Sharing Our Good News and Labor Day Weekend...

I know you'll be disappointed in what my good news is, but just know, it's had me on a total high this week. So here it is...Isaac has been unusually happy since Monday. In fact, the happiest he's been in four months. That's it, that's the good news! And trust me, if you lived with him, this would make you very happy too. He was so happy and content Monday evening that Walter and I kept looking at each other wondering what was wrong with him. He was actually entertaining himself and get this, didn't scream every time I walked past him and didn't pick him up. Wow, a true miracle! This contentedness and happiness has even lasted until today so we'll see where this takes us, probably to a place void of grumpy and tired faces.

I realized a few days ago that I haven't written very much about Stella lately. Here's the deal, it's shedding season, well, it's always shedding season for her, but some months are worse than others and right now is especially bad. So bad that I could vacuum my floor five times a day and still find a floater of fur making its way across the floor. Actually, it's so bad that I could just roll Isaac across the rug in the living-room and then down the rugs in the hall and he would have an instant dog Halloween costume...hmmm, not a bad idea. No, that's probably one of those child endangerment rules...doesn't sound as bad as making your baby cry themselves to sleep...oh wait, that's just called self-soothing, or maybe not as bad as the Babywise Parent Determined Feeding (PDF)...the last I checked, I didn't want someone determining my feeding schedule. Okay sorry, stepping off of my soap box! ANYWAY...One of the many good things about having Stella around is that she likes to catch flies. A few nights ago Walter came in the living-room and told me that Stella was running around our bed and jumping trying to catch a fly...she got it a few hours later. The poor thing was maimed and tortured before she finally put it to rest by eating it. This week Isabella has insisted on hand feeding Stella. She tells me that "she just can't feed herself." This might be okay if it didn't involve dog food being carted across the house. At least it keeps both of them entertained for quite long periods of time. I've also found that if I put Stella in the office she sits on top of the desk so that she can look out the window. Now, this might be okay if she were a small dog, but she just not and then of course she gets all of my sewing stuff covered in hair. By the way, there is another window in the room that she can see out of if she sits in her chair, but apparently that isn't good enough. And then there are the things that go bump in the night. Which in our house just means that Stella scored a nursing pad or a diaper or some crackers left by Isabella.

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We had a really wonderful Labor Day Weekend. The weather was amazing and Walter had four days off, one of which he was able to spend golfing. I also discovered a park just minutes from our house that I should have taken advantage of a long time ago.

Isaac loved watching the ducks...

I promise he's loving it even though he looks well, I don't know, expressionless.

Juxtaposition...

On Sunday we went to the Taste of Hudson, where we are too cheap to actually taste anything, but it's fun to go and they have some fun children's activities.

Who would have guessed Isabella would ask to have a mermaid painted on her arm. Thankfully it was not a traumatic experience when it was washed off.

She got to go in the safety truck with Walter and then actually climbed out of the window. I was really proud of her because I didn't think she would do it without a break down.

She surprised me again when she went into this inflatable tunnel all by herself and then came out the other side with a giant smile on her face.

And an Ode to The Learned Owl...

where I worked for six years...see, that's me in the picture!

(in the back, with the purple sweater on)

I don't know how many times I had to carry in and out The Sign, which by the way weighs about fifty pounds and only if you are young and seemingly strong do you get the privilege of carrying The Sign...

That evening we went to my parent's house for dinner and hanging out. My dad is going on a bike trip later this month so he had the tent set up in the backyard. Isabella had fun playing in the tent and also taking turns being scary bears with my dad and sister.

I'll probably hear from my sister about the next picture, but it's seriously my favorite...

On Labor Day we spent most of the morning debating whether or not to go to the Air Show. Finally we decided not to, and I'm glad we did because we had a very nice day at home and also at my in-law's house visiting with one of Walter's aunts. Isabella had fun playing in the "clubhouse" that Opa just freshly painted for her.

She tries to give me full on, open mouth kisses. She calls them "Daddy kisses". I promise Walter doesn't come charging at me with his mouth wide open to give me a kiss. Wow, that would be weird.

When it comes to Isabella, there is always a boo boo to share...

And she loves to pretend a fox is chasing her...

Opa the fox

Daddy the fox

Now I'm looking forward to coming weekend because my Grandma and Grandpa are coming for a visit!!!!!! Can you tell, I'm really excited!