Dear Izzy...

Five more months have flown by and now you are ONE!! Can you even believe it? I sure can't. I think your daddy will agree with me when I say this has been the best year of our lives so far. You have brought so much love and joy with your infectious laughter and friendly personality. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father that He is letting me be your mama!

In these last few months you have grown up so much! You prefer to walk as much as possible and though you have taken a few steps on your own, you will cruise around any room holding onto whatever you can: walls, furniture, toys, laundry baskets, my legs. You started crawling full force at 8 months. That same week, you started to pull yourself up on everything and climb on anything you could pull your little legs onto. This last month you have started stacking and nesting and "putting things away." You're getting close to being able to do puzzles. You can put rings on sticks and you even placed the cap back on one of your squeazy baby food pouches. You looked at me and said, "all done" just so pleased with your accomplishment.

Yes, you've added so many words and phrases to your vocabulary. Now you say, "nigh nigh" (good night), "ay yone" (all done), "dun non" (turn on), "tan too" (thank you), "ditta ditta ditta" or "gitta gitta" (for tickle or I'm gonna get you) and you try to mimic just about everything else we say. When you aren't saying words I recognize you are jabbering in your own tongue. all. the. time. I bet you're telling some pretty great
jokes and stories!

You are obsessed with lighting fixtures and ceilings fans (hence the "turn on" phrase). You're constantly asking us to turn on the fans either verbally or by turning your little hands in circles. It's the cutest! For awhile you were whistling at the birdies any time we entered a room with an open curtain.

You have six teeth: four on top and two on the bottom. I think you're working on one more on the bottom right now too. You're starting to really like food. Avocados, chicken, eggs, french toast (dipped in "sauce" aka: pureed baby food) and carrots are some of your favorites. You also like bananas, but they don't like your tummy very much. You seem to have a dairy sensitivity so we don't give you anything from a cow, but you still love your "nuh nuhs"!

You still love to be tickled and love to laugh. In fact, tickling you has become part of your bedtime routine. It seems you don't want to settle down until you've had a good laugh! And, oh, your is laugh a good one! You also have a hard time going to bed if you haven't gotten to say nigh nigh to Daddy. When I wear my hair in a bun on top of my head, you think it is the funniest thing in the world. You also think my hair is yours to pull and play with whenever you want (ouch!).

Outside is your favorite place to be. You could roam around chewing on grass and leaves all day if I let you. You also love looking at books and reading them with me or your daddy. Your favorite for a long time was The Eye Book by Dr. Suess but it seems to have been replaced by one called Good Night Tennessee that Grandpa and Grandma Adams gave you. You also love Hand Hand Fingers Thumb, Ten Apples up on Top, and one I found on Amazon called If Kisses Were Colors. You love anything with faces, especially baby faces, even if they are rough illustrations.

You already are such an amazing little person. I am thrilled to watch and help you grow! You have changed my whole world. Israel, you are loved beyond measure!

xoxo forever,
mommy