19.5 months

Dear Izzy,

Your do more imaginative play nowadays. Mommy thinks you have an imaginary friend! And we noticed that you really love to "help" out around the kitchen when Daddy is cooking or preparing something. I think you might have his culinary gene!

Your vocabulary is also exploding at an accelerating rate...you probably can say about 20-30 words but understand about 200 and Mommy and Daddy really have to be careful when speaking in front of you. You are stringing 2-3 words together but have full on conversations with your babbling.

You run everywhere and never seem to need to stop. Where do you get all this energy from? You are such a crazy little girl, but I LOVE it!

Love, Mom

Helping Daddy roll out mini croissants for breakfast

Daddy's little sous chef

First Day of Preschool!

Dear Izzy,

It's your first day of school today! Mommy's excited. I think you will like school just because you are such an outgoing little girl and you love hanging out with people your own size.

You did well on your first day...you think it's just like a playdate with so many little friends and a great playground to play in. Daddy packed you a delicious lunch and you sat nicely with all your friends during lunch time.

This is going to be great! You'll go to school 2 half days a week and that gives Mommy about 6 extra hours of free time a week to work on her 3 jobs in addition of taking care of you full time! Oh wow, that's a mouthfull...I think I need 26 hour days!

Love, Mom

First day of school!

Lunch packed by Daddy

Lunch time!

Godma and Uncle Justin's visit

Dear Izzy,

You had an awesome time when Godma and Uncle Justin came for a visit. We went to sooo many places with them...shopping, dinners, to the beach, Godma joined us at your dance class etc. It was a week of activities!

It was great having Godma and Uncle Justin visit. The next time you see them will be in January!

Love, Mom

Dinner at Lawry's prime rib house. As usual, you were being all cute and the waitress gave you free food and ice cream!

At the beach! Our last beach day of the summer...

Happy 19 months birthday!

Dear Izzy,

You are getting better and better at stringing words together and you've been using the word "please" quite often much to Mommy's delight! What a polite little girl. You are happy and fun loving that I can't imagine a much "funner" age. I hate to see this one pass us by, but I know it is only a matter of time before this month has come and gone. The days of limited vocabulary are far and few between and your reasoning is growing by the minute.

You will run to Mommy when you get hurt and say "owie" and point to where you got hurt. Most times, you feel better after Mommy kisses your owie. Very frequently now when you want attention, you'll just tell me that you have an owie, even if you don't have one or it was the same owie an hour ago, just to get my attention and a kiss from Mommy. It's hilarious!

You also LOVE playing outside. Whenever you are in the house, you will go to where the patio is and say "yide", your short form for "outside" as you cannot really pronounce "s" yet. And you are so happy just coloring on the ground with your sidewalk chalk and riding on your car.

I cant get enough of your determined little self in trying to communicate with us. You are perfect in every way, and we couldn't be more blessed if we wanted to. 19 months-the best so far!

Love, Mom

Mommy & Izzy at the Zimmer Children's Museum

Flower Girl

Dear Izzy,

Mommy's soooo proud of you today. You did such a good job being Auntie Janet and Uncle Jeff's flower girl. To tell you the truth, Mommy was very worried that you'll just be running around and screaming...but to my surprise, you are such a little ham! I could tell you loved the attention you got from everyone!

Sean, the flower boy, did an amazing job too! The both of you are definitely the cutest flower boy and flower girl in the whole wide world!

Love, Mom

Walking down the aisle

Izzy bustin' a move!

18.5 months

Izzy,

It's funny what you pick up, the other day, you called Da Da "Honey" because you hear Mommy call him that all the time! You've also learned to scream out "MINE!" when someone tries to take something away that you want and your newest fascination are bellybuttons, yours, mine, everybody's.

Temper tantrums are common nowadays too as you try to assert and test your boundaries. It's hilarious sometimes when you lie down in the middle of the grocery store and throw one! Your imaginative play is also developing and you love "cooking" for Mommy!

You look so different from the crawling baby a few months ago. You are definitely a little person now, with attitude and everything!

Love, Mom

Izzy enjoys art, just like Mommy!

Mommy's Birthday!

♪ ♫ Happy Birthday to Mommy, Happy Birthday to Mommy, Happy Birthday to Mommy...Happy Birthday to me! ♫ ♪

Dear Izzy,

It's Mommy's birthday today, and what a wonderful way to spend it then to spend it with my 2 most favorite people in the world, you and Daddy! What a year Mommy had...being a mom is really the best thing that has ever happened to me. Parenting is an amazing journey and there is nothing quite like it...especially being a Mommy to you, Izzy!

I love you and thanks for being such a good girl today!

Love, Mom

At Johnny Rockets for Mommy's birthday lunch