Blanket Mania

Note to self: always become suspect when Bella says she is doing "nothing" in her room.  I returned to find every baby blanket she owns in the floor - down the hall, down the other hall and into the entertainment room.  It was wall to wall blankets.

Boy, did I feel foolish. 

Kitty in the Rain

Every little girl needs Hello Kitty to help her make it through the rain.  Bella is elated to see the rain so that she can bring out her Hello Kitty boots and umbrella.

Hmm.  I'm thinking maybe a pair of Hello Kitty boots might change my perception of rainy days.  Na.

Picture Guy

Sitting at Buffalo Wild Wings, Bella says "let me see your pictures.  You're my picture guy."

I'm cracking up.  Picture guy.  I'll take it.  I'll be her any kind of guy as long as she'll let me.  Picture Guy - this girl cracks me up.

Park Place

The park proved a great distraction while Bella waited for Mommy and Daddy to arrive home. 

Thanks to Papa and Nana for taking great care of the kids for the last three days.  There is no place like home.  And no hugs like those of your kids.

Offering up a prayer of thanksgiving for the safe journey and successful trip.

One More Day

Is it me or do they look like they miss their Mommy and Daddy?    Just one more day and we get to hold our babies.

Having been gone two days for Mommy, five days for Daddy.  We are soooo ready to love our babies - in our arms.

Me and You...

...and a pumpkin scarecrow named Boo.  Bella making friends with the Fall decorations.

Columbus Day

Baby Bella showing off the Columbus puppet she made at school. 

So proud to receive pictures of a happy Baby Bella while Daddy is away at convention.

Bocci

A first for Baby Bella...a game of Bocci with Emily.  Oh, the fun. Perhaps not by the rules, but Oh, the fun.

Pumpkin Patch

Bella and family were off for a Saturday trip to the Pumpkin Patch. 

Cats in the Cradle

I have made an intentional effort, of late, to let Bella know when I'm going to be travelling so that she won't be surprised to find I'm not home.

This week brings an especially hard trip.  I will, for the first time in Bella's life, be away from  her for six nights. All efforts to avoid this trip were futile - much to my dismay.

Knowing that I'm leaving today, I began explaining it to her last night.  We discussed how we would talk every day and start counting down the days - 6, 5 ,4 3, 2, 1 - HOME! Bella seemed to understand but insisted she was going to "let" me stay and not leave.

This morning we talked about it again on the way to school.  She said,  "You go by yourself?"  "Yes," I replied.   "Mommy and Skyler go with you?" she asked.  "No," I said.

"When I get older, I go by myself,"  she said.  I cried.

The cats in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little Bella Boo and the man on the moon.
When you comin' home Dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then, girl
You know we'll have a good time then...

Harry Chapin said it well and sung it even better.  You'll have to pardon the smudges on this blog post, my tears are mixing with the ink.

Treasured Keepsake

Baby Bella is very proud of the pink cross bookmark made for her by Aunt Bessie.  Pink Bible from Grandma and Grandpa.  Pink Bible Bookmark from Aunt Bessie.  Talk about priceless treasures. 

This little girl is lucky to have treasured keepsakes from two previous generations. Some of whom are 70 years her senior.  But don't kid yourself, they have a lot in common. Like the goodness of God, for starters.

The Ellen & Caroline Show

Baby Bella was anxiously awaiting a visit from Ellen and Caroline but tried to act shy when they  arrived.  It wore off in time and she was back to being the life of the party.

Good food (Mom's chili), good friends, good times.

Long & Blonde

 

Amazed at how long, full and blonde Isabella's hair has become.  It's still hard to believe our dark haired new born has become a long and blonde toddler.

Beautiful and blonde, Baby Bella.

Student of the Week

Bella got into the car on Friday exclaiming " I student! I student!"  It was only after I read the papers in her backpack that I realized that she is the Student of Week this week.

All weekend long we have heard "I student! I student!"  Eyes big, mouth wide open - "I student!"

We helped her get her papers together on Sunday afternoon.  Tomorrow she gets to present them in circle time and tell her friends what each photograph represents.  I don't know that I have ever seen her this excited.

She was all smiles this morning as she prepared to take her papers to school. She might just be the cutest and most excited Student of the Week ever.