We took Isadora to the Oakland Zoo on her first birthday.
We also brought her favorite playtime friends, Anneke and Jyoti.
This giraffe family was my favorite.
It was close to feeding time and the chimps were going crazy. They started swinging around the trees and shrieking. The cacophony was starting to bother the girls, so we left. They were also getting really tired. Luckily, we saw most of the zoo before it was time to leave.
They fell asleep in the car on our way home.
We had an awesome birthday party for Isadora. I didn’t take many photos. We had IzzyCam turned on during the party, so we got a few shots from the day. Isadora’s favorite playtime friend, Anneke, came to the party. They spent most of the day together looking and acting adorable.
I did have the wherewithal to grab my camera when it was time for her first bite of cake. This photo, however, is courtesy of Netsui.
I was really on the fence about letting her have sugar, but finally decided she could have it for her birthday. She was unsure of it at first because I put the whole cupcake in front of her. She didn’t know what to do, so I broke off a bit and put it in her mouth.
She LOVED it.
Too bad she’ll have to wait until next year to get another bite of cake.
Baby Giana was born the day before Isadora, but celebrated her birthday the day after so we were able to attend her party. Makita love the babies.
Cute little girl in a party hat. She had to go to someone else’s party to be able to wear a birthday hat because her neglectful mother forgot to put one on her head at her own party.
Makita didn’t want to be left out of the hat action.
This is the closest I’ve been able to get Doug to sit next to the baby. I haven’t been able to get him to hold her yet. Soon. Soon.
The fancy new term for “picky eaters.” I found a very interesting article discussing a study of picky eaters. I was such a picky eater, and fit a lot of the characteristics they outlined. I don’t recall being antsy or anxious around food though. I had no qualms telling people what I was and was not willing to eat. My parents also didn’t force me to try new foods most of the time. I recall a couple of events where they tried, but it didn’t work. It was just easier to make me foods that I liked. So far, I don’t see Isadora displaying any of the characteristics in the article, save for one. She HATES stage 3 foods and gags every single time. And the only food she flat out refused is peas, and I never bothered to try again. Mitch doesn’t like them. She’ll see that when she gets older, so what’s the point in pushing them on her. I don’t want to eat foods I don’t like either. And I won’t. What’s the big deal, anyway? I have tried a lot of new foods as an adult and have liked most of them. I even started to eat peaches and tomatoes this year.
Before Izzy could stand, she used to spend hours in her bouncy-chair. She loved it. So much, in fact, that often she’d fall asleep in it without making a sound, keeling over unconscious with her hands at her sides looking like a narcoleptic porpoise caught in mid-jump. We referred to this behavior as “Porpoising.”
These days, now that she can stand and cruise where she pleases, she loves playing her giant Casio keyboard. We have a toy-piano as well, but she’s had access to the larger instrument her entire life and prefers it. For one thing, unlike the toy piano she knows how to turn the Casio on and off. It also has built in rhythms, something else she knows how to use. But like any artist lost in her craft she knows not when to stop, as exhibited here in what I call “The Keyboard Porpoise.”
video courtesy of the husband
City Face
I like to think that she learned “city face” from me. You know, the face you need when you walk around town and don’t want anyone to mess with you. This is the face that says come near me and you will rue the day we crossed paths. In reality, this stern little face was set as she fell asleep with the sun in her eyes.
Bath Time!
She out grew her blue infant tub at six months so we replaced it with a blow-up yellow ducky tub. She out grew that a few weeks ago and we transitioned her into the big girl tub. She was nervous the first couple of weeks in the big tub, but now she loves it! Murky and Kirby are right along side her, just out of this shot. They love bath time too. Two days ago, Murky was acting quite brave and walked along the edge of the tub. Isadora was poking her in the feet and she lost her balance and fell in. She didn’t seem to mind it too much. Last night, Kirby almost gave a repeat performance. This morning after I took my shower, the water was draining a little slow, and Kirby jumped in and splashed about in ankle deep water. I think our kitties will be bathing with Izzy on a regular basis soon.
So Tired
With Izzy’s new skills and abilities, she’s less inclined to take a nap. We try to put her down, but she won’t have it. So we end up with her nodding off in the high chair. This time she actually fell asleep with the sippy cup in her mouth.
Just Loungin’
Isadora strikes this funny lounge pose all the time while she’s playing. It’s particularly hilarious when she grabs a book and starts flipping through the pages in repose.
Like Kitty, Like Kid
Kirby kept jumping in and out of this box and it was making Isadora laugh. I put her in the box when Kirby stopped playing and she LOVED it! I pushed her around the room and made squealing tire sounds and she went crazy.
Baby Teefs
I didn’t think I could love anything more than I loved Izzy’s gummy grin. That is, until she sprouted these three teeth. I love her Jack O’Lantern smile. The single top tooth cracks me up most of the time. Every once in a while panic strikes and I think she’s never going to grow her second upper tooth and she will look like a hill billy when she grows up.
Ta Da!
Izzy just learned how to pull herself up yesterday. She’s really turning into a show of with her new skill.
Keyboard Prodigy
Last but not least, some video of Isadora playing with her favorite toy. She figured out how to turn the keyboards on and off weeks ago. She even knows how to control the drum beat. We usually prop her up in front of the keyboards to play or she’ll crawl over and play while on her belly. Since she learned how to pull herself up yesterday, she does everything in a standing position now.
Kitties
I was scrolling through iPhoto and realized that we don’t take photos of the cats like we used to. They have to be doing something pretty darn cute and/or interacting with Izzy before we’ll bother taking their photos. Poor things fell down a rung or two on the ladder when Izzy moved in.
This morning after I changed Isadora’s diaper, I clapped her feet together and said yay; she said yay too–her second word. After breakfast we took a walk down to Macys to use our 25% off coupon. Mitch and I both needed socks and I also needed some new work clothes. I scored four new dresses that will be great for work. Izzy didn’t nap at all, but she was being incrediby patient with me while trying on clothes and friendly with everyone who said hello to her. We went up to the fourth floor and sat at Starbucks so we could have a nibble. The poor thing feel asleep as I spooned purred apples and apricots into her mouth. I packed her up and we headed home. I tried to transfer her to her crib, but was unsuccessful. She woke up and wouldn’t go back to sleep so I set he on the floor and she went about her business to play. I was working on the painting for her room and when I peaked in to see what she was up to. I found her standing up and playing with the buttons on her shopping cart. The little critter figured out how to go from laying on her belly to sitting to standing today! We’ve had a few tears today because she’s tipped over or the thing she was leaning against shifted from her weight and scared her. It’s been an exciting day! I’m so glad she had these milestones on the weekend while I was home with her. I was so worried I was going to miss out on everything because of work. It turns out I’ve been right here for the big ones.
