The Bambinolazz

Ketchup Tastes Good!

2009-03-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

We have found a new trick to convince Bella that vegetables taste good--Ketchup! Just put a few drops on broccoli and voila! You have a bowl of yummy goodness. Talk about deceptively delicious! No cookbook necessary--just a few well-placed condiments. She really gets into her eating right now. She's getting pretty good with the spoon. We never realized how difficult utensils are to maneuver. I guess it's like using chopsticks for the first time. Very tricky. She's doing alright though. She does have an entire cheering section--as you can see. It must be pretty motivating to have people get so excited at everything you do. Hopefully this doesn't inspire her compete in eating contests in the future.

Helping Mommy Cook

2009-02-24T08:23:00.000-05:00

I dragged this chair into the kitchen so Bella could have a better vantage point to "help" me cook. All she wanted to do was sit on it. She would not stand up to wash her hands or to help me make dinner. She did really enjoy sitting there though.

Bella Laughing

2009-02-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a little gift for those of you that have been anxiously anticipating another post. Nothing is more adorable than hearing Bella really crack up. Yesterday, I stayed home because she had a really high fever. Just before I took her to the pediatrician (she ended up having an ear infection), I was checking my work email and overheard Bella laughing hysterically around the corner from me. I watched for a minute and then grabbed the camera. Luckily I caught a really good belly laugh on camera. I think she may have been a little delirious from that fever! The really good laugh happens about two minutes into the video. For those of you that can't tell, she's playing with the dog leashes that are hanging down from some hooks on the wall--some people that saw the blog were wondering what the heck she was playing with.
It's also important to note that this laugh attack happened about two hours after she had a temperature of 102.7 and threw up all over my uniform while I was trying to give her some Motrin. It was quite a morning. Sorry that the video is sideways--I can't figure out how to rotate it.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:51:00.000-04:00

From October 2008

Bella was a turtle for Halloween. She told us that is what she wanted to be a few months ago when "turtle" became her favorite word. She can pick a turtle out of a crowd no problem. She also thinks that the little TIVO guy on the TV is a turtle. Whenever we are trying to select some fine programs from our TIVO list, she runs toward the TV yelling, "Turtle!" Green peas...turtles too. I guess I can see the resemblance. So, the Halloween costume was an easy choice.

From October 2008

We went to the neighborhood Halloween pot-luck. It was a very good time, and there was tons of yummy food and-of course-candy. Mommy and Daddy dressed up as Salt and Pepper shakers. Not bad for creating costumes in less than an hour. And we also had helmets in case any angry children started throwing candy.

From October 2008

Bella went for her first trick-or-treating adventure with the neighbors. She did carry her own candy, but Daddy had to carry her. She tends to walk opposite of the desired direction of travel, so this was not the year for her to walk herself to the doors. She didn't really say anything except for the occasional "Bye!" at any of the houses. I was hoping that she would announce that she was a turtle, but she got a little shy with the strangers throwing candy into her pumpkin. I guess that's not a bad thing. Her favorite activity was inventorying all of her candy afterwards. She spend at least a half-hour taking candy out and putting it back into her pumpkin. What a cutie! It was a really great Halloween! I can't believe that last Halloween she couldn't even sit up on her own. At this rate, she'll be going to college next Halloween!

Outer Banks 2008

2008-09-21T20:48:00.000-04:00

This week we went to the Outer Banks for a week of relaxation and fun with the families of three of Todd's buddies from school. It was an EXCELLENT time. Everyone got along great, and the kids were all fantastic. Todd's friend M found us an awesome house in Corolla, NC. It was right across the street from the beach. We had two good summer days, and the rest were windy fall days. So, it was a nice mix. We never did get to see the mythical Corolla wild horses, but M did hear them neighing. :) Bella had a great time with Lex who is 18 months old. After hanging out with her, Bella decided that walking is cool, so she's been determined that crawling is not for her ever since. The two "older" kids, Liv and Z were best buds and were really great with the younger ones.
There were three families for most of the week. The P's joined us on Thursday with little E. Everybody fit right in and had a great time together. Good job to the S family for bringing the Wii. After the kids went to bed, that thing was responsible for lots of fun nights and tired mornings. Wii Karaoke was definitely the fave.
We figured out that we could definitely handle the beach house lifestyle. Maybe we could all set up an island hopper float-plane company. Any takers? I think I still remember how to fly. :)
Thanks to everyone that was there for making it a fabulous vacation. We are looking forward to another fun-filled week next year!!

Happy 1st Birthday Bella!!!

2008-08-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

From August 2008

Wow! We can't believe our precious little baby is one year old. This year has flown by, and it has been amazing!
There was a man who locked himself in the basement of a library for a year, and read the entire Oxford English Dictionary. He found wonderful words that he never knew existed that could describe the indescribable. For example, (I don't remember the word), but there is a word in the English language for the way the street smells right after it rains.
Well, I challenge anyone to invent a word that encapsulates the awesomeness of Bella. This word has to describe a lot of things. Someone who is adorable beyond measure (look at those cheeks). Someone who finds excitement in everything ("wow!" is her favorite word) Someone who gives the best hugs first thing in the morning. Someone who loves music, animals (even Capo), and causing mischief. Someone who always makes us laugh. Someone whose smile can melt your heart. Someone who makes this world seem so much more beautiful every day.
All those words describe little pieces, but, none can quite describe the joy of watching her grow and being with her every day. It is just a constant wonderful miracle to witness her discovering the world in the darned cutest ways.
We love you Bella! We are so blessed to have you in our family!
Thank so much to all those who sent sweet birthday gifts and wishes to Bella. She is a very loved little girl, and she sends big hugs out to all of you.

Birthday Party #3

2008-08-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

On the day of her birthday we had a little family party with Mommy, Daddy, G-ma and Gramma. Right during her party Bella got a phone call from Aunt Dawny's Family and Aunt Robin's Family. They both sang her Happy Birthday on speakerphone. She loved it! She was laughing and saying "wow!" the entire time.
As you can all see, by this time, Bella got the hang of the cake and icing thing. No more daintiness for her. She dove right in this time. Since it was her second cupcake of the day, and Mommy wanted her to go to sleep before midnight, Mommy helped her out with her cupcake a little bit. :) Then we opened presents. She is one lucky girl. She got some fun toys, cute clothes, and some amazing books. Thanks to everyone for all of the sweet, thoughtful gifts. She was definitely excited about all of her presents.

Party at Pepi's

2008-08-25T20:52:00.000-04:00

Bella's second party was at day care on the day of her birthday. Here she is with all of her friends. She is definitely a superstar in Pepi's house. Every morning she gets a hero's welcome when we walk into Pepi's door. Wouldn't it be great if you arrived at work every morning and all of your co-workers ran up to the door yelling you name and holding their arms out to give you a big hug. What a happy little world she lives in.

From August 2008

Here you can see her winding up for a big bite of cupcake. She was definitely into it.

From August 2008

Bella's Birthday Party

2008-08-24T20:36:00.000-04:00

Bella had a great party at Mount Trashmore the day before her actual birthday. She invited all of her friends and had daddy grill a bunch of burgers and dogs. It was a lot of fun! It was great to get a bunch of our friends together. Thanks to everyone that came out--and to those that helped. And thanks to Robin and Ricky for driving all the way from Sumerduck. I wish I had been better about taking pictures because I didn't get pictures of everyone that was there. But, don't worry, we got you all on video singing to her. One day I'll figure out how to get videos on this blog. One step at a time.
Bella had a great day. She was very happy to see everyone and to be the center of attention. I expected her to attack her cake, but, she turned down the opportunity to crawl into it. She wasn't sure about getting that icing all over her pretty dress. She loved the icing as long as someone put it directly in her mouth and she didn't have to touch it. After all that excitement and sugar, she passed out within two minutes of getting in the car to go home.

Baby Shower!

2008-06-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

Today we had a baby shower for Scratchie Lambie's Momma. We all had a great time together and can't wait until we can meet her new little guy. Thanks to everyone who helped out!!

Congratulations Will and Meg!

2008-05-31T19:41:00.000-04:00

We went to Will and Meg's wedding in Charlottesville this weekend. Notice Bella is nowhere to be found in these pictures. Yes, it was Mommy and Daddy's first trip together without our precious little bundle, and it was great! Thanks to Grama for making it possible. We had a great time seeing old friends and enjoying a little extra freedom. The wedding was gorgeous. Congratulations guys!

Todd and His "Mini Me"

2008-05-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

You can't deny the resemblance. Look at those cheeks! On both of them! :)

Scary Pete

2008-05-30T19:34:00.000-04:00

Bella showed fear for the first time today. Yes, it was Mr. Pete and his giant afro. His outfit did wonders for sales at the squadron basket auction (he was the auctioneer), but was not a hit with Bella. We tried to hand her over to Pete for a photo op, but she was clinging to my shoulder for dear life. She wanted nothing to do with Mr. Pete and all of his bling.

Meeting Brooklyn Bella!

2008-05-28T19:25:00.000-04:00

We drove back to Salt Lake City to catch our flight home and met up with my fabulous cousin Chelsea and her family for dinner. That is where Bella and Brooklyn Bella (Chelsea's daughter) got to meet. They were so cute together. Brooklyn got to show Bella all of her big stuff like eating peas and walking. Bella couldn't stop talking about how cool her cousin was. We were so happy that we got to see Chelsea, Dave, and Brooklyn. We would love for them to come out to the East Coast to visit sometime. (hint...hint)

Goodbye Idaho Falls!

2008-05-28T19:20:00.000-04:00

Today it was time to say goodbye to Aunt Dawny, Uncle Scott, and the boys. Bella truly bonded with everyone while she was there. If you noticed from the pictures, her cousin, T, was carrying her around every chance he got. All of the boys were just wonderful with her. It was so nice to see everyone, and we were so lucky to be able to spend so much quality time together in such a wonderful place. Thanks for everything! We love you guys and can't wait to see you again!

Dinner in the Bus

2008-05-27T19:15:00.000-04:00

Today we spent the day back in Idaho Falls. It was nice to have a day of rest after all of our traveling. We celebrated Mommy and Daddy's birthdays today, since we weren't all together for our birthdays. We had dinner in the taco bus. It was delicious AND fun. What a great idea! A restaurant in a bus. Genius!

Last Day in Yellowstone

2008-05-26T18:59:00.000-04:00

This morning we got up and said goodbye to Mammoth Hot Springs. We headed up to the North Gate to see the famous entrance to the park and we also heard that we could see mountain goats up there. Sure enough, we saw them. AND babies to boot. Those little guys could hope around those mountains like nobody's business. So cute! That left only one more animal for us to see on our trip. Bears. And thanks to our good luck from Mr. Moose (the one we saw on the first day), we not only saw one bear, but we saw four. Uncle Scott got his wish. I couldn't get a great picture, because they were a little far away, but I promise that we saw them. First we saw an adult bear. Then, after some other tourists gave us some tips, we went a little further and saw a Momma bear with her two cubs. It was so adorable seeing them wrestle and play with each other. It was like watching the boys wrestle and play.
After our breakthrough bear find, we decided it was time to head home.
We had a wonderful time in Yellowstone together. The company was great fun, the scenery was glorious, and the animals were plentiful. What more could you ask for in a vacation? Thanks to Aunt Dawny for planning such a wonderful trip!!! Bella was absolutely awesome the entire time. I knew she was going to be an outdoorsy girl!

Yellowstone Day 3

2008-05-25T18:38:00.000-04:00

Today we had the best weather so far, so we got to do a lot less driving and a lot more exploring. The boys started off the day by building a fort behind our cabins. Then, we went to see Old Faithful erupt. Everyone got geared up because it was pretty cold. We were missing a pair of gloves, so Todd improvised with some socks. Old Faithful erupted as promised (I guess that's why they call is Old Faithful) and it was amazing! After that we went through the Norris Geyser Basin on our way to our next night's stop an Mammoth Hot Springs. It was incredible seeing how the landscape went from beautiful, lush mountains to a wasteland of sulphur, hot springs and geysers. The Prismatic Spring was my favorite. On our way to see that spring Bella fell asleep while riding on Todd's shoulders. That takes real talent to be able to sleep through riding on someone's shoulders while walking on a small wooden walkway just inches above steaming hot magma. That's my girl!
Mammoth Hot Springs was our favorite overnight spot. The area around our cabins was teeming with prairie dogs. The boys wasted no time in completely terrorizing the poor things. Those little varmits made for hours of entertainment for them while we had a chance to just sit on the porch and enjoy the view--and the cries of distress from the prairie dogs. That night while Aunt Dawny napped with Bella, we went on a great hike with Uncle Scott and the boys. We were so grateful to be able to have nice weather to be able to get out and stretch our legs. It was a beautiful day and everyone slept great after all of our adventures.

Yellowstone Day 2

2008-05-24T18:26:00.000-04:00

Today we traveled from Lake Yellowstone to Old Faithful where we stayed in some other cabins. It rained all day today, so we spent a lot of time in our trusty Suburban. You would think that eight people spending extended amounts of time together in a car would be a recipe for disaster, but everyone did really well. We had no big fights or major breakdowns during the entire trip. Everyone really got along and enjoyed each other.
This was our first day seeing Buffalo, and we saw a ton of them. We even witnessed a street migration. One of these pictures that Todd got was of a Buffalo that was right next to our car. We also got to see some baby buffalo. The "red dogs" were adorable. We also got to see some elk.
That night we stayed at Old Faithful and Bella hung out with her cousins while Mommy and Daddy had a nice dinner alone. It was really nice having a little time to ourselves. Thanks Aunt Dawny and Uncle Scott!

On our Way to Yellowstone

2008-05-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Today we set out for Yellowstone National Park. All 8 of us piled into the Suburban (I was skeptical, but we fit comfortably, even with all of our gear) and headed on our way. We drove through the Teton pass, and stopped in Jackson Hole, WY for lunch. That was an amazing drive! It was so incredibly beautiful. Jackson Hole is an adorable town. We will definitely have to plan a trip back there. Unfortunately, it started to rain, but that didn't stop us from snapping some great pictures. Here Bella began blazing her trail of blowouts throughout the wild west. She was going through about three outfits a day during our entire trip. Poor thing set herself up for several freezing cold wardrobe changes on the back seat of the Suburban.
After Jackson Hole, we drove through the Grand Teton National Forest and saw a moose. I think that moose gave us good luck because we saw just about every animal you can possibly see while we were in Yellowstone. We finally made it to our destination, Lake Yellowstone Lodge. We stayed in some cabins there, and went to dinner in the restaurant. That place looked like something out of the Great Gatsby. It was full of people from all different places and had a very 1920s style.
It was a fantastic day. It felt so good to finally get out and breath some fresh air. The majesty of the West is not like anything else, and it just made us all feel a little more free being out there.

Bella Meets Her Cousins

2008-05-22T17:51:00.000-04:00

We woke up this morning and started the trek from Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls where Aunt Dawny's lives. We made a stop at some hot springs, which was great. The water was a little hot for Bella, so we took turns holding her while she sat by the springs and modeled her bathing suit. When we got to Aunt Dawny's house, Bella was immediately excited and entertained by the buzz of activity. Watching her cousins run around the house must have been the most hilarious thing she has ever seen because she couldn't stop laughing. She was very excited to meet her Uncle and her cousins, and we were very excited to see everyone again.

Going to Visit Aunt Dawnie

2008-05-21T17:14:00.000-04:00

Today Bella embarked on her first cross country trip and first airplane ride. She was wonderful on the plane after she got her Starbucks fix. (not really, but she really enjoyed chewing on and drooling all over Mommy Starbucks cup) She actually slept for 2 1/2 hours of the 4 hour flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake City (draped accross Mommy and Daddy's laps)which allowed Mommy to watch the entire in flight movie. Good job Bella!
Once in Salt Lake, Aunt Dawnie met us at the airport and the four of us stayed the night in downtown Salt Lake City. It was Aunt Dawnie's first time meeting Bella, and Bella knew right away that Aunt Dawnie was one of her people. She hugged her right away.
That night we went out for Thai food with Aunt Dawnie's best friend, Cherish, and we had a great time. Bella had a small issue at dinner. She exploded poo all over herself, and, for the first time ever, Mommy was caught without a change of clothes for Bella. Doh! So Mommy wrapped her up in her nursing cover, and tried to play it off that she was in a traditional Thai dress while Daddy ran to the hotel to get another outfit. She looked like the "Dalai Bella". And, I swear this happened: We were laughing and Cherish said, "I bet you are like the Dalai Bella," and Bella winked at her. It was like something out of one of those baby animation commercials. I have a witness.
It was a great night, and it was wonderful to see Aunt Dawnie again.

Bella's Bonnet

2008-05-20T17:11:00.000-04:00

The bonnet is this picture is actually Mommy's from when she was a baby. Grama put it on Bella for fun. It's funny to see it on her because I used to have it on my baby doll growing up. She is much cuter than my baby doll though. It had those baby doll hair plugs and those scary eyes that open and close (remember those?).

Listening to the Rain

2008-05-18T18:13:00.000-04:00

Bella and Mommy sat on the porch with Daddy and listened to the rain. It was nice to be able to relax together after Daddy FINALLY got his paper finished. Yay!
I also have to report that Bella officially messed with me tonight--on purpose. I'm discovering fun new parts of her personality all the time now. I was rocking her to sleep tonight, and she was a little hyper from the fun family day we had together. She had a pacifier in her mouth while I was singing her a lullabye and rocking her. She kept taking the pacifier out of her mouth and sticking it in my mouth. Everytime she pushing the paci towards my mouth she just started cracking up. I finally broke down and started laughing too.

Fun with Carrots!

2008-05-18T17:30:00.000-04:00

We took these pics of Bella eating some carrots (carrot mush). She really gets into it, as you can see. She really wants to use the spoon herself. The problem is that she grabs onto the part of the spoon that the food is on. This causes two problems. 1: The food goes on her hands instead of her mouth and 2: There is food on her hands which immediately start flailing. Her favorite thing to do once the food is on her hands is to check and make sure her hair is still looking good--she does this by grabbing her little antenna on her head. Which leads us directly to bathtime. Mommy usually needs a nap after Bella eats.

Get Me Out of My Bumbo Chair Mr. Elephant!

2008-05-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we sit Bella in her bumbo chair to keep her in one spot while fixing dinner, etc. She was getting a little frustrated and took it out on her elephant's foot. That's better than crying! :)

Arts Festival

2008-05-18T16:43:00.000-04:00

We went to a local arts festival today. It was a gorgeous day, and we had a great time--thanks to Bella being so good. She got LOTS of attention, so she had a good time too.

Silpada Girl

2008-05-14T18:54:00.000-04:00

Bella loves Grama's Silpada jewelry. Grama is trying to get her to throw a Silpada party. Bella is definitely into the free jewelry idea. :)

Child Prodigy

2008-05-13T18:56:00.000-04:00

One of Bella's favorite toys is this little piano that she inherited from her cousin, Noah. She's really awesome at playing B-I-N-G-O, which is great background music while we're eating dinner. I'm going to start her on learning some Mozart next.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-05-12T19:12:00.000-04:00

I had a fun birthday this year. Thanks to Grama, me and Todd got to go out to a nice dinner. Then, we came home and had some cake and present time. Todd got me one of those Garmin running watches with a GPS and heart monitor. So, I guess I better get movin! :) Thanks to everyone that thought of me on my birthday! It was great hearing from you, and I had a wonderful day!

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T19:06:00.000-04:00

I had a very nice first Mother's Day. I'm so grateful to be the Mother of such a wonderful little girl. And I'm so happy that I get to share her with her Grama and G-ma. Happy Mother's Day to all of you lucky moms out there!

Bella's First Cell Phone

2008-05-11T19:01:00.000-04:00

When Bella gets really excited about something she throws her hands out, like she's going to give you a hug, and she tenses up her entire body until her face turns red and she starts trembling. It's pretty hilarious when it happens. She's got some intensity, this one. Well, that was the reaction that I got from her in Target when I first showed her this toy cell phone. I had no choice but to buy it immediately. Oh boy, I'm in trouble.

Hangin Out With Winnie the Pooh

2008-05-10T19:18:00.000-04:00

Bella's Aunt Robin gave her this great Winnie the Pooh set that Kaylee and Jimmy played with when they were little. She loves it! It sits right next to my desk, so she can play while I'm blogging (which I don't do often enough) or downloading pictures (which is mostly all I do on the computer--okay and maybe a little online shopping too).

Happy Mornings!

2008-05-08T19:29:00.000-04:00

We can't be grumpy in the morning anymore. As soon as Bella wakes up, it's all smiles in our house. I love how crazy her hair gets in the morning. Her and Daddy both have fantastic morning hair.

Pampered Baby

2008-05-08T19:24:00.000-04:00

What a life! Wouldn't it be great if you got to take a bubble bath every night, and then I friendly giant would wrap you up in a giant fluffy towel and carry you to your room. Being a baby rules. I don't know what Bella complains about sometimes. :)

Snuggle Bug

2008-05-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

Bella and I babysit for my friend when she goes to class on Wednesdays. After C goes to bed, me and Bella just get to hang out by ourselves. It's always nice and quiet there (no dogs or people awake) and she usually snuggles on my shoulder while I read a book. We like our quiet time. I set up the camera and took a picture of us because she was being so cute and snuggly.

Mini Barbecue

2008-05-04T20:42:00.000-04:00

We had some friends over for dinner today and decided to barbecue some burgers and buffalo hot dogs (yes, made from buffalo) that I got from the farmer's market. Well, we don't have a grill, so we barbecued on one of those stove-top grills. Actually, our friend Evan, who happens to be one of Bella's favorite people, did all of the grilling while Todd mowed the lawn so we could play bocce ball. It was a fun day that made me decide that we need to have people over more often(normally I get scared about entertaining). So, this summer maybe we'll actually have a big barbecue with a real grill. Bella also got to hang out with her friend Emma. They were so cute together! Emma was fascinated with Bella. What an adorable pair!

Organic Baby

2008-05-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

Today was the grand opening of the Farmer's Market in Ghent, so Bella got dressed up in her "organically grown" T-shirt and we went food shopping. That was our big activity of the day. The rest of our Saturday was spent vegging around the house. Everybody wants to spend time with Bella on the weekends because we miss her all day during the week.

Visiting Jeff and Kim

2008-04-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

We had a great time visiting Jeff and Kim this weekend. They're expecting their own little bundle VERY soon. We can't wait to meet him!

Happy Eight Month Birthday!

2008-04-25T20:55:00.000-04:00

For Bella's eight month birthday we loaded up the car and took a drive down to visit Jeff and Kim in Winston-Salem. She wasn't too excited about the long car ride, but she had fun once we got there.

Happy 7 Month Birthday!!

2008-03-25T21:44:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it!? Bella is 7 months old! She had a fun, happy day. Here she is with Daddy, playing with "Little Bunny Fu-Fu" that Aunt Dawny's family sent her for Easter. Gramma brought her the wooden toy from her cousin Noah's house. She loved it! She was so quiet all during dinner because she was concentrating so hard on moving the little wooden blocks. Sometimes she got so excite she just started shaking. She provides us with so much entertainment. We were cracking up watching her.

Easter with Crazy Crumbs

2008-03-23T21:17:00.000-04:00

We went over to Crazy Crumbs' house for a fantastic Easter feast. We all had a great time. Bella joined every conversation with her loud babbling at dinner. She's taking after Daddy. :) (maybe Mommy too with that one) CC and Bella were so cute together. CC was all over the place--she was crawling everywhere! Bella was very impressed with all of CC's new baby moves. She was so tired that she passed out on Daddy's shoulder when we were leaving. Thanks for such a great time and the great company Nutz and Crackers!

Happy Easter!!

2008-03-23T20:29:00.000-04:00

Bella had a great first Easter. She got an Easter basket from Mommy and Daddy--they had to help her eat the candy, and an adorable Easter bunny from G-ma. She also got to put on her favorite dress and go to church. It was a great morning, and we are so thankful for our wonderful little family. Big hugs to all of our family and friends that we can't be with today! We love you!

Dying Easter Eggs

2008-03-22T22:58:00.000-04:00

Bella had her first experience with dying Easter eggs tonight. As you can see, all she wanted to do was eat the eggs and knock over all of the egg dye. So rebellious already! :) She also had fun playing with her Easter bunny that her G-ma gave her. She did really well considering that we didn't get to egg dying until almost 8pm. But, her parents have never been known for doing things early--she's going to have to get used to that. Her favorite egg was the pink one--I think it's because her name was on it.

Bella Meets the Easter Bunny!

2008-03-21T22:50:00.000-04:00

Bella met the Easter Bunny today. She did great and wasn't scared about his giant head and hands at all! She's really excited about Easter. She can't stop talking about it.

Happy Five Month Birthday!!!

2008-01-25T15:34:00.000-05:00

Today Bella turned five months old! Here's a picture of her dancing (wiggling around) on the floor while G-ma and Mommy sing happy birthday. Then she sat at the table and pretended she was eating birthday cake with her favorite spoon. She's going to be going to college before we know it!

What a Face!

2008-01-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

This is Mommy's current screensaver at work. Doesn't that face just make you smile?

First Pair of Jeans

2008-01-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

Here's Bella sporting her first sassy pair of jeans. Gramma never puts them on her because she thinks that they're too tight. Mommy says that she's going to have to get used to suffering for fashion. :) Just wait until it's not cool to have elastic on your jeans, Bella. It gets worse.

Uh-Oh!

2008-01-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

Bella spilled her first drink today. It was Daddy's water at dinner. We're going to have to get a little quicker now. Notice the mischievious look on her face before and the feigned surprise after. Right before she laughs about it.
I'm sure there will be many more spills in her future, but this was the first.

Another Good Hair Day

2008-01-15T14:45:00.000-05:00

She Loves her Bathtime!

2008-01-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

Winston Churchill Chins

2008-01-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

Daddy always makes fun of Bella for her "Winston Churchill chins" (they're pretty visible in this picture). Mommy doesn't think that's very nice, but you know that Daddy really shows his love by making fun of people--and Bella doesn't get to be an exception.
We need more special occasions, so she can wear all of her cute dresses more often. (Or maybe mommy needs to stop buying so many dresses--c'mon that baby beret is too cute!)

Bella Loves Gramma!

2008-01-10T14:22:00.000-05:00

She was just squealing and laughing like crazy tonight. She's a little party animal right before bedtime. She'll go from being crazed like this to passing out within about 10 minutes. She just doesn't want the fun to end.

Happy Baby!

2008-01-09T13:30:00.000-05:00

She got some new jammies from our neighbor. Isn't she cute?!

She Loves Flutterby!

2008-01-07T13:23:00.000-05:00

Miss Amanda, in New York, made Bella a very special new best friend--Flutterby!
Amanda made him out of old PJs. Bella loves cuddling with him--and she especially loves chewing on his antennas. What an awesome gift! Thanks Amanda! Hopefully we can come visit you in New York soon.

Check out the Sassy Outfit!

2008-01-06T13:18:00.000-05:00

Miss Linda gave her this sassy little outfit. She loves it! She asks to wear it all the time.

Christmas at Aunt Robin's

2008-01-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Christmas with Bella's Aunt Robin, Uncle Ricky and cousins, Kaylee and Jimmy today. She was a little under the weather because she just had her four month shots yesterday, but she pushed through. This was Bella's first big road trip. (it was only 2 1/2 hours, but that's big for her). This was the first time she's seem them since she was in the hospital (only a few days old). Bella had a great time with her cousins. It was great to finally see them. Thanks for such a great day, and all of our wonderful presents!

Bella Loves Plates!

2008-01-02T12:41:00.000-05:00

Bella always wants to get out of her high chair so she can get to Mommy's plate. She loves chewing on plates for some reason. Someday she'll figure out that she really wants the stuff that's on the plates. :)

New Year's Day at the Dewey's

2008-01-01T12:23:00.000-05:00

We went over to the Dewey's for the Florida-Michigan game today. It was a lot of fun, and Bella was happy to see Regan again. Bella got a little fussy, so Daddy had to do the "upside-down flying squirrel" carry with her.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

We celbrated New Year's Eve at a Irish New Year's party. It was lots of fun and we got to celebrate New Year's at Irish time (7pm), so we could go home a put Bella to bed. We watched the ball drop on TV later.

All Dressed Up for Church.

2007-12-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

We had to dress her in her Christmas outfit for church today. She didn't manage to get out of her pajamas on Christmas, so we saved her Christmas dress for today. She felt very pretty--look at that smile!

All tuckered out.

2007-12-27T14:55:00.000-05:00

She completely passed out after the boys left. All that flirting exhausted her. :)

Merry Christmas Harrisons!

2007-12-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

The Harrisons came over to visit us when they were in town. It was great to see them. Bella was so happy to finally meet Cody and Caleb. They have grown so much! Aren't they adorable? Wow! We've come a long way since PSU, right Carly?

Bella's First Christmas!

2007-12-25T15:16:00.000-05:00

Bella had a wonderful first Christmas(and four month birthday)! We all woke up and said goodbye to Chris. He had been visiting for a few days. Bella had a great time with him--and so did we! Thanks for coming down to visit us!
Then, it was time to open presents. We opened our stockings first. Unfortunately, Santa left Capo a pile of coal in his stocking. I guess he'll have to try to get off of the naughty list next year. Bella got a lot of great presents! She didn't want to take off her new hat from G-ma. She thinks she's the house jester. She also loved playing on her new monkey blankie that the Blumes sent her. She was enchanted by the lights on the tree when we laid her under it. What a cutie!
After presents (which we managed to stretch out through most of the afternoon), it was time for a bath and then a story. She got to listen to her Aunt Dawnie reading Humphrey's First Christmas to her. That was very special. Aunt Dawnie, Uncle Scott, Trevor, Greyson, and Brodrick sent us a big box of wonderful things, but the most wonderful gift was a CD of their family signing songs and reading stories for Bella. She absolutely loves listening to it.
Then, Gramma came home, and it was time for more presents.
Bella had a wonderful Christmas! Thanks to everyone who thought of us today, and made it so special. Merry Christmas!!!

Family Christmas Party

2007-12-23T15:09:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Christmas with some of our extended family today. It was a really fun day, and it was really great to see everyone. Thanks to everyone who traveled such a long way to come and see us! We really missed our family that couldn't be there today. Hopefully we'll see all of you soon! Bella figured out that she's going to have to learn to talk a lot to fit into this family. :)

Fun With Josh and Noah

2007-12-23T15:05:00.000-05:00

Bella had a good time playing with her cousins today. She can't wait until she can run around too!
They made us an adorable gingerbread house. Bella's favorite part was the M&Ms. At least that's why Mommy says they all disappeared.

She's a Happy Girl!

2007-12-20T14:25:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Crazy Crumbs!

2007-12-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

Bella and Regan exchanged Christmas gifts today. Regan got her a baby's first Christmas bib and an ornament with Bella's name on it. Thank you Regan!
They had a really great time together. Bella REALLY laughed for the first time. She thought that Regan was hilarious--she's fun just like her mom and dad. Bella was laughing at her for about two minutes straight. She got Anne, Jacque and Mommy cracking up too. Her little laugh is contagious.

Christmas Card Picture

2007-12-16T14:18:00.000-05:00

We were successful in finally taking a picture with the Grandmas for our Christmas card picture. No guaranteees as to when you will all receive these mysterious Christmas cards, but I'll try to get them out before next Christmas. :)

Another Adorable Outfit

2007-12-14T02:23:00.000-05:00

Mommy has a problem. She absolutely has to buy any outfit that has ears on it. Who doesn't loves babies with bear ears?
Bella loves chewing on the front of her Baby Bjorn. As you can see, she's done a lot of work on it today. All that chewing and drooling looks like it really tired her out.

More New Stuff

2007-12-11T02:18:00.000-05:00

Check out the progress! She's actually starting to like tummy time now that she can hold her head up better. She's also really started playing with toys. She won't just drop them an forget about them. She'll pick them back up and, of course, get back to work on figuring out how to get whatever it is into her mouth.

A Visit From Bruce and Max

2007-12-10T02:13:00.000-05:00

Bella got to see her buddies Bruce and Max today. Cowboy Bruce played some sweet tunes on the guitar. Max was getting a little frisky with her. We'll have to keep an eye on him. :)

She was Psyched to See Santa Today!

2007-12-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

Bella Sees Santa Again!

2007-12-09T13:39:00.000-05:00

Bella ran into Santa twice this weekend! Once at the mall and once at Daddy's squadron Christmas party. Santa is making the rounds in Norfolk! Mommy thinks that she heard Bella ask Santa for a cell phone. Kids want those things younger and younger these days.
PS I'll fill in the older pics later. I just wanted to throw something out there for the baby picture monster. :)

Don't Go See Santa on Sunday

2007-12-09T13:07:00.000-05:00

Rookie mistake. We were in line for two hours. Bella got a little nap in, Mommy did a little shopping, poor Daddy was just stuck standing there forever. Next year we will be going on a weekday. We love Santa, but we don't need to make a full day of seeing him.

Bella Meets Santa for the First Time!

2007-12-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

Bella met Santa today for the first time at Todd's squadron. Santa flew in on a helicopter and he brought a huge elf with him that looked a lot like Uncle Pete.

First Day in the High Chair

2007-12-08T01:58:00.000-05:00

Today was Bella's first day in her high chair. Those high chair people are very safety conscious these days. As you can see, the high chair is fitted with a five point harness in case of an accidental launch into the atmosphere. How did we live through our childhoods? Really. All I remember (from the pictures) is a single lap belt when I was a baby. Anyway, she really enjoyed her very safe high chair. She like being up at the table, so she could see everyone. The bouncy seat on the floor just wasn't cuttin it anymore--this seemed to do the trick.

Going to Pick out a Christmas Tree

2007-12-02T15:08:00.000-05:00

We had a few that we were looking at, but Bella wouldn't budge on this one. So, we got it. Unfortunately, they had spray painted the Christmas tree dark green. So, the needles were falling off everywhere once we got home. Next year-no spray painted trees. Who does that anyway?

Big Stuff!

2007-12-01T15:05:00.000-05:00

She has just started really noticing her hands. Sometimes she'll just stare at her fist as it moves in slow motion toward her mouth. That's her big goal right now--figuring out how to get everything she sees into her mouth.

Look at that Face!

2007-12-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

Helping Mom Put Up Christmas Lights

2007-12-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

While Daddy and G-Ma were out shopping Bella helped Mommy put up the Christmas lights outside. By "helping", we mean that she sat quietly in her swing and didn't cry. It was a little chilly outside, so her cute little cheeks got all rosy.

She Like This Hat

2007-11-29T14:19:00.000-05:00

She Does NOT Like This One!

2007-11-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

She is very fashion conscious.

Sitting Practice

2007-11-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

She's been practicing a lot in her bumpo.

Bella Loves Her Cousins

2007-11-23T14:37:00.000-05:00

Bella had a great time playing with Josh and Noah.

Peace, Everybody. It's Thanksgiving.

2007-11-22T14:23:00.000-05:00

It took us days to teach her to make the "peace" sign. All that work really paid off. :)

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

We definitely have a lot to be Thankful for this year! Bella had a great first Thanksgiving. Her favorite thing was the pumpkin pie (just like mommy).

Napping in the Snowsuit

2007-11-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

We got her all suited up to take a walk, and once she was all warm and cozy, she fell fast asleep. No walk today.

The Fauxhawk

2007-11-15T15:45:00.000-05:00

Here you can see Bella sporting her new favorite hairdo that her daddy gives her: the fauxhawk. Here she is modeling her new hairstyle in the Bumbo chair, her bouncy seat, and in her boppy pillow. It's really catching on with other babies this season.

Baby Bjorn Moments

2007-11-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I just HAVE to take pictures whenever she gets all suited up in the Baby Bjorn. She just looks so cute!

G-Ma is Back!

2007-11-03T08:38:00.000-04:00

G-Ma is back, and look how happy Bella is to have both of her grandmothers here. What a lucky girl. She won't get spoiled at all. :)

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T09:21:00.000-04:00

Bella was a pea pod for Halloween. She was the cutest pea poddess ever (the cutest pea pods--of course--were Caleb and Cody)! Our neighborhood had a pot luck, so Bella and Grama and Mommy went out there and ate and gave out candy. Poor Daddy had to fly, so he rushed home to get some pictures with the pea pod before he flew. It was a good first halloween.

Baby's First Halloween

2007-10-31T08:23:00.000-04:00

Here is Bella in her baby's first Halloween outfit. She had to change a few times on Halloween, so she could wear all of her Halloween outfits.

Taking a Walk

2007-10-28T10:20:00.000-04:00

Bella wanted to go for a walk after we went to the pumpkin patch. Here we are with our new pumpkins, and our little pumpkin in the baby bjorn. We are so festive!

The Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-28T09:59:00.000-04:00

Today we went to the pumpkin patch with Vicki and the Deweys. Bella wouldn't wake up at first, so we had her snuggle up with her pumpkin in her stroller. Once she woke up we went for the photo ops. Regan and Bella were so cute! Regan was fascinated with Bella. We even went on a little hayride. Bella wasn't that into it. She started crying at the end (see the crying pics). Maybe she just isn't a country girl.

Happy Two Month Birthday!

2007-10-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

Bella went to the doctor today for her first round of shots (not the greatest two month birthday celebration). Poor thing! She was very good. As you can see, she was happy as a clam a few hours afterwards (see her little tweety band-aids). She's been growing! She weighed 12 lbs 8oz and was 24 1/2 inches long. She's grown 3 1/4 inches since she was born! She's gonna be a tall one-just like Mommy.

Check Out the Cute Outfit!

2007-10-23T10:28:00.000-04:00

This is the first time Bella ever wore a headband. It looks cute! This could become her thing.

The Upside Down Flying Squirrel

2007-10-22T10:09:00.000-04:00

The "upside down flying squirrel" is another secret weapon of Daddy's. Whenever Bella gets cranky, he puts her in this position and she loves it. All the blood that rushes to her head kind of makes Mommy nervous though, so she can stay in upside down flying squirrel position too long.

Good Times in the Baby Bjorn

2007-10-22T02:04:00.000-04:00

Bella is holding her head up well enough to face forward in the baby bjorn. She likes it a lot better this way. The best part of this picture is Foley peeing in the background. It's always a circus at our house!

Hi Cyndee!

2007-10-21T23:24:00.000-04:00

Cyndee came to visit this weekend from Annapolis, so she finally got to meet Bella. We went a got massages and went out to lunch while Daddy babysat. It was a good day. Cyndee's moving to Bahrain for a year. We'll miss you Cyndee! Thanks for coming to see us!