Happy 1st Birthday Isabel!

I cannot believe that today is my baby girl's first birthday.  How in the world has a year already passed?  It just doesn't seem possible.  We made sure to make today a very special day for our little girl.  Isabel wasn't too sure of me following her around with my camera all morning but I was determined to get lots of pictures!  I also had to get our monthly picture with her Winnie the Pooh.  After the daycare kids left we let Isabel open her presents from us and then after dinner we celebrated with mini cupcakes.  I still can't believe this sweetie pie is already 1!

Happy 1st Birthday Isabel!  You are very loved!

My beautiful 1 year old

I love that sweet little face

I had to give her my phone to get a smile out of her.

She is shocked that she is 1!

I love this little dress!

Opening a present from one of the daycare kids

A pink car!

She loves it!

Look who can stand all by herself now!

:-)

She was all ready to open her presents!

:-)

She loved the wrapping paper

Checking out a new book

Opening another present

She did great opening her presents

She found the button

More paper

Reading the card

Of course she got a Pooh Bear :-)

Such a big girl

Checking out her new purse

She LOVED this little bracelet that came with her purse!

Her first piece of jewelry :-)

Looking at one of her new girly books!

She devoured her cupcake!

Isabel had a wonderful 1st birthday!

What a Wonderful 4th of July!

We had such a wonderful day today!  I don't think I could have asked for a better day for our family of 5!  We started off by going to a parade.  Came home and had lunch.  Once Isabel went down for her nap the boys and I headed outside for a swim.  Then the kids and I played basketball outside while Mike grilled out for dinner.  To finish off the night for the boys we all played Candy Land.  Once the boys were in bed Isabel and I got in our nightly walk and I got to rock my sweet baby girl to sleep for the last night before she is 1.  I am so incredibly blessed!

Happy 4th of July 2012!

Waiting for the parade

Isabel was not a fan of the heat :-)

Beautiful baby blues!

Jude had fun with his pin wheel!

Eli waiting patiently for the parade

The girls

The boys

Waving their flags while they wait

A parade walker gave Jude his backpack and Jude was pretty happy about it!  It had Peyton Manning Children's Hospital band-aids in it. :-)

Some cool balloons!

We were all SOOOO excited to see BOOMER!!

The highlight of the parade, maybe even the day!

My favorite part of the day!  Isabel took a 2 1/2 hour nap so I got to soak up some sun and relax while the boys swam!

I said "ready, set, dive way too many times :-)

Jude is a little fish and he loves to go under the water now!

WEEEEEE!

Just chillin

Playing ball while Daddy grills

Playing ball while daddy grills

Again Isabel wasn't thrilled with the heat

First 4th of July at 364 days old, I can't believe she will be 1 tomorrow

Isabel liked the fireworks on the tv :-)

Potty Trained by 3: Check!

I am so proud of Jude!  He is officially potty trained and I can't believe how easy it was!  He has been sitting on his little potty here and there but nothing consistent and it was always us asking him if he wanted to try.  We decided we weren't going to push it until we thought he was ready.  A few months ago he was asking to wear his Mickey underwear so I thought we would give it a try.  He started off good but then had an accident around lunch time and was completely devastated.  He was begging for his diaper.  I did get him to go on the potty again but he started bawling because he didn't want to put his underwear back on.  I didn't push it because I could tell he wasn't ready.

On Sunday June 24th we were over at Grandma and Papa's swimming and Eli said he needed to go potty, Jude said he also wanted to go potty.  We told him that if he really wanted to go potty at grandma and papa's we had to start going potty at home first.  So Monday, 6/25, he asked to wear some underwear so I had him sit on the potty first.  After he went we put on his underwear and set the timer.  Through out the day I continued to set the timer and have him sit and try for a few minutes each time.  If he didn't go we would set the timer for just a few minutes.  If he did go we would set the timer for 20-30 minutes.  Throughout the day he had 4 accidents, 2 of which he started to go and then finished on the potty so I consider those successes.

At bed time I told him it was time to put his diaper on and got really upset.  He said he wanted to be a big boy and that meant no more diapers.  Luckily we had a few pull ups left over from when Eli was potty training and Jude was ok with wearing a pullup.

Tuesday Jude woke up dry and immediately went on the potty and then changed into his underwear.  We continued with the timer but more often then not he was telling me he had to go.  He had ZERO accidents on Tuesday!  I was so proud of him and he was so proud of himself!

Wednesday morning he woke up dry, went potty and changed into his underwear and went on with his day completely potty trained!  No timer or anything!

So proud of my big boy!