The 12th Month

Well folks, the long awaited 1 year blog post is finally here! Can you believe it? I seriously cannot believe that I have a one year old. It sounds so weird to say. It was probably the quickest year of my life, most definitely the most fun and rewarding.

I thought I was going to be super sad and emotional on her birthday, but honestly it was just fun. It was so fun to see how happy she was with all the attention and I just kept starring at her thinking, "I made her, and I've raised her for a whole year... and we survived... flourished even!" I just think that each stage gets better and better. Newborns are amazing, and little babies are so cute and toddlers are so. much. fun. I just can't get over how fun she is right now. She is learning new things every day, and I love doing new things with her. Just little things like splash pads, or hiking, or lake trips are so much better because I get to take her with me. She has the best sense of humor, and she is really easy going and fun. She is content doing almost anything, and that makes everything that much better.

I got to celebrate my first "real" Mother's day this year! It was so great and I loved being doted on by Alex and Isabel. We were able to go and spend time with my mom, and my mom in law and that was great to see them and celebrate them. I have honestly loved every minute of being a mom. Nothing has felt more natural or easy. I've had friends ask me if I missed working, or if I plan to go back to school, and I can tell them 100% I have no desire to do that. Becoming a mom has completed me. It was and is everything I ever want to do. I'm so blessed to be able to have the ability to stay home with Izzy, and I'm grateful every day for my hardworking husband.

May was just the most gorgeous month full of amazing weather and fun activities. We went to the peach festival at schnepf farms and we went to the lake and Big Surf a few times. We spent many morning at the park and going on walks. It was such an unusually cool spring and I wanted to enjoy that as much as possible before the triple digits started kicking in. Isabel loves being outside. She loves nature. She loves pointing to all the birds she sees, and she always perks up when she hears a dog bark. She is also OBSESSED with airplanes. She hears them, and immediately points to the sky and goes "ohh, ohh!!!" it's awesome. She even points to the ceiling if we are inside but she can hear a plane go by. hilarious. We have a little pilot on our hands.

Uncle Brennan and Aunt Deanna graduated high school and we were able to celebrate with them which was lots of fun! It's crazy to see your baby brother graduate. It seems like literally yesterday that I was getting ready to do that... and then I remember that that was 7 years ago! We are so proud of them, and the great examples that they are for our family.

Isabels Birthday was awesome! We had so much fun! She loves balloons, and so i made sure she had some balloons tied to her crib when she woke up in the morning. I immediately knew she was up cuz I heard her gasping and saying "Oh! Oh!" at the balloons. Alex and I sang happy birthday to her and she was in heaven, she was smiling and dancing and it was just the cutest thing. We spent some time with her in the morning and then Alex had to work so I went out to my parents house and we spent the day with them. We went to lunch at Liberty Market and then went back out to our house so izzy could nap, (yup i'm a mean mom that made her still take a nap on her birthday ;) She woke up, and Alex came home from work and then it was present time! We opened all her gifts and you could tell that she was so overwhelmed and happy with all the new toys! Then we went to Grimaldi's for free birthday pizza, which she LOVES and then to Frost for free gelato! We sure know how to mooch the free birthday stuff! It was just the best day!! I'm so glad that we can be surrounded by family and that Isabel gets so much love and affection from her grandmas and grandmas and aunts and uncles!

A few weeks later we finally had a little party with everyone who couldn't be there on her actual birthday. We did a little luau, and it was just perfect. We swam, and ate *Hawaiian* pizza and had a cake smash! It was a short and sweet, but again, we just focused on Isabel and the things she likes (swimming and food-she's so hard to please) and it was a fun little day!

I'm beyond blessed to be this sweet angel's momma. She brightens my day every single day, and she is my best little buddy. She is so fun and makes me laugh constantly. She is just incredible. I don't think I will ever be able to express quite how much I love her, but I will definitely try!

Isabel, thanks for making this last year, the best one of our life! <3

The Eleventh Month

Holy late update Batman. I tell myself every month that I will get her update up on time.... and every month, that doesn't happen. But I'm just glad that I do get them up. They are so fun to have, and I'm glad that i take the time to write down her memories and take special pictures of her every month.

We started out the month with Easter. It was so fun to get a little basket together for her, and to get her some Christ centered presents. I was able to find the I Am A Child Of God board book by Greg Olsen at Goodwill! I got in on half off Saturday for $1!! We also got a few other books, treats for church, bubbles, and a stuffed bunny. She loved shaking the Easter Eggs that had cheerios in them. I know she is still a little bit young to celebrate these holidays, but it's mostly fun for me! It was extra fun that Easter and General Conference fell on the same day, so we got to stay home and snuggle and listen to the wonderful words of the prophets. Then we went and spent some time with our families in Mesa. It was so great! I'm grateful for my Savior, my family, the gospel, and the opportunity to celebrate them all in the same day!

The weather was amazing this month, and so we spend lots of days going on walks, playing at the park, blowing bubbles, crawling in the grass, and eating rocks. I couldn't believe the weather, seriously, I kept telling Alex we needed to go out and enjoy it because it was probably the last nice day of the year before it gets too hot... and then it just kept being beautiful! We went on a hike and it was so fun, I did have a little trouble getting to the top, which was super frustrating because I have been exercising regularly and I was anticipating that I would have no problem at all, but it was still kinda tough. I have said that hiking is my weight loss goal. I want to get to a point where I LOVE to hike, and that I don't have to stop and catch my breath every 5 minutes. I'm not worried, I'll get there!! There were a few days that were warm, and we still took advantage and went to the lake, and went swimming at my parents house! Isabel loves being outside and exploring all around her, and so I'm happy that we were able to spend so much time outdoors!

Isabel has been growing up so much more and more everyday. She's is saying words!! She does "tricks" (raises both hands when we say Hallelujah, blows kisses, gives hugs, claps her hands when you sing "Patty Cake"...) She loves Peek-a-boo. She's obsessed with music. She has a toy xylophone, maracas, and a tambourine that she plays with every day! If she hears any kind of music she immediately starts waving her arms and bouncing up and down and shaking her bum. I think it's the cutest thing EVER! It's a complete surprise that she likes music... it's not like she comes from a musical family or anything ;)

• She was teething a lot this month, but she takes it like a champ. Seriously, if it weren't for the chapped cheeks and runny nose, I wouldn't even know she was cutting teeth. But she has 7 teeth now! 4 on top and 3 on bottom! Her toothy grin kills me, it's so cute.
• Since she has been getting new teeth, she has become OBSESSED with ice. She loves to grab it out of the cup and munch on it all day. And she knows if you have ice in your cup and will reach her whole hand into your cup and grab the ice before you even realize whats happening.
• She has officially said her first words! She says "Kitty", "toys" and "what is it". Obviously is isn't super clear speaking, but she only says those words when she sees a kitty, her toys or if she is pointing to something unfamiliar. And she's been consistently saying the same words for these things for a month now, so i'm totally counting it as her first words! haha
• Her walking confidence has just skyrocketed, and it's so fun to see her toddling everywhere.
• She loves giving hugs and kisses, and it's so sweet. She blows kisses to everyone, and is so loving. 
• She loves pickles and strawberries and cheese more than anything! 
• She loves being chased. haha, she thinks it's so funny when she starts crawling or walking away and then you start going after her saying "HEY! where are you going!? I'm gonna get you!!!" She laughs so hard and tried to get away as fast as she can! It's hilarious

Besides all of that, it's been a pretty mellow month. I've just been trying to soak up all of my little girl before she turns ONE!!! She is the sweetest little thing, and I'm just in awe everyday at how fun she is and how amazing. We seriously got so lucky with her. She's just incredible.