Motherhood Really Limits Your Blogging Time :)

And for that very reason, I am 3 months behind on my blogging. So very much has happened in the past 3 months, so I will start my return from my blogging sabbatical with a list:

November:
1. Sleep is a distant memory. Isabel dealt with some pretty bad reflux in her first month of life and did very little sleeping, unless she was upright and being held.
2. Spent lots of time at the hospital with Isabel doing blood tests for jaundice issues. Thank God she is all better and nothing ever really came of that, but the poor baby gave lots of blood from her sweet little feet.
3. So very thankful for my mom, who was there to help me during Isabel's first few weeks. I was so tired and everything was new and difficult, but we made it through!
4. Had fun watching Drew bond with Isabel. She still smiles at him every time he gets close and talks to her.
5. Isabel had so many visitors and met so many sweet friends and family. I tried to get pictures of everyone with her so that she can see how loved she is when she is older :)
6. My aunt, Lisa, came over to do a newborn photo shoot with Isabel. We got some AMAZING photos of such a cute little naked baby.
7. Grammy and Grampa came to visit for the first time. We ventured out of the house to the mall and had a good visit.

December:
1. Watched more HGTV than I care to admit. Isabel and I got to know each other and grew to love each other snuggling on the couch during her first month of life.
2. I feel like we spent most of December rocking and bouncing and snuggling. I am re-reading some of my facebook posts and I am thankful that my memories of the first weeks are of sweet snuggles and not of the screaming and crying I posted about :)
3. Isabel and I learned a LOT this month. We learned how to get in and out of the car with all of our things and go run errands. We visited Daddy at work and took him lunch. We learned about bathing, diapers, changing clothes, brushing hair, clipping finger nails, pacifying, and so very much more.
4. Isabel's first smile!! Melted my heart and bonded me to this sweet girl forever!
5. Priorities - wow do they ever change when you become a parent. I have never been so thankful for small things like a pacifier or a white noise machine. And for the first time ever in my life, I am ok with leaving the house in a pair of sweat pants and one of Drew's tshirts, and would rather spend money on cute little girl's clothes than on myself.
6. Took Isabel to church for the first time. She did awesome and snuggled through the whole service.
7. The week before Christmas, we had unseasonally warm weather. So, Isabel, Drew and I went to the Farmer's Market for Tacos and to the Dallas Zoo to see the Giants of the Savannah. We LOVE our Zoo membership!
8. Our first Christmas with Isabel! It was a little chaotic, but I get chills thinking about next year's Christmas. Oh how fun!
9. Made the trek to Missouri to visit Grammy and Grampa (and other family members, too). What used to be a 9 hour drive was about an 11 hour drive, but we made it in one piece with a bit of sanity left over :)
10. Out with 2010, welcome 2011!

January:
1. Anticlimactic New Year's Eve :) Spent it with my sweet family and then tried to get as much sleep as possible.
2. Still having firsts with Isabel - an exciting first was her first trip to Central Market. mmmm... future foodie in the making :)
3. Joined a book club in the neighborhood called BibliOC. First book was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - highly recommend this book if you like non-fiction human interest pieces.
4. My first time having to take care of someone else while I was sick. Luckily it didn't last long and we all survived without Isabel getting sick too!
5. Love making mommy friends. Don't get me wrong, I love ALL of my friends, but it has been really nice getting to know some ladies with babies around Isabel's age. Love being able to compare notes and get some encouragement.
6. Drew and I had our first date night since Isabel was born. Nana kept Isabel and Drew and I had a great time!
7. Snow in Dallas! Not once, not twice, but THREE times! The second time we had 6 inches of accumulation at our house. We got some sweet baby pictures of Isabel's first snow.
8. Finally starting to get the hang of this mommy thing. Actually cleaned house, made dinner, sorted through the mail, and starting to feel less helpless. Really starting to enjoy being a mother.
9. Headed back to work. Reluctantly, but it's been ok to be back. I miss Isabel so much during the day, but my time with her on the weekends and in the evenings is so much sweeter!
10. Isabel slept through the night for the first time and nearly made me giddy!
11. Isabel's 2 month doctor appointment meant 3 shots! Yikes! That was the first time I heard her "hurt" cry, and I really don't care for it :(
12. Another thing we have learned this month is our night time routine. Change diaper, swaddle, bottle, bouncy seat, paci and white noise. Works almost every time.
13. Grammy came to visit! We had such a fun time antiquing and spending time together. She got to stay with Isabel every day while I was at work and they got some good bonding time in.

February:
1. Snow Week! 4 days off school in 1 week due to ice, snow and power outages.
2. Isabel is really starting to enjoy playing with toys. She loves her play yard, her floor mirror and a few choice rattles. And she LOVES her owl mobile over her changing table.
3. Isabel pretty much smiles on cue now. So incredibly precious.
4. Superbowl in Dallas. Ice kept things from getting too crazy, but it was kind of interesting watching (or fastforwarding to the next commercial) and thinking about it being in our town.
5. Isabel's baby dedication at church. So sweet. We were so happy to be surrounded by friends and family and be in our wonderful church. We are so blessed!
6. Isabel's 3 month "birthday" and she starts teething! Can you believe it?? Poor baby is not feeling well at all!


Wow, we have come a LONG way in the past 3 months. I am totally loving being a mommy these days and can not wait to leave work to be with her in the afternoons. Looking forward to the next 3 months to see what new things we will experience together!