Christmas in Columbia City

Snug time with mommy

Family picture (Izzy loved the fan above her)
Aunt Andrea spoiled Izzy...
Watching the Colts win with Aunt Sharla
Grandma Berger

We spent the Eve of Christmas Eve with Mike's mom and step-dad's family in Columbia City (i.e. the lake). Izzy had a great time....she did a lot of sleeping and missed out on most of the gift-opening! We discovered her love of laying under the Christmas tree (she loves it more than playing on her play gym) and staring at the lights and ornaments. It was too cute!

Chicago Girls in town...

This past weekend my girlfriends (Mary, Jenny & Erin) from Chicago drove down to meet their new girlfriend, Izzy! We had a great time visiting, as usual. We ordered take-out, had craft time (this seems to always happen when we get together-from iron on shirts to painting) and simply gossiped and caught up. Izzy was welcomed with open arms to our girls' club...they were excited to have the new addition! PS-Mary wanted to get Izzy's ears pierced & Jenny wanted to give her a makeover (with BENEFIT makeup, of course)! Izzy is so lucky to have so many people love on her...we have such great friends!

Izzy & Luke sittin' in a tree...

Jaime & Luke, Mike & Izzy
Izzy's first kiss...
Jaime & Luke

Last week our good friends Jaime & Jeremy Feller had us over for dinner (Jaime cooked baked potato soup!!!). We all enjoyed a delicious bottle of wine and compared baby stories. There was a forced first kiss between Luke & Izzy...it was too cute. We're all about arranged marriages :) Jaime and I have been leaning on each other a lot through the first weeks & months of motherhood. I don't know how I would have gotten through these last 9 weeks without her!

How big is Izzy? SO BIG!!!

Isabelle turned 8 weeks old yesterday...and she has reached several important milestones that we wanted to share (b/c we are so very excited to see all the changes in her)!

-Izzy moves her eyes and her head to listen to us talk and watch us enter/leaving rooms

-She can hold her head up while on her tummy and sitting up

-She has discovered her hands and constantly has a fist in her mouth (we are trying to get her thumb in there)

-Lots of kicking and arm movements...that are purposefull and not reflexes

-The smiling has ensued and has not stopped...she loves to mimic our smiles

-Izzy has been in size 1 diapers for several weeks now, as she weighs in at 11 pounds now!!

-Finally, girl is now wearing her 3-6 month clothes...the 0-3 month size was getting very tight

It's so much fun watching her grow and develop...she surprises us with something new each day!

Lazy weekend...

Izzy enjoying playtime...

Tummy Time!

Snuggling with Dad...

This past week has been non-eventful in the McCulloch house. Izzy has been struggling a bit with nursing...so we went to the Pediatrician to learn that she has acid reflux. She now gets liquid Zantac and she is back to her normal nursing self! No more spitting up, no more screaming when she burped...our sweet girl is back. But now her sleeping patterns have changed. All my girlfriends have told me that JUST when you get used to a routine, the little boogers will switch it up on you. And that is the truth with Izzy! At one time we had 6 hour stretches of sleep at night...now we're back to 3 hour stretches. Mike and I are READY for some longer sleep at night. We are finding the past two weeks to be more difficult than the first two at home!


We spent all day Saturday in our jammies...watching movies and playing with Izzy. She is staying awake MUCH more these days, with lots of smiling and watching everything that is around her. She loves to stare at her xmas tree! We're now watching the Colts game...Mike is at the game and we are (once again) lazing around in our jammers!

Thanksgiving Weekend...

Grandma Laura and Izzy
Izzy still isn't a huge fan of her swing, but we're trying
Baxter was pooped after our first run in over a year!

The McCulloch Tree!!

Thanksgiving week/weekend was filled with lots of family and food. Thursday Mike, Izzy and I drove up to Ft. Wayne to spend time with Mike's dad and Laura's family. Izzy was able to meet her aunts and uncles, cousins and great grandpa! Friday we put up our tree and my sister and her family arrived. Saturday Mike cooked a full turkey meal and we had Mike's mom, step dad, and step-brother & sister over for dinner. Izzy enjoyed being held by so many people...she must be going through withdrawl now that she is put down in her bouncy and crib again :) Unfortunately, we didn't take many pictures of Izzy all dressed up...sorry!

Tynans Visit Indy...

Luke in his cool balloon car...
Maggie holding baby Izzy
Bridget finally meets Isabelle
This is an old hat for Sam...

Last week the Tynans (Sam, Bridget, Luke & Maggie) were driving through Indy on their way to Lake Tippy and stayed the night with us! We hit up our old favorite restaurant, El Rodeo, and spent some quality time watching the Bachelor and gossiping (just like old times). Sam & Bridget are expecting their third child this Spring and I'm continually amazed how they run such a well-oiled operation they call their family! I can only watch and learn and hope that Mike & myself raise a family as loving as theirs. We have been lucky enough to see them 3 or 4 times this year...but unfortunately won't see them again until the summer :( We miss them!!!