Right Now.

Right now it's 11 pm. Leo just got home a little bit ago.

He's been at work since who knows what time.

I keep thinking he isn't going to go...I'm a dreamer, I don't always like to believe in the truth {which can sometimes be a horrible trait...believe me when I tell you this...}.

I've been so busy with the girls. And the house. And Leo's family is here.

So it's nice. Busy. Full house.

But I'm really afraid for when he leaves. Then they leave.

My house is going to be so quiet.

Silent.

With the exception of tantrums, screaming, crying, etc.

And hopefully a sprinkling of laughter, happiness, singing.

I have a lot planned for the girls and I. Parks. Bouncey place. Picnics. Sleepover in Mommy's room. Crafts.

I also have a ton of giveaways that will be written and posted. That will take up a lot of time.

I guess I'm just going back in my memory to when Leo was deployed to Iraq. I lost so much weight. I was so lonely. So sad. So depressed. I'm so thankful I have Bella and Maddie now. They will be my reason to get up each and every day.

To laugh.

To love.

To be happy.

Right now.

Mind racing a million ways.

Heart is aching.

Plans are being made.

Happiness will continue.

I will be a better Mommy just knowing I have support from so many amazing family friends...

xoxo

She Got You, Babe

Tonite Isabella wanted to watch one of her favorite Halloween movies ever--It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. She LOVES that show.

I was feeding Madelyn and the movie was in our dvd player in the Jeep. I yelled out to Leo to see if he could go out and get it for her.

No answer.

"Baaabe! Can you hear me?!"

Still no answer.

Isabella looks out to the kitchen and this time she yelled out to her Daddy.

"BAAABE! Halloweeeeen?"

Yes, she calls her Daddy babe.

Seriously cute and seriously the only other girl (well, besides Madelyn who can't talk yet...) who I would ever allow to call my husband babe.

She Loves to Get Pampered...

=.Isabella's latest obsession is adorable.

She loves her hair to be brushed. I'm not talking to just fix her hair in the morning--I'm talking about sitting on my lap for a LONG time and me just brushing and brushing and brushing.

It doesn't matter what kind of brush, either. Hers, mine, toy brushes. They're all the same to her.

If I stop too soon? Oh, boy, do I hear about it from her!

She got spoiled in Missouri when my little sisters/her fun aunts would brush her hair at bedtime. Forever. They would brush it until it was their bedtime. Or until Bella chewed up the gel handle on Annie's brush (sorry, Annie!).

She. loved. it! She would even start to doze off a little.

What can I say...she's a girl after my own heart....I'm in heaven when I get my hair brushed or washed at a salon.

I just need to teach her to brush my hair...she tries but it usually consists of her hitting my head with the back of the brush. Hey--it's a start, right?

Zoo Fun in Missouri

Sharin' the Loot

By now Leo and I have realized that Isabella is a true loot lover.

I continue to find little treasures in the strangest places. I honestly think she has forgotten about a majority of this loot because when I find it and marvel at how we have found the long lost comb, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc her whole face lights up like it's the greatest gift she's ever received.

Anyway, the other day I gave her a bunch of plastic kitchen utensils for her kitchen that we already have. She was so excited! (Nevermind that she just spent a good while screaming and throwing them around the living room...for reasons unknown to me...)

She then decided to share her loot with our cat, Boo. Boo was sleeping in her corner of the loveseat. I say her corner because if anyone dares to sprawl out on the loveseat to watch tv she'll sit on the floor and stare at you....and stare at you.

Isabella took this opportunity to pile all of her loot around Boo....kind of like a fort. It was piled so high we could barely see poor Boo. But Boo took it like a champ and continued to lay there while the loot piled up. She had kitchen utensils, stuffed animals, books, tea sets, and random toys.

Isabella was satisfied that Boo didn't try to move the entire time and I was happy that you could see our living room floor again. It was a win-win situation for us all!

Until Boo got up (maybe an hour later) and Isabella realized that her beloved cat had left her fort. Toys, books, loot were suddenly thrown everywhere along with a little girl yelling the entire time.

I seriuosly love this age Bella is at--her temper cracks me up and how she deals with her frustrations seriously makes me laugh sometimes....next time will be caught on video!

Baby Got Treasure

After dinner tonite I decided to have a snack.

A yummy Rice Krispy Treat. Store bought, not Chellemade.

Anyway, Bella and I were sharing it and she picked up the empty wrapper after it was gone.

She looked at me with concern in her eyes and "asked" me (in so many words) where'd it go?

I told her it was all gone and gave her a kiss.

She then looked at the wrapper in her hand, and stuffed it on the side of our recliner.

What-in-the ??

Very clever, I thought.

After she went to bed, I was laughing so hard telling Leo how are baby girl can "throw" away the trash.

He was on the couch, we both looked at each other with the same, uh-oh look.

He reached down and pulled out the following items:

-flashlight
-Dora fruit snacks, Dora wrappers
-a tube of Neosporin (how did that get there?!)
-crackers

We will now be tearing apart each and every couch cushion this weekend and cleaning out the loot.

I gotta hand it to her...that was pretty clever!

"No!"

So, this is Isabella's favorite word now.

Snack time:

"Isabella, do you want a snack?

"No." She says this as she runs into the kitchen for a snack...

During a tantrum:

"Isabella, I think you need some quiet time to yourself now."

"No."

And my favorite so far:

"Isabella, are you excited for maybe a baby brother?"

"No!"

"Hm. Okay, how about a baby sister?"

"No!"

Crap. Let me do the ultimate test.

"Okay, well, do you love momma and daddy?"

"No."

Shew! And all along I thought we would have problems with the new baby...

Little of This, Little of That.

* It has been so nice here lately--in the 70's! Isabella and I played outside for quite awhile today. We pulled weeds, played chase, threw around a ball and she collected quite a collection of acorns. I saw the cutest outdoor shovels and watering cans--I think we will go back this weekend to pick it up for her.

* I am now over 15 weeks pregnant! Wow. Time is FLYING by. With Isabella each week seemed to last forever...not this time! I am starting to feel better and better. My latest cravings? Fruit, lots of fruit. Especially strawberries, blueberries, plums...yum!

* I'll be posting a "baby bump" pic this week. I am already showing! I haven't gained any weight thus far, but am sure that will change since I am eating more and keeping everything down.

* Isabella's latest vocab words: "ewwww? (this means hello)", "cooka" (cookie, cracker, anything you cook in the oven is a cooka), "go", "get down", "sat?" (what's that), "cheeee" (chewy our dog), "tee" (tree). I'm sure there are a few more, but her vocab has literally exploded in the past few weeks. LOVE my little girl!

* Isabella has a book called Feelings. Today I probably read it, oh...20 times? At least? I try to act out each feeling. She loves all of them....except the following: sad, mad, frustrated, scared. When I read her those she whimpers and hugs me. *sigh* She. is. adorable! And sweet, right?

* Leo tested for his next rank today...E-7 (Master Seargent). He doesn't feel very hopeful, but I do! He's so smart and knows so much about his job and the military. We won't find out until June, so I will be doing a lot of praying until then.

* I am addicted to Dum Dums. Guess it's better than chocolate, right??

And Just Like That...Poof! It's Disappeared.

The nap.

The much beloved second nap.

Isabella has flat out refused for a week....or so....to take the much needed second nap. Okay, so it was much needed for this momma. Obviously she doesn't need one anymore.

What do I do?! We both need that nap...desperately!

She takes her morning nap--no problem! Waves to her toys, waves to me and happily drifts off to sleep without a hitch.

But the afternoon? Just not happening....screaming, crying, throwing things out of her crib, trying to climb out of the crib....*sigh*

Guess this was her early Christmas gift to me.

Because Her Face? Makes Me Smile....

WW Times Two

Bella with her favorite ornament

Bella and her Papa taking a snooze together

Wordless Wednesday...for Mema and Papa

"I'm coming to see you guys! I love you!"


(got the new lens! I have a feeling it's going to take me forever to get used to it, though.....)

I Would Like a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte. Heavy on the Whip.

After a day full of whining from Isabella, our cat Boo, and myself.

After a day full of exhaustion from myself.

After a day full of being bundled inside from the cold.

After a day of dreading tomorrow's dreaded 2nd flu dose for Isabella.

I have made an executive decision--a decision that will ensure that this Momma stays sane while keeping her family sane.

Tomorrow is declared take your child to Barnes & Noble and treat yourself to your favorite Starbucks drink--you know the one.

Don't forget to buy something for your little one....it will make your bookstore experience much. more. enjoyable. For everyone.

PS--I am going to buy the second book of the Twilight series. Being halfway done with the first I am now hooked on this crazy phenomenon that has swept over our country. (Don't mind that I am probably the only one around who hasn't completed book one yet....)

Oh, Isabella....

Yesterday Isabella and I were cuddling on the couch watching the new Noggin show "Toot and Puddle". She got bored part way through it and walked off to her room.

With my phone. (that will be important here in a minute...)

So, I'm sitting out here in the living room. I can hear her in her room playing and just being Isabella.

Awhile later I thought I heard a woman's voice.

I perked up and listened. Nothing. Must have been one of her baby dolls.

Then I heard it again. And again. It kind of freaked me out that maybe someone was in her room!

I go into her room and there's Isabella squatting down with my phone open and someone talking to her--and she even managed to turn it on speaker--which explains why I heard someone talking.

You should have seen the look on Bella's face when she saw me come in her room--it was the look of "oh crap! I've been caught!"...hilarious!

I glanced down and saw it was my Mom's cell phone. I was still confused and said, "hello?!"

My Mom-Bella's Mema-was laughing hysterically.

Apparently they had been having a real conversation.

My mom said she saw me calling, answered and heard nothing but some rustling. That's when she knew it was Bella, ha!

She asked Bella if she had been good and Bella answered like of course she had been good today. And then she started jabbering away to her Mema.

At this point my Mom thought maybe something had happened to me and Bella was calling for help...which cracked me up for some reason!

So to everyone whose numbers are in my cell phone...if you get random phone calls, hangups or just weird calls from me?

Just remember--more than likely it's not me....it's Miss Bella....

Bella's Belly Laugh

Isabella and I were playing around with a Jell-O cup...her laugh is possibly the heartiest laugh that I have ever heard...I love it! Enjoy!

Our New Thing

Dear Isabella,

The past three days have been wonderful.

We have taken a walk every single day. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing and we even saw some trees changing colors.

You exclaim many times how everything is "pretty" or when you see a kitty you tell momma "kitty".

I love how when we come back you are so happy, so refreshed.

And so am I.

Our walks let us talk, let us listen and let us enjoy things that we would not get to enjoy if we were stuck indoors.

Yesterday when we saw two kittens? You. were. ecstatic.

You kept saying kitty over and over--and you saw them from so far away!

I love how when we return your cheeks are flushed, your hair is a little wind blown and you grin ear to ear.

I think this will be our new thing.

You, me, and a walk after your morning nap.


Love, Momma

PS--I am not mad about the camera lens. Sad? Yes. But not mad. I've been wanting something nicer for awhile now....maybe Santa will bring one for me this Christmas....

My Little Dictator

Don't forget to enter my fab giveaway here!

Dear Isabella,

The other nite after you had gone to sleep I began to read my Parents' magazine.

The one that I had received, oh, a month ago. And hadn't had the time or chance to read.

As I was reading the part on one year olds I started giggling.

There was a sentence talking about at this stage in our toddler's life they think that they are, in

fact, a dictator.

The world? Revolves around them.

Mommy and Daddy? Work for them.

They tell us when they are hungry.

They let us know they are ready for a nap.

As I read this out loud to Leo he was laughing so hard.

We had never thought about it as you are the dictator of our home.

But then we started thinking....

You are a little dictator. And we love it!

At times it makes us laugh, at times it pushes us to the edge.

But you're our little dictator. Who isn't afraid to let others know how she feels.

Who doesn't hold grudges.

Who forgives us if we do anything wrong.

I love this stage of your life.

The ups, the downs, the everything in between. You have taught me (and Daddy) a lot in the past 13 months.

So, my little dictator, we love you. I love you when you growl.

I love you when you whine and complain and wake up way too early for anyone's good.

I love you when we go on a walk and everything you see is "petty".

I love how when you go outside you still try to eat acorns, but you also come and give Momma some.

I love how you think my cell phone is in fact your own. And you call people. And I have to apologize to my entire phonebook for the random phonecalls.

You can continue this dictatorship because I know all too soon you will begin to put pieces of your life puzzle together.

You will realize that the world does not revolve around just one person (although in my eyes? My world will always revolve around you)>

We love you, honey.

Just the way you are.

The Prettiest Ladybug on the Block

She's so cute!

Being silly as always!

Munching on some Goldfish that she got next door

Her gorgeous costume--thank you, Mema and Papa!

Dear Isabella,

All in all the nite went well.

Really, really, well!

You were just a little grouchy before we started, but once we hung out at the neighbors and went to a couple more houses, you were a happy little girl.

You made friends with everyone, tried to go in some homes (remember, honey: "Stranger Danger!" I see we need some more practice with this one....).

You even met some pretty cool doggies.

One doggie, Chico, was so excited to see you that he toppled you over in all of his excitement!

After all, the prettiest ladybug on his block was at his front door!

You were okay and really happy once Chico brought over a toy for you to play with him.

We went to five houses and that was perfect.

When we came home you got to munch on some Goldfish and play outside with us.

It was a perfect Halloween and we are so happy you had such a fun day.

Happy Halloween, honey!

We love you!

Growling, Dipping and Tay-Tu

Isabella really knows how to make me laugh.

Not just a giggle, but she honestly cracks me up!

Here are just a few of the cute things she is up to now....

**She growls.

If you try to give her a bite (rather than let her feed herself)? She growls.

If Daddy tries to pick her up out of Momma's arms? She growls.

If you don't give her a sip out of whatever you're drinking? You guessed it--she growls.

**We always tease Daddy and say, "No-no, Daddy!".

Now anytime I say "No-no!" to her or the cat, she answers with this:

"Daddy!"

Good job, Bella!

**I forgot to mention this.

At her birthday party she would say "Tutu/Tay-tu" as she opened each gift.

Translation: thank you.

She is such a sweetheart.

**She loves to dip her fingers in my coffee mug every single morning.

She will not drink out of the mug, just dips her fingers in, tastes the coffee and repeats.

We only let her repeat it once. Then we cut her off.

The Watch

I had an entire post written out about my day.

It was a hard day.

A tiring day.

A day where I just want a glass of wine, a warm blanket, and peace. Even for only 10 minutes and I would be happy.

However, while writing that post, I started writing a sentence and it hit me.

Write about that, is what my heart told me to do.....

Today Isabella had to get a flu shot, bloodwork drawn, and her one year checkup.

As we were waiting for her flu shot and she was all sticky, slobbery from the sucker they gave her at the Lab, she fell.

And hard.

She was sobbing uncontrollably.

She was crying so hard it hurt me to hear.

I held her and rocked her until she calmed down.

She was looking around and peeking at all of the elderly people around us.

They would talk to her, she would give a shy smile and turn around to act like she wasn't actually peeking at them.

It was around this time that she noticed him.

An older man.

Right next to us.

He had a beautiful watch on--that's what caught her eye to him (I think).

She reached out with one little finger to touch the metal.

I apologized to him and moved her hand away.

We were sitting for awhile longer and I would look down to her.

She was peeking at him every few moments. I turned my eyes casually to see if he noticed.

He did.

I caught him giving her a grandfatherly wink.

She grinned up at him with her toothy smile, dried tears on her cheeks.

He gave her a smile back.

He then reached out his arm with the watch her way.

She touched it sweetly, grinned at him and he grinned back.

It was there at that moment that I felt compassion for this man.

He was a veteran, retired from the US military and had a kinder heart than most people that I have encountered whom I did not know on some sort of personal level.

He made her day by reaching out to her.

And in a way he reached out to me, too.

I don't think I will ever forget his face, his wink, that watch.

And I want to thank him.

Thank you for serving our country.

Thank you for having a kind heart.

And thank you for reaching out to us.

You have truly touched me.