It's been awhile...

It seems like it's been awhile since I've posted on here, but as I look it's only been about 10 days. It seems like so much longer....it's been a long 10 days.

Isabelle likes to open mom's drawer in the bathroom and pull out the things she finds in my make-up bag. I've gone through it so that the things she can pull out are ok to play with...or so I thought. The other day, she was at the drawer merrily pulling things out and strewing them across the floor. Then there was quiet....which I didn't notice for a minute or two. When I finally heard the absense of babbling I look over to see that Izzy had a tube of lipstick....open, and had started to sample the goods. Needless to say she was VERY pretty. I got her cleaned up, or so I thought, at least until she finished her bottle and left a tell-tale lipstick ring around the nipple. I wish I would have gotten a picture, but I did not have the camera handy at the time.

Well, I have learned with that last statement to be careful with what you wish for! This morning, again I noticed the absence of talking a bit too late. This time the victim was mom's new moisturizer. It was a new 'toy' in the drawer that MUST be explored! The thing that I seem to be noticing as a theme here is that she's much more adept at getting things OPEN than I think she should be! THIS time....I got a picture. I HAD to. Not before she'd wiped some of it off, but at least I got a shot in. Today, she will be well moisturized, and hey, she did it herself instead of mom having to fight with her to get lotion on her cheeks!

Here are some other things Isabelle has been up to:

• She likes to nibble and take bites of whole snacks and foods on her own, like graham crackers, home made fries, and Nutri-Grain bars)...she seems to think small pieces are for babies. (Can we say Mz. Independent?)
• Drinking well from sippies...valved and non-valved. This will become more important as her 1st birthday draws closer. She seems to prefer the real cups with the sippie lids as opposed to the cups with handles.
  
• Not walking yet, but she COULD. She's able - we've seen it, she just can't seem to gain the confidence yet to let go with both hands and try it for more than a step.
  
• Convinced mom needs to pick her up all the time in the evenings and whines and cries when this does not happen....does not do this to dad. Mom will be thrilled when this stage is over.
  
• Clapping and banging everything together. I just showed her last night how to use pot lids as cymbals...she's thrilled with the results.
• We've started wearing shoes when we go places, just to get used to the feel of them. When we start really walking, we want to be able to play outside and be able to walk places! We'll need to be used to how shoes feel. The first time I put shoes on her and tried to stand her up, she did NOT want to stand on them. Picture trying to put a little one down in grass that does NOT like it.... lol. It was funny, but we've since gotten over that.
• She's starting to be able to feed herself with a spoon. Mom has to load it up for her, but she's getting the idea...another Mz. Independant streak.
  
• She points at EVERYTHING. What she wants, what she wants you to describe, where she wants to go, where she wants you to take her....and sometimes when she's denied you would think the world is ending. I guess life's lessons of not always being able to get what you want start early, eh?
  
• "Dada" and "DaDee" are favorite words. (fair, isn't it?) :P No 'mama' of 'mommy' yet...she says something that sounds vaguely like it when she's starting to hum/whine and get upset. I've threatened to teach her how to say 'TanDee' since I know she can already make those sounds. Dan, so far, has restrained me from teaching her this.

Here are a few pictures from this week:

Here's the mug shot of the lead thug from this morning's moisturizer mayhem. Although it doesn't look like it in the picture, she is absolutely thrilled with this.

Here we are later this afternoon playing with blocks. Note the dewy and fresh complexion that comes with being properly moisturized!

Just hanging out

And now a series of shots. Here we see Izzy playing along...sidling up to mom for SOMETHING...who knows what at this point.

And now the sneaky look she gives as she's trying to do something 'under the radar.'And lastly, I give you Izzy, version 1.0. "Mission accomplished, I've managed to get something I'm not supposed to have....AND get it into my mouth! Score one for MEEEEEEEEEE!" Such a stinker.