Breaking the Pacifier

We succeeded in getting Bella to have one nap today without her trusty pacifier. It was MUCH tougher than I ever imagined. We ventured to Build-a-Bear thinking she could make a new night-night friend...Nope. She could care less about making a bear. We are trying to find a new security object that will substitute the pacifier, but no luck yet.

In the meantime, the battle lines are clearly drawn....

A Day at the Beach!

Today we headed to Galveston to enjoy lunch with our friends at the Rainforest Cafe and then headed to the beach to play in the sand. Bella LOVED the Rainforest....absolutely loved it. Every 10 minutes the animals 'come alive' moving and making noise. We sat right near the monkeys and Bella loved watching them swing and make noise. After the animals were on a break, she'd keep saying oo-oo-ah-ah (what the monkey says) until they'd start up again. Surprisingly, this was the FIRST time I've ever struggled getting her to eat lunch.

After lunch, we headed down the seawall to play in the sand and waves. My child loves water, so I have no idea why I thought she'd actually just wade in a little. Who cares the water was freezing??? Definitely not Bella. (Yes, she's soaked!)

Aiden, Lauren & Bella

Mommy's shoes are FUN!

Where can Bella be??? If I'm ever looking for her, I always check my closet first. She has recently become obsessed with wearing my shoes. Seriously. Obsessed.

(How can I even get mad with this sweet face?)

She actually does pretty good, and I'm VERY thankful she hasn't attempted the heels...yet!

Ash Wednesday

We met Brian at church for our ashes, and Bella screamed "Da-Da-Da-Da!" when he came in the door. She squeezed his neck so tight as if she hadn't seen him in a week. It was very sweet, and thankfully it was before the service had started.

Here's Bella with ashes for the first time:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our friends (Shelly & Brayden) hosted a Valentine's Day party and we had a great time! Bella gave her friends homemade cards that she colored with lots of love. :) Her friends also gave her some of the cutest Valentine cards, and she especially enjoyed the ones that had bubbles or candy attached.

Here are a few pictures of her playing at the party....

She loved sitting in this little reading chair.

Yes, she is on the phone while vaccuming. What can I say? She is a multitasker.

(Kristin- I think she looks like you in this picture!)

Hope you have a special Valentine's Day!

The bike goes "Vroom, Vroom"

Bella received a new 3-wheel Dora bike from Oma & Opa for Christmas. It's still pretty big for her and she still can't quite reach the pedals. It's been safely stored in the garage until this weekend when Bella saw it while we were pulling out the wagon. It has about 8-10 different noise makers and songs, which Bella loves pushing over & over & over.


The weather this week has been rainy and gloomy, so we've been staying inside except for a few small errands. She saw the bike again yesterday in the garage as we returned from grocery shopping and kept saying "bi". I knew she meant bike. I thought she'd forget once we were inside, but nope. She continued banging on the door to the garage and yelling "bi, bi, bi".

She LOVES this bike. She gets on and can barely reach the floor with her tippy toes, but it's enough that she can push backwards. I asked her what her bike says (we usually do this with all the animals). She said..."Vroom, Vroom, POW!". Wait-huh? Where does POW come in??? I laughed so hard, and all I could guess was her little bike has a backfire.

(NOTE to Oma & Opa- Bella's bike needs a new muffler!)

Who wants icecream?

I've been working with Bella to raise her hand when I ask her "Who wants____?". It's usually cheerios, going to the park, a cookie, etc. and she never does it without me gesturing it first. Tonight after dinner, Brian jokingly asked "Who wants icecream?"...and guess who raised her hand??? Yep, Bella.

Super Bowl partying "Bella style"

I know, I know...I have been slacking. Super Bowl was almost a week ago, but I just realized I hadn't posted any pictures. Uncle Rick sent Bella a cheerleader outfit from Disney, which was perfect to wear for the big game.

Here's how to enjoy the big Sunday game- Bella style!

First, you must pose for shots before the game...

Second, practice your dance moves to be ready for touchdowns.

Then, find the most comfortable chair in the house. (Usually the pink one!)



Stock your chair up with snacks and drinks.

AND, of course, don't forget to watch the game!!!

On the mend...

I am VERY happy to report that we finally got a full night of sleep last night! Bella woke up happy and feeling good. No crusty stuff glued to her face and she was really playful and back to her silly self. She should be napping right now, but I hear her playing and singing instead. (This is a good sign!)

After her morning nap and some lunch, we're going to the park to enjoy some of the sunny weather! We've been stuck in the house most of the week, so it'll be nice to get out.

Sicky Baby Girl

Bella is still fighting a little cold she got about 2 weeks ago. It seemed to have gone away last week, but it returned this past Saturday in full force. I was planning to let her just fight it on her own, but decided to take her to the pediatrician today when her cough got worse. Poor baby was so restless last night because she kept coughing, which really sounded more like a bark.

Anyway, we got in to see Dr. H and she said everything looks okay. Bella has a little rattle in her chest, but nothing to worry about. She prescribed some Rynatan, which is a decongestant to help with the draining and coughing. I was a little sad to fill her prescription because it's the FIRST one she's ever had. Bella is typically a very healthy girl, but she can't seem to shake this cold.

Well, time to bed...who knows how much I'll be up again tonight!

Fun at the Park

The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend, so we decided to head to Challenger Park in Friendswood. Bella had a great time, as usual, sliding and climbing on the playsets. We ran into our friends, who's little son is about Bella's age, at the swing sets. She usually is a little skiddish on the swings, but she was fearless when she saw Oliver soaring!

She likes to walk down the slide, so one of us has to be up there to make her sit. If she's not going down head first, she tries to walk down the slide.