Sledding

So over Christmas vacation we got to celebrate with both the Stapleton's and the Krabbenhoft's. What a wonderful time we had. I really felt like I was in the moment with Isla so much of the time and it was AWESOME! I just don't get that time with her while I'm working. It was also awesome to see the grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins interact with her. This is a video of her cousin Liam giving her a sled ride! She loved the sled! We are going to have to get one here in Maine since we have lots of snow now!

7 months!

Look at what a 7 month old can do! Of course this is the smartest most talented 7 month old in the universe! In all seriousness I do think she is very smart! Well, look at who her father is!

OK seriously just watch the video. She has learned how to push the button at the top to make the balls inside spin!

xmas

More soon on our long, lovely Christmas trip...but just wanted to post one of the cute pictures of Isla and her cousin Sean.

Decorating the tree!

We had fun decorating the tree today while Isla watched from her Bumbo chair! It is so special this Christmas to have our baby girl as a new addition to the family! Gives a whole new meaning to the love that is part of Christmas!

We also got the curtain up in the nursery so Isla is sleeping in her big girl crib for the first time tonight! So far so good...its been 20 minutes and no crying yet! Our goal is to really have her sleeping in it all of the time after Christmas. Dr. Bennett said during her 6 month appointment that there will be no psychologic damage to letting her cry it out. It's so hard though! Dr. Bennett also told me a scary story about a 5 year old who is still sleeping in mom and dad's bed because they never let her learn to sleep independently. We'll start baby sleep boot camp after xmas!

Family Thanksgiving

It was so good to be with family this Thanksgiving weekend! Karla and PJ have recently moved to Worchester, MA so we they were able to meet up at Laura's this weekend for a belated Thanksgiving celebration! Of course Isla was such a good girl. We really are blessed and I am SO thankful for my wonderful, healthy baby!

1st Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! We took Isla to a Thanksgiving party at my friend Traci's. She didn't have any turkey but still enjoyed the party! Gobble, gobble goes the turkey!
Isla's friend Jacob is the picture below. They had fun looking at each other and Jacob tried to hold Isla's hand. She didn't like that too much!

Big cheeks!

Look at the cheeks! What a cutie!
These pictures were taken at my sister's house over the weekend. We went to help Laura pack but instead just played with Isla. I had such a WONDERFUL weekend off with my baby! I get this weekend off too! So lucky!
Well the latest drama is that Isla does not want to sleep. She wants to play and squeal and blow raspberry kisses. Last night it took two hours for her to finally get into a deep sleep. I think it is time for her to move out of our room. However, this is difficult as the nursery room is open to the living room below. So our only option might be to let Isla have the big room and for us to sleep in the smaller, nursery room!

Isla rolling!

5 months 2 weeks

Little miss rock and roll! It is incredible how fast she is getting SO BIG! I'm not sure but she is probably more than 17 pounds now. My mom got her this outfit with the pants and skirt over top!

Last week she wasn't feeling so good. We had our first "sick baby" doctor's visit. She didn't have swine flu thank goodness! But she did have a red throat and a "virus." So she's been a little fussy but not too bad. It could be much worse!

Her dexterity is getting better. Yesterday I ripped up little pieces of bread to see if she would pick them up. She tried but doesn't have the "pincer" motion down quite yet. Mark said that she rolled both front to back and back to front on her own! YEAH! But mommy has yet to see it!

Halloween lobster!

Last night was Halloween and you know things have changed when you go to a noon baby Halloween party! It was lots of fun with five babies- two pumpkins, one ladybug, a Paul Bunyan and a lobster! Isla was the lobster as a nod to her Maine roots!

Later that evening we went "trick or treating" at Dr. Radke and Rustein's houses. Dr. Radke had his sponge bob squarepants shirt on of course and was serving wine in plastic cups for the adults! Dr. Rutstein just moved into her new house and gave us a bunch of books including "Pat the Bunny" which was one of my favorites from my childhood.