Reality Check

Well, the in-laws left yesterday. The house is a bit quieter. The animals don't know quite what to do with themselves without their doting Grandma here to entertain them. That's right. It's time for a reality check. I have to get back to doing things like folding my laundry and emptying my dishwasher. It's been a blissful 10 days of my mom-in-law doing them for me (Thanks, Mom!).

Bella fell asleep in her Daddy's arms the other night. And, well, her Daddy can't really leave well enough alone. He was laughing that she looked like she was drunk. Drunk on binky. Hence, the second picture below. Not my best Photoshop work, but you get the idea.

For me, it's back to reality and the list of phone calls I have to make tomorrow.

One last fun picture before I go... Kharma decided that the mat to Bella's play gym would make a suitable bed for her own use. Crazy dog.

The Summer of Isabella

Hanging out with Aunt Mandy -- I LOVE this picture!!
Daddy getting her strapped in for the ride to Grammy and Pop Pop's on Father's Day. Must be safe!!
Luna decided that Isabella needed to SHARE her Daddy's lap.
All snuggled up in a stuffed animal-blanket made by Cousin Patti in Oregon. It's embroidered with her name and birthdate, too!

So, yeah, I'm taken with my child. Sue me. With my in-laws here, I'm able to be a bit more self-indulgent and take time to download and crop pictures. I'm sure this won't last, but it's fun right now, isn't it?

6 months later... doin' it Mommy style.

Soooo.... it's summer again. And six months (or so) since I've posted. Pregnancy took a hold of me, and there wasn't much time for blogging. Now that our Bella is here, I don't know if I'll have much more time, but here's hopin'!

Our little girl arrived 2 days early. Grammy and Pop Pop left the labor/delivery room to have some lunch just as I began pushing. By the time they got back, Bella had made her appearance.

2 hours later, Aunt Mandy arrived to hold her newest niece.

We spent a good 2 days in the hospital, bonding as a family, getting to know each other, and enjoying visits from aunts, cousins, and grandparents. Now that we're home and have spent almost 3 weeks together, along with some more grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, we're liking this family thing.

Now, if I could just get a little more sleep...

Oh, and there's that whole "back to work" issue. Not planning on going any time soon, mind you, but the first day of school is breathing down my neck, and I have -- get this -- no sub! Both my sure thing and my back up bailed on me. Perhaps in the next week or so I should start panicking. Or, at least get on the phone and find someone to babysit, I mean, teach my students for the first 5 weeks of the school year. I'm going to Oregon whether there's an adult in the classroom or not...

In the meantime, I need to get birth announcements sent, I want to read a few good books, and create a DVD for Bella's great grandpa.

Here she is...