I'm new to this whole bogging world, so there will gradually be changes as I figure things out. On the catching up part, let me start way back to the Christmas letter that I wrote, but never got sent out.
Isabella can already say about 500 words, twenty of which are in plain English. The other words are part Mandarin Chinese, part Arabic and part of a lost civilization that communicated in shrieks, grunts and when she has a lack in words, it's HUSH. Isabella loves her babies and thinks the babies and herself need to be dressed and diapered even though they already are and also believes all babies need milk! Even framed picture babies need food, love and nurturing too! She also wants to learn everything, which is why she loves all her educational toys, especially the ones she can fit in her mouth. And you know what else she puts in her mouth? Dog toys. And Dog Food. And hair brushes. She even likes to feed the dog…especially her own poop she pulls out of the diaper in the diaper pail!!! Although some of you may be appalled, I’m just spreading the truth and joys of living with a toddler! Isabella and Madisyn are starting to get along great. They have mutual understandings…Isabella holds on to Mady’s tail and Mady is to run at rapid speed through the house trying to loose the tot. Mady also allows hugs and kisses but only towards the rear end! They both love to play ball. We throw the ball and they both chase it! Isabella also thinks “No, No!” is ALWAYS directed to the opposing party, including the dog when Isabella is standing on her, throwing the dog toys at her and eating Mady’s food.
It's so hard to believe that a year ago, June, we celebrated her 1st birthday with my family and many friends.
She had a really good time, got lots of special gifts and indulged herself into a sugar coma.
For Halloween she went Trick or Treating for the first time and received lots of unneeded candy for her parents and was the most precious little giraffe you have ever seen. (Psst…even cuter than Geoffrey the Toys R Us giraffe).
In November, she was in my brother’s wedding as one of the flower girls and absolutely stole the show as the cutest flower girl ever even if she did lay down flat of her back on the floor at the front of the venue during the ceremony.
Without much of a nap she danced the night away with the ring bearer and the other flower girl and stole the heart of her daddy and Uncle Chris.
While in Ft Worth, we took her to the zoo and she had BLAST looking at all of the animals. If I had to pick her favorite, it would probably be the penguins.
She has been extremely busy in the wedding scene, a few days before Christmas she was also in
another wedding of a good friend of the family and played the part as perfectly as an 18 month old can. 2007 was her first Christmas, however; we eagerly awaited this past year. She was EXTREMELY into opening presents, she opened hers and helped with everyone elses. She was so excited about all of the wonderful gifts. (Thank you everyone!) The best was seeing her run into the living room Christmas morning to see what Santa had left her. Oh the joy on her face could have set our house a blaze! It definitely warmed my heart to have a small believer back in the family! She loves music, noise and dancing, so we were sure to include lots of that stuff that drives every parent nuts. Her daddy and Grammie think it’s ok, because I not them am the one to stay home all day with her. We also experienced our first year of Isabella’s ability to reach the Christma
s tree. This was fun, she’s curious, hardheaded and my Christmas ornaments rank high on my most treasured possessions! Although I had prepared myself for her to be much worse than she was. Maybe next year we can hang the ornaments lower and take the tree off the box. New Year’s Eve, Isabella danced in the New Year with the rest of us and shortly after went to visit the Sandman. She also started her year off right with lots of luck eating two full servings of black-eyed peas!! Someone in the family has to get the good luck! Over all we have had an exceptional 2008.....so on to 2009. The first few months of the year are a bit of a blur to me as we spent much of our time nursing my grandmother back to health after her being in the hospital over Christmas. So I'll skip right on to April where much of the fun began. It has been crazy and busy but loads of fun. First off, Isabella spent the week before Easter with Grammie & Papa. On Wednesday Grammie took Isabella to her very 1st Easter Egg hunt. She found 11 eggs but unfortunately she wasn't aggressive enough to win. My mom said she let several of the kids take eggs she was already by and she 
would willingly hand over eggs if kids walked up to her. Then on the Thursday afternoon before Easter we left and headed to San Antonio to take Isabella to Sea World. Seasame Street Live was performing and that was one of our reasons for making the trip. Thank goodness it wasn't the only reason. Isabella wasn't very fond of the dressed up characters, Seasame Street or
Sea World Characters. She would wave at them, tell them hi & 
bye but REFUSED to have her picture made with them. Isabella seemed to have had a really good time the two days we were at Sea World. Hopefully we will be able to take her back again this summer when it's warm enough for the waterpark as well. We returned home late Saturday night and although we didn't make it to the church Easter egg hunt, we did make it to
church and then afterwards the Easter Bunny had visited Isabella. She was so cute to see looking for eggs. Then in two weeks we took her to the circus! We all had a good time although it just doesn't seem that a circus is much like what I remember as a child.
another wedding of a good friend of the family and played the part as perfectly as an 18 month old can. 2007 was her first Christmas, however; we eagerly awaited this past year. She was EXTREMELY into opening presents, she opened hers and helped with everyone elses. She was so excited about all of the wonderful gifts. (Thank you everyone!) The best was seeing her run into the living room Christmas morning to see what Santa had left her. Oh the joy on her face could have set our house a blaze! It definitely warmed my heart to have a small believer back in the family! She loves music, noise and dancing, so we were sure to include lots of that stuff that drives every parent nuts. Her daddy and Grammie think it’s ok, because I not them am the one to stay home all day with her. We also experienced our first year of Isabella’s ability to reach the Christma
s tree. This was fun, she’s curious, hardheaded and my Christmas ornaments rank high on my most treasured possessions! Although I had prepared myself for her to be much worse than she was. Maybe next year we can hang the ornaments lower and take the tree off the box. New Year’s Eve, Isabella danced in the New Year with the rest of us and shortly after went to visit the Sandman. She also started her year off right with lots of luck eating two full servings of black-eyed peas!! Someone in the family has to get the good luck! Over all we have had an exceptional 2008.....so on to 2009. The first few months of the year are a bit of a blur to me as we spent much of our time nursing my grandmother back to health after her being in the hospital over Christmas. So I'll skip right on to April where much of the fun began. It has been crazy and busy but loads of fun. First off, Isabella spent the week before Easter with Grammie & Papa. On Wednesday Grammie took Isabella to her very 1st Easter Egg hunt. She found 11 eggs but unfortunately she wasn't aggressive enough to win. My mom said she let several of the kids take eggs she was already by and she 
would willingly hand over eggs if kids walked up to her. Then on the Thursday afternoon before Easter we left and headed to San Antonio to take Isabella to Sea World. Seasame Street Live was performing and that was one of our reasons for making the trip. Thank goodness it wasn't the only reason. Isabella wasn't very fond of the dressed up characters, Seasame Street or
Sea World Characters. She would wave at them, tell them hi & 
bye but REFUSED to have her picture made with them. Isabella seemed to have had a really good time the two days we were at Sea World. Hopefully we will be able to take her back again this summer when it's warm enough for the waterpark as well. We returned home late Saturday night and although we didn't make it to the church Easter egg hunt, we did make it to
church and then afterwards the Easter Bunny had visited Isabella. She was so cute to see looking for eggs. Then in two weeks we took her to the circus! We all had a good time although it just doesn't seem that a circus is much like what I remember as a child. 
Other than that we have just been busy around the house, we got the pool up and ready, now if the water would get warm we would be in business. We are hoping for today since it is suppose to be in the 100's. Who knows what all the future holds. Towards the end of May we have a trip planned to Alpine to visit Grandpa Nicholas, hopefully we will make another trip to Sea World, would love to make it to Houston to visit with some friends, possibly a trip to Grapvine to an indoor waterpark...who knows...we will just have to see. And there is always/everyday an adventure of some kind on the farm with the Nicholas's.
Well, it's time for a bath, lunch and then our weekly trip to take my grandmother to the beauty shop. Check back regularly and hopefully I can keep caught up with a weekly post and some pictures!
