That's my name, don't wear it out!

So for over a month now we have been hearing Isla say her name… she will get stuck on one word a lot and say it over and over again. Usually, it’s “dada” and she’ll repeat it 5-10 times.

Since she’s been learning body parts, she’s been stuck on “eyes” lately. It’s so cute how she says “eyes” in the sweetest softest voice. It’s almost like she is whispering it. She will poke me right in the eye as she says it too.

This week at school, her teacher told me that she thinks she is saying her name too. I told her I’ve thought that for a while now. She said she will say it over and over again until she is yelling, “ISLA!”

I love her sweet little name and love to hear her say it even more. I’m looking forward to hearing her vocabulary continue to develop. She hasn’t said mama in a while since dada is way easier to say. I’m really looking forward to hearing her call me mama again.

Let it shine!

Lately, Isla’s been showing a lot of personality. She raises her little eyebrows a lot! She has been a very happy baby recently. I’m so glad she got over the crud she had been carrying around for weeks. I can tell she is like a new baby this week. 

She smiles often. I love how her eyes and nose scrunch up when she smiles and I love how she raises her eyebrows in curiosity. She is a very curious baby. She’s always investigating everything. She’ll pucker her mouth and “ohhh” and “ahhh” while she looks the object over. It’s so much fun to watch her explore and discover things now that she is mobile. 

Oh and how mobile she is now! She is all over the place. There is no containing this one. She loves to roam around the room and she really loves to go places where she knows she shouldn’t.  It’s so funny, we’ll tell her, “No ma’am, don’t go over there.” She’ll turn around and look back at us and smile a mischief grin. She’ll act like she’s disinterested in going to the no-no place and the second we turn around she is grunting and pushing her arms and legs forward so quickly trying to get to the no-no place before we can. Then, if we just let her go, she’ll quickly get bored and head back to her play area. She knows what “no ma’am” means and she tries to push the limits all ready! 

I think we are going to be in for it as this little firecracker grows! I hope her patience grows with her. :)

Pucker up!

I literally can’t get enough of Isla’s sweet cheeks and rolls. Since she came into this world, she has been receiving non-stop smooches from me. Lately, I have been working with her to teach her what a kiss is and get her to show love. Last month, she started to lay her head over on my shoulder or chest and squeeze me with her tiny arms. Oh how I savor these baby hugs. 

Yesterday, while waiting in the doctor’s office, Isla leaned over, grabbed my face and moved in for a big wet kiss. She then proceeded to give me several more smooches with her little lips puckered so sweetly. Joel thought it was the cutest thing ever. I asked Isla, “Can you give Dada a kiss too?” and sure enough, she leaned over and gave Dada a big loving baby kiss.

At daycare, her teacher told us how loving she has been towards the other babies. She kisses her friend Samantha on the forehead and pats the other babies’ backs.  

I love how quickly she catches on to things and just how loving she is. She is too sweet for words! I’m looking forward to sharing many more kisses and loving moments with my sweet baby girl…

Stand by me...

Not only is our little peanut crawling all over the place, she is also standing! Her favorite game has been “pulling up” for quite some time now. Even before she took off crawling, she would want to pull up with the help of mommy…sit back down… pull up again, sit, pull up, sit, pull up… you get the picture. She could play this game for thirty minutes or longer, never getting tired of it. 

Now, the first thing she does when we put her in the crib in the mornings or evenings is grab a hold of the rails and pull up. She no longer needs mommy to stand by her side or give her a helping hand. If there is a stool, a cabinet, a table, a chair, a dog, a stair or a knee she’ll find a way to pull herself up!

She is so strong. It’s so funny to watch her stand. She is either standing on her tip-toes or rocking back on her heels, but never standing flat footed. She is growing and developing so fast. I know it’s just a matter of time before her standing turns into tiny steps and then those wobbly  steps  turn into a steady fast run . Until then, I’ll be soaking up every minute of her tiny journeys and enjoying all the wonderful things motherhood has opened my eyes to!

Scripture for Isla: Hebrews 11:1

Bible verse to teach your children: Hebrews 11:1

Adventures of 8 Months...

Eight months is definitely one of my favorites so far. Isla has been so much fun! She has such a funny personality. She loves to laugh and smile. She is getting into everything now! She loves to be on the go and is always busy. She doesn't want to miss a thing... and yes, that means she's still not a good sleeper. We've come a long ways though! She is sleeping better than she was.

At eight months, she has become a better eater. She is starting to really like her solids and is super interested in eating and watching us eat. She has mastered crawling and is quick! She used to just crawl a foot or two and then stop for a rest, but now she crawls all over the place without a rest and she does it quickly! She loves for me to crawl with her and chase her around... it's so cute. She will turn her head and look back for me and then try to take off as fast as she can. She also likes to try to stand up while crawling. She pushes her legs and arms straight and tries to pull up. She will pull up on anything now, and she also likes to play while kneeling. She is so loving. She loves to lay her little head down on my chest and snuggle into me. I love it too.

Every month continues to be better and better. I can't wait to see what else she accomplishes this month.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! What a sweet day this is! I feel blessed to have so many loved ones in my life. Today, I am reminded of the love I have for my husband, my daughter, my family, my friends and most importantly the love I have for the Lord.

To my husband: I love you, I love you, I love you. I realize today, that I don't say those three little words to you enough. I'm so blessed to have you in my life and I always look forward to today and the traditions we have started over the past 4 years.

You make every day fun and exciting. You are a wonderful husband and father. I love watching you in your new roll as a daddy and I can see Isla's love grow for you every single day. I know she is going to be a daddy's girl... I can already see it.

I love how helpful you are, how you turn a heavy situation into a light one, how you can always make me laugh and put my mind at ease. I love the life that we are building together, how we approach everything together as a team and how supportive you are. I love that you put God first and the initiative you take. I love how real you are. I know I can always count on you. Thank you for opening my eyes to so many wonderful things in the world and sharing so many blessings with me. I am proud to be your wife. I love you.

To my daughter: Happy 1st Valentine's day love bug. You have shown me a love that I never knew before. A love so great and enduring. Just one single thought of you, instantly brings a smile to my face and a happy tear to my eye. You have given me so much true joy. I love you so much sweet pea and can't wait to share many more special days with you.

To my family and friends: No matter how busy we may get or how far away we may live, my love continues to grow and the roots run deep. I would do anything for my family and loved ones. I consider myself  blessed to be part of such a wonderful family and have so many loving and caring friends. I love all of you!

To my savior: Thank you for loving me. Thank you for continuing to forgive me, prune me and make me better. Please use me to serve others through you. May I always show others the same unconditional love that you show me every day. Even though I continue to fall short, your grace is always there. I pray that as I persist in my walk of faith, that my heart continues to grow and I be filled with your spirit so that others see my light for you. Please help me to show love not only on this day, but every day with every passing year. I love you.