Watching Her Grow

Here are some pictures of our beauty!

Wearing my old dress

Taking teddy for a walk

Showing teddy how to skydive

Hanging out

At swimming lessons... picture taken with a phone.. sorry

Girls just Wanna have fun! Bellz has started expanding her dance moves!

For Amy...

Ok, this is for Amy and any others out there who were upset about the length of video we uploaded last night... You better be happy!

About Time!

The long awaited video (a week is long these days... I've got some impatient family... coughAMYcough) is here! Along with other pictures and short movies for your viewing pleasure. Isabella started walking last weekend! As always, she has waited until she is confident to grace us with her talents. Two days after she REALLY walked for the first time (more than two wobbly steps that were more like stumbles) she walked a good 15-20 feet and around at least one corner to find me in the kitchen. She's had some good falls, but she's loving her new freedom.



Waiting for bath time. She CAN'T WAIT to get in there!


Relaxing with Daddy at a friend's 1st Birthday party.


Starting her tornado of destruction with the dishtowel drawer.


"Which one should I throw next?"


Chomping on her teething soother.



I caught Bella reading one of her many books.




A quick video we took of Bella walking. She can go a lot further than this, but you get the point.

More Steps

Ok, the video is still in the works. Isabella is seriously distracted by any kind of camera pointed her way, or else we try and get it right before she goes to bed when she is in NO MOOD to perform.

But she's getting good!

Today I left her standing at our couch and went to get her breakfast. All of a sudden I hear what I think is the sound of her hands slapping the floor as she crawls over. I turn to look, and she is already HALF WAY ACROSS THE KITCHEN. From our couch!! Those of you who know our place realize what I'm saying here... she walked 15-20 feet by herself, AND turned at least one corner to come into the kitchen (may have been more if she walked around the chair too). WHAT??!! She would have gone further, but I panicked (since she was now walking on tile, and I wasn't close enough to catch her if she face planted), and ran to pick her up. She practically runs when she "walks". Maybe she got that from her Uncle Peter?

Next thing I know I'll walk in to find her reading books out loud to herself...

Video to come SOON. I promise.

And we're off!

Guess who started walking over the weekend! Walking while she's nine months! We were expecting it to take longer... She's not running around the whole place yet, so we still have time to walk-proof. We'll post a video soon!

Christmas and More

Christmas seems to have snuck up on us this year. With our trip to California, and the surprising lack of snow (but no lack of cold temperatures) I still felt like I had a lot of time to get things together. Then Amy mentioned in her blog that we only had 9 more sleeps... WHAT! Needless to say, I did some shopping on the 23rd, and we relied on Matt's parents for the Christmas baking... I'll plan better next year! On Christmas day we had breakfast and opened presents as a family, and then headed over to Matt's parents to do gifts with the rest of the family in Vernon. Here are some pictures of our last few weeks!

Bella helping Daddy water the plants

She LOVES oranges. LOVES them.

She found our stash

Christmas morning!

Bella loved ripping the wrapping paper. I had flashbacks of Liam on his first Christmas! :)

Reading a book from Nana and Papa (I love her Christmas present pjs)

Opening a book of a whole bunch of Jan Brett stories. I might have to keep these for myself...

RIP!

You can't get any cuter than this

Reading a book from Toby and Asher

Thank you David and Kristi!!

Playing in the mess

Opening her stocking

Matt opening his stocking

A book for the bathtub!

Our best present

Cruising around Omi and Opa's

Petting the HUGE dog. Bella loves dogs!

Helping Daddy play with one of his Christmas presents

Bella LOVES to dance, and does her moves every time music comes on!

Bella booking it across the room... yes, it's sideways, sorry

Jump Jump Soccer!

California... Take 2

The second week we were in California Matt came down to join us and enjoy the sun. We headed an hour north and spent the next week in Sierra Madre with Tim, Susie, Toby and Asher. Bella had so much fun with them and all the new toys she got to play with. Here's another picture heavy post!

Hanging out on the pier at Oceanside.

Loving the sun!

Matt and Bella going to explore the water. Bellz couldn't get there fast enough!

Footprints

Sandy feet! She had so much fun!

And back out to the water...

Digging in her toes

SUN!

Hanging out on the beach

Checking out her sandy hands after she found a rock she just HAD to have

It's hard to walk when you're too busy staring at the sand between your toes...

And back out for the third time to wash off their feet

At Tim and Susie's! Bella had so much fun with all the new toys and her new entertainers

Family pic

Going to the park with Toby and Asher

Aww!

At the LA Zoo! We're as fierce as lions!

Belle/Bella... close

Checking out the huge turtle. Toby is quite the photographer!

Tim and Asher

Matt going for a stroll

Getting a closer look at the animals

At the giraffes

Tim and Susanna

As soon as we got home we decorated for Chirstmas! Here's Isabella examining the tree.

Look who found the dishwasher! There is a picture almost exactly like this of me that I'll have to get on here some day...