Eric has had practice with drywall... :)

This morning, no different than any other... I'm in the kitchen making my lunch and 'WHAM' and 'hehehehehe' comes through the monitor. Yes, I jumped out of my skin... nice quiet kitchen and then the walls shake... who wouldn't of jumped? Of course next came the sweet laughter and garbled conversation that she has with her dolls. SOOO CUTE!!! After a few more hefty bangs, and chatting, she fell back asleep... of course I peeked and sweetly was she laying there in her crib, head to head with one of her dolls who she had placed a blanket on top of and her arm was around.

Perfect Morning

Spring Drama

Ok, so this is a post dedicated to teenagers! AAAAaaaarrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!

On that note, what is with the teens this year? The drama has started so, so, so early! Between the fights (and posting them on you-tube), dating drama, he said/she said, rumors, taking and sending inappropriate pictures through cell phones, and other non-sense (like throwing apples down the hallways), I am not sure there is a sane teenager out there. Of course there is the normal chatter boxes -mostly the girls- that never ever stop talking and the 'not listening to the directions because I was looking outside at the sun and daydreaming' teenager on top of all this. -Yes, the windows get closed when the sun is out... how sad is that for me!- Goodness Gracious!

And then there is me.. still loving it all (for the most part) and teaching science. Though, I can do without all the teen drama, I do still love coming to work everyother day (since I only work everyother day). Those Ahh-Haa moments from teens are the best... I just hope that they remember that Ahh-Haa later in life (or at least till the next test). ;)

At the end of each day though, these teens simply crack me up... they are laughing non-sense and enjoying life. If we could only all have so much fun; drawing our interpretations of the skeletal system.

Enjoy your day!

Busy with Jobs

Yeah!! I have had two photography jobs this week, both for school sports! I am hoping that this pattern continues (for next year, since this school year is almost over).

Also, I did two other family shoots earlier in the month! I am so happy that this is starting to take off... though slowly, I am glad of that to honest! I was worried a bit, and still am, but I am also happy with how things are going.

The website is getting revamped / reprogrammed by my wonderful sweetie and it is going to look so AWESOME and AMAZING. He hasn't showed me much yet, but he keeps saying that I will really like what and how he is changing it. I have peeked a few times, when it is in preview mode and it does look cool. Not sure when it will be up and running, since he can only work on it at night, after work and after Isabelle goes to bed... but I will sure post when it does!!

All that is left for me to advertise, since I still mostly want this is be advertised by 'word of mouth' is getting my new business cards done (I have a perfect logo that I am going to keep a secret for now, I just have to wait for good weather to get the photo I want for the logo) and then take them to different venues.

Those of you reading this... start spreading the news! :)

The BEST Present

Today, on her actual birth-day of Isaballe turning two, she gave ME the best present ever. She said "I love you" for the first time! Of course I wasn't sure if that is what she said, so I asked her to repeat it, she did, looking right at me this time. My heart just melted.

I LOVE YOU, ISABELLE!

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?