Lights All Around!

We went to Christmas at the zoo with Jackson, Olivia, Aunt Suzi, Uncle Ernie, Wyatt, Cameron and Travis! It was Bella’s first trip to the zoo and she loved it! She couldn’t see enough lights as her eyes didn't shut the whole time we were there!
This year will be lots of fun as we will be filled with lots of “Bella’s First”

Christmas 2006

Christmas morning spent with my mommy and daddy and opening gifts! Santa brought me a big bean bag for me to have lots of fun in the years to come! It was nice to share the morning with just us!

Dressed up in the pretty dress Grandma Stafford got me and ready to go to her house for Christmas!

Happy baby after opening too many presents from the Stafford family....they couldn't resist but that is what grandma's and grandpa's and aunts and uncles are for.... right?

My cousins Wyatt's 2nd Christmas...he was so much fun to watch!

Sitting with mommy opening presents and laughing at Uncle Ernie! Once again too many presents! We will have so much fun watching her play with them all!

Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours....

We wish that your holidays are filled with much love, laughter and joy! Wonderful memories made with your family and friends! True Christmas blessing! Merry Christmas to all!

Dear Santa,

All I really want right now is a bottle and a nap! My mommy and daddy didn’t pick the best time for this picture to be taken…I had a really hard time keeping my hands out of my mouth when they were trying to take the pictures!

Love,
Izabella

12th Annual Chili Dinner

It started 12 years ago right after Tim and I started dating we got both of our families together at Tim’s apartment for Chili and to meet for the first time! Now it has become a wonderful tradition.

We take a couple hours out of all our hectic schedules and enjoy good company, lots of laughs and a pot of chili! (Sometimes it is hard for me to believe it has been 12 years that Tim and I have been together but others I can’t remember life without Tim and our families and that it has only been 12 years)

We are lucky that numerous times throughout the year we intertwine our family get together and look forward to being together! We have all become a part of each others families…..the more the merrier!This year all our traditions have become a little more special for Tim and I as we share them with Izabella for the first time!

Healthy Again!!!

Izabella Healthy again playing on Daddy's lap!
14 weeks old today

Washing away all the yucky germs that Bella had!!!

Since Thursday night we have been battling the yucky stomach virus and no we didn’t eat at Olive Garden.(haha) Luckily daddy has been the only one that stayed healthy and took care of both of us! Our poor little Bella only ate 11oz on Friday she usually eats close to 30 oz a day….she was still smiling and talking away through the whole thing!
Saturday morning I woke up with it and was in bedor the bathroom all day! Sara came a took care of Izabella for us a few hours when Tim went to work and I got a little more rest!

We were very disappointed to miss our good friend Addison Leigh Reusser christening celebration but we didn’t want to pass the germs to anyone else! We hear it was a wonderful service and Addie looked beautiful in her dress that had been worn by her Aunt Mandy! Tim went to their open house and said it was a nice celebration and she was surrounded by lots of family and friends! We hope she always knows how blessed we feel to have her family in our lives and as such good friends!

Now that we are all healthy again, we looking forward to a busy week of Christmas celebrations!

3 Months

Once again Tim and I are amazed at how quickly the time has passed since Izabella has been born and how much she has changed in her short 3months of life! There are nights I put her down and I swear the next morning she looks different!

She has definitely found her little voice and is quite a talker! She is such a good baby and has a very sweet deposition, except when she is overly tired or hungry! She sometimes has a hard time giving up when she is tired in fear she might miss out on something but has learned to put herself to sleep on her own! She has found her hands and loves them in her mouth and moving them around in front of her face! I think we might have a thumb sucker like her daddy was on our hands!

We have a great schedule down now. She is a little night owl like Tim and I and doesn’t go to bed until 11pm but then sleep until 8:30 or 9:30. When she does get up in the morning she just talks in her crib until we get her and then wants her bottle and back to sleep for an hour! She takes about a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon.

When she is awake she loves watching her baby Einstein, still playing with her belly time toy, her swing and since the Christmas tree has gone up she loves staring at the lights! Wyatt brought over his excersaucer for her to borrow and she is liking that now that is she is strong enough to hold her head up and support herself!

We are amazed at the constant joy Bella Raye brings to our lives! We know we have only begun this journey of parenthood but we look forward to each step! Each time I see Tim caring and loving her I fall in love with him all over again! She has made Tim and I better people and we have stronger and more loving relationship than we already had!

We are truly thankful for each moment we spend with her!

Chirstmas with the Stafford

Today we had lunch at my parents with my dad’s side of the family to celebrate Christmas! My dad is one of 9 children! I always loved the big family he came from and how we would go months without seeing one another but it was like no time had passed when we did get together! The older I get and now that I have my own family it makes me realize how blessed I am to have the family I do! Each family is unique with their sizes and traditions but especially at times like these....I am thankful for all the family and friends in our lives! My hope for Izabella is that she grows up knowing and realizing how much she is loved and the support she has in her family!

Chirstmas Brunch!

Saturday morning we had brunch at Tim’s Aunt Sharon and Uncle Butch’s house! It is fun to see family we don’t get to see often enough. We had a wonderful brunch with too much good food. Then it was time for the kids to open their gifts. It is so much fun to watch their excitement in their eyes as the tear into their packages! Wyatt kept saying “what else” as he was opened his presents! He will be so much fun this Christmas! Then we did our white elephant exchange with the adults it is fun to see who is going after what present and everyone’s method of trying to keep a gift they like or get rid of one they don’t! We finished the day playing some games! It was a great way to start off the Christmas Season!

Giggles!!!

Bella Raye giggled for the first time today! It brought tears to our eyes and melted our heart to hear her sweet little laugh! We aren’t sure if it was her new Leap Frog maracas,Uncle Ernie being Silly, mommy acting like she was falling, or just a happy baby! She had everyone in tears as we were laughing so hard back at her! We look forward to many more giggles!

Life is Good!

Not only did we celebrate my 30th birthday weeks ago (a surprise party).... today has been a fun day of celebrating another year older, a new decade and kissing my twenties good-bye but welcoming my thirties with open arms!

I started out my day waking up to Bella's sweet voice talking in her crib telling mommy "Happy Birthday and I am ready for a bottle!" She is just precious when she wakes up and has a wonderful disposition! A very happy morning baby with sweet coos and great smiles!
Then we went to the wonderful Helios Tea Room with Rachel and Ann...a great lunch but we had even more fun shopping throughout the house! Too many goodies!
Tonight daddy got a babysitter (Aunt Suzi, Uncle Ernie and Cousin Wyatt) to watch Bella so we could enjoy a nice dinner at Marco's with some friends!

I couldn't imagine what else I could wish for as I blow out my 30 candles! I have a wonderful family, awesome friends, and a loving husband and now great daddy, but my favorite present this year came a little early, my baby girl!

Thank you for all the Happy Birthday wishes!

May everyone be so fortunate to have their happiness, health and love!Life is Good!

27 Candles

What a wonderful day we had celebrating Rachel's birthday!
We went to Zionsville and shopped some of the unique
stores and enjoyed all the Christmas decorations and
activities they had going on! Izabella was a good little
trouper sleeping most of the afternoon while we shopped!
She has gotten use to the shopping routine!
The rest of our family joined us in the evening for a
yummy dinner at Valliaggio.
Happy 27th Birthday Rachel!!! May you have many more!!!

What A Week!!!

It has been a crazy, good and bittersweet week to say the least yet we all have survived! Settling down from Thanksgiving, Shopping until we dropped on Friday, Aunt Suzi Birthday, putting up the Christmas tree, Mommy going back to work, Daddy out of town and Aunt Rachel's birthday all in a week! Whoooo I am out of breath!

Yes, I returned to work Tuesday afternoon, I think Monday was worse than Tuesday with the anticipation of returning to work! I am lucky with my job there is flexibility in the days and times I work...I am going back and working 3-12 hour shifts a week from 3pm-3am and so far it has worked fine! Izabella is in very loving and caring hands as we are lucky to have lots of family and friends willing to help us for a few hours until Tim can get home from work.....selfishly I didn't want to give up my time with her! Aunt Rachel helped us Tuesday, Cathy and the kids helped Wednesday, and Sarah and Alex helped Friday until Grandma Stafford could pick her up for her first sleep over at their house. I know Bella will love it! I had some of my best times as a child at my grandparents house on Friday nigths too!

Tim is off to Tennessee for the weekend to cheer on the Colts to victory with our friends Doug, Jim and Scott! I know they will have lots of fun as this is the second year they have done it and they have already established some traditions!