Park and Swim

I thought I would post a few cute pictures of the Princess. Don't have much to say except she's doing great and making me laugh more and more each day.

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands..

Ok, Boogie is back on the happy side of life. It's been a relief to us knowing that she is fever free and she is slowly getting back to being Miss Funny Girl.

I was gone Sunday so I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her. So Monday, Karen and Bella, met me for lunch. I was totally amazed at how much of a noticeable change there was in her. I know everyone must think I'm crazy but everything about her had grown and developed. Her hair looked longer. She has these tight blond curls now. She is looking like Shirley Temple. Even in one day she is learning new skills. I was blown away when Karen said, "Bella Clap Hands!" and she started clapping her hands. Yes, I know, it might seem like a simple thing but I was shocked.

Last night I was driving home, talking to Karen on my cell, and I could hear Bella belly laughing in the background. Then I hear Karen cracking up. Well, Bella was picking up blocks and toys with center holes and peeking through it. Sort of like peek-a-boo. Never have I heard a baby belly laugh like this little girl does. That is pure Joy!

So, we are enjoying our little girl back to good.

Have a great Tuesday!

Mi Chiquita es Muy Mal

This is from a draft I started on Friday. I thought it was worth posting even though it was last Friday.


I post this blog out of pure frustration of Isabella being a sick little girl. As I posted at the end of my previous blog, boogie started Monday afternoon with fever which we found progressed into Strep. She is a sick little girl. They prescribed meds for her earlier in the week but it's like the bacteria thinks it's candy. On top of that we've had a really bad experience this week with our pediatricians office. You see, Dee Gee, the normal nurse is only working on Saturdays. Everyone loved Dee Gee because she was a mom of young kids plus she was awesome. We were refered to this doctor by one of Karen's friends. Well, this week we encountered Nasty nurse. No compassion, rude to Karen, rude to me. Being first time parents we are not used to or are we aware of certian childhood illnesses. It got so bad that we were seriously considering looking for another doctor, even though we really like Dr. Deschamps. Well, just by chance Karen's friend was in the office yesterday and encountered the same rudeness from this nurse. She mentioned it to Dr. Deschamps and also threw us under the bus by saying, "and my friend Karen and her husband are thinking about leaving this office because of your nurse". Well, Karen got a phone call from Dr. Deschamps yesterday seeing how Boogie was doing and apologized for the poor treatment we received this week from the office nurse. We were impressed that the Doctor called herself and assured Karen that she would look further into this and take action.

So just keep boogie boo boo baby in your prayers. She's a trooper who even in her state of yuck is enduring.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Well, it was a great weekend... 99.50% of it was the bomb diggity! Some of it was planned and some of it was done on the fly.


SATURDAY:

Karen and Bella had never been to Grant's Farm. For those of you not familiar with Grant's Farm, it is a 281 acre wildlife preserve owned by the Busch Family of Anheuser Busch. It received it's name because President Ulysses S. Grant fell in love with Julia Dent, the sister of one of his fellow corpse man. Grant met Julia while visiting his friend on the Dent's family farm. Julia's family owned the property that Grant's farm currently resides on. After marrying the two returned to the Farm and built a cabin on the property. That cabin can still be seen there. (seen below)

August Busch Sr. purchased the property from Grant in 1907. As a tribute to the men who risked their lives during the Civil War, Busch had a iron fence built around the front entrance of the farm made out of Civil War Riffle Barrels. Busch built a large mansion on the property and used this farm as the family's summer home. The location of the farm is probably 30 minutes by car from the brewery downtown. The family's main residence was located next to the brewery. It would be a day's travel by horse and carriage to travel to the farm. August Busch loved that his guests enjoyed this farm so much that he opened it up to the public to see and enjoy. To this day the Busch family still uses the home for entertaining and recreation.

You enter the farm via a tram that gives you a tour of the property. Because this is a wildlife refuge you see rare cows, deer, buffalo from all over the world. After the tour the tram drops you off at a spot where you can walk around and take in a bird show, feed baby goats, and many other exotic animals. In the center of the farm is what's called the Bauernhof, built in 1913, and was the first building constructed on the Busch family estate. Bauernhof is German for "farmstead."


Located in the Bauernhof are tables to enjoy a sampling of ABs many products both Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic. They also serve food if you choose. Also located inside the Bauernhof is Busch's prized collection of horse carriages along with stables that house many different breeds of horses, including, the world famous Clydesdales.

Bella enjoyed seeing all of the sites that Grant's Farm had to offer. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed the many sites the Bauernhof had to offer.

It was really cool afterwards because I got to take Karen and the baby to the first house I grew up in and the elementary school that I attended Kindergarten. This was only a couple miles from Grant's Farm.

SUNDAY:

Sunday we decided to get up early and go visit Grandma Dee Dee and Paw Paw Fred at their place up at Coffeen Lake in Illinois. Paw Paw has a 20 ft. Pontoon Boat so he took us out on the lake to see Eagles and Deer that sometimes can be seen around the lake. They spotted this spring an Eagle's Nest so he was hoping to show us the baby eagles. We didn't spot any near the nest but on the other end of the lake we think we saw a baby eagle perched on a tiny branch. None-the-less it was nice to be out on the water.

When we got back from our boat ride we walked down the road from their camp to this family that has a 3 acre fenced in pen where they raise white tail deer. Bella got to feed the deer crackers. I'm not sure if she was so thrilled to give up her cracker. I think she wanted to eat them.

Grandma and Paw Paw wanted us to stay for dinner but Boogie was getting tired so we opted to just go home. We had a great time!

MONDAY:

Monday we took Bella to the pool. We have several community pools in our area which we have never used in the three years we've lived in our house. Karen was worried about the baby and getting sun burned. We were very careful to keep her hat on and cover her in sunblock. She loved it! She had so much fun and we actually enjoyed ourselves too.

However, when we came home we put Bella down for a nap. Upon her waking up Karen noticed she was very warm. She took her temperature and as she suspected she had a 102 degree fever. So we gave her Baby Tylenol and watched her. Unfortunately, her temp spiked to almost 104 degrees. Needless to say we started to get concerned by yesterday morning when it was this high. Karen took into the doctor and poor boogie has strep. She's been a trooper but Mommy and Daddy have been so worried about her. She still has a temp today so we're hoping it runs it's course and she gets over it.

So as I said, the majority of our weekend was Fantastic!

Love Letter to My Mommy

Since my daddy let's me bang on the keyboard and he has started this blog for me I wanted to write a letter to my Mommy: (You will be amazed that a 10 mo. old can type, write, and express her feelings so well. Just Roll with me)

Dear Mommy:

I want to thank you for being my Mommy. I know at times it seems all I do is take from you and I don't thank you for all that you do for me. No one makes me laugh like you do, no one feeds me carrots as you, no one makes me laugh and jump when you yell, BOO!, I just want to thank you for all that you do.

I was born into this world to be chosen but it is you who I would of voted, to be my Mommy. You hold me tight when I'm trying to fight the sand man's arrival each night. You wipe my tears when I get scared, you put pretty bows in my hair, and you dress me like Bell Aire. You do all these things because you love me.

You are my best friend, you love to hold my hand, and it's because of these few things that you mean the world to me.

I can't thank you enough, for making my life the Best the World brings!

I LOVE YOU MAAA-MAAAA,

Isabella

CINDERELLA

This post is extremely difficult. I've been debating which of my blogs I should even discuss this because of the heart wrenching matter. I've always aimed to keep Bella's blog as lighthearted and happy as possible. However, since the topic is about a Daddy's little girl I will make this post on Bella's Blog. I know Lesley http://lesleyworld.blogspot.com/ (sorry, I can never figure out out to insert links correctly) posted about this on her blog a few weeks ago. The topic is Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, losing their little girl,Maria Sue, in a freak accident at their home. Their Son Will Franklin ran her over in the family's driveway with their SUV. When Karen and I heard this our hearts just sunk. Whenever his song, Cinderella, came on the radio we would immediately change the station. It's just human of all of us to want to ask, WHY? Why would God allow a man on fire for Christ to be burden like this? HOW? How can the Chapman family even move on from this? I would ask myself these questions during their mourning period. When Lesley talked about the family being on Larry King, Karen and I were bummed that we missed it. One, I was so amazed that the family had the courage, strength, and heart to open themselves up to questioning that they knew was not going to be easy. I'm sure some of the questions had to smart to a still healing heart.

Well, yesterday and today, Steven Curtis was on Focus on the Family, with Dr. James Dobson. I was so impressed and strengthen by him. Like the verse goes, Iron sharpens Iron. What I appreciated about Steven going on the air with Dr. Dobson was he kept it real. He just didn't sit there and go, "Well, God turns all things for good", "God has a plan and a purpose". No, while he knows those statements are true and are biblical, he opened his heart to what he was really feeling. He shared a statement that his wife, Mary Beth, made after the Good Morning America interview. She said, "I know our story will strengthen other people. I know God will turn this for good. But, I don't care. I want my baby back. I miss her everyday". Here is a woman who stands on God's word but is still human. Still hurts. Steven commented on himself. He told Mary Beth after this tragedy that he knows one song he won't ever be able to sing. That being Cinderella. He wrote this song a couple months before Maria Sue was taken from them. There is a line in the song that says, "and the clock struck 12 and she was gone". He said, one, it's just too painful for him to sing that song, two, he knows how hard it will be for people to listen to that song and to that verse. However, he was performing again in July and was singing the song before Cinderella in his "normal" set. The song was, I will be here. On stage he was thinking, you know if I truly believe God's promises then Cinderella is not a sad song. I know one day I will get to dance with her again. He's right. All the why, what, how will all be answered one day in heaven. I thought I would post the lyrics to Cinderella if you don't know them:

CINDERELLA LYRICS

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It's been a long day and there's still work to do,
She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says "Dad, the prom is just one week away,
And I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone.

Well, she came home today
With a ring on her hand
Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned
She says "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
but I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy please!"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
(even one song)
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

I write this post because I can't even allow myself to think about this happening to us. One hand, I'm just in awe of the Chapman's for having the strength they have and on the other the realness of their lives, emotions, and know they battle each day with the heartache of losing Maria Sue. He sung Cinderella on the air today. What I found to be awesome is he changed the last verse of the song to, "and the Dance will go on!" Totally Beautiful.



Karen and I had a chance to be volunteers at a Winter Jam Concert here in St Louis. Steven and his two sons, Will and Caleb, performed with him. Their band, The Following, performed as backup to Steven. We were right by the stage and this man and his family are the same inside and out. Maria Sue was there and he brought her out on stage. These are the people you should ask yourself, "How can I walk this walk for God like them" You see, they don't proclaim perfection, just an honest, walking this out, the best they can, with a heart of Christ to what God has called us all to be- Messengers of the Message.

Steven said today, "Don't hold on to what was or what might be". Cherish these true gifts from God. Because none of us including our children know when God will call us home. So I encourage each of you to cherish your children and the children in your lives. Hold them, talk to them, spend time with them because the laundry and work will always be there. Our Angels have no guarantees!

So in closing, I just ask that each of you keep the Chapmans in prayer and hug those babies big and small!

Have a great day!

Home Run Girl.....

Here is an outfit Karen has been waiting anxiously for Bella to fit in. Thanks to Uncle Kevin, a friend of Karen's from New York, who sent this to her.

Several people have commented on Bella's first baseball game pic. Boogie enjoyed the first couple innings of the game but since the game fell within her bedtime she quickly turned into Take Me Home Bella. She is anxiously waiting for her next game which I feel will go a lot better.

Karen and I love baseball so we hope Bella develops the same love for the game.





I hope you enjoy the cracker jack girl and her Yankee's debut. Have a great day!