Bella is ONE!

My baby is no longer a baby. She's a whole year old! Oh what a year it has been!
Apprently Bella was feeling senitmental about it also, as she was pretty moody yesterday and was up at 12:37am this morning.
Today My mom came and we went to Dubuque to get her pictures done.. they did a pretty good job, only i forgot to get one with her.
here's a slide show of a few of htem

We have had a long day today and even busier weekend... but i hope to have a bunch of updates and pictures up soon!!!

One Year ago

One year ago, I was in labor and thought it hurt with each contraction as i walked the halls and outside. It was really hot out, a typical july day. I had been admited the night before and spend all night in the hospital. JOsh was there for most of it with me. My mom came up to visit, but there was no signs of a baby and i was in pain.
It wasn't until suppertime that my water was broken by Dr. erin that I really start to know what pain was. I would spend 2.5 hours in the shower and not even know it. Then spend the next 5 hours in painful labor. With one perfect result...My baby girl. Bella came into this world at 12:37am On her daddy's birthday. I don't even recall my feelings at the moment other than making sure she was all right as she was pretty redish/purple. Josh cut the cord and she stayed wrapped up in my t-shirt on my chest for a bit. It was an amazing moment! It has changed everything about my life and I never want to go back!
I love my little girl!

Our Busy week.....so far

So I meant to post this yesterday, but yeah totally didn't happen. But hey at least the weekend is caught up right?
Anyhow... Monday morning, I finally came back home. WIth me came Sara and her friend. They had fun exploring the farm and cleaning up Bella's new playset. Once it was cleaned up JOsh put it together and it's been a hit for all three girls!
Tuesday, the girls have helped watch bella for me. I got all the rooms cleaned but the computer room. I still need to do floors but that's a today job. We tried to go to the pool but it was closed to non-members for whatever reason. But i did get to go to the grocery store and get food and snacks. The girls took bella most of the afternoon outside for me.
When it came swimming lesson time, the girls came with and got to enjoy the park. I had a good time at lessons, talking with the other mommies. I was bummed to hear that One mommy and her son won't be there on thursdayThat night we ended up having a bon fire and roasting Smores.
Wenesday was a crazy messy day! I decided after some major cleaning on tuesday i would get a day off.. So after walking and hanging out outside. The girls got to name some calves(we had two born on tuesday). they have also been in love with the kittens.
After lunch, I brought out the finger paints for Bella. This time i used flour and water with food coloring. Oh that was a mess!! also it didnt' work right for getting finger prints :( not too sure if i had it too running or what not,. But Bella had fun, as did the girls. Then I attempted to get Bella's hand print in a plaque that iv'e had since before she was born. I wanted to use it when she was little little, but didn't get around to it, so I thought a year was a good time...Oh it was too tough. Bella would use her finger to poke holes in the modling clay. So yeah I ened up useing her feet... i'm nto sure how it will turn out. I might have to find another one and try her hands again.
We also let bella play in her pool. She enjoyed haveing two people to play with her toys.
I manged to get one scrapbook page done and fill up my digital pictures frame with pictures from Bella age mintues old to first week in july. If i would re-size the pics i can get more of july on ,w hich i might do if i have time.
We took all three girls to the Library so that bella could get new books and the girls got a movie and magazines. So while bella napped, the girls watch a movie. we had pizza for supper,,,which bella loves! and then we packed up and all of us went to see Ice Age 3.
It was a good movie, but a bit scarier than the first two, IMO. Bella did so-so at the movie.. By no means is she ready for movies yet, but I think i missed about 15 mins as did josh of the movie, but we did get her to settle down and she fell asleep in the last 5 mins. Once we came home it was bedtime for all!
today is baking day! Pictures to come later too!
Oh tooth number 5 broke through,..not the one i thought, but we are up to 5 teeth now!

Sunday Fun

Sunday, was a fun filled day hanging out with the Fox's. I got to chill at my mom's house in the morning with her dogs and the kittens before heading to my sister's place.

Once I got there, I had took advantage of thier super fast interent and unlimited uploads, and uploaded my pictures from the weekend. Then it was lunch time. Bella was napping, so i was able to eat lunch with out worrying about the baby. She woke up as i was mixing her sippy and we feed her. She was still in her Jammies!

Once we got her fed and Dressed we headed to Target and walmart to help the kids get all their back to school stuff. Target was dead, which was nice. I got Bella a new hat and a airplane water toy. Walmart was busy and it's a very small old walmart, so that was kind of annoying.

when we were done, we haded back to Tracey's. Bella went down for another nap, and the kids went swimming. When Bella got up from her nap, her, Elly and I hung out in the pool. we finally got to use her new baby floatie.

After a yummy supper, We got to play downstiars and look through Drew's old clothes. we found a really cute blue's clues outfit. I know it's boyish but i can't wait til Bella will fit in it.

Beach Party

Saturday was my friends Annual Beach party. Bella and I started our day early, 6am early. Josh helped us after breakfest get ready and loaded up. We ended up coming part of the way back and then starting out all over again. I ended up talking to Tori on phone for most of the way. We manged to be the first one at the beach!

Tori was next to arrive and help me get my stuff set up. Then we waited for the rest of the gang. Once everyone was there, we got settled in to eatting lunch. Katie also handed out really cute books with all the group shots in it from the last 20 years.

We ventured in the water for about 10 minutes. It was really windy and kind of chilly. Bella wasn't so sold on the waves. we came back to our table and blanket to talk some more.

By 2:30 I had to pack up and leave to meet Tracey to give her Bella. My Wondeful sister, took Bella overnight, so that I could have some fun girl time! So after I dropped off Bella with my sister. I headed to my mom's to take care of her pets as she was gone on a mini vacation.

after that I headed over to Court's and got to play Mario Kart. I had fun doing that! then the rest of the gang showed up at Court's too. We went to Supper at AppleBee's. THen COurt, Andi, Melissa, and I went out to the Lyon's pub. The only smoke free bar in town. We had a good time there. I was excited to ride in Melissa's VW Bug car :)

Overall it was a great day!

PhotoShoot

Here's a couple pics from the photo shoot last sunday

Cole

Cole or as we call him.. Cole-Bear or the Big lunge(not spelt right, but whatever)

Josh got him without telling me until i said he was cute. We got him in Januray before we moved to our farm. He did have his brother until we moved, but his brother is gone now. It seems that his only friends that stay around are the cats. Cole thinks he's a big cat sometimes. He seems dumber than a box of rocks sometimes and has been ran over many of times as a pup, so it seems he's hips are that of a 12 year old dog. But I wouldn't trade him for any dog! Every since that day week ago, he's been my shadow. where I go he goes. when i'm in the house he waits on the carport. We have to tie him up when i leave or else he comes after me. He's a great dog and I love him!! So does Bella. He's getting so much better around her. She loves him almost as much as I do. So this post is for Cole bear!!!

These are all pics from the last few days

15 more to go!

Today has been a day!
Tooth number 5 has popped through. Thank god it's a middle front one. But i'm praying the other one pops in the next day or two so they come in together. But I will admit that I will miss her funky fangy smile. Good thing i have enough pics of it :)
Also It's safe to say now that Bella can take one or two steps on her own. But i think she knows that we want her to walk, so she doesn't. She's such a speedy crawler that it amazes me on how fast she can move! I think the shoes are helping her as she wants to walk on her toes, which can't bear the weight of her.
SOmeother things that I want to remember...she use her "wave" to say she wants more of something.
She love clemetines and cheese.
She also talks back when we tell her not to do something or put her somewhere she doesn't want to be.
Today we did a bunch of running around. WE also got to hang out with daddy almost the entire day! We will miss him over the weekend. Bella and I are off to Lake Mills, Watertown and Pewaukee til monday.

A few random pics to hold ya over:

When it gets quiet in the house, you know bella's up to something. She climbed up in her chair to get the remote on the A/C

She also discovered the Tupperware cabinet.

Her new shoes!

Reading in the tub!

She loves her bath book!

new friends

Today was swimming lesson for the first time in almost 2 weeks. We didn't go on tuesday of this week becuase it was too cold and icky to go. We had a great time. the water wasn't so bad and the sun ended up coming out. also our friends were there, including Blake, who Bella loves! We also got talking about meeting up after swimming :):)
Today we also got a visit from Aunt Diane. Oh Bella was happy to see her. We had a great visit. It was so nice to talk in person and not have to type everything. we also had fun making ice cream while Bella took her nap. Silly me didn't get any pictures though :(
Wednesday my mom came to visit. We went to the big sale in Lancaster for Walkers and Kidz Kloset. Josh got new work boots and bella got new clothes for winter and shoes! We have fun eatting out at A&W and visiting Pamida. We came home and Bella took nap while mom and i worked outside.
Tuesday was a rainy day. We spend most of it in the house.
I haven't uploaded pictures yet.. that should happen soon!

Outdoors

Yesterday was very much an outside day. It was sunny, breezy, and comfortable. We started out the day in long sleeves and overalls(well pants for me) and ended in shorts and a t-shirt.

After sleeping in til 7:45am we had a yummy breakfest with daddy. Then discovered that Bella seems to be back to her normal self and recovered from last week. SInce Bella slept in so late, we decided to go outside to the fields by daddy. well that was a rough walk,,our field roads are so not meant for my stroller. We hung out with daddy for a while before coming back home. Acutally daddy came back with us and he got to push the stroller up the hill :)

Then it was nap time for Bella. I really can't remember what I did. She was up for lunch and daddy came back from finsihing up raking the last of the hay. we decided then I would go to the store to stock on food for us and for Bella' birthday!

That was an adventure in itself! One shopping cart, one baby and too much food, by the time i got beer for Josh i had to carry bella. Piggly Wiggly does not make carts big enough! Luckily i had the help of a wonderful cashier and lady behind me to help at the checkouts. I also order Bella's Elmo Birthday cake!

We came home and unpacked all the food. Bella wasn't ready for a nap just yet, so we played outside in the yard with her little car and slide. Daddy came to play with us for a bit. Bella loved it! She was missin' her daddy.

She napped while daddy milked and mommy made supper. We had Jeremy join us since he was going to help daddy after supper. Bella and I went back outside after supper to play since Daddy was busy moving all the round bales. But thankfully we should have enough hay this season to last til next spring and we haven't even done 3rd crop yet! things are looking up for us, finally!

Catch up post

Bella sitting in the Rocker we are borrowing from my mom




Chillin outside watching Daddy with his Bow


Bella and Daddy


First pic with my new camera

My plumber baby and her first crush..Joe


Elly teaching BElla to play Ball


"Silly Sara, I don't ahve hair for this"


Hanging out at the pool with Aunt Tracey


In the pool with Mommy


Bathtime with Drew


I love thier living room windows for shots like this


Sara the scarecrow

Asleep in the poppy field

Carroll in the future?

Learning to grill with Daddy

Chillin in the back of the truck

Bella asleep in thet truck

Fireworks!

Moving on

Well wendesday night was hectic. Bella did not handle the slow transtion over to milk so we finally had to give up on wensdesay night. It was a long night that night.
Thursday Bella was still recovering(as she still is now and it's sunday) so we had a dull morning. I spend it trying to pack to leave for three days and josh was out in the fieild cutting 2nd crop hay. Josh was able to spend about an hour with us before we left.
We headed on the road and Bella took a nice nap. we made it before most of the traffic got too heavy due to rush out and such. We arrived at my sisters around 4:30ish..just as Andy and the kids got home too :) So that meant we got help getting unloaded. Bella enjoyed playing with Elly, Sara and drew.
after Tracey got home and supper, we headed out to the Pool. Bella enjoyed having Elly and Drew in the pool with her. Tracey came out and took bella for a bit so that i could enjoy the pool too!
Friday was Sara's preformace in the Wizard of Oz at Carroll. So Bella and my mom headed out to see that and meet up with Andi. The rest of the family joined us too! Sara did a great job! She only had two weeks to learn her lines and did a great job...the whole show was really good. It's a bit different than the movie version, but still fun. Bella never made a peep durning the show even though she hadn't had a nap. After the play we walked up to the bookstore. I got some carroll college clothes for me and mom and andi found good deals too!
after Carroll we headed back to Tracey's for lunch. Then Andy packed up his family, tracey went to work, mom went home and Bella went to sleep....or so i thought anyhow. She ened up sleeping on me while i watch Princess Protection Program. I know i'm a freak for watching Disney stuff.
After that Tracey arrived back from work. we had fun playing with bella and finding all the leftover toys from her kids that were for bella's age. then we headed to Good Havest to get some healthy organic food! I always spend too much. WE got some fun food there mostly for Bella, though. But i was bummed...no organic carrot cake mix.
That night we did supper and a bath for Bella. THen once Bella was ready for bed, I put her to bed in the trundle in Elly's room and Tracey and I watched Sisterhood of the traveling pants 2..it was good, not as good as the first, but good. I connected with Carmen a lot. I sometimes wish that i had pants to connect me to my friends.
Saturday we got packed up and took Tracey to the rest of her family. THen I took Reggie to my mom's. we hung around watertown a bit. I had to find new shoes for Bella as she had lost hers somewhere at Carroll on Friday. I also hit up Babies R Us and found another pair of shoes, Emlo Bib, Elmo sippy cups with soft spouts and some other stuff. Once we got home, bella got to hang out in the barn with Daddy, while I unpacked and put stuff away.
After supper wtih Jeremy and Kayla we hung out at home til it was late enought to get Bug ready for bed and get everything ready to go to the fireworks. We decided to park along the road and watch them. Bella slept the whole time and Josh andI got some great alone time to enjoy the fireworks.
Sunday after a night of no sleep. We went to Pairie du Chein to see Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, well really it was for Great Grandma's sister's 50th wedding anniversary party. We also got to spend some time with Duane and Diane who also came. Bella had a great time with them. Apprently I"ve been bad and haven't taken her to see them in while becuase she didn't want to leave Diane.
after the party we stopped at Grandma and Grandpa's to get some fish for daddy. We visited only for a bit since Daddy had to get home to bale hay. We also has to stop at Walmart for more forumla since Bella clearly can not have milk yet. Then on homeward. JOsh milked first and then baled the hay. Bella got ot hang out in the barn after mommy did a photoshooot in her pretty yellow dress. Bella ate supper and then I loaded her up in the front pack carrier and headed out to the field to find daddy. WE manged to walk from the house all the way to the bottom on the other end..it was a long walk!

Ok so this post was started sunday morning and it has taken til monday mid morning to get it done.. pictures to follow.

quiet days

Yesterday and today have been queit days. after Snoopy either of Bella or me were in a good mood. Bella acutally slept a ton yesterday. She's not feeling well and i think it's part teeth and part attempting to change her over to milk. I wanted to do it slowly and it's still affecting her a lot! So yeah neither of us are doing the greatest. Today we did run some errend in town. Anners apprently got something from Squeekers so we had to take her to the vet. Yeah not fun at all. Then to the library for exchnage of books, then to the grocery store to find some regular organic whole milk, then to pamida to buy diapers.
once we got home Bella wouldn't go down for a nap and was really fussy. Our Organic inspector was here so Josh was attemping to do that while Bella and I hung out. we ended up going with him to tour the farm and see all the cows.
We skipped swimming yesterday adn wont' be around on thrusday to go either. this is just not a good week.

RIP Snoopy

Poor little Snoopy went to Doggie Heaven today.

I really don't want to talk much about it. So please don't bring it up. Someday i might be able to but right now my heart is a bit to raw too.