Bumbo Time...

This morning I decided to try the Bumbo! Isabella has been doing so good holding her little head up so I thought she just may be able to enjoy the Bumbo! I sat her in it with a little blanket in her lap....cause she still has little skinny legs. =)

She started making smiles to me.......I caught half of her smile! It's so hard to catch her big smiles on camera - but we will soon I'm sure!

Look at those big eyes! =)
We're enjoying trying new things together now that her tummy isn't bothering her as much. It seems like each day that passes her tummy feels a little better. Hey....I'll give up dairy forever to have a happy little baby! =)
I think she's definitely going through a growth spurt cause she wants to eat ALL the time now! She's doing good to make it over 2 hours! Must be her big 6 week growth spurt I've heard about. We've been weighing her this past week and she's gained an oz a day! Grow Bella Boo grow!

A Little Beach Bum and a Runner!

We picked up her bestie Charleigh and headed to the beach! Charleigh loaned Isabella her pink tent so that Bella could have some shade! We put a fan in there with her and she was in heaven just relaxing while Charleigh rolled in the sand! =)

I think Charleigh was telling Bella to wake up and smile for the picture! =)

We've also enjoyed taking our first few runs together this week! She cried the first trip out.....but now she seems to fall asleep every time I take her for a run! We snuggle her in tight with lots of cushion and then we are off.......

She was all ready to go....Nike hat, onesie and socks!

Off we go.......we sure enjoy this beautiful Florida sunshine! She usually falls right to sleep.....and then I push her stroller into the house and let her finish her nap! =)

1 month

After our wonderful Mother's Day weekend, Isabella seemed to continue to be getting much better since I had stopped eating dairy! Praise the Lord! But, her diapers were still pretty bad and I could tell she was still in some discomfort parts of the day. The doctor wanted me to give him an update this week....so I gave him a call. He said that it sounded like things were improving, but he wanted to do a quick weight check. We went in on Wed. morning and she weighed 9lb. 1oz! So, she was slowly gaining weight! Each day I've been able to see improvements! From what I've read it make take a couple weeks to see the full effect of cutting out dairy. She may not truly have complete relief for a few more months - her little digestive system needs some time to mature! So many changes in this big world! =)

Well, on May 11 - we decided to have our first official tummy time together. She had been so uncomfortable the past few weeks that we hadn't had much of an opportunity for "fun" time! I put her down on her little tummy mat and watched her practice her "turtle heads." Sooo cute! Then, all of a sudden she started rolling back and forth......and FLIP! She rolled from her tummy to her back! This is the picture I got right after....I think she surprised herself with her advanced skills! =)

Then, we had some friends over on May 12. I was holding her on my lap and they were standing behind the couch and Isabella was completely fascinated by them! I noticed for the first time that she was following their movements with her eyes. She watched them so closely wherever they walked! She is definitely opening her eyes lots these days and is becoming more and more alert to the world around her!

She's learning to take little naps on her own! Sometimes, she likes to sleep in her car seat all swaddled up nice and cozy. But, most of the time she sleeps in the portable crib next to our bed. We are hoping to slowly transition her to her crib over the next couple of weeks! We need to set up our video monitor - that way I can sleep soundly! =)

First Mother's Day...

Isabella and I had a little craft time together and made Mimi and She-She their Mother's Day gifts! I found this little poem online.....and then we added little footprints!

We drove home early Sunday morning from Panama City, relaxed a bit and then got all dressed up for church! Isabella's doctor doesn't want us taking her to the nursery until her 8 week shots - but he said we could take her to church if we were VERY careful to keep her protected from germs! So, we put Isabella in her carseat/stroller - it made a nice little safe place for her so that all our friends at church could see her - but it protected her from any little germs! =) I held her the entire service and she slept so peacefully in my arms. As I held her and looked at her sweet face, I reflected on the past two years and the journey the Lord took us down to bring us to this special day. I remembered last Mother's Day and how I couldn't even go to church because it was just too difficult to be there and see all the mammas and babies celebrating. I remember praying so hard last year that the Lord would bless us with a healthy baby. I remember the peace He continued to give me as I trusted Him with all my heart - but that peace didn't take away the pain I had experienced from our two miscarriages and the longing to be a mamma. I remember entering the busy summer as I packed up my classroom knowing that I would be taking a year's leave of absence and unsure of what the year would hold for us.....but trusting the Lord's plan. I remember stepping into a summer packed full of youth events....camps, mission trips and the list goes on. I had an indescribable peace that the Lord knew the deisres of my heart to be a mamma and I knew that I was right where He wanted me.....

As I sat in church and reflected on our full summer and how the Lord blessed our student ministry through out the summer. I remembered how the day we returned from our mission trip - I found out I was pregnant with little Isabella. God's timing was so perfect. As I looked at Isabella's perfect little sleeping face, listening to the songs of worship in church - the Lord just reminded me that His timing is so perfect. He doesn't promise us that life will be easy or without pain, but He does promise that He will never leave us. He truly walked beside me the past two years and carried me through the most difficult days.

Our pastor closed our Mother's Day service by offering a prayer time for the ladies who desire to have children but have had difficulty thus far. As I saw various ladies from our church go down for prayer........and then as I looked down at the sweet little face of Isabella....tears welled up in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with God's little miracle He gave me......the perfection of her face and the beauty of this precious creation........and that God gave me the privilege to raise her. This is truly a Mother's Day I will never forget! I praise Him this Mother's Day for His faithfulness, goodness, sovereignty and unconditional love.

First road trip...

Off we go to see She-She, Grandaddy, Mimi and Pappa!

When Isabella was 5 weeks, we made our first official road trip! We headed over to Panama City to see Jer's family and introduce little Isabella to all the extended family! She sure got lots of sugar from her aunts, uncles, cousins and great-grandparents.....and of course from Grandaddy and She-She! Of course Grandaddy and She-She squeezed in a little photo shoot at the studio.....Isabella did such a good little job for her first studio photo session! =)

Then, we headed out to Panama City Beach to see Pappa and Mimi! Pappa was competing in the Florida 1/2 Ironman. We had such a fun time together as we cheered for Pappa!

We had to get up early to see Pappa start the swim in the Gulf....but early is not a problem for Miss Bella! Jer carried her around during the early morning hours!

After we saw Pappa finish his swim and transition to the bike, we headed back to the condo to eat, change clothes and rest a little! But, Bella boo was still cheering for Pappa in her car seat. =)
She said, "Go Pappa Go!"

Then, we went back to cheer Pappa on as he finished his biking!

And off for the run he went...

Jer and Isabella ran along with him for a few hundred yards...

Such a fun first road trip! Isabella did such a good job traveling....I'm sure there will be MANY more road trips to see Mimi, Pappa, She-She and Grandaddy!

4 1/2 weeks...and a possible milk allergy

Around 3 weeks or so, we started noticing that Isabella was a bit uncomfortable after feedings. She would bring her little legs up to her chest and start to cry.....I thought it was gas! So, I'd burp her more frequently and try to do little bicycle legs to help ease her tummy. It seemed to help a bit for a few days - but her discomfort seemed to be getting worse each day. I began to research and discovered that she had symptoms of reflux.....she was crying after feedings, spitting up a bit and just seemed very uncomfortable for most of the day. She was still sleeping great at night...which puzzled me - but during the day her little tummy seemed to be upset. We tried Myelcon as well as other remedies that are supposed to help with reflux. We sat her upright after feedings, propped her up at night at an incline, made sure her diapers weren't too tight on her tummy....etc. Well, from week 3 to week 4....she cried for a whole week it seemed! The only times she wasn't crying was during feedings. Oh, it just broke my heart to see her in such discomfort! Her little poo diapers were horrible.....Let's just say I sang lots of "Jesus Loves Me"...."He's got the whole world in His hands".....which I inputed "He's got little Isabella in His hands"...and we rocked and rocked! After a week of this, I made an appointment to see the doctor.

We went in around 4 1/2 weeks.......of course she was a perfect little angel for the doctor. Cooing...and looking at all the bright lights! She weighed 8lb. 14oz! After examining her, he requested for me to stop eating all dairy to see if that would help her. Her poo's had mucus in them which indicated to him that her little colon was inflamed and irritated. He thought she probably had a milk allergy which means her little digestive system is not mature enough to digest the cow's protein and her immune system was reacting to it. Of course, I will sacrifice anything for this sweet baby girl.....so off of dairy I went! He thought she may have a slight reflux issue - but nothing to be too concerned about at this point. So, no dairy......and using some of the tips to help with a little reflux!

First smile...4 weeks...

So, Isabella seems to get the hiccups lots! She started getting them in the womb around Christmas time....25 weeks and has continued getting them a couple times a day! They used to not bother her - but recently she will scream, "Ahh....Ahh...Ahhh" after having them for a few minutes! One day I decided to try and distract her from them....so every time she hiccuped I gave her a kiss! After about 50 hiccups....and 50 kisses...this is the sweet little face I saw......