Isobel's 1 year stats!

Most of my friends are on facebook - and I find I neglect my blog, despite feeling it is a more personal way to share information. For that - I hope to get better this fall....(I keep saying that - right?)

Anyways....

August 26, 2011
Weight: 19lbs (25%)
Height: 29-1/4" (50%)
Head: 17" (25%)

She is walking, "talking" and loving life. She is still nursing and although she CAN drink from a sippy, I think she is specifically trying to be sketchy about it because she knows once she does - the gig is up. I am pleased that I was able to nurse her this long (at 13.5 months now!), since Isaac quit before a year - but...well, Mommy is ready to have her body back! Isobel is a determined little one....in a different way than Isaac is. She loves doggies, waving at people and cuddling. She has definitely her own little personality.

Dear Blue....

Dear Blue,

Tomorrow we bring home your new brother. I know you won't be here to meet him, but I am pretty sure if you were, you would teach him many things.

You would teach him only to potty on the perimeter of the yard....that the softest spot in the bed in BETWEEN us (thanks, Isobel seems to have gotten the memo while still in-utero)...That the ottoman is THE designated boxer spot for tv watching. You would teach him how to patiently stay in the yard until called, how to walk next to us without a leash, how to gulp a banana down in nanoseconds. You would give him all the notes on how to recognize when we are packing for a vacation, or if Daddy is just leaving for a work trip. You would remind him that you have to stay still when babies are crawling on you, and that laying on your back will command instant belly-rubs.

You'd teach him how to recognize when your people need a little boxer love...and how to give that gentle head nudge that said everything.

We still miss you so much....but it is exactly because of you, that we are ready to have another boxer in our life. You taught us that life without boxer love...well, just somehow not complete. Even Isobel knows it, having never lived with you - she squeals with delight when she see doggies...and has been practicing her "Ruff-ruffs'.

So tomorrow, when we finally take this little guy home...we will be thinking of you. For, you will always be our first boxer luv. I only hope we can raise this little guy to be as wonderful of a companion as you were. And we will always be, Blue's Family.

Been SOOO bad at posting.

I know. I know. It's just this summer has been sooo packed with things. I am hoping a return to school will allow me to catch up again. Seriously.

I can hope, right?

Isobel - 9 month stats!

I know I have been pretty bad about blogging lately - life has been pretty busy. We have end of the year preschool stuff...swim class, t-ball, boot camp (for me)...and I picked up a 2 month, part time contract job until the end of June. Phew. I am tired just thinking of it.





Today was Isobel's 9 month appt. Of course, she is a week shy of 10 months (holy cow!) - but here it is anyways!





18lbs (35th percentile)


27.5 inches (50th percentile)


17" head circumference (25th percentile)

We just looked back at what I blogged about Isaac: "On Friday, July 13, Isaac had his 9 month appointment (yes, a month late!) - he is now 28-1/4" long, 19lbs 0oz. " How interesting that the little guy who was over a pound smaller at birth was about a pound heaver at this point!!!

Dalai Lama Quote

I don't normally post things about religion/politics in on the internet - but I saw this post today on facebook and felt moved to share:

"Some people automatically associate morality and altruism with a religious vision of the world. But I believe it is a mistake to think that morality is an attribute only of religion. We can imagine two types of spirituality: one tied to religion, while the other arises spontaneously in the human heart as an expression of love for our neighbors and a desire to do them good.""

So true!

Preschool Book Club

I am listening to Isaac and his friend "KD" discuss the book "Mars Needs Moms".

"but there were BAD guys in there"
"I didn't like that music"
"but the mom gave him her mask, that was good, right?"
"that wasn't real, right? it's just a story"

It was a pretty lengthy discussion, I wish I had started paying attention sooner!

Weekend in Flint and belated Shamrocks Post!

Only in my life does one go to a beach party in a basement (complete with sand for Isaac to play in covering the floor), listen to at least 4 different languages being spoken at once, while people dance with my baby and my son eats about a pound of strawberries. All on a March night. Yes, that's a party at my Uncle John's house. ;)

We are in Flint this weekend. Friday night, I went to see Les Miserables at Flushing High School with some old high school classmates. Some of them, which I have not seen in 17 years!!! It was fun to see the "new" auditorium and get a back stage tour. What a difference from the cafetorium that we used to put our productions on in. Although, there was something fun of a challenge that the cafetorium presented which these kids would know nothing about!! (for the record - spell check on cafetorium comes up with cafeteria and crematorium - creepy).

On Saturday, we went to my Uncle John's birthday party. Uncle John's wife is from the Ukraine, so they have a diverse community of friends here in Flint. There was fabulous food, foreign music all in a tiki-bar setting (complete with sand floor) that is his basement. We had a great time and wow, how entertaining the sand floor was for Isaac!!!

A few weekends ago we headed to our annual visit to Ann Arbor for the Shamrocks and Shenanigans! Who can resist a day full of St. Patty's fun, little irish dancers and irish music - and great friends!? Isaac had a ton of fun doing the kids run and dancing up a storm with Raquel. Visiting M&R&E&R is always a good time! Fun was had by all!

Give me that camera!

We went to the new "Java Play" a few days ago and while Isaac ran amok - Izzy and I spent some time in the baby area. She decided she wanted to play with the camera....

Day out with Uncle Michael

Isaac got to spend an afternoon with Uncle Michael in January while Isobel and I helped throw a baby shower for cousin Kayla. They had some lunch and then went to see Tangled. Isaac hasn't stopped talking about it since!

Isobel - 6 month stats!

Just a quick message as I have to clean up because Brian comes home today and we have friends coming to visit tomorrow....

As of Feb. 15, 2011, Isobel's stats:

Weight: 16lbs 8 oz (55%)
Height: 25.75" (60%)
Head: 16" (40%)

She still is refusing to take a bottle AND cereal, but obviously that isn't effecting her weight! She mastered sitting up and is starting to scooch backwards...and of course, EVERYTHING goes right in the mouth right now. And, aside from photo shoots **shakes head** - she is normally a pretty laid back gal!

Pretty nice day so far...

I have been feeling bad for not blogging more often. It just seems with all of Brian's travel for work, 2 kids, winter, etc...it just goes on the back burner.

So, I am sitting at Mom's house - and thought, I should drop a few lines...at least it's something.

So - today, we (Isaac, Isobel and I) went to Witherbee's for lunch with Michael and Dad - then Michael and I took the kids to the Children's Museum. It was NUTS in there today - three birthday parties, a boy scout troup....and we ran into a friend of mine from high school! (Shout out to Matt & Emily!!) It was nice to see them...but wow, kinda hard to "catch up" in the midst of such chaos! (Maybe next time, right?)

Michael got some shots of Isaac and Isobel as "Rosa Parks" and "Martin Luther King". It was pretty darn funny.

Then, to cap off some fun time, we swung by the Deco Deli for a smoothie (Michael), a coffee (moi) and a cupcake (Isaac). Isobel napped.

And tonight...leaving the tykes with the parent units and heading to check out the new Cork On Saginaw for a few hours with Michael, "the pen pal", and whoever else ends up poppin' up. Hopefully Iz does well with Mom!

Mother's Mantra

I scammed this from another blog I read today. I thought it would make a few moms (and dads!) smle.

Babies Don't Keep
by Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread.
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo)
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

The stairs are clear....

Tonight I had to shovel the driveway. We didn't get the 8-12" that they were predicting (perhaps it will come tomorrow?) - so it was actually sort of peaceful and relaxing. I wore my headphones and just roamed back and forth, up and down the drive.

After finishing, I stood back and looked at the house. I realized I wasn't done yet.

I creeped though house and out the sliding door to the deck. There I repeated the pattern, back and forth, up and down. Sending the bulk of the snow down the staircase.

Then, slowly, step by step - I cleared them. We always cleared them for Blue, especially in the later years when he walked a little more slowly and with caution.

It's been 8 months....but somehow - shoveling isn't complete until the stairs are clear.