Rough Week

It's been a rough/tough week for The Precious.  CF sucks beyond words.    Bella is such a trooper...she is my little hero.  I'm not going to go into details but let's just say that she had to deal with a really crappy situation. She weathered the storm and has been so amazing and is feeling so much better.  She can make all of us laugh at her comments sometimes.... "...too late"..."oops!"    It looks like Friday we are back to normal...SO happy!!

This has been dress-up week!  Merida dress, Pirate,...not sure what tomorrow will bring!  It was also Play Date week!
She had so much for with her friends, Josh and Dani.

I've been "Mommy Bear" this week as well...we've watched "Brave" a lot...acting out various scenes..and I'm "mom"!  At least most of my lines are just growls and bear noises!  It's so much fun watching her act...she really gets into her scenes!! Papa came home today as we were re-enacting "Brave"...he just smiled and joined in!

Today we painted..she wanted to paint a penguin but changed her mind...she did a seahorse!

We were trying out the air mattress!

She did it!!

Captain America to the rescue today!  We had to rescue all sorts of things!
 She picked my hat! LOL!








Major accomplishment today...Bella learned to ride her tricycle!!  She did really well!! It's hard for her to start up so I have to give her a little push but then she keeps peddling!  When she forgets to steer and runs onto the grass she says.."I crashed!"  Or when she stops peddling she'll say .."I crashed!"  I'm just so glad she stuck with it today!  When she saw Daddy's big truck she climbed onto her bike and took off!!  She wanted to show him what she could do!   Mommy came home shortly thereafter and she showed her how she could ride.  We had Daddy running all over the driveway so she could chase him down!  So proud of her!  WTG, BELLA!!

Ice Cream!!

The weather has suddenly decided that it really is getting closer to the beginning of Fall-type temperatures! But unfortunately cooler weather also brings out the cold/flu/virus season and we have already starting monitoring the latest virus to hit the area.  Extra hand sanitizer and masks are the order of the day now when Bella goes out. She is very understanding when it comes to wearing her masks.  She will tell you that "germs are yucky and not good"!  We all are very diligent about this.  Our goal is to keep her healthy.

Bella and I are slowly starting to put up Fall decorations. She is having fun! I think she and I will do some serious decorating on Saturday!

Today we ventured to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Plant Tour...It was great! We started the tour being served ice cream! Bella picked "green". She loves Mink Chocolate Chip (Just like her Daddy!) It's not a very long tour  but it's very informative.  Bella thought is was great because the one machine had a lid/cup malfunction and it stopped putting lids on the cups! When that happens the system dumps the ice cream into a hopper for recycling..but in the meantime the conveyor system keeps churning out stuff...needless to say it was quite messy and she thought it was GREAT! It took just a couple minutes to correct and clean up but it was fun watching the process!  Bella waved through the glass at all the workers and they waved back..which she also thought was pretty cool!  She gave them all a "thumbs up" and they all returned one to her. When the tour was done we headed back into the Country Store where Bella was offered another serving of ice cream. (She turned them down..she said she didn't need anymore!)

They don't allow pictures of the production area otherwise I would have snapped a couple.
I highly recommend going. Just call ahead and reserve a slot!!

Being goofy!

GRANDPARENT'S DAY!!

On August 8, 1978 President Carter signed the proclamation declaring the first Sunday following Labor Day “Grandparent’s Day”.  At the time I thought…okay…Hallmark just got a huge sales boost!  Just another “special day” for them to sell cards, etc…..

Fast forward……

July 13, 2011…Bryan and Jessica presented me (okay..not just me…but I am the one writing this!) with the most precious of all gifts and I became a Grammy.  I fell in love..instantly..whole heartedly…and I am not ashamed to admit it!!  I now know why grandparents will brag about their grandbabies, why they have a wallet full of pictures (except now it’s a cell phone!) just waiting to show those pictures to anyone..even strangers!  I proudly overload my FaceBook pages with her little face and boasts about her accomplishments.

I am so proud to be Isabella’s Grammy. Do I feel “old” because I now have this new title? Nope..quite the opposite!  I feel energized. I feel youthful.  I am playing with Play-Doh again. I’m building new creations with Leggos.  I’m crawling around hiding under tables and chairs playing hide-and-go-seek (or peek-a-boo, or hiding from zombies!).  I’m slowly learning new tricks..like how to braid hair correctly (very slowly!!) and her patience is appreciated.  Her hugs energize me.  Her smiling lips and eyes light up my life.   Her tears hurt me, and her “I wuv you, Gwammy” melts my heart.

When my sons were born I became “Mom”. I had two beautiful sons to raise, to teach, to instill morals and values, to show them how to be strong and independent, to love and give love.  To show them how important family is and that family will be by your side no matter how old they were, or where they lived.  “Mom” was the most important and proudest title I could ever ask for. “Mom” made me strong, “Mom” made me the fixer of things (from broken toys to injured limbs and hearts), “Mom” made me feel invincible.  “Mom” made me special.

….. and then …. July 13, 2011 …. I became “Grammy”.  I now have a new role. A role I welcome and cherish.  

Do I need a special day to declare that I am special?  No…but do I now understand why a day was set aside  "...to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer" ....  Yes.

So as I look at pictures today of Bella..seeing how much she has grown, how strong she is, how beautiful she is…. I shout outloud.. I AM A GRAMMY!!!   And I am so very, very happy to be in the Grandparent’s Club.

Thank you, Bryan and Jessica. Thank you for sharing your Precious with me.

I AM GRAMMY!!  

Storytime and More

What a great day!  Danny and I took Bella to Storytime.  She went yesterday with Meme but wanted to go again today so Uncle DanDan could hear the stories!   She is very polite when she is in Storytime..and when other kids were a little loud when Ms.Shelly started talking she told us ..."we are all suppose to be quiet now!"... She listened and participated in the songs and activities clapping her hands and tapping her feet! (Standing up and singing wasn't going to happen, yet...once she know the songs better I'm sure she'll be trying to lead the group!")

 Coloring a picture with her Uncle DanDan made her day!

We headed to TASM afterwards and she showed him all her favorite planes and games!  

We will be meeting up with Mommy and Daddy and Papa for dinner ... then back home for chocolate pie to celebrate Danny's birthday!!  I can't believe he is going to be 33!  Tomorrow he flies home..back to "Califorma"...Bella and I will take him to the airport....it's going to be very hard to say good-bye.