Day at the Office

It has long been a tradition for the Cain Grandkids to run around Dad's office like kids in a candy store. Baby Bella seems intent on being the keeper of the flame and continuing that tradition.

First she "helped" Grandpa clean out his shirt pocket. Then she "helped" Grandma with her paper work. Then she "helped" Daddy pack some things up.

With help like this...

I have just one question...how is it that as a child, I was spanked for acting like this in Dad's office and Baby Bella gets a huge smile?

Pizza

Really? Yep. We have almost stopped noticing the new foods Baby Bella trys out. This one, however, surprised all of us.

Mommy gave our little Italian taste tester some cheese pizza - YIPPIE! It was love at first bite. Isabella was no longer satisfied with just a pinch of pizza - she pointed to and demanded the whole thing.

We gave her the thick crust from the pan pizza just to quieten her down (oh, quit judging. Like you never did that with your kids :-D) Not only did it work - we turned around three minutes later to find that she had eaten the whole chunk of crust that you see in this photo.

And so it starts. A kids love affair with pizza - at the tender age of 15 months. Mamma Mia!

Lost and Found

Isabella has reached the stage of development where she realizes things don't just disappear. If it was here a minute ago, it stands to reason it is here somewhere. And thus, it has become difficult to hide things or distract her from things.

"It's here, I know it is! I saw it! Now give it to me, already!" Oh the times we have heard that in her jabbering.

I couldn't help but get tickled at her today when she lost her pink golf ball. She proceeded to go around the room looking under every piece of furniture. Alas, she found it - and got so excited that she fell face first into the carpet. (it's a little hard to lean with a bulky diaper attached to your back side.)

We golfers are always talking about getting the ball in the cup. Isabella has her own version of that...her favorite thing to do is put her golf ball into her cup and carry it around.

Blankie

Our little Linus has been spotted walking around the house with her blankie in tow. She has always loved her blankie and lovies, but only recently has she gone mobile with them.

The blankie must accompany us on the walk downstairs to get the morning bottle. A must have for bedtime and now, apparently, a must have for strolling around the house.

God Bless the Blankie - and the little girl who carries it around.

Hold Your Nose

Kids will be kids. Mommy tried to give Baby Bella a taste of garlic bread. Our little food critic opened her mouth as if to taste it but then closed her mouth and held her nose.

Where do they learn this behavior? Are we born knowing how to hold our nose when something offends the nasal passages?

Girls Day Out

The girls (Mommy, Bella, Amber, and Ava) enjoyed a BFF's day out. All is well that ends well. It ended with the little BFF's in the back seat asleep.

Little Lady - Again

OK, I know I have to quit it with the Little Lady pictures but Lady Isabella is cracking me up with her prancing around. I hope she is as interested in being a lady at 15 as she is at 15 months.

Little Lady in Training

I had absolutely no idea how early little girls start trying to be little ladies. I also had no idea how hard they try.

We spent most of Sunday watching our Isabella trying to become Lady Isabella.

Hand Bag Fever

It was Daddy's job to take Skyler back-school-shopping today. We got an early start, Isabella in tow.

Fortune was smiling on us and we made early progress. While Skyler and I shopped for cool school gear - Isabella explored the store and latched onto an item she refused to release.

It seems the love of hand bags starts early in a girls life. Isabella pranced around the store for an hour with this pink canvas hand bag on her arm and in her hand. It was too adorable - everyone was talking to her and about her.

As luck would have it, Grandma called while we were in the store. Having heard the story, Grandma insisted Baby Bella "just had to have" the bag. (How do women do this? How do they know just the right moment to call and back each other up on a purchase?)

The girls made a compelling argument - Isabella carried her hand bag around the store and to the car. She was still grinning ear-to-ear when we finally made our last stop.

Having completed her shopping list, Isabella slept very well on the ride home. Daddy was wide awake - tyring to figure out how he managed to buy a pink hand bag for a 14 month old. Am I really that much of a push over? Do they offer self-defense courses for Dads?

I remember a comment I heard when a friend of mine learned I was having a little girl - "you 're done," he said. A modern day prophet, indeed.

OH, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby Bella scared the happy-go-lucky out of Daddy today. We were shopping Target for baby food - I turned around to pick up meat sticks and turned back around to find Baby Bella STANDING in the grocery cart.

She had, completely on her own, managed to get herself out and up in 2.3 seconds. A skill she had previously failed to demonstrate. Not only did I not know she could successfully execute this stunt - I didn't even know she was thinking about it.

Ah, Yi, Yi! Be still my rapidly beating heart!

To add insult to injury - Baby Bella thought my response was hysterical. I put her back in the seat and she promptly responded with the wrinkled nose smile. The one that says "got you old man. What are you goin' do about it."

Isabella

Isabella Reagan was named long before she was conceived. It wasn't a planned conversation and we weren't even trying to have a baby at the time. It just came up casually, and both of us knew instantly that this would be the name of our baby girl.

From that moment on, we were adament that we were going to have an Isabella. Not a Bella. No, we would not be lazy with the name - it would always be Isabella Reagan. Wrong.

No sooner had the paint dried on the nursery wall - I was hanging wood letters that read "Bella." So much for our protest - Isabella had become Bella and our precious gift had yet to be born.

For the first 14 months of her life she has been Bella this, Bella that, Bella everything. But I can already see a change occurring. Without even noticing, we have started calling her Isabella. Reflecting on the day, I have probably called her Isabella more than Bella.

Life is funny. She is probably thinking to herself: "I wish these people would make up their minds. They are so indecisive, yet they claim to be the adults." Yeah, pretty much, Isabella.

Slip Sliding Away

Baby Bella enjoying a little air conditioned sliding at the Academy. It was even more fun because she took her shoes off. Proving once again that DNA is greater than instruction...Baby Bella has been channeling her Aunt Janette. She would much rather play with her shoes than wear them.

Indoor / Outdoor

Baby Bella convinced Daddy to break house rules and play ball inside. This girl loves to play ball...which makes it easy for the boys to watch her.

Sittin'

Baby Bella has a favorite sitting spot in the house - the bottom stair. It is just the right size for her little figure - she can back up to the stairs and just sit.

This series of photo's captures the routine very well. Baby Bella high steps it over to the stairs. Sits for a minute and then begins patting the spot on the stairs where she wants Daddy to sit - fortunately for me, that is right beside her. (funny thing is...the longer you delay orders to sit down, the more aggressive she pats the stairs.)

If I'm lucky, she'll always want me to sit beside her.

You can see from the long face that she still isn't feeling great. I do, however, detect the hint of improvement.

The Sumo

Mommy has started referring to Baby Bella as our "little sumo wrestler." Spend a night with her laying on your chest and you will know why. Daddy was attacked by the sumo while laying on the bean bag today.

This hasn't been a banner day for precious Isabella. She spent all of Sunday night wheezing and coughing. I took her to our beloved pediatrician who informed us that she has head and chest congestion - accompanied by a "squeak" in her lungs. Who knew a squeak was a medical condition?

A breathing treatment later we were on our way. Daddy stopped by the pharmacy to pick-up an inhaler that we will administer as needed. Our Bella Bug has been pitiful - droopy eyes, slumped shoulders and in constant need of hugs. Which is good - 'cause that's all we want to give her when she feels this way.

Mommy and Daddy are planning to sleep in shifts tonight so that we both get a little shut eye. Our little sumo won't be getting a lot in this condition. Here's hoping it goes away as quick as it came. (And I am talking out of nowhere - from fine to flop in 2.3 seconds.)

Sunday Mornings

Oh my, how they are busy. Baby Bella was sporting her new jean dress and plaid shoes. She also took a few moments to jabber instructions at Winston and Tiger Lily. In seems she sees herself as the pet parent - she loves to tell them what to do.

Onto Sunday School where Skyler was kissed by a clown. Hmmmm.

Daddy and Skyler snuck off to the golf course in the afternoon - shhhh! That is a well kept secret.