Playing Around

Isabelle continues to talk and talk and talk all the time. I'm starting to think that she's actually now SAYING more than I understand, but can't quite get them out yet. I've been trying to interpret as best I can, especially with syllables that she says often, over and over. When I finally get one right, she beams at me....now that mom has figured it out, that's one less word to cause frustration. The trouble is....many of them sound VERY similar at this point (Milk vs. More vs Mom....although she seems to have settled on Mom-mie for my name). No one told me that becoming a mom would be easier if I'd have gotten a degree in linguistics!

On the physical side of things, Izzy has been starting to be able to run. Well...maybe that's not quite the right word....trot might be a better one. She really seems to enjoy it...especially when you're chasing her!

Her other new game....when you begin a sentence with "Where" like Where's your nose, or Where's Daddy, she only hears the "where" part and immediately (most times) covers her eyes with both her hands until you exclaim "WHERE's Izzy? I can't find her??" She'll then unveil herself as if you couldn't see her the whole time, and thinks she's incredibly clever. She cracks me up!

Other than that, she continues to mimic. Anything that Dan and I are doing, she wants to be a part of or do a version of herself. She has now learned how to throw laundry down the laundry shoot (so Dan now has help now with those pesky socks...) and she's helped me throw laundry in the washer every so often. Sometimes after her bath, she will take her bath basket back to her room and set it on her shelf....but it doesn't always stay there.

On Father's Day, we took Dan out to lunch in our wanderings of the day. Not thinking about it, I just plopped Izzy down in the booth beside me while we looked at the menu to order. After ordering, I got up to get Iz a high chair, and Dan and I spied booster seats next to the tower of the chairs we usually use. We decided to try it, and we had pretty good luck with it! Honestly, with how much Izzy was messing around, I'm surprised she didn't fall and give herself a good jolt to the chin, but we all came out of it unscathed. When did she get old enough to use a booster instead of a high chair???

Here are some pictures of Izzy and I playing around this week. She definitely keeps us entertained!

What 'choo doin'? (Unfortunately, I can see this same picture.....fast forwarded about 16 years as she peers coolly over here sunglasses at some boy somewhere. *sigh* Can she just stay little and innocent? To adopt one of my sister's rules for her daughter....Izzy's heart should belong to Daddy...at least until she's 30! ok....25!)

I see this expression a lot these days. She's in the midst of telling me somthing.

Izzy has her very own set of bracelets to play dress up with. Here she is experimenting with them as anklets...

Isabelle and Getting Dressed Up!

This weekend, Dan was an usher in a friend's wedding. This meant that Izzy and I had a reason to dress up and head out! We didn't want to look like slobs next to Dad-dee in his new black suit! Now that I'm thinking of it, we should have had the photographer take our family picture while we were dressed up, but now is a heck of a time to think of it! :P~

Anyway, Izzy and I got ready and headed to the gardens to meet Dan at the wedding. It was very hot that Saturday and I was glad that the wedding was the one at 11 am instead of the one at 3pm, as the church at the gardens has no A/C. As the ceremony started, Izzy occupied herself with this and that, mostly tearing the program apart. After that got old, she thought that she just HAD to get in the aisle and try to pick up the flower petals that the flower girls had distributed. As I tried to curb her enthusiasm and kept her in the pew, you could tell by her sour expression that she didn't think my limits were fair. It seemed like a LONG ceremony even though it was of normal length. I was terrified that somehow my little exuberant goofball would create a scene....but this day the toddler gods were on my side, or so it seemed. My struggles with her remained quiet, thankfully.

I think that Isabelle really enjoyed getting dressed up, but I believe her favorite part of the day was roaming free at the dance...and dancing herself! I plan on posting that as soon as I can heist it off Dan's phone.. ;)

Here are some pictures of the dressed up princess:

Izzy ready to go (the bib was for transit only, as the molars are still causing a minor tidal wave). These pictures of her dressed up are precious to me, and a little eerie. I say eerie because I see a little glimpse into the future with these. Her face seems older in these to me....maybe it's the dress, maybe the piggies....I can't quite place it.

Here's the comb, Mom-mie. Are you sure you're done with me?The princess ready for the ball....it doesn't seem to matter that it isn't HER ball. She's helping out Mom by carrying the camera to the car just like I am carrying the diaper bag.After the wedding, we hung out on the deck for awhile...

...enjoying the breeze.

This is my favorite recent picture of Izzy. I am VERY disappointed that the camera chose the grass over her face to focus on. Grrrr. I will have to re-adjust the settings and try to fix this with some post-processing.

Isabelle and Craft Time

We've been trying to introduce some creative outlets to Izzy recently. I know that it's pretty early for some of this stuff, but what the heck! We've been trying our hand at sidewalk chalk and coloring for a little while now, with more success every time (and fewer attempts at eating the medium). More recently we've been trying finger painting and playing with play-doh. The play-doh is home made because I had a feeling that it's pretty early for playing with this stuff....and I was right. Upon meeting the stuff, she promptly pinched a bit off of the lumps and ate it....then made a move for a second pinch. That stuff is SALTY...I know...I tasted it too when she went in for a second lick. What a goof! I rolled both lumps into a ball and finally talked her into patting them a little and then stored the doh in plastic bags. So far the doh is still good, so we'll try again at some point.

Now onto fingerpainting! I thought she would really enjoy this! The bright colors, the crinkly paper, etc. However....right now instead of really getting up to her elbows in it, she is more worried about slimy fingers. Given her other daredevil personality traits and love of smashing food everywhere I find this, and her aversion to grass on her bare feet puzzling.

Here are a few pictures from the play-doh and fingerpainting introductions. The pictures are a bit older....I didn't realize how much she's changed in a month until I looked at these pictures again.

Mom. Come on. I JUST woke up. Put the camera DOWN.

EWWWW! Finger painting is squishy...and it doesn't taste very good!

What is THIS stuff? (Note the stylish laundry basket table...)

Maybe I'd better taste it....just one lick?

Isabelle's First Sleep-Over

Dan and I traveled to Iowa the first weekend in June for a friend's annual birthday camp out. It was a chance for Dan and I to see some of our college friends that we'd not seen in a long time. Plus there are quite a few of that group that have kids that are a few months older than Izzy, so we have a lot in common in that way as well. In a few years, I can see that camp out possibly having a great group of kids running around! This year, however, just the adults were getting together to mingle.

Isabelle stayed with Aunt Traci while mom and dad went camping. This was the first time Izzy stayed in a different place without the security of mom and dad. All reports say that she had an excellent time! Among other things, Izzy got to swing, climb the play house, jump (well, sort-of) on a huge trampoline, play dress up with some pretty pink shoes, help Traci sweep the floor, and on and on. Grandpa and Aunt Trudi also came to see Izzy while she was visiting Aunt Traci. Izzy was even able to have a little ice cream with grandpa! Truthfully, I think that Izzy had just as much fun as mom and dad did....and maybe more! We send Traci and Mike a huge thank you for allowing Dan and I to get away for a bit and showing Isabelle such a good time! Words can't express how much we appreciate it!

Here are some pictures that my sister was kind enough to send my way so I could see pieces of Izzy's sleep-over!

Who knew a Tupperware container could double as a top hat for a singing number?

FISH LIPS!

Enjoying the outdoors!

All reports say that Izzy turned into a goofball at meal times. Noooooo, really? This NEVER happens at home....lolNope. Definitely NOT a goofball.Mom has since bought some little post-its JUST for playing the sticker game...this was a GREAT idea. Thanks, Traci!

Dress up in a pair of Anna's shoes...Izzy looks so proud! She put them on herself!

Grandpa getting Izzy's toes...I don't think Isabelle had ANY fun....do you??

An Attempt at an Update

Well, it's certainly been awhile since I have updated the good ol' blog! What is it about summer that makes life seem so much more busy?

Throughout everything that's been going on, Izzy has not stopped learning and growing! On the contrary, she seems to take new events and situations in stride and take something away from each one.

Here are a few of the things that she's been up to these days (I'm sure I won't be able to catch everything):

• Making 'fish lips' is all the rage
• Shoes are still a big favorite
• So is putting lots of things on her head
• Along with shoes, she's starting to like to 'dress up' a little...I'm sure this will be a favorite for quite awhile if any of the other little girls I know are any indication
• She loves to rumble and wrestle around...if you can hang her upside down somewhere in the middle, it's a BIG plus....(am I going to finally get a buddy for riding those carnival rides???)
• Isabelle will try to help you with whatever you're doing, whether you want her to or not....she's convinced you NEED her help!
• She's become quite the mimic. Not in speech just yet, but in action, expression, and tone. Thaaaat's right, it's time to start watching what we say NOW and get into the habit early!
  
• She's still a climber
• She LOVES to be outside
• She LOVES to 'play' with Magnum...he puts up with it graciously. (He has the patience of a saint...especially when she's using him as a step stool...)
• Isabelle loves to eat with a fork and drink through a straw. If she can hold whatever container the straw is in...all the better.
• The newest thing is taking a walk. This doesn't sound like much until you know one little thing....Izzy is walking along the sidewalk too! Yesterday we made it half way up the block before she decided it was time to turn around. Sure, the pace was much slower than Mags or I are used to on a walk, but that's not the point. We had to instruct her on the rules of the sidewalk, like to not go into the street or start climbing in other people's yards....but for the most part, it was a good little trek! By the time we got back in front of our neighbor's house, it was time for her to beg for a 'taxi ride.' At least we were just next door!
  

Here are some recent pictures.

Peek with the basket was one of her favorite games a couple of weeks ago. This has since subsided.

Izzy loves to climb on the mower if she's allowed. Even better is if Dad is mowing the lawn, she loves to ride with him. In fact, if she sees him on it without her, she will rather loudly complain and look at me as if to say "Why didn't he take ME???" Dan, however, is only too happy to oblige when he can...he loves to have a little buddy helper too....especially now that she's a bit older and easier to understand. Seeing them having fun on the mower together melts my heart. Silly? Maybe, but I love to see them bond.

Two words....Diaper Ninja.

Boxes are SO much fun! They can be used for so many things!

Isabelle enjoyed her first museum experience...we went to the Harley museum the last weekend in May just for the heck of it. It wasn't crowded that morning and we let her roam a little. Among her favorites were the arena racers and a manual crank display illustrating the 4 parts of the combustion cycle with LED's....a possible engine or bike lover? Time will tell.This bike was almost juuuuust right

Isabelle and the Alphabet Blocks

Here's a video of Izzy with her blocks this afternoon. I know the quality isn't that great, but keep in mind this is also from my phone.

Happy Memorial Day!

It's been quite a weekend here. Lots of new learning and stuff going on. I finally bought an outdoor toy from a friend having a rummage so Izzy has at least one safe(er) place to climb. She loves it! On Saturday we woke up, Izzy had a head full of congestion and eyes full to boot. We were a little concerned so we took her to walk-in on Saturday....doc said it was just a virus, but she's been a grumpy, teething bear all weekend. However, I peeked in her mouth today and both 1 year molars on top are through, so those 2 shouldn't be bothering her as much anymore.

Isabelle continues to climb everything in sight....this includes Magnum and Dan or I if it's convenient. This has invariably lead to a few bumps on the head, the most recent happening this afternoon when she stumbled on the steps outside....concrete...ouch! She doesn't seem to mind too much though, and just keeps right on going after she gets a hug.

We all went out for lunch on Saturday. Three big things happened there....for one, Izzy started to want the ENTIRE half of her grilled cheese sandwich and take bites rather than eat the cut up pieces. This has gotten more prevalent since then....anything that I can give her whole, she prefers it so she can take bites. However, I have to be vigilant with watching her with big pieces, or she will end up with half a piece of bread jammed in her cheek (or something similar). The second thing was that she learned to drink from a straw. After she figured out how to do that, she simply couldn't get enough of Daddy's lemonade. Thirdly, as we sat down at the table, she pointed at the light hanging over the table and said "light." Both Dan and I heard it....and I believe both of our jaws dropped. Now that I think about it, though, Izzy had been pointing at the lights here and other places, and I've been telling her "light."

Izzy continues to learn and say new things. Newer things to her speech list include; more or 'mo,' MaMa or mom, dog or 'daw,' and ball or 'baw' (I credit this to the big purple ball that we've been so thrilled with since the last post). She understands so more and it grows all the time. She knows what it means to take a drink, sit down, stand up, put on shoes (which she's recently tried doing herself), give a kiss, wave bye bye (but she's stubborn with this one), among others that I can't think of at the moment.

Another cool thing that she learned this weekend while having breakfast yesterday...she learned how to hold, load, and eat off of a fork. She was thrilled with this new skill! It even helped her eat more lunch when she was convinced she was done and hadn't eaten much... (Mom and Dad are so sneaky...)

And today, despite all the grumpiness....we took a walk and then came back and played with the blocks. Usually, mom would build the towers and it was Izzy's job to knock them down. Now, however, she's gained the skill to build towers herself. I watched her build 2 block, 3 block and in one case a 4 block tower! She tried for 5, but it all came tumbling down. Could this mean that sooner than I think I'll have a lego partner? Maybe!

She still loves to take everything OUT of everywhere, but now...sometimes she will put back IN as well. In the routine tornado route that she takes through her room, she emptied all of the contents out of her bath basket onto the floor among the legos and shoes she was playing with as I was stocking diapers as wipes. What was different about this time, is that she picked up all of the items for the bath basked ONLY and put them back in the basket. Just to give her a little crap, I tossed one of her big legos into the bath basket.....it took her a second, but she gave me a look and somehting that sounded like 'hey!' (another new development...the beginning of sass) and took the item that did not belong out of the basket.

Here are some pictures from this week. I haven't had the camera next to me at all when taking these, so they are off my phone. I can never seem to remember to have the camera with me, but then again, Izzy is no longer immobile and we spend far less time in the living room than we used to.

Here is what I found Thursday morning when it was time to 'gettie uppie.' Someone likes to snuggle up when they sleep....

Someone is also more of a morning person than mom is....Our new climbing haven...

I don't think she likes it...do you?Here's Izzy stopping to smell the flowers today. It was a struggle to not pull the flower out and eat it...but we finally figured out that they're to be treated gently.

These boots are made for walkin....

Izzy and her shoes! Sometimes, not just any shoes will do....they have to be RED shoes. She spied a pair of "Dorothy" shoes that I had stowed in the closet for her when she grew into them (which will be soon, I might add). Since she saw those red sparkles, no other shoe will do for playing in the house....those are usually nearby.

I swear she's getting taller. Things on the edge of the kitchen counter are no longer safe. She's ALMOST able to get up on the couches herself as well. Today, watching Dad grill outside, she reached for the door handle and started pulling on it. Soon, soon she will become much more dangerous! LOL. She is already EVERYWHERE.

She was my little buddy this weekend, "helping" me out with EVERYTHING that I was doing with the house. Most of the time she had to be BETWEEN me and whatever I was working on so she didn't miss anything. Needless to say, that got interesting for some of the tasks I was trying to accomplish....like cleaning the toilet! Her teeth must have stopped their movement for the weekend or something because she was in the BEST mood all weekend. It's periods of time like this where you understand why people have lots of kids!

Isabelle is turning into a regular goof ball, with a great sense of humor. Her giggle is infectious (at least to mom and dad) and she has this sort of a-HA chuckle when she figures something out....it's hilarious.

I've also noticed that she says a LOT more than I originally thought she did, it was my interpretation and listening skills that needed the honing. She seems to be eager to learn more all the time as well.

Today, Izzy and I were doing the grocery shopping. She had been such a good, happy and helpful girl all weekend that when we came across a large bin of inflated bouncy balls near the end of the store, and she looked at them with wonder... I caved. I bounced out a big purple one and handed it to her. The look on her face said that I had just given her the equivalent of a million dollars! I spent the last 1/3 of the shopping trip talking to a big purple bouncy ball instead of Isabelle because she didn't want to let it go and the ball obscured the view of her upper half entirely. I warned her to keep talking to me so I knew she was still there. She obliged with her favorite phrase of the week... "Dawdle, dawdle, dawdle, dawdle..." After we got home, we spend a good while playing with the ball....inside, outside, showing it to Daddy, and Magnum (who wanted to share it SO badly...ha ha). Dad showed her how to bounce it much to her amusement, Mom showed her how to roll it back and forth between 2 people....what fun can be had with a $3 ball!

Izzy and I having fun watching dad-dee take the boat out for a test run

The red shoes...Walking tall in the sparklies....
Yep! We like 'em!Here's Izzy trying to make a fast escape before bed this evening...

No More Bottles, No More Formula, and 1st Year Molars....Who's Growing Up?

Isabelle, that's who. Sunday night marked the last bottle at the Sperfslage household. We will never again put a sleepy, snuggly Isabelle to bed after just finishing a big satisfying bottle. I will sorely miss that, it was my favorite part of the day. What I won't miss is the cost of the formula every week, to the tune of an average of $100 per month or washing out a sink full of bottles nightly. Whole milk is much more reasonable!

And I thought we were done with teeth for awhile until the incisors would rear their heads at 18 months....NOPE! her one year molars are working their way in, and boy oh boy, those feel like they're BIG teeth comparatively! Her top two are almost through. She's sporting some tender fingers from gnawing on her hands so much. I wish I could take the pain for her, but she's been showing that she's a tough cookie when she wants to be.

It seems like she's working on her climbing and communication skills now, and of course practicing walking everywhere. She understands so much more than I think she does, if I just slow down and watch her and listen, sometimes I can get a good idea of what she wants, what she's talking about, or what's frustrating her.

Her love of shoes is still strong. This morning she brought 2 shoes (mis-matched, mind you) to Dan as he was getting ready. He had to 'try on' each shoe and tell her they were too small before she would accept that she couldn't share her shoes with him.

She's been learning lately to give us things. She's been picking up EVERYTHING and bringing it to either Dan or me lately. I don't know where this came from, but she thinks she's incredibly helpful, whether she's giving you one of her Cheerio's, one of her toys, or one of her 'rock treasures' from outside. If you ask her if you 'can have this, please.' Most of the time she will choose to let you have it, which is much better than trying to take it and creating a power struggle/confrontation. Hopefully this will carry through, but I know that the older toddler years are coming.

In holding true to her independant streak, she now tries to do many things for herself...brushing her hair, brushing her teeth, taking off her clothes at bath time, etc, etc. When we're out on the deck, she will help mom blow bubbles for Magnum to chase. She doesn't quite know how to blow them herself yet....so she will take the wand, dip it in the bubbles and hold it up (VERY BRIEFLY) for mom to blow on it, then proceed to dip the wand again. I have a hard time catching the wand to blow bubbles between her dips, but she takes her duty very seriously!

Recent pics of the growing girl:

Izzy hamming it up outside

Trying things on our head is another new favorite. Could this be tied to trying to get her to wear a hat outside?

Trying on a too-big toothbrush for size

Izzy prolonging...ahem, I mean helping the folding of laundry

Goofball.

We're not quite sure what to do with the crayons yet other than taste them. We'll try again soon.

Been Awhile...

It's been awhile since I've gotten around to posting anything, so it's about time for an update!

Izzy continues to grow and change. At her year appointment she weighed in at 22.5 lbs and is 2.5' tall. She's slowed down growing a bit, as is normal for her age. She's now in roughly the 70 to 75th percentile for both height and weight. The doc says she looks great, is healthy and happy, and also assured me that the minor head traumas that she's been inflicting on herself since learning to walk are perfectly normal. He also commented during the check-up how strong she is (as he usually does during our checks). For some reason that makes me chuckle when a full grown man says that about a 1 year old girl (and younger in our previous visits).

Izzy continues to love other kids and going to the sitter. She has some pretty good buddies there to follow around and learn things from. There's also a little guy and gal there younger that she's been teaching. It's interesting to hear about.

She still LOVES playing with shoes, and recently she has begin to LOVE playing on and around and climbing up the couches too. Who says girls don't like to climb? She climbs where ever she can on whatever or whomever will allow it. (Poor Magnum - but he gets his rewards in dropped food at suppertime.) Speaking of Magnum...remember how Izzy learned to 'give me a kiss' awhile ago? Now she shows her love for Magnum too, which, I'm glad that they love each other so much...but still.

She's also starting to take a fairly keen interest in what mom or dad is doing at any point in time, which she always has, but now she really wants to participate. Whenever I'm putting in a headband she has to take the other one and try to get it on. Most of the time it ends up hanging around her neck like a towel, but she's SO proud that she got it on herself. Mom will help her put it in the right place, then we declare her 'pretty!' She smiles sweetly and then rips it out to hang it around her neck again. Whatever works, right?

Getting ready for trash day Monday night this week, Izzy wanted to do her part too. As I was emptying the smaller trash cans and collecting the little bags in the hallway to carry out, Isabelle just HAD to carry one for me and walk with me. She would have it no other way! It seems to me that she's a little young to want to be such a helper, but I'll take it anyway.

She also loves playing outside, which is no surprise since both of her parents are the same way.

I believe that she is working on her 1 year molars as well. She's been pretty crabby and clingy for the past couple of days and isn't sick (at least so far...*knocks on wood*) One day this week after work, she didn't even TOUCH her toys and wasn't happy unless I had her picked up, or she was in my lap. That was a long night, but sine she's working on teeth, at least there is a reason for her change in behavior. Thank goodness for Motrin!

Last week, Izzy started saying 'mama'! FINALLY! I'm convinced that if she could say just a few things that a lot of the whining would go away. She gets SO frustrated with things she can't quite do yet. So, I'm trying to teach her to say 'more, please' when she wants more instead of using the dreaded whine. Even if she just gets out 'mo pe' or something similar, at least it's giving her a tool to use instead of the whining.

It seems like she does so many new things all the time, it's hard to keep up.

Here are some recent shots. She's changed a lot, since even Easter, hasn't she?

I climbed up here all by myself!

I climbed up here all by myself, AND I'm conducting my very own orchestra (note the fast fingers...)

Where's Waldo?

Dad gets a smile before taking Izzy to the sitter. (And sends it to Mom who's already at work, and it makes her morning.)Mom, are you taking a picture again?

Who says girls don't climb???

Izzy giddy from climbing around. So much energy!