Happy Birthday Isabel

I CAN NOT believe she is one.  REALLY??  Where did that year go and how can I get it back?!  Actually 2009 was not a great year for me.  It was actually overwhelmingly difficult and frustrating and sad, BUT at the very beginning of the year the Lord blessed me with a beautiful ray of sunshine that would make complaining about the year very difficult indeed.  I can't even express the happiness that she has brought to my life and to our family.  She is such a sweet and vivacious girl and I am SO happy she is a part of our family.  Here are a few things about her:

She was the sweetest/most snuggly baby.

She started sleeping through the night regularly at 2 months (SOOOO much sooner than Lily)

She is just starting to learn that laughing doesn't ALWAYS have to turn into crying

She is a bit of a control freak, she is incredibly daring and curious but does not like ANYTHING forced on her (or to be tossed or held high, etc) Oh, she will climb up on something and try to get off of it by herself without a second thought (again SOOOO different than our timid Lily), but SHE has to be in control. I don't know where she would get that.  Oh.  Yeah. That's right, it's me. Definetly me.

Due to the daring and curiosity, she has also had alot more bruises and bumps than Lily has ever had, probably about 10x's as much.  I'm serious.

She loves to give what we call head snuggles, where she wants to push her face (very firmly) against yours.  Matt says they are just head butts, which they do resemble, but they are given with love.

She LOVES her big sister. (and her big sister loves her, they are great together and it makes me SOO happy)

She loves babies.  Real babies, pictures, dolls, even the baby in the mirror. :)

She is usually all in.  Her emotions are something she definetly doesn't have control of.  When she is good she is VERY very good and when she is bad she is horrid.  She is a passionate little girl who is shy and sweet, but when she is mad or sad the whole world knows it.  Again, kind of like me (which scares the heck out of me people), and I am terrified for her teenage years.

She is very loving and affectionate and I absolutley adore her.  I am one of those annoying parents who is completely infatuated by the wonderfulness of their own children.  Sorry about that, but it is true.

For her birthday we had a small family party with Matt's immediate family and his Grandparents, my brother who lives here and my mom and Hank drove down for it, which was great of them.  We had a good time and Izzie made out like a bandit.  She needed clothes and boy did everybody deliver!  Also she got some new dolls/toys/books.  Other than me being totally sick it was wonderful.