4 Months Old

Miss Isabel is 4 months old as of last Friday.  Her doctor's appointment is next week, so stand by for an update on that. 

Our latest adventure is a jumperoo.  I told Bryan she was getting bored just laying on the floor, and convinced him we needed this.  It's so fun and so cute!  It makes lovely little noises when she bounces and has all sorts of toys.  Of course, as you can see in the picture, her favorite thing about it is the seat cover fabric!  But she really does love being able to look around and see what's going on.

Also, (some) bows are finally staying in this girl's hair, so we love accessorizing. A lady at the Farmer's Market told me to put a dot of Karo syrup in her hair to make the bows stick...but I'm avoiding that as it seems likely to invite bugs (and suspicion from others that I'm gluing things to my child's head).

The first time I put her in the jumperoo, she looked a little offended...

In case you're a new parent like me, here's a tip: when they say the child's feet need to touch the floor, they aren't kidding.  I thought Iz would be fine, but noticed her legs turning purple a few minutes later. This ottoman lid turned out to be the perfect height, though! Live and learn...luckily no permanent damage!

And then she found the seat cover...

Her second time in and already a pro.  Doesn't

she just look like she's up to no good?

A new favorite spot.  She loves to

drool and chew on Daddy's head.

Swmsuit Time!

Grammy and Grandpa invited us over to enjoy a Slip n Slide.  We couldn't resist the chance to squeeze the Iz into a swimming suit.  And she thorougly enjoyed watching Caden flop all over the place.  The pictures say it all...I was happy we caught quite a few of her funny little faces.

(I admit, I overdid it on the cover up at first.  But really, as a pasty fair-skinned person myself, I am all too familiar with what can happen.  Since she's not supposed to wear sunscreen yet, I couldn't bare to burn my Munch.  But I loosened up in the shade.)

Stop It!

Isabel and I have had numerous discussions about how unnecessary it is to grow up.  Walking and talking are for losers--just coo and snuggle with your momma.  Not to mention going to the movies or learning to drive a car some day.  Lame.  However, Izzie is apparently asserting her independence in her refusal to listen to me.  Regardless of all of my lectures, she is still insisting on developing.  Pshhh. 

Munchie nows sits in her high chair, holds her own bottle (for short periods of time), takes her binkie in and out of her mouth, and plays with toys.  And she also does her own version of sit-ups.  If she's laying down and wants to sit up she will lift her head and shoulders up off the ground and grunt--she's trying so hard!  But my new favorite thing is the laughing!  I wish I could post the video I took of her a few days ago.  She was sitting in her high chair and I was making silly noises at her, and she was all-out, deep in the belly giggling.  There is nothing cuter or sweeter than a baby laugh.

Here's a few recent pics...

This is her new go-to spot when I'm

cleaning or doing dishes.  It's pretty exciting.

But sometimes it's exhausting watching

someone else work...

 Look at her go!

This is a boy's onesie (from the movie Monsters, Inc).  Caden bought it for her before she was even born.  He was barely 2 years old, but saw this at Target and wanted to buy it for baby so bad.  Emily tried to explain it was a boy onesie, but it didn't matter to him.  It finally fits her, and I figured if we pair it with a jean skirt people are less likely to make the gender mistake.  More importantly, Caden was really excited she wore it.

This chickie wears real shoes now.  Size 1.

That's right.  She has a size.  No newborn booties here.

No need for a monitor.  This is Izzie's door, and this is

what Maya does when she makes even a little peep.

Camping? Surely You Jest...

 No.  No jesting here.  We camped.  With a 3 month old.  Bryan had been asking me for several weeks to go camping on Memorial Day weekend, but I kept putting him off since the end of the school year is so busy.  But finally I agreed.  (I would not have agreed if we had not been able to borrow a pop-up, so we at least had some pretend "walls" around us.)  And not only did we take the baby, but we took the two bigger babies dogs as well.  Why, you ask?  Because we apparently are gluttons for punishment.  In five years of marriage and dog ownership, we have never taken them camping.  So clearly it makes sense to try it for the first time with a new baby.  If nothing else, the dogs made us realize how easy the baby was (and they were only allowed to stay one night before being sent to Grammy's house). 

Isabel did awesome.  Chill baby.  Relaxed, slept, relaxed.  Still did the 10 hours at night (which I was wondering about given the early sun and noise of other campers).  We had a great time with visits from lots of fun people and s'mores, so looks like we'll be doing this again.

Izzie napped for an hour while I was getting us packed up at home,

and for an hour when we got to the campsite and unpacked.  Lovely girl.

 

Jordan and Meg came to visit Friday night.

Auntie and Grammy had to drive out when I realized we brought

everything except the kitchen sink...oh, and our bag of clothes. 

Not a big deal except for the fact that we had nothing but a dress

for Izzie and it got chilly at night.  So they rescued us.

Downright cozy.

These two chilled while I made breakfast.

And then I fell through the chair.  Bryan refused to help until he got a camera. 

And I can't even make a good excuse for the crocs and tall socks (I could try to

explain that I was wearing pants, and then it got hot and I couldn't find flip

flops...).  But really, there is no reason a person should look that terrible,

even while camping.  I deserved to fall through the chair.

 

That's the nice part of being 3 months old.  If it's hot, go without clothes!

Such a face!

Her favorite pasttime was staring out the windows at the trees.  She LOVES to watch trees.

A room with a view.  But who needs it when you have Jerry?

 

R.I.P Frasier

If you didn't have the pleasure of knowing the little black poodle these pajamas are in honor of, then the rest of us feel sorry for you.  It's been a long time, but we still miss our Mr. Fluff. 

(Side note:  Isn't she scrumptious?  I could just take her home with me.  Oh, wait...)

She "Sits"

Okay.  She sort of sits.  Isabel has been holding her head up really well for awhile now.  She will sit leaning against something (Mommy, Daddy, the couch, her Boppy), so we thought it was time to try the Bumbo.  She looked slightly shocked that she could see us both at the same time while sitting up.  It was a whole new world for her!  We squeezed her little thighs into that thing, and she sat there for quite awhile before she got tired of holding up her giant melon.  Iz was quite pleased with herself.  (And I have finally given up on trying to stop any and all development, so I guess I will embrace this new phase.  Whatever.)

We LOVE Jerry

Jerry is the pet name we have for Izzie's blankie. It's a giraffe. Jerry the giraffe. (Actually, a giraffe head attached to a small, silky blanket.  I thought it was a little creepy at first.)  Not the most creative of names, I realize. But sometime in the haze and craze of the weeks following Izzie's birth, I jokingly called him Jerry. And it stuck.

We do not leave the house without saying, "Where's Jerry? Do you have Jerry?".  Or we ask Isabel, "Do you want to snuggle with Jerry?" and giggle at how ridiculous it sounds.  Because, really (and please, no offense to the Jerrys of the world), could there be a less kid friendly, cuddly name?

But...oh my...how this girl loves her Jerry.  My dad said to me, "That pink thing she has is like a drug."  And it is.  It barely touches her face and her eyes are closed and she is snuggled in.  Jerry was one of the first things she would grab and hold onto when she was little bittie.  We love you, Jerry.

Jerry is good for squeezing

Jerry is a good side while you chew on your fist

Jerry is also a delicious main dish

(She is cramming the silky in as far as it will go)

Jerry is a good carseat companion

And when you need to just get away from it all,

Jerry will hide you from the world

(When I laid her down for her nap, Jerry was cuddled next to her. 

I found her like this, and was a little concerned about the breathing

situation, so I moved Jerry. In the middle of her dozing, she pulled

him back over her face.  Point taken.)