The S t a n g e r Story: February 2013

A little bit older

and a little bit wiser

and a little tiny bit bigger.

Doctor reports (Feb 12th)-

Screaming from the get go. Yes that is right we walked in and Bella clung to us like leather. She has the strongest grip ever! And when she is scared she clings and it hurts!

Anyway we walk in and she cries through height and weight, and screams through all the checking of vitals.

Once she settles down ... Shots! One in each leg. I think the whole office was glad when we left. One nurse said "Her tears make my heart break". Yep me too!

I am just glad Daddy came along to, so that we could balance things. Connor remained happy, even after his shot. The transformer stickers cured his fake crying (he was imitating Bella at one point). So it was relatively successful.

For Bella the doctor reported, "Well not much growth, but there is a little so were not worried, she is just little and very short. But not a problem." Yes still our baby. (But I wouldn't mind a growth spurt so we could go shopping :)

Height: 29.25 inches (12%)

Weight: 19.94 lbs (7%)

I captured a few pictures in a five minute period, after church one Sunday (Feb 10th) when she was being irresistibly cute. Of coarse when I pull out the camera I can't get a smile. And she wont look at me. So here is the best I could do. AND yes she is on top of the table at one point. Which is a big NO at our house. But I was so desperate for a decent shot I let her.

LIKES
She loves playing with brother (when he is calm and gentle). Watching Bella take Connor's hand while he leads her around the house or plays ring around the house is the sweetest thing ever. I love this hand holding sibling love.
Sneaking about silently and making trouble very much like a "silent ninja", which has therefore become her new nickname. AND yes we have finally come to the duck tape the cabinets and drawers phase. Oh joy.

Bella is our new babbler. She is talking more. Not that we can understand much of it, if any. And she is a quiet and solitary babbler. She likes picking up a phone and walking away with it, to her ear, so she can babble. Or I listen to her babble alone in Connor's room while she plays. She is such a quiet girl and I love her sweet nature.
One of our favorite Bella-isms is her content-ness. Sporadically she will just come sit in our laps on the sofa and just stay there, resting from her play. Getting cuddly and letting us hold her for a while till she decides to go back to playing. I love that she is content to just sit and watch some times. In my calling as institute nursery leader she mostly flips through books or hides under the table while the kids play. Unless someone comes to sit and play with me then her jealous nature comes out and she has to come plop in my lap, and give me hugs (to prove to the other kids that this is her Mommy I guess, I admit I love it).
She is taking a bottle regularly, twice to thrice a day. And she loves nothing more than watching Mommy fill it with milk; with her hands grasped together she waits anxiously.
Poking brother during prayers and laughing hysterically at her antics.
Acrobatics. Yes I am pretty sure Bella is in training for the Olympics. She does the craziest stuff under Connor's highchair. She also tries to climb it from the front, which doesn't end well when it is empty (without Connor in it), since it topples on top of her and requires much love and care (even if she wasn't hurt, it is always traumatic).
She is still a Mommy's girl, which I can't say I don't adore about her. But she has definitely become much more aware in the last month and is becoming Daddy's new playmate. Her brother and her light up (in the most literal sense possible) when they hear rustling at the door, because that means Daddy. They run to the door and Bella now spreads her arms wide open for a big hug. She is a brave little girl and loves having Daddy throw her in the air and spin her around. Daddy knows just how to get the giggles out of her.

Under the chair Acrobatics. Daily.

I love this Bella trait.
When she is waiting for something, be it a bottle or snack,
she clasps her hands together, in this fashion above :)

DISLIKES

Bella is still our sensitive girl. She gets scared at random noises and refuses to do anything outside unless holding Mommy's hand.
She is not a smiley baby. At home she definitely shows off her silliness and laughter and smiles. But in public she remains stone-faced and if a stranger smiles at her she stares them down till they make the wrong move and then she wails. Yes Bella traumatizes strangers. They always leave saying "Babies don't like me." And as Mommy I never know what to say.
As much as she loves her brother she gets jealous sometimes. So when Mommy holds Connor she tends to gravitate to sitting in any available spot closest to Mommy's head. Sometimes it IS Mommy's head. She squirms her way in and will whine a little till she finds her comfy spot.
OH and ponytails in her hair. Well Mommy, and Daddy even, love them. Daddy wont let her leave for church until Mommy puts one in. Well Bella screams and fights. Good thing Mommy can do ponytails in 20 seconds or less.
Bella has a big head, if you saw her height and weight then you would know that considering her head is in the 60th percentile makes getting dressed an ordeal. She hates diaper changes, just because she is a wiggly and hates being held still when she doesn't want to. And above all she HATES having things go over her head. Mostly because sometimes they get stuck. But it is hard for Mommy and Daddy, when she is wearing 12 month clothing and her head is made for 24 month clothing. So dressing causes Bella some bursts of rage!

Bella thoughts (from the picture above)...

"Mommy is poking me with her fingers and telling me it tickles,

but it doesn't. And I am tired and I don't want pictures.

This is the best smile I can do Mommy"

I couldn't resist capturing these alligator tears. Bella is a wet eyed crier. We used to have people tell us all the time when we were out and about, "Oh look at those tears. She is crying with REAL tears." But the fact of the matter is Bella ALWAYS cries with real tears.
For example, "Mommy put me on the bench, and is taking pictures of me." (see below)