First Tent

We made our first tent last night. I remember being at my grandma's house and making tents with blankets all the time. So we did a mini-version of it last night with the bar stools. Bella ended up loving how soft the blanket was so she kept snuggling with it and rubbing it on her face...it was too cute.

Oops the blanket fell ;)
Snuggle time
Joel has once again taught Bella a new facial expression and noise! It is pretty funny to see...but most of the things she does are. We did another pony tail this morning but her hair is getting so long it just stood straight up a few inches.

She's just too precious.

The fun is just beginning...

Bella has had a blast with daddy, Auntie Miriam and Uncle Shawn all week. Here are some (ok a lot) of pictures from the week...and it's not over...we still have until Tuesday!

Getting an early start...teaching Bella to do the laundry.

Fun with Auntie Miriam and Uncle Shawn

Home town teams - Go Suns (Uncle Chad's hat) and Cardinals.
Playing outside and figuring out what grass is still.
Bella's first bubble bath...she loved it!

Catching Up.

We have joined the masses and created a myspace page (www.myspace.com/jnewell77)! It took us long enough. It was fun last night going through all of our friends that were on there...and memories of school came flooding back! I think Joel will actually be making one as well...but we'll see!

I have officially gone back to work...well to the office anyway. I will be working at the office in the afternoons all week. We figured that after Joel get a job we can put her in daycare 1/2 day in the afternoons so it will work out. It has been a tough adjustment on us all. I know the blogging has slowed down a bit...but it will probably remain that way at least until my medical coding class is over...at the end of the year. We have a busy few months ahead of us...Auntie Miriam and soon-to-be Uncle Shaun come on Tuesday for week to play...Logan, Bella's buddy turns 1 in a few weeks...then it's Bella's turn in October...then comes Thanksgiving in Ohio...my test...and then Christmas...oh and don't forget football season starts in a few weeks! Anyway here are a few pictures to help catch everyone up for the week.

Bella's new toy...same one Logan has, but she loves it....she "sings" along (well makes a lot of noises and squeals) and "dances" (moving her arms up and down). It has been a great purchase!
Zona's morning kiss from Bella. Her poor hair...her two calics (from her daddy) make her hair stand straight up.
First French Fry...she liked them but I think they made her a little sick.
Ready for OSU season to start...OSU top - check...OSU shorts - check...OSU hat - check! Although we didn't get this video on the camera to share with everyone. The hat covered her eyes so she was crawling around running into things...I know we are mean parents...but it was so funny.
Well off to clean before Miriam and Shaun get here! We played yesterday - Joel went to the Cardinal's preseason game, and Bella, Nana, Steph and I went shopping! Of course we found the cutest new store in the mall for Bella - The Pumpkin Patch! Have a good one.

First Steps!!!

I come home today from work to find out that Bella has taken her first steps. Joel was playing with her and she was hanging onto the play-yard. Next thing he knew was that she had taken TWO STEPS to be next to him. Then she grabbed on to him without realizing that she was walking!!! Holy Cow!! I can't believe I missed it, or that Joel didn't have the video camera ready, but it did take us about a month to capture her standing by herself on camera. I'm sure she'll be testing the waters some more. She is pretty fearless and has no problem crawling over/diving over people and toys to get where she is trying to go.

Playing and Ice Cream

Bella has started to shake her toys or bang them together. It's so funny to watch, especially since she's squealing again!! We took some pictures of her playing this morning before church.

Daddy decided to share his ice cream with her. She loved the chocolate, but wasn't too sure about the cold.

Pictures

She was cute in her little skirt today, so I thought I would share some pictures...not that there aren't any pictures on here!!!

Nap time

Seeing Daddy after being at Nana's most of the day (while mommy worked)
Big fan of juice and actually does pretty good from a regular cup too
Time for bed

Waffles

Yesterday, Bella had an Eggo for the first time. She loved it until she accidentally dropped one on the floor. Then she heard Zona next to her (who now camps out under her chair during meal times). So she then proceeded to drop more waffles on the floor so Zona would lick her hand. It was quite funny but I'm glad it happened with the last three pieces instead at the beginning.

The Clean Up Crew...
I love her in her little footie pjs...

This was her sleeping last night through the video monitor. She loves to stick her butt in the air and cross her little feet...

A few days shy of ten months

This won't be as long as the last one - I promise.

Her feet are just too cute when she gets on her tip toes.

We went to see Papa T today, since we thought she had gotten an ear infection from flying. She doesn't have one yet, but did have a fever of 100. I'm hoping that she doesn't get one, but I guess we'll just watch her the next few days. The two things that happened at the office were 1. She gained a pound and now weighs 23 lbs 2 oz and 2. She was playing with a toy and Papa was typing her chart note in the computer and she got so mad that he wasn't paying attention to her that she started snorting at him! It was hilarious. When we got home we tried to measure her...not much luck...but I think she's about 29 inches now. I can't believe how fast she's growing.

Weekend in Evansville, Indiana

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A LONG BLOG!
What a weekend! Traveling with a baby is always an adventure, especially when it is
only for a weekend. Our plane left Friday at 7:00am, so we were up at 5! We flew from Phoenix to Dallas then onto Evansville for Granna's Doctorate Graduation. Bella was really good. She tried to go through the window once she saw things outside moving...it was pretty funny to watch her try to figure out the plexiglas. Other than that she played, ate and slept. Going down hurt her ears but that was the only time she was fussy! We got to E-Ville and headed to the hotel...and got lost. By this time Bella was really hungry and tired of traveling. We finally found the hotel and relaxed for a little bit; however, the room was really hot and humid (like outside), so we let Bella play in her shirt and diaper. She discovered the mirror, or I should say herself in the mirror, and true to form she started "kissing" the mirror! Oh she keeps us laughing. We attempted to watch movies with her...it doesn't last very long, but she liked Nemo and Elmo's Sing-A-Long. Then it was off to dinner for Granna's Dinner Banquet. Bella was good, but tired. She did enjoy some of the chocolate cake before heading off to bed.


Saturday was graduation day...so we got dressed up in a pretty dress that Nana had bought and some ballet shoes. She lasted pretty long (well a lot longer than her daddy's graduation) until it was time to go play in the lobby with all the other babies. Once it was all over, it was picture time with everyone. It was fun to see Auntie Miriam, soon-to-be Uncle Shawn, Great Grandpa Callison, Pappa and Granna. She finally took a nap in the car on the way back to the hotel...her only nap of the day...a whole 30 minutes! Then she played with Granna, Pappa and Great Grandpa Callison the rest of the day...since she was not napping!!















Sunday we got up and hung out for a bit until it was time for our flights. Bella finally took an hour nap in the morning and then another hour in the car (we had plenty of time, so we ate lunch and parked the car so she could sleep). Once we got to the airport, I finally got the picture I've been waiting for...Bella standing by herself!!!!! I also got a video that I linked, but it goes pretty quick.
The flight to Dallas went pretty well...she slept the 2nd half, but the flight from Dallas to Phoenix wore all three of us out. First we get to Dallas to find out that our gate changed, so we had to rush to another gate...then they said it was overbooked (which we were hoping for, so we could hang out with the Trauthweins and Whitakers) but we got a seat. The plane got there late, so we loaded late and then the air didn't work...in Dallas...in August...so we sat there! It was miserable. Joel kept fanning Bella and I kept putting our cold water bottle all over her. She was great compared to all the other screaming kids. We finally got home around 8:00pm. Bella was so tired that I got her out of the car seat, into the house, changed her diaper, and into bed without her opening her eyes. Glad to be home!!!

New Things

It is so funny how every day is different with Bella. Over the past few days, she has decided that it is fun to do everything with her tongue sticking out - crawling, standing, sitting, playing, etc. I don't know why this fascination has just now come about...she's been sticking her tongue out for awhile now, but it's kinda funny. She has also decided to use her crib and play-yard as her teething object. There are teeth marks all over it!!!

We have started to give Bella "big people" food...and she's not to sure about it. She likes toast and some chicken mini-hot dogs (I think she likes to play with it more than eat it - see below), but apples, carrots and pasta she won't touch. When we give her pasta she will eat the sauce and spit out the pasta pieces. I'm sure she'll get used to it eventually...I mean she's part Italian how can she not like pasta!!! The apples I can't figure out, since she likes dried apples and applesauce, but not cut up apples.

Her other big news is that she is standing longer and longer by herself. Today she stood for a good 25-30 seconds balancing herself with her toes. Yesterday, Joel said they were playing and she just stood up from the sitting on the ground with no help from any object or grabbing onto someone. We are still trying to get documentation of this feat, but every time she sees the camera shes gets down and crawls over to it.

Last but not least, she now gives "five" and waves bye-bye...although it is pretty much the same action of her waving her arm around it's still really cute. Hope all is well.