Daddy & Bella

Here they are, healthy again. And don't they look so much alike? Lots of people say this, but I don't really see it. To me she looks like Bella, neither mommy nor daddy but both...maybe. She has "stormy" blue eyes (I think eventually they will be green, but right now they are a bluish-green), copper colored hair, rosey skin, a pointy little chin, and a big gummy smile. Ok, now I understand the resemblance. But I still contend she has my eye shape. Really, I have to hold on to something people. Her gums have REALLY started to bother her this week, so I think that gummy smile's days are numbered. She's been drooling all over everything, putting anything into her mouth, waking up during the night, and today she ran a fever. I can hear the refrain, "Ouch Bella, don't bite mommy" in the near future.

Crazy Curls

I just snapped this a few minutes ago of Bella playing in her Jumperoo. She has been a happy baby the last couple of days despite trying to kick a viral respitory infection that she also happened to pass on to daddy. Todd didn't finish his entry, but I thought I'd post the picture anyway.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

EASTER 2007


MOTHER'S DAY 2007

Sunday mornings are nice because we're always able to spend some individual, quality time with our Bella until it is time for church. And of course it is always fun trying to decide what dress to put her in and what barrette matches best. As you can see from the Mother's Day picture that particular morning we were trying to decide between pink, crochet, sandals and pink, trimmed socks. We went with the socks. I mean come on, sometimes even I have a hard time keeping sandals on my feet. Forget about keeping them on a four month old. There was no footwear crisis on Easter. She had on white shoes and white tights - a perfect footwear duo for any baby girl. But sadly, Easter Sunday was the last time we saw those cute, little, white, patent, leather shoes.

Sundays are also a special time for us to remember just how good God has been to us by giving us the privilege to be this little girl's parents. I know nothing I've done as a daughter, wife, mother or Christian has been good enough to deserve such a wonderful gift. Becoming a parent has certainly given me some perspective on God's Greatest Gift.

When I think about it, I have all this love and adoration for her, and I've yet to receive a hug or kiss from her or hear her call me mommy or say I love you. I can't wait! Does that sound selfish? I think I've discovered a little thing called unconditional love.

carpe diem

Call me crazy, but I think Bella looks different every day. She seems to be growing up so fast, and she is still less than 4 months old! I sit at work, and it drives me crazy when I compare her 2 week old pictures with her 2 month old pictures to her current pictures. Pretty soon, we will be chasing her around the house. It makes me stop and think about how much I cherish every little noise she makes and every facial expression she shows. Tomorrow it may be something different as she changes and grows. The days of the full body smile and the baby squeal are numbered, but I know they will be replaced with new things to cherish as she continues to grow. I thank God for her every day.

Here are some recent pictures.

She has been off her pacifier for about 3 weeks now. Our friend Carolyn gave her this little bunny, (that we call her lovey) and she loves it. When she gets tired or cranky, she just rubs her face in the bunny, and all is well in the baby world. It goes everywhere with us.

Here she is kicking it with daddy. She is always this happy when she is with daddy :)

Mommy snapped this picture of us after we had a long day.

Aunt Launa came to visit this past weekend, and we taught Bella how to play cards. She got the hang of it pretty quickly. Or so we thought. In the end, we found out that she only wanted to eat the cards.

Liberace look out!

Shiny, Happy, Baby

This is what used to greet me in the morning. A bright, shinny, happy baby. She'd usually be swaddled in her SwaddleMe blanket so only her head, and sometimes arm(s), was sticking out. And once she saw me, she'd get all excited and start kicking her legs. Then once I broke her free from the blanket, and it was clear that she was getting out of baby jail, she'd go wild, giving me a "full body" smile with arms and legs flailing and a big, open, gummy smile. She sometimes even would lift her arms up as if to say, "Pick me up. I'm ready to ride the baby train." But now, I go to work before she wakes up, so I'm only able to get a report of how her morning went. Was she happy? Did she try to laugh? Were her arms unswaddled. Patiently, her father answers all my questions. Who knew mornings could be so sweet.

Go Blue?

I went to work one day, and I came back home, and BOOM, this is what I found. Bella had on this little outfit and was looking down right cocky. I tried to tell Bella, look honey, all the major college sports are over and that her victory dance was in vain. She didn't care. She was desperate to show off her maze and blue and state so proudly that she is a Michigan fan. Clearly someone got to my baby before I had a chance to teach her the Yellow Rose of Texas or show her the longhorn sign. I suspect it was someone from Michigan that turned her blue...quite possibly her grandmother. When I questioned Bella for more information, she met my every question with silence. But I'll get to the bottom of this mystery.

Couch Tater

Someone already likes to watch tv. When she is on her activity mat, we noticed that she wasn't really looking at her animals. We noticed that she was watching the tv instead, so we moved the mat farther away from the tv. But rather than turning her attention to her animals, she turned her head so that she could continue to see the tv. So now we try not to keep the tv on while she is playing. But this morning we woke up and caught her enjoying tv in her new little chair. We bought the chair so that we can put her in it in the morning when we are trying to get ready and she still has to be upright after eating. Little did we know that our little one would be enjoying Sat. morning cartoons in her new chair.