15 Weeks and TEETHING!

 We are fairly certain Isabelle has started teething... Sunday was a strange day and we finally determined it was because she is teething; she drools like crazy, trys to put everything in her mouth and loves to suck on our knuckles, can get pretty fussy, has the rosy cheeks and diaper rash.. yes, all fun things.. really Iz, you would start teething as early as possible ;)!  

We made donuts for Sunday breakfast and they were so good and super easy!  I found them on a KC blog I follow (link below for recipe!) and they looked so good, I had to try!  They are delish!

http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/01/recipes-homemade-donuts-real-cappuccino.html

It was super nice and warm out so we broke out the t-shirt for Iz, she loved it!  Isabelle is so chatty and giggly these days, it's the cutest thing!  

The rosy cheeks!  

Saturday fun with Isabelle!

We had a successful first 3 days at the daycare!  Isabelle already seems like she's getting into a routine which is nice... I had to take her Friday morning because Jacob was gone and she woke up right in time to leave and I wasn't late to work, so I was pretty excited :)!

Izzy girl fell asleep under her octopus; it was like she was playing one second and then crashed.. she was struggling to keep her eyes open and they just kept falling, it was pretty cute!  She is wearing one of 3 month footies that is getting pretty short, we maybe have a couple more wears out of it!

Isabelle had her game day shirt on (for like 30 mins until she had a blowout!) while dad was at the game.

She still loves sitting in her Bumbo and playing with her new toy she got from Papa and Gigi for Valentine's Day :).  She loves to grab his hair (or whatever they are) and put them in her mouth.

Isabelle's first day at daycare!

Isabelle started daycare today and it was a success... Jacob dropped her off because I knew I wouldn't have been able to do it without having a mini meltdown and being late to work.  I got a text from Jennifer (our daycare person) a little before noon just saying Iz was doing well and watching Sesame Street with Macy (her 1 yr old daughter), it was so nice to get the good update!  Jacob ended up picking her up because I wasn't going to make it in time; she seemed really happy to be home and was pooped!  We wanted to run an errand real quick, so we put her in her seat after I fed her and she was out within 1 minute (it was 6:30)!  I mean, out! I left her in her seat when we got home for a little bit so I could eat dinner and get a few things done, took her out at 9, she ate and passed right back out!  I think she will get used to it once she gets into her new routine and it will be good for her... and us!  We are excited for her to have new little friends at daycare!

I had to include these pics from when I was little, my mom showed them to me because she thought Isabelle was starting to look more like me when I was a baby... it is kind of crazy!  I definitely had the chubby thing in common!  I wish they were more clear, but they have been in my mom's wallet forever!

I just saw this on a blog from a friend's site (hostessblog.com, thanks Tinks!) and thought it was so great... Chanel was so smart ;)!

Blue Grotto's Do-it-Yourself Dough

Jacob and I made pizzas for dinner and his happened to look a lot like a heart!

We tried a new pizza dough recipe (I usually make my aunts) that is from Blue Grotto in Kansas City, it was delicious!  If you like to make pizza, you have to try it!

*makes 1 lb dough, enough for 2 (13") thin crust pizzas

3/4 C warm water

1 packet active dry yeast

2 C all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)

3/4 tsp salt

1 T honey (sub agave nectar if you like (I did))

2 T olive oil

Stir together water and yeast and let stand until yeast dissolves (about 5 mins).

In food processor or mixer with dough hook (or let's be honest, you can stir it yourself if you put your arm into it) brush bowl with a little bit of olive oil and add flour, salt and honey/nectar. 

Pour in yeast and olive oil; process ingredients until dough forms a ball.

Transfer to floured surface and knead until dough is smooth, adding flour by the T if the dough is too sticky.

Brush a bowl with olive oil (I just used vegetable oil spray) and turn dough ball in it until lightly covered with oil.

Cover dough with film (or put on a plate and put bowl on top of it) and set aside in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size... I like to stick it under the oven light, it rises pretty fast.

Punch down the dough and spread on your floured pizza stone with your fingers or rolling pin, starting from the center and moving toward the edge.

Add you pizza sauce and toppings and voila!  Enjoy!!  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Isabelle is starting to know what the camera is and it's almost like she struck a pose here!

She still loves laying under her activity mat (Mr. Octopus) and has become so chatty and giggly while she's looking at her toys and us... it's the cutest thing, I love it!

This was hilarious... Jacob got home from taking Iz to work with him (they went to Salina) and this is how she came home... short sleeves and pant less, looks like she's just wearing socks and a bib!  It was pretty funny so I had to snap a pic... Lucy was also intrigued by her attire!

Dad put her in her 'I love NY' onesie for V-day... very appropriate!  Check out those thighs!

Jacob surprised me with these beautiful flowers when he got home :)!

I made this delicious mix (called white clusters) to take to our work treat day, it's so quick and simple... just wheat chex, rice chex, peanuts, pretzels and marshmallows, coated in vanilla candy coating/almond bark... I added pink food coloring to the candy coating so it would be more festive for V-day!
Happy Valentine's Day friends!
XOXO

I fit in my running stroller!!

Hurray!  We think Isabelle is big enough to fit into her running stroller, which is super exciting for me since I am training for the Lawrence Half in April!  Little mama is going to get a tour of the city of Lawrence in the next couple of months!

My mom came up to watch Isabelle so Jacob and I could have our 'Valentine's dinner' Saturday night... it had been so long since we had gone to dinner together (as just us) so it was really nice + delicious!  We met friends for a few drinks after and got to pretend like we were normal again for a little bit ;)... we have realized we are just a different kind of normal now!  Thanks mom!

It's a beautiful day!!

 We had a wonderful warm Sunday and got to take a walk with the whole fam!    

 It had to be pretty funny to see our family of five all over the sidewalk, street, yards!

We love the Keyfit travel system, it's so nice to be able to just put Isabelle's car seat in the stroller and go!  She loves walks about as much as our dogs do!  I could not get her to remove her hand and fingers from her mouth for a picture!

Happy 3 months Isabelle!!

We cannot believe our little one is 3 months old!  This is what Isabelle was doing when I got home from work on her 3 month birthday!  I had intentions of putting her in a cute outfit and taking some good '3 month' pictures, but things don't always go as planned when you have a little one, so these are the ones I got...

 Our sweet Isabelle, on 1/23 I broke down and bought size 1-2 diapers (couldn't quite do the full 2's yet!), but realized you really need size 2's!  You can fit into size 6 month clothing and some 6-9 month onesies fit you too!  Just growing like crazy!

 1/25- you slept in a pack 'n' play for the first time and it was a success!  

In your pj's... check out those cheeks :)!  And Reggie of course!

 1/26- Gigi bought you size 2 diapers!  Thank goodness!  

You still LOVE your Mr. Octopus, you just laugh and talk and kick under him, it's the funniest and cutest thing ever!

 On 1/28 you slept in your crib in your own room for the first time!!  Such a big night, it was weird not to have you in our room, but I think it has been much better for all of us!  You have so much more room and I don't get woken up at every little noise you make ;).  You are sleeping through the night, anywhere from 8:30-10pm to 5-7:30am... although, we do have some one offs when you wake up at 3 or 4 and go back to sleep after you eat.

You are now eating about 5 oz of milk and are so big and strong that you can hold your own bottle!  I didn't believe your dad when he said you could and then he sent me these pictures while I was at work and it was the best surprise!  We love you so much little mama!

Snow Days and PBJs!

 We had a fun two snow days with the whole fam!  AND... we are all caught up!  AHH!

 I was getting a kick out of all the faces Isabelle was making... I kept trying to catch a smile and these are the faces I got!

 So much snow on the windows!  I can't believe we got a little more than 8" in one day (hasn't happened since 1980.. a little trivia for you ;) )!

Thought I would include a picture of our kitchen now that it's done (for the most part)... and because it looked so pretty with all the snow!

So I am still addicted to pbj's and have found that grilling them (just like a grilled cheese sami) is amazing!  I know it might sound weird to have warm jelly, but it is delicioso!  Nothing like a warm pb&j on a snow day!