First Steps

Dear Isabella,

You took your first steps yesterday! You have been practicing by walking along the furniture and standing up by yourself but yesterday you took three steps by yourself on purpose.

You were holding onto the couch and then you let go, and stood still for a second..then took one step, and then a second and you started to wobble!..and caught your balance and stood still for a second..and then you took a third step! Wow!

You haven't repeated your performance yet but I'm sure it'll be no time till you're walking around like it's the easiest thing in the world.

Daddy was a little sad he missed it because he was supposed to be off from work and he had to work late. But since I think you're pretty sure to do it again soon, I don't think he has anything to worry about missing out. ;)

Congratulations sweetheart! Good job!

Love,
Mommy

Favorites (for now!)

Dear Isabella,

Some current favorites of yours:

Giving a toy (or your pacifier) to someone and then taking it back - again and again!

Throwing EVERY toy out of your toy box.

Clapping! You even clapped when you were crying because you didn't want to take a nap.

Papaya.

Putting things inside other things - putting little cups inside big cups, your tub toys inside your rinsing cup, your kitchen toys inside your kitchen oven - and taking them out again (and again and again).

Looking at books upside down.

Getting tiny samples of mommy and daddy's food - you feel like such a big girl!

That's all for now. I love you!

Love,
Mommy

PS - Don't tell Grandpa Nick, but we let you try ice cream. Definitely not your favorite right now - you don't like the cold!

More "Firsts"

Dear Isabella,

Oh dear it's been a month already! You went to the beach and swam in the ocean for the first time and loved it. You kept finding pebbles and trying to eat them. You kept Daddy and I busy that day! You are eating more foods - you had a couple of bites of Daddy's asparagus and loved it and also a bite of cake and loved it (almost TOO much, you kept demanding more!) which is good news for your birthday coming up.

You're almost walking. You walk along the furniture like you've been doing it forever and let go to stand on your own sometimes too. I swear you've taken one step between pieces of furniture a bunch of times but I haven't been able to capture it.

You don't use a chair or baby tub for your bath anymore, just a nonslip mat. You're talking more every day. Sometimes we talk to Hilo Grandpa, Lola and Auntie Cayla on FaceTime and they're so happy to see you! And almost every Monday you get to see your Abuela on Skype. She loves talking to you also.

Tonight we brushed your teeth for the first time with an actual toothbrush since now you have SIX teeth! Wow!

I wish I could stop time, little Bean, and have you this cute and cuddly for always! I love watching you explore and learn and discover. And even when you're playing on your own, the way you turn back to look at us every few minutes like, "Did you see that, Mommy?!" is so fun. Your happy smile and bright eyes when you hear music or clap your toys together, your little voice when you call out to Orange, your contented sigh when you put your head down on my shoulder - I wish I could bottle up those moments to live over and over again!

Here are some recent pictures of you my sweetheart. You're growing so fast!

Love,
Mommy