Isabella turned 2 last week!

Her "official" stats from her 2 year doctor's appointment (she's such a little nugget compared to her big brother!!)

Her height is 33 1/2" (41%)
Her weight is 23 lbs, 14.4 oz (15%)
 -- note -- she did expel a lot of food the morning of her doctor's appointment.... getting something bad out of her system.  She's probably really at 24 lbs, but we'll log in the one the doc took.
Her head circumference is 19" (72%)

and.... on to the fun stuff:

She is feisty and fun.

She has the sweetest little voice when she says "Hi mommy."  (The hi is upturned and upbeat  the mommy is low and serious.  Don't know why she says it like that, but it makes me smile every time.)

She is bossy. "Come.  Sit."  (she wants you to sit on the floor so she can back up and sit in your lap)

She is loving. She will randomly come and plant a kiss your cheek or head.  Often, she will reach up with her little outstretched arms for a hug too.  

She wants to be helpful (Mercer used to as well) and she is independent - wanting to do stuff on her own.  "I help.  I do it"

She gets excited when she sees you after a period of time where she has not.  Todd walks in the door, "Daddy!" running and hugging him.

She is active and we are tired, but we are so grateful to have her in out lives!



Rose Marie came into town last week to hang out with us and the kids and to help ring in Isabella's 2nd year.

We took muffins and fruit to daycare on her birthday.  Isabella got to try blowing out candles.  She gets the idea of blowing, however, it was hard to direct (and project) it all the way to the candle.  When the candle(s) did eventually go out - either with my help or occasionally on her own.... Isabella would immediately say "more."  Relight the candles.  Blow them out.  "more."  Relight.  Blow them out.  "more."

That night, we celebrated at home with some fancy cupcakes.     This series captures the essence of her trying to blow out the candles... can you see the reason why she wasn't blowing them out too hard??  She was trying to do it through a smile!  :)

Mercer wanted to get Isabella a dog.  She loved it - but doesn't have the hang of walking it yet.  She was mostly dragging it.  We got her a doll that she can feed and it goes potty.  Isabella likes the doll.  Mercer likes changing it's diaper.  Rose Marie got her a bouncy horse.  We'll find a picture to add for that one.  It's cute!

The celebration continued into the weekend.   We made appetizers and dinner and had some friends over.  The theme:  hungry caterpillar (and butterflies).  Isabella went through her candle-blowing "more" thing, but really enjoyed diving into the cupcake!   (There are a couple of pics that are pretty funny aside from all of the icing on the hands and face shots - like the little girl Lorili who is super excited when Isabella is trying to blow out the candle and the one with Mercer's friend, Owen, cheering Isabella on with the barking dog birthday song card that Uncle Jim & Aunt Becki sent down! Glad it made it into the photo reel~)

Two.  What a whirlwind it's been.  How wonderful to have spent the last two years chasing this fantastic little girl around!  The last series of photos is Isabella holding the doll that Mercer gave her when he first met her.  Exploring the face:  eyes.  mouth.  (love!)


Technically, she is no longer a baby - she informed me a couple of weeks ago "I not baby."   ~oh - a dagger through the heart~

:)