Isabella's party

The Birthday Girl!Her new big girl chair...Her 1st pony...Ok, it's not pretty but she can eat it!This is the cupcake cake everyone else can eat...In the birthday dress I made her...She loved opening her presents...

Yummy! Anyone want some?

Her birthday plate that came just in time!

Isabella's invitation

This is Isabella's birthday invitation that I am so proud of!!

Happy Birthday Isabella!!

It is so hard to believe that my sweet baby girl is 1!! Here is the story of your Birth day Isabella:

In February 2008, your daddy and I found out that I was pregnant with you. Well, we didn't know it was you yet. Other than being tired, I had the best pregnancy! You grew and developed right on time! Every time I went to Dr. Lemons he commented on how great we were doing.

On the morning of June 12, 2008 we found out you were going to be Isabella! We couldn't have been happier!

The night before you were born you made a HUGE turn in my belly!! Little did I know that you were turning your hiney to face down!

On October 30, 2008 I woke up as usual and was about to get ready for work. Then, my water started leaking. I called Dr. Lemons and got ready to go to the hospital. We went to Baptist Montclair. It was a beautiful sunny day! After I got there they went to put a monitor on your head but guess what? It was your hiney they were feeling! You couldn't be born like that so we went to the operating room so they could do a c-section. Everyone was so nice and took very good care of us! C.C.'s friend, Ms. Rhonda, was working at the hospital that day and she picked out the doctor that would give me the medicine so it wouldn't hurt when you were born! There was no mistaking when you arrived because you cried so loudly everyone down the hall could hear you! You were born @ 8:44am weighing 7lbs 7oz and 19 &1/2 inches long. They wrapped you up and brought you to me and when you heard my voice you stopped crying and tried to open your eyes. I had never seen such a beautiful baby! You had the perfect little nose and roundest little head! I was hooked!

You have continued to grow and learn so fast! You are crawling now and pulling up on everything! You babble all the time but only you know what you are saying. You love animals and get very excited when one comes near you. You make silly faces and laugh when we do them back. You now have 8 teeth and love to crunch on puffs. You can hold your sippy cup but you refuse to hold your bottle! When you get sleepy you snuggle so sweetly and lay your head on my shoulder and sing to me. You start my day out very happy because I can come into your room and you're waiting on me with a smile on your face, waiting for me to sing good morning to you. Your daddy and I love you so much and could not imagine our lives without you!

Happy Birthday Angel!

New Endeavor

I've started a new craft...wreath making. I started putting one together one night and it turned out well so I made some more. I'm selling some so if anyone is interested let me know! I'll also do some Christmas wreaths and post later.

This one was my 1st and it is on my door...

I made this one for mom...

The picture doesn't do this one justice!! It's much better in person!

And the winner is...

As you all know, I have been searching and trying to find new recipes that Isabella can eat since she has food allergies. For the most part I can stay away from milk and eggs and have learned a few tricks to substitute things in place of these items and so far have done pretty well. Since Isabella's birthday is coming up in October I have tried to find a bakery that makes allergy free cakes at a reasonable price, but I have come up short. I've now decided to make it myself. I have tried several recipes and I think I've found a winner. It comes from my good friend Jenna who has a neighbor with food allergies. So far everyone who has tried them (including Brian, who never eats sweets) have approved! Now I need to get my decorating skills down so it can also be a great looking cake.

Bama Baby

Isabella was dressed and ready for the 1st Bama game of the season. She helped pull the Tide to a 34-24 victory against Virginia Tech.

OK, can't resist a naked butt pic.

We're #1!!!

Watching the Tide Roll!!

Singing "Yea Alabama..."

Isabella's Birthday dress

Here are some pics I promised on the dress I am smocking for Isabella's 1st Birthday. It's a Bailey dress that is going to have cup cakes across the front. Remember, this is my first dress so don't look too closely!

This is the very beginning.

One cup cake and 2- 1/2 cup cakes...

That's where I've gotten so far. I'll post more as the dress comes along.

We can have wheat again!

Sunday, the 30th was Isabella's 10 month birthday! My, how time has flown! Here are some of the things she is currently doing:
Sitting up by herself, rolling across the room (still refusing to crawl), scooting on her bottom, jabbering all the time, saying dada and FINALLY mama, trying to hold her sippy cup, and making the transition to solid foods. She wakes up every morning with the biggest smile on her face and starts my day off bright! She loves to snuggle at night before she goes to sleep. She only wants a bath in the big bathtub so she can scoot around and make big messes splashing. She has got to be the sweetest, funniest baby there is!

I'm trying to get some ideas for her 1st birthday. Right now I am smocking her dress and I will have some pics of the progress to post later. I have also been toying with some cake recipes which brings me to my next topic:

Yesterday we went to see Dr. Larussa (the allergist) for Isabella's check up. She has done so well with eating new foods and has not had a break out in weeks (I am knocking on wood) or needed any Benadryl. Her pediatrician recommended a while back to start giving her foods to pick up and feed her self. Well, besides cooked and chopped fruits and veggies, the only other thing I could think of (to give her some variety) was puffs. Unfortunately they contain wheat. Dr. Larussa said that since wheat was one of her lowest allergies she can try some as long as eggs, milk or peanuts were not in it! This is such a blessing because that has been the hardest thing to avoid since it's basically in everything! Now Isabella has gotten some puffs close but not quite in her mouth yet and she is having a great time trying! He also gave her some new creams for her skin because her eczema is really acting up right now. She is also starting on Zyrtec to help with the itching. She is so good at taking her medicine! She sits on the counter and opens right up! This will also be the first time she will get a flu shot. Since she has an allergy to eggs she will have to go in prepped with benadryl and plan on staying after to make sure she does not have a bad reaction (the flu shots have egg ingredients in the preservatives). This worries me but so does the flu. When it comes in a few weeks from now we will see how it goes.

The Beach!!

We finally got to go to the beach this summer! Brian and I have been so busy at work we weren't sure we would get to go. I didn't get a chance to blog while we were there so now I'm making up for a whole week.

8-10-09

We left home and headed to Orange Beach, AL. I was really worried about the ride down. Isabella is not the best car rider and she had been running a low grade temp the day before, she is cutting another tooth. We decided to take a chance and go during the day instead of night since she tends to scream her head off at night. She was awesome!!! I sat in the back with her and she played, sang and watched her DVD's. We only had to stop 3 times to stretch and eat lunch and we made it in 4 1/2 hours which I think it pretty good considering we had a 9 month old! We got to the condo and ate dinner with my parents. Isabella was exhausted from riding all day and fell asleep at dinner.

8-11-09
The first day on the beach Isabella was miserable! It was so hot and there really was no relief from the ocean or pool since it was like bath water. Later that night after dinner Isabella was really cranky. Again, she is cutting a tooth and it is really bothering her. When we made it back to the condo I felt her head and she was warm. I took her temp and it was 101! I gave her tylenol and after the 2nd dose the fever broke. Why do teeth have to be so rough? That day was also Jonathan's (my brother)24th Birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE JONJON!

8-12-09
We didn't get alot of time on the beach since it rained most of the day. What a way to relax! Sitting on the balcony watching a thunderstorm roll over the ocean, nothing like it. Isabella slept alot this day. After the storm we went out and took some pics of Isabella on the beach. She was so sweet! The only way I could get her to pose and not worry about the sand was to play "pattycake". What ever works! At this point Isabella has been in the ocean a few times and I've noticed that her ankles, which are usually really torn up from her scratching her eczema look really good. Her calf which was also really bothering her was not itchy! Oh the healing powers of the ocean. That night we decided to stay in and eat. Again, Isabella ran a temp and was pretty fussy. She did not sleep well and ended up in bed with me for most of the night. The play yard that we used for a crib was not comfortable and I can't blame her for wanting to sleep elsewhere!

8-13-09
This morning we did our family pics. For Steve (my other brother), this was his last day. He had to make it back in time to pick up his step-daughter from school (because he really missed her)and make it to work. This was a better day as far as Isabella felt. Her tooth had finally broke thru so all is better right? By this point we have abandoned using her bathing suit and just let her play in her swim diaper. Two things we will never go to the beach without, 1.a tent, 2.a baby pool. We filled her baby pool up with water and put toys in and she was content to stay there for hours!! She even got in the ocean a few times and loved it! Again she slept in our bed most of the night.

8-14-09
Our last day! I got Isabella up and changed her diaper and...she has a rash all over her stomach. She had a few places that look like she is having a reaction so immediately I give her benadryl. She seems to feel better and the rash seems to get better. She played in her pool for a while and took a short nap at the beach. When she woke up the rash was back. I took her up and gave her a bath to cool her off and clean off anything she was having a reaction to. Then it hit me. Fever for about a week, cranky, loss of appetite, rash after fever broke... ROSELOA! I called her pediatrician and got a confirmation based on her symptoms. How awful do I feel?!! I have kept my baby, who has not felt good, out and about thinking all her symptoms we're based on her tooth. After she had her break out she seemed like a different baby! When we got home that night she was really excited to be home. We walked into her room and she had the biggest grin on her face and looked up at her light (which she is facinated with) and laughed. What a sweet joy! I miss the beach but it's so good to be home!

4th of July, on the 20th

Yes, I'm just now getting 4th of July pics posted! I guess I've fallen behind on my blogging. Work has been really crazy lately and I get home and play with Isabella and then crash! We're going to the beach in 2 weeks and I an excited to see how Isabella likes the sand and water. She definately likes the pool so hopefully she'll like the ocean too. She continues to say "dada" very clearly and when I say "Mama" she just grins and goes on saying "dada, dada". Traitor! She still won't crawl. She prefers to lay on the ground and roll to where she wants to go. I guess being ambulatory is all that count's! When we get back from the beach I'll post some more pics! Until then, enjoy!!

Mothers day

What a wonderful Mothers Day! We started the day with Isabella's dedication at church and ended it at Jim N Nicks. Can it get any better? Dedication got off without any problems. I think every Mama in there was wondering if their child would be the one who would act out in front of the entire church. Isabella sat in my arms and kicked her feet like a little River Dancer and only fussed once for about a second. This was the best Mothers Day I could have ever asked for!