8 months old...

It's hard to believe that Izzy is 8 months old today. Seems like yesterday I as 8 months pregnant! Anyway, we've been trying to hit up the pool as much as we can this week...until all the bad weather hit (tornados, flooding, storms, etc.). Izzy is much more acclimated to the water now, especially with Mike swimming with her all over the pool. Mike is bound and determined to dunk her under, saying that babies know what to do - hold their breath. I don't agree. At all. Waiting to take the classes so the instructor can tell us what to do. I'm in no rush to see my baby under water. No thanks. In the meantime, I'm happy watching her grow and be the adorable 8 month old that she is!

**Sunday update...I talked to my mom last night and she walked me through how to "dunk" Izzy under the water. Mom said I was under the water at 3 months old...going through hoola hoops under water. So we tried it. Not the hoola hoop. But the under water pass from Mike to me. Izzy was a trooper...she did just fine. Then she tried out her new floaty (see Ladybug above) and she was in heaven!! She's become quite the regular at the pool :) Sportin' her new suit...

Weekend at the pool...

Jaime, Luke, Iz & Kelly
Luke & Jaim
Iz & Mike
So big
Jeremy & Luke
Learning to be on back in water

This weekend we joined our neighborhood pool...which is just a few short blocks from our house (walking distance!!!). We spent a few hours each day there, acclimating Izzy to the water. The first day we just hung out in the kiddie pool...then graduated up to the big pool today. She much preferred the big pool, as she could be held closely and face-to-face. Sunday our friends, the Fellers, joined us for a swim...it was so much fun to see the kiddos in the water together! Both Jeremy & Mike were collegiate swimmers...so we are, of course, expecting our bambinos to be little minnows. It's just a little early yet :)

Teeth!!!

I forgot to mention that Izzy has TWO TEETH!!! She was having a hard time falling asleep Saturday night...irritable and restless. My sister, being the baby expert that she is, said she must be teething. We gave her a healthy dose of Tylenol and she was out for the night. Sunday at the pool, Izzy was playing with/chewing on the clear plastic lid for her bottle...and I saw two white nubbs through the lid while it was in her mouth. I was so excited - I immediately lowered her jaw & lip to view the tops of two teeth peeking through her lower gums!!! It was monumental for no one except me. Fellow pool patrons probably thought I was crazy. Such is the life of a mom...the daily discovery of new tricks & traits.

It feels like she has been teething for weeks; thank goodness they are finally here! I cannot wait until they are fully in and shine through her big smile :) Pics to come soon.

Memorial Day Weekend...

Sandi & Ellana, Kel & Iz, Jaime & Luke

Rockin' her new Colts hat
Izzy was rarely out of Aunt Kim's arms
I love these tooters
Not so sure about the cold water...

Yep, she hated it
But looooovvvved playing poolside
Who is that under those sunglasses?
Taylor, Kim & Dylan

Check out the chubby cheeks!!

Ahhh, what a long, three day weekend will do to rejunevate a person! This last weekend was so very relaxing for me and FUN! My sister and her kids came to town on Friday afternoon & stayed until Monday morning. Having the extra hands around the house and help with Izzy was so welcoming. We shopped, we played dominos, we hung out at the pool...was so much fun.

Mike, on the other hand, celebrated the weekend Indy 500 style. Every year he and buddies go to the track on Friday for Carb Day, golf on Saturday, BBQ Saturday night, and the race all day Sunday. Usually, I partake in the latter events; however, this year I opted to spend that time with Izzalicious and my sister instead. Actually, I didn't miss the race one ounce this year...my priorities have changed drastically :)

Saturday night we hosted the race weekend BBQ and had about 20 people over for cornhole and YUMMY food. Thanks to all who helped pitch in to make such a wonderful meal.

Sunday we headed to the pool - Carmel has a new outdoor water park right on the Monon Trail - which the kids LOVED. Water slides, diving well, lazy river, two zero-depth pool/playgrounds for infants...it is a kid's dream. Izzy wasn't such a big fan of the water, which surprised us, as she splashes and plays in the bath every night. I think the water was just a tad too cold for her liking. Daddy usually makes the bath water nice and warm :) We start our AquaBabes classes in a few weeks....where there is a heated pool. Hopefully that will help :)

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend

Izzy's kind of a big deal...

Our daughter is famous. Well, maybe not FAMOUS famous. But she was on t.v. tonight. Ok, maybe it was just the local news. But t.v. nonetheless!!!

This weekend is the Indianapolis 500 race...if you live anywhere near Indiana, you'd know it's kind of a big deal. So today Izzy's daycare held a race honoring the event: the annual "Kindy 500." Today was a beautiful day to host this outdoor event - 70 degrees and sunny! All the (able) kids decorated a cardboard box (some were quite elaborate) and raced by foot to the finish line wearing their "race cars." The teachers didn't want to leave the infants out of this activity (as they are not quite up to the running, or walking, caliber yet), so they loaded the infants by twos into cribs and raced the cribs. I know what you are thinking, "That couldn't be safe!?" I thought the same thing, initially. The teachers are older, so I doubt they were being thrown about...or going at a fast enough pace to cause any harm. My worries quickly subsided when I saw it ON THE LOCAL EVENING NEWS!!! Plain as day, Izzy is sitting up in the crib being pushed by her beloved teachers (sporting her NUK and sitting in the middle of a Boppy pillow for support, of course)!! She even had a close-up!!! Thank goodness for a good hair day and cute outfit :) Of course, only we could recognize her. But we FO SHO dvr'd the entire hour of news tonight to document it. It was such a small segment (they also showed about 30 seconds of the kids wearing their cars while racing - and crashing) that I couldn't even find it on the news' website. But if I DO find it, you better believe I'll post it :) In the meantime, if you want to see her 5 seconds of fame...swing on by and we'll be happy to share it.

Autographs are $1.00. And you might not be able to get one from her for a few years. Girl is just learning to wave...

Save a life...

Did you know you can save up to 3 people's lives by donating blood just one time?

Last week I donated blood for the first time (voluntarily) in many years.

During the initial screening, they took my vitals and reviewed my health history. There was a moment when they didn't think I would be able to donate, as I was 1 pound away from their cut-off. The volunteer had to ask his supervisor if they could go ahead with my blood draw...I was instantly nervous and saddened that I may not be able to save lives. However, they decided not to turn me away...but to simply draw significantly less blood from me.

I used to donate every other month when I lived in Minneapolis, as Target had blood drives all the time & it was a way to get out of working for an hour. This time I donated for reasons far more important than skipping out on work.

First, a young pregnant woman got shot during a bank robbery very near my office last month and lost both of her babies. My girlfriend, Karen Zurcher (who donates blood on a regular basis), told me when she donated a few weeks ago she learned this young woman's story through others donating. This gal went through fertility to get pregnant with these twins. She wanted these babies so much that she used the miracle of science to help make them. Devastating that the lives of her twins were taken from her unexpectedly. This mother needed several blood transfusions to survive.

Secondly, we have several friends whose sisters have given birth very prematurely to their babies in the last few months. Long hospital stays. Intensive critical care. One mother unexpectedly lost her baby shortly before she was to be discharged. Devastating.

Finally, through the miracle of cyberspace, I have discovered many stories of premature births & rare genetic disorders (see my sidebar for blogs that tug at my heart). Several of these babies have survived and several have not. I follow these stories on a daily basis, as I now feel like they are a part of my life. I cry reading these stories & often wonder how I could help. Last week I found out how I could...

While my blood was pumping into this small bag, the nurse asked if I was ok...I must have been wearing my disappointment on my sleeve, literally. I told her I was sad I wasn't going to save 3 people's lives today b/c of my smaller donation. She smiled and said, "No honey, but you will be saving a baby's life today." Instant tears flowed. I couldn't stop them from coming. All I could think about were the twins. My girlfriend's sisters. The blogger babies.

I helped save a baby.

My cup runneth over.

Meg's graduation party...

The doctor :)
Oscar - he gets more handsome each time I see him!

The budding artist
Debbie & Max
Mike & Matthew...and their plaid shorts! These two guys went to high school together, so it was neat to see them with their babies - who are only 3 days apart!

Mom & Iz
Fin & Ali
This weekend we celebrated Megan's graduation/completion of her PhD!!! She has been working towards this goal for many years & can now call herself DOCTOR!!! Woo hoo!! We are all very proud of Meg and her accomplishment. She is currently a Professor at IUPUI and pregnant with her 2nd child (a GIRL!). So lots of fun things happening in the Moosbrugger house.



I'm sorry that I didn't take any group pics, family pics, or simply MORE pics...as there were lots of fun people in attendance. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone...and the most beautiful day to celebrate Meg. We love you!