lately...

lots of fun this month!  

we have had a busy month... which is not new.  i'm learning that everything is busy with kids!

check out this bed head!  

we got to see ben, sass, and aves a few weeks ago at chick fila.  love them!

just taking abby on a stroll.

late night dance party!

we finally made it to the children's parade this year.  and it was so fun!  

i was impressed.  they had the giant balloons and all!  

pops!

nay nay!

little lady...

cheese...

look at those sassy crossed arms.

oh, just being happy... and cute!

reading.

i made an advent tree that isla put an ornament on every day.  i know she doesn't really get it this year but hopefully next year it will be a fun activity for us.

we made it to santa's village in richardson and oh how i love it!  

it really is so precious with all these different houses and activities for the kids.  

pearse, matt, and brandie were there too!

waiting for santa!

and yes, i got talked into square dancing... i'm so cool!

we love pb&j's in our house!

oh that face.  melts my heart.

the head tilt.

sweetest little love.

lots and lots of christmas pics coming soon.  

xoxo

merry christmas.

merry christmas from the bakers!

with love,

joe, jen, isla, and abby

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

21 months.

our baby is turning into a big girl so fast!

isla is so so funny these days.  talking all the time, always running (we apparently don't know how to walk), and definitely forming her own opinions about what she wants and likes.

here are some of my 21 month faves:

those pig tails... oh, how i love some piggies!

lots of talking!  no sentences but we mostly know what she is saying. 

copies what we say... little mime!

isla can count!  i know... crazy.  we were in the bathtub one night and i said '1, 2' and she said '3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8'.  i was shocked!  sad part is she didn't learn it from us, i guess a little nick jr isn't a bad thing.

still loves 'doggies', especially her ab-eee.

her monkey or 'mimi' as she likes to call it is her most favorite thing ever.
isles say's 'hi' and 'bye' to everyone when we walk around target.  she seems very comfortable in that store... i have no idea why :)

hide-n-seek is her new favorite game.

isla ran rode in her first organized race this month.  she loved riding in the stroller and saying hi to everyone at the jingle bell run.

tv favorites:  yo gabba gabba, fresh beat band, umizoomi, and dora (i thought i could escape this one).
isla tells the sweetest little secrets.
reading books with her is so funny.  she has started to memorize her favorite books and will say a few of the words from each page.
she likes to talk about santa... a lot!  but not so crazy about sitting with him.
isles had her first ear infection this month.  thankfully some antibiotics cleared it right up.
only wants to sit in a regular chair to eat, no more high chair or booster.
oh, and isla was #99 on the most popular girl names for 2012!
we are just so thankful for our isla girl, she has made our life even sweeter.

doesn't she look like cindy lou who!?  those piggies and that red, collared shirt!

sweets.

hope everyone has a holly jolly christmas!

remembering.

what happened in newtown, ct is heartbreaking.  really i'm at a loss for words when i even try and say something about it.  i've probably read every article or watched every news clip about the women and children that died that day.  i feel i owe it to them to at least read what amazing people they were.  each time i read something new i'm overwhelmed with sadness and grief for these poor families, that could have never in their wildest dreams imagined what that day would hold for them.  

each story is filled with so many great memories but also so much heartache.  

every year we will remember what happened on december 14, 2012 but i want those memories to be about the kind and loving women and children that lost their lives.  

these are some of the words used by family and friends to describe the children and their teachers that stuck with me as i read story after story:

hero

thoughtful

sweet and beautiful

kind

innocent
loving personality

old soul

wholesome
knew how to live life

infectious laugh

beautiful

talented

mischievous grin

energetic
a light

free spirit

a little doll

bright, creative, very loving

extremely mature 

our rock

our little CEO

caregiver

generous

happy soul

precocious and completely endearing

full of life and energy

what a beautiful legacy they are leaving...

this is what i want to remember because that's what they deserve.   

these are only a few and i know there are thousands more to describe those precious children and their heroic teachers.
our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they try to learn a new normal in their life.  nothing will ever be the same.  there will always be a part of them missing but i pray that one day the pain and loss will be just a little bit less.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Revelations 21: 3-4

big day.

yep.  this kind of day deserves its very own post.  

our little lady had her very first pig tails!! 

and let me just tell you she was the cutest!  i absolutely could not wait until the day when isla could sport some cute little piggies, and it was more adorable than i could have imagined!  she could have had them sooner but every time i thought about it i never had the right rubber bands.  so i finally got some tiny rubber bands and...

we have piggies!!!

she just kept looking at herself in the mirror and pointing and smiling.  the sweetest!

then our attention turned to playing with the faucet...

and of course we had to show off our cute little piggies at target.  she should totally be in a target commercial!

thanks for indulging me and my crazy happiness about pig tails.

happy wednesday!