Isabel is four months!

Isabel Elizabeth is FOUR months old today! Here is the smiley gal doing a bit of exersaucing on a winter morning - wish my exercising was this...stimulating! Today she giggled - and I mean REALLY giggled from the belly out of shear delight. Abbie was snuggling her and all of a sudden she started giggling...Abbie got a kick out of getting to show me how to make her giggle...:-) Sister Secrets already I guess....





A friend of ours loaned us a Bumbo chair (I know they were recalled - so notice the chair is sitting on the floor so she doesn't tip!!) but Isabel likes to use it once in awhile...she can really see all around when she sits this way. Oh, but the delicious thighs do have a hard time getting in...it's kind of a squeeze. Once we're in we're okay....just a wee bit difficult to get those lovelies in and out!

Abbie writing a very important letter...didn't ask to whom...but I should have as I'm always amused by the answer these days - never know what you're going to get. This evening when we were playing outside in the snow I let her eat the snow off a bush - it looked pretty clean - and later when Alex asked her what it tasted like she replied without hesitation, "Mac'n'Cheese with peas."
(P.S. Those Christmas socks were for my teddy bear in high school - who would've thought my little girl would wear them someday?! And more importantly, how is it I still have them?!)

And lastly some videos for your viewing pleasure...I think everyone needs a purple tutu to help them feel special sometimes...;-) Thanks Auntie Robyn...

Wednesday Smiles

Sorry folks - a little glitch in Picasa with uploading the pictures. Should be able to view them all now...-Katie

Bathtime fun! Abbie loves to swim in the tub...a "rinse off" is usually requested at any time of day....I try to limit it to two baths a day! Sometimes I wonder if she purposefully spills or wets her big girl undies so she can get a bath (yes, we've been practicing wearing big girl underwear for about a month now - she does pretty well and the underwear are SOOO cute and tiny in the laundry)

Sisterly love - Abbie enjoys getting dressed up...she prances around saying, "Abbie dress-up, Abbie skirt on." Isabel just tolerates whatever get-up we put on her - she's such a good sport!

Isabel's perpetual look of surprise :-)

I think this must be the definition of "just hanging out" - note the doll in the background. Yes, she is wearing one of Isabel's onesies and no, I cannot convince Abbie to switch to doll clothes or even newborn size clothes...it has to be one of Isabel's shirts :-)

Happy baby!! Miss Isabel Elizabeth went to her 4 month doctor visit yesterday (a week early!) and she was almost 17 pounds!! That's right, 16lbs 13 oz...this is how much Abbie weighed when she was 7 months :-) Isabel keeps catching up - gotta love those thighs, I'm hoping the new favorite sport of exersaucing won't slim them down too much - I love to nibble them.

Fun in the Snow

After all the snow we got a few days ago we decided to go out and have a little fun. Thanks to our friend Alaina who moved to California and wouldn't be needing her little sled anymore, we had lots of fun riding around....little did I know that this sled would reduce me to the status of "sleigh horse" for Abbie and "pack horse" for Isabel who was riding in the sling for the rest of the afternoon! Well, it was my pleasure...we did have fun:-)

After coming in, Abbie decided that she loved to play inside in her snow pants as well...she could bounce off the furniture as always and had a little more extra padding when she fell! The pacifier?? She likes to play baby these days...even though Isabel hates the pacifier...

Ohmygosh - they have the same LOOK! They are wearing matching outfits, but they have the same "what are you DOING Mom?" Look!

Decorating the Christmas tree...Only a few ornaments were sacrificed in the process ;-)

Abbie putting the star on top

Isabel's contribution to decorating the Christmas tree - she provided coos and gurgles of encouragement from the center of the fray where she was parked...

Daddy and Toys

It seems that Alex always seems to enjoy the girls' toys just as much - or maybe more - than they do! Well, it does keep all my "babies" busy for awhile so I can either get something done or enjoy laughing with them...I thought you all should laugh along with us this grey Saturday morning...OH, and note how our two-year old LOVES to imitate...we've found we have to be very careful with our actions and words these days...someone mimics absolutely everything that we do! :-)

A Merry Turkey Day

Our Thanksgiving adventures brought us to beautiful Backbone State Park in eastern Iowa. It brought back memories of the beautiful vistas of our college days as well as our first anniversary, which we spent in the very same cabin 3 year ago. As you can see, the cabin was (pleasantly) more full this year, with our good college friends partaking for the first time and babies-a-plenty. I'll start with my favorite picture of the trip... a girl after my own heart.


Abbie mocking the bags full of toys we brought to entertain her. Turns out Andy and Jess's basket was far more entertaining at 8am (notice the slanted sun).


This shot is swiped straight from our friends site. They look like naturals don't they?


OK so one is missing, but be sure that she is laughing with us from her rocking chair vantage point.


Hope everyone else's Turkey weekend was as blessed!

-Alex (and family)

Odds and Ends

Here are some odds and ends from the last week...we switched Abbie to a big girl bed! Well, it's her crib that converts to a toddler bed so we are going to see how that works out for awhile before going to the official "big girl bed." It's cute to hear her little feet paddling into our room in the morning - or WAS cute until we realized that there would be no more lying in bed waking up slowly while we listened to her talk and whine from the next room...oh well! It's so fun to see her cheerful little face peering right into mine when I wake up :-)

Abbie and Daddy putting the rail on her bed - Abbie loves tools so the highlight of the experience was not the bed, but getting to play in Daddy's toolbox...

Isabel wondering what the heck that crazy dangly octopus is doing hanging in her face during tummy time.

Making playdough...being the official "stir master" is the most important job, as you can see who nabbed that one...little sister got the important job of watching :-)

THIS is trouble -don't you think? After seeing this picture I realized we may be in trouble in future years - they seem to be quite the team...

Giggle giggle giggle - sure is an ego boost when they think you're so funny...in 15 years I bet I won't be quite as funny ;-)

Isabel says, "I had to insist on some fig leaves for modesty before the photo shoot, my parents are shameless! There's nothing like a little nude surfing on the bed after bathtime..."

Peek-o-Bee

For some reason, Abbie pronounces "Peek-a-boo" as "Peek-o-bee"...so here she is playing "Peek-o-bee" with you all.... oh, and the bottle that she is drinking from?? Yes, she seems to have taken a liking to bottles...which she NEVER did as an infant so there's something to be said for having a baby around to aid in getting the toddler to do things she never wanted to do before. Maybe it will work with veggies and cleaning up our toys too?!
(look below for other postings from yesterday - I had a moment to blog so I caught up and wouldn't want those of you posted in the blog to miss your moment of fame!! ;-)

Isabel has something to say too...

Didn't want to leave the littlest one out...:-) When she has something to say we try to listen...

Isabel's Baby Friends, Birthday Girl, and Halloween Fun

One last post for today - Check below for a bajillion posts from today - can you tell both girls were napping at the same time?!!!

The nurses in my labor and delivery unit at work had a plethora of babies recently!! What can we say - we like to support the business :-) Isabel is in good company - as was I during pregnancy!! Here is Isabel with the "line-up!"

Halloween party at the Martinson's - can you spot the Lion, Skunk, Monkey and Puppy?!

Birthday Girl!!!

Our trick-or-treating buddies! En was a bumblebee and Min was a cow! It was so cute to watch Abbie and En - they caught on to what to do pretty quickly...the us Mamas enjoyed the loot as well!

We found this man dressed as a handsome daddy along the way - his costume is great isn't it?!

Visit to Minnesota

Okay friends. Here are the pictures from our trip to Minnesota! Bear with me, this is the longest blog I've ever done -but decided to put all the pictures on one. I'm doing all my blogging at once, so there is one blog beneath this one as well. Mama, Abbie and Izzie all flew up to MN to visit with dear family and friends a few weeks ago (the plane ride was quite the adventure although both girls did very well) Daddy stayed home to work :-( However, I think there was much playing of Warcraft and sleeping in to keep his spirits up!

Katie's dear roommate in college, Rachel, and her new baby girl Brooke Noel!! Brooke is absolutely darling and it was so fun for the girls and I to meet her - welcome Brooke! We had a lovely morning and lunch - even got to play at a park for a bit!! Rachel was amazinging coherent and organized for just having a baby a month ago!

Brooke and Isabel - only one month apart - this was Isabel's playdate for a change :-) Even though Brooke appeared to be kinda sleepy..oh well, what's a buddy for if you can't snooze a little when so inclined?!

My high school friend, Serena, and her little girl, Tatiana. We met at a giant indoor playplace that was awesome and the girls - and mommies - had lots of fun climbing and sliding! Tatiana and Abbie were born only a week apart! It was so fun to finally get to see them meet - they hit if off right away...

My elementary school friend, Reba, meets Isabel! Her poodle, Topper, seemd to enjoy Isabel as well! Abbie was huddled on my lap - although she used to LOVE dogs, for some reason she has decided she doesn't love them anymore and is now frightened...ah well, more snuggles for me I suppose :-) We chatted and chatted the morning away - Rebs and I hardly let the girls get a word in edgewise.

Nana and Papa's house! Abbie received two tunnels for her birthday (Mama's fault for suggesting it to two people, however I'm glad I did because we use them all! The more tunnels, the better the set-up! It's a great way to get some wiggles out, now that it gets dark earlier....

Good old Uncle Mike the college boy...the girls liked to snuggle him...is it that way at college too Mike?!!

Whitey, Katie and Isabel - Isabel knows a nice guy when she sees one - she really enjoyed being held by Whitey :-)

Grandma, Aunt Robyn, and Isabel survey the damage done to the living room by the toddlers.

Grandpa and Isabel talking...we were so glad that Grandpa got off work early so that we could see him!

TUNNEL NUMBER TWO!! Abbie surveys it before she decides to take the plunge. This tunnel is nice and long - a real adventure to make it through ;-) Abbie gets in it and rolls it across the room!

Isabel loved rocking with Nana - a true sign of contentment: the cheeks droop over the arm!

Great Auntie Jayne meets Isabel - Isabel is talking to her!!

Gigi and Great Papa meet Isabel - both girls loved playing with their great-grandparents! These great-grandparents had more energy than the babes - both girls sure were tired at naptime :-)

Barb and Isabel talk...can you tell that Isabel is quite talkative?!! She's got lots to say :-)

Abbie and Jonas hug - Abbie kept hugging Jonas over and over...she really loves her cousin!

Overall, the visit to Minnesota was a huge success! We came home tired, but feeling very blessed to have had the chance to visit everyone. Hopefully we can do it again soon!

Amigos

So, I've been trying to blog for days and the "forces" havn't aligned in my favor (read: someone has been hungry, tired, or too cute to ignore) so I think the "forces" have aligned for about 11 minutes or so if I play my cards right! Here are some pictures from our visit with our friends the Nelsons who moved to California (sniff, sniff) but came back for visit (yay!!)

Alaina and Abbie are great friends and they hugged as soon as Alaina burst through the front door. They ran off to wreak havoc and destruction upon the apartment immediately - just like old times! It was precious to see that two-year old don't forget their dear old friends. We had so much fun with our visit...we look forward to the next one!! The whole gang - where? At the park of course - our usual hang-out....now if they could just put a small bar that serves appetizers and beer under the big twirly slide we would be set :-) Then the parents would last as long as the toddlers at the park.

Reading buddies

All four of the kiddos - little Rowen wanted a turn to hold Isabel...oh - and the pacifiers in the toddler's mouths? For some reason this was, and it seems still is, one of Abbie and Lainey's favorite little games with each other - they think it's hilarious to suck on pacifiers while they play...

Ah yes, side-by-side swinging (and therefore side-by-side squealing while swinging) ...the mark of a true friend :-)

OH, and this picture wasn't part of the Nelson Visit Weekend, but I wanted to post a touching picture of our good buddy Dave holding little Isabel, as we were so lucky to have a visit from him around the same time!