Happy First Birthday, Isabel!

Today was such a beautiful day and it was exactly as I remember last September 26 to be. It feels like it was just yesterday when I woke to my water breaking. It was such a wonderfully exciting moment knowing that today I would meet my daughter... and such a relief that my mother had arrived with perfect timing.

Isabel has been such a beautiful addition to our family. It took a bit for Mason to accept that he was not the one and only, but he has made that journey. He may act like he doesn't, but he loves it when Isabel comes to wrestle him. He is even known to say "Get him, Isabel". "Him" being Mason. Mason and Isabel are starting to become a pair. They are wrestling and playing together. Isabel is even starting to tease her brother by stealing his blanket.

Isabel is walking. Though, if she wants to get somewhere fast she will drop to her knees and crawl. She is quite fast too. We call her our little bull dog because she crawls with her hands turned in and her mouth smushed together, which causes her cheeks to puff out. I can't get enough of her.

Isabel finally has two teeth. It took long enough, but her teeth are finally coming in. I do not think it makes much of a difference as she has always been able to eat whatever she wanted. She is quite the eater. She always wants to eat whatever it is that you are eating. She could care less of her baby food. If you are eating a sandwich, you can expect Isabel will want to share your sandwich and if her brother is eating waffles, you can expect that she will steal or attempt to steal his waffles.. depending on how hungry Mason is. She will, literally, eat anything.

Isabel is saying "ma ma ma ma" and "da da da da". I love hearing her voice. Her laugh gets me everytime. She also has this little scream that she makes when she is playing with you. If you hear her little scream, you know she is having a good time. Her laugh is so sweet and is even better when combined with her brothers. My favorite moments are when Isabel and Mason are playing together and laughing, which usually entails Isabel chasing Mason.

Isabel is a pretty good sleeper. She does tend to get up around 1:00 am, though if you give her a pacifier, she usually goes back down and sleeps until 5:00 am. I still believe that Isabel and Mason tag team because he gets up around 2:00 am and then 6:00 am. We are all still working through sleeping issues but they really are much better than they used to be.

We will be celebrating Isabel's birthday in Hampton, VA this weekend. We will be going to Busch Gardens with Nana, Bumpa and Gammy. We are assured that Gammy will be making a beautiful, butterfly cake.

We love you, Isabel. Happy birthday!


.