Thursday, January 31, 2013

Oh, Hey!

It's been almost a year since I posted here. I'm not upset about it, disappointed in myself, or feel any other negative feelings about it. You see, on April, 8, 2012, this beautiful strawberry blonde, blue eyed baby girl was born and changed my life forever. Isabel Ruth Cleveland. Just because I haven't sat down and typed out all the details about every second of her life and posted all 1695 pictures I have taken of her doesn't mean I have missed out documenting her life. I certainly don't think it means I'm a bad Mom either. During my first year of life my Mom documented my day to day activities on a baby calendar and I wanted to do the same for Isabel. So, instead of documenting for the world to see, I documented for Isabel to read one day in this sweet baby calendar. I also plan on writing her a letter on her birthday every year. Another tradition passed down from my Mom. I will actually sit down and write it with pen and paper and it will probably be in cursive! I know, I'm so stuck in the era without technology to do everything but I like it that way. However you choose to document your baby's life is up to you. No judgement here, but please do document it. I'm so glad my Mom did and I hope Isabel and other future children will appreciate it as well!
Back to baby girl and parenthood. Isabel was born on Easter at 2:14pm. If you want to feel encouraged about labor and delivery I'm the girl for you. My labor and delivery could not have gone better. I like to think its because the good Lord knew if I had a rough labor and delivery combined with such an unpleasant first half of pregnancy that Isabel might be an only child. Instead, I have sweet memories of waking up in labor, driving to the hospital, meeting wonderful nurses and doctors, my Mom arriving from Birmingham, and pushing out a 7 pound 11 ounces bundle of sweetness. At one point, while watching Say Yes to the Dress, I remember Brad saying how surprised he was everything wasn't out of control and chaotic. It's like he expected me to be dramatic....I don't know why.
The next day (that's right) we were out of the hospital and starting life as a family of 3. I have loved being a mother to Isabel. Nothing could have prepared Brad and me for parenthood. We really just had to learn along the way. I remember that first week Brad and I had a good laugh looking over our google searches on our phones. We so desperately wanted answers to everything. Sometimes we got answers, other times we just came to the conclusion that Isabel was " just being a baby".
Now, at almost 10 months old, Isabel doesn't miss a beat. She ALWAYS knows where I am and if she isn't happy about it she will let you know. She is a crawling machine and will pull up on anything. She loves to eat, dance, wave hey and bye, and her favorite words are hey, dada, and mummy (thanks to our British nanny, I guess).
2012 brought along more changes than having a baby. Brad's brother and sister got engaged and married! We welcomed Jordan into the family November 10 and John became Sarah's husband November 30. I'm not sure 2013 will be as exciting but it sure will be fun with our larger family!
Here are a few pictures from the weddings! Weren't the brides beautiful?!