1/2 Greg + 1/2 Lora = A Whole Lotta Izzy!!!

Sometimes I just sit and think about things. I love to analyze and figure things out. One day I was thinking about Izzy and how she is really half of me and half of Greg. Duh, you might say, but if you really think about how bizzare that is... to have one little person that is half of two other people...

And that brings me to my first point: some people should not combine themselves!

I always knew that Izzy would look like Greg and I... and she's got my blue eyes and Greg's curls to prove it! But it never crossed my mind that she would have parts of our personalities!

I am very stubborn, so is Greg; Izzy is super-stubborn! We both have outgoing personalities... you should see Izzy when we're out and about. She thinks that she knows everyone! Izzy tests the limits just like I do, and she's got Greg's wishy-washiness. It amazes me how our good (and bad) qualities are shining through this little toddler!

It doesn't matter what we're trying to keep Izzy from touching, she'll find a way to touch it! Instead of touching with her hand, she'll touch with her foot. Or she'll walk backwards until she 'accidentally' bumps into it!

Reminds me of a childhood story of mine. My mom said she had sent me to my room and told me to stay inside my room, so I stuck my foot out of the door! As long as my little foot was out of the door, then my little stubborn self thought that I had won that battle.

I can see Izzy doing that same thing in the future... heck, I can see her doing that now!

And Izzy is such a sponge right now... she is learning things so quickly. Right now she loves to help me unload the dishwasher and do laundry. It's funny to watch her mock our every move!

Just the other day, I caught myself reaching in a drawer in the kitchen for a twist tie. All of the sudden I realized that I had been saving the ties from my bread bags and stuffing them in this drawer... just like my Grandma always does. I had done it without even thinking.

It's just like how every time I check the mail, I count how many pieces of mail we get... I learned that from my Grandpa. I have the greatest memories of walking to the post office with him, and we'd always count the mail to make sure that we made it home with every letter that we took out of box 56.

We all have little quirky things that we do. Some we don't notice; others we cherish. Those traits that are inherited, whether genetic or learned, is what makes each person unique. It's what makes that little blue-eyed, curly-haired girl melt my heart each and every time she smiles... even if she's got a handful of Lucy's dog food while she's smiling! Yeah, whatever!

Simple, Sweet & Screaming!

Just the other day I was talking to my newly pregnant friend, Danielle, and offering words of wisdom to help her through her pregnancy.

The best piece of advice that I passed on to Dani was that she should do what's best and what works for her and her baby. Seems like common sense, right? Wrong. With all of the books and websites out there, a set of standards has been created for new mommies and their newborns. And it spans from breastfeeding to sleeping to schedules... and it's never ending!

The first few days after Izzy was born she cried and cried and cried. I continually put her in her bassinet to sleep at night, and she would just cry! Finally I put her in bed with me (going against everything that I'd read pre-Izzy), and she slept! For the first three months of her life she slept, and I slept. I had to do what was best for me and for her. And when she was ready, she slept in her crib, and I slept in my bed... contrary to what those books said!

There have been many situations where I've not gone 'by the book' with Izzy. It's funny how when you become pregnant or finally give birth to that precious baby people feel the need to give you advice... moreso, they tell you what you should and shouldn't do. I'm trying my hardest to give Dani all of the practical advice I can... so she can decide what is best for her little family.

All of this reminiscing is making it clear to me that this applies in other areas of my life as well. I have always been somewhat of a people pleaser, so it really is hard for me to not live up to expectations set by others. As each day passes, I find that it's more and more true to do what I think is best rather than something that a book or a person tells me to do.

While I love and appreciate books and websites, especially those on children, I know that every person is different. What may work for one individual may not work for another.

I say this as we move into Izzy's temper tantrum-throwing stage! I still haven't figured out how to deal with these tantrums, but through trial and error I will. While receiving dirty look after dirty look, I try method after method. And the consensus seems to be that I should ignore Izzy while she's pitching her little fits.

Hmm... ignore my kid, huh?! Sounds a little backwards, but the backwards ideas are usually the ones that work for this rambunctious little girl. And keeping things simple, doing what works best regardless of those books, websites and dirty looks.

Izzy's going to stop throwing tantrums soon, right? Yeah, whatever!