Finally, I answer the TAG!

I know I was supposed to write my 10 things about each of my kiddos last week (or was it the week before last?), but ball season is keeping us QUITE BUSY! So, I guess, better late than never....


Jake:
1. Ever watch the show Monk? Well, Jake could be his child! He is OCD with some things.

2. He does NOT like change. Case in point: The lady that lives next door to us is getting remarried and moving into her new husband's house. She has only been living here for about 1 year. Jake offered to weed her flower beds for her as he sees that it is needed. Well, tonight as we were driving into our driveway, he noticed that she had a FOR Sale sign in her yard. He asked "Why?" We explained and he started to cry. He really likes her because she is so nice and he is going to miss helping her.

3. He is 100% rough and tough boy, but has the most tender heart in the world!

4. He LOVES any kind of sport. He knows all the stats on players, college and pro, along with most of their numbers. He can recall plays from games years ago, as well as which team they were playing when the play occurred. If you see Jake, you will rarely see him without some sort of ball in his hands. If there is no ball around, he will "create" one out of anything he can get his hands on.

5. He has GREAT faith. He takes God at His Word and just believes! He has taught me alot and shown me where I fall short in that department. His heart is so tender toward the Lord. I know God has BIG plans for my little man and I cannot wait to see them begin to unfold!

6. Family and friends mean the world to him. He does not just have friends. If he meets you once, he will describe you from then on out as his "best" friend, you are no longer only a friend.

7. He is still my cuddlebug!

8. He is EXTREMELY protective of his little sister. I could write a book, but I will spare you-- trust me on this one.

9. He is the life of the party. He has FUN everywhere he goes.

10. He is an adrenaline junkie, just like his daddy.

11. He LOVES animals, just like his daddy. If it were up to them, we would have every kind of animal at my house.



Isabella:
1. Sleep is her LEAST favorite thing in the world to do, unless she is in my arms. I know she is getting tired when she reaches for me to pick her up and then says "Jesus". That is my cue to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to her and she lays her head to on my shoulder. It is the SWEETEST thing in the world. That was the song I sang to her when she was so sick at our first visit when she was 1 month old. On each visit, whenever I would sing that song to her, she would pick up her head and look at me with a certain look in her eye... sort of like she remembered it EACH time.

2. For the longest time, she would not wear a bow in her hair. So, I would try it every now and then and when I would, I would say "OH, Bella is so pretty!" Well, now she wears bows and whenever we say "You are so pretty", she automatically says OOOHHHH! It is SO cute!

3. She LOVES shoes. Any kind of shoes. And purses. Anyone who knows me, knows that she is taking after her Mommy!!

4. She LOVES to dance and does it to ANY music she hears.

5. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES bananas. We have to hide them because she will make herself sick.

6. She MUST have her juice AS SOON AS she wakes up, or you will be made miserable! It is like an addiction to her. WE all know, do NOT talk to Bella until she has had her juice!

7. She is beginning to try to pick out her own clothes! I have tried to put certain outfits on her the past 3 days and she shakes her head no and goes to her closet. I open it up and pick her up and she picks out dresses to wear. I think I have created a little DIVA!

8. I am having to bypass the clothes aisle in stores, because she picks up outfits off the rack and tries to put them in the basket, saying "AWWWW" the whole time.

9. She LOVES her stroller and her car seat. Very different than Jake ever was about this one.

10. She is a biter, an adrenaline junkie, and a climber.


So, there you have it. I finally finished my tag!

Tomorrow (Wed.) is 6 months home with Isabella. I will have a special post for you. I hope I still have some readers. Only 3 weeks left of school and then I am off for the summer. I can't wait to join blogland again!!!

Why are we so happy at our house?????

BELLA SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!!!! Yep, she slept through the night Friday! It was the first night she did this without waking up since she has been home... 5 1/2 months! I was consistent this week and determined and it paid off. Wednesday was the WORST! She woke up 4 times during the night and cried for at least 30 minutes. One of them lasted 1 1/2 hours. She started off calling for me, then went on to Jeff when I did not go to her rescue. After realizing the Dad Dee was not coming, she called in the BIG guns... Brubi! That is what she calls Jake and she called him LOUDLY and PROUDLY. Luckily, he did not hear. I say luckily because, had he heard, I don't think I would have been able to stop him from 'rescuing" her. In his eyes, Isabella can do NO wrong and should have her heart's desire! Anyway... I was a walking zombie this week, but last night gave me hope that I was not messing her up by doing this and that it will get better. So... YEAH BELLA and YEAH ME!!! WE DID IT!!!!!!

We took the kiddos to the circus this afternoon. I tired to get pictures of Jake and his 2 buddies, but they would not turn their attention from the acts to take any. He used to be the perfect camera ham for me, but as he gets older, he is slowly becoming too cool for mom to take his picture when his friends are around. I know he will get over this, so I just deal with it. Here are a few circus pics and some from during the week hanging around the house. Enjoy!

I have not forgotten that Tommy tagged Jake and Bella and will list 10 things about them this week... I promise... I have joined the land of the living again!



loving on her Dad Dee!

I almost did not post this one for vanity reasons on my part (my eyes closed), but her face showed PURE happiness and I figured it was worth it!
Sorry for the view of chewed popcorn, she was laughing at her Brubi.
Again, mouth opened because she was talking to Dad Dee
She LOVES her playhouse!

PURE Sweetness!
She is in her red t-shirt and baseball bow in honor of Jake's baseball team. She wears this to all of the games!

She was modeling her new swimsuit for Dad Dee, and came across his hat...

THANKS!!!

Thanks for the advice about Firefox. It is SO much better than IE. I will now be able to post pics with ease and alot more often!! Here are some pictures Jeff took of the kiddos this past week while they were outside. There are also some of Jake at his opening season tournament last weekend. Enjoy!

Oh, Terry's precious little boy, Tommy, tagged Bella and Jake and they will be sure to respond this week... so stay tuned for some fun facts about them.

HELP!!! ...

Blogger is giving me problems. I have not posted in a month because I want to post new pics of my adorable kiddos, but I am experiencing technical difficulties. I get the first picture posted okay and then when I go onto the second and third, Internet Explorer shuts me down and tells me it needs to close and kicks me out.

Now, until I started blogging, I did not know much about computers... still don't. I am not sure what could be the problem, but I NEED it fixed because I have some of the CUTEST pictures to post!!!!!! If anybody has any ideas, please share them with me. Also, is there a way to post more than one picture at a time? It takes SO long that way. Just wondering....

Well, Jake started his baseball season this weekend. He is playing 2nd base and doing a fantastic job! He made most of the outs in his opening tournament game this past weekend and turned several double plays. I am one proud MOMMA!! I will share pics of him in action as soon as I am able.

We were home for Spring Break last week and Miss Bella got spoiled having her Mommy around. She is all out of whack now, though. She has definitely hit that toddler stage of being a TOTAL Mommy's girl! I told Jeff the other day, "we should have just named her Shadow." That about sums up our relationship and I would NOT have it any other way!! I did go "hide" in my closet the other day for some time to myself and heard her wandering around saying, "Mom Me!" She turned the corner and "found" me and was quite pleased with herself. I think she thought we were playing hide-n-seek. She started clapping and jumping up and down and squealing with delight that she "found" me. It was priceless.

She is getting better with her sleeping. We are not totally there yet, but it is much better. She is not very fond of her bed yet. I hope that comes soon. I must say, she is doing better than Jake did at her age, but I am to blame for that. I was younger and scared I would mess him up. I have learned that they are pretty resilient and that I am not damaging her by teaching her how to fall asleep on her own! I was scared she would resent me for letting her cry, but to my surprise, it did not make her mad at me. It actually made her the opposite- much happier! I know it is because she is getting better rest and so am I! I will keep you updated.

We only have 6 weeks of school left and I can't wait. I really enjoyed being home this past week. I forgot how much I enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom. My house was cleaned, my laundry done and my supper cooked when Jeff came home. I was much more relaxed and everyone was happier. Come On Summer!!!!

I hope I still have readers. I will be able to write more consistently once school is out. Working with 2 children has really been an adjustment for our family. I know that sounds wimpy, but I stayed home with Jake for 5 years and had an only child for 8 years. Along comes our 13 month toddler, in the middle of my school year and it really rocked our world. Things are getting easier now. We have a schedule going and Bella has truly adjusted well and so have we. Now, grant it, my house is not nearly as clean as it used to be, but there are more laughs and smile and giggles and kisses and hugs than ever before, so the trade off has been worth it! Tonight Bella and Jake were in the tub together and I was cooking supper. The laughter that was coming from that bathroom had me crying tears of sheer joy. Jake longed for and prayed for a sibling for so long and to hear him with his heart's desire, was more than I could contain. God has been so good to our family.

If you are still with me and reading and checking on us, please leave a comment to let me know. And if you know what I am doing wrong with trying to post my pictures, please leave me a comment, also.