Slowly but surely I am catching up with my posts!
Mother's Day weekend started on Friday evening with my school's carnival. I was pretty much flabbergasted when I arrived on the campus to see it totally transformed into an actual carnival--complete with a climbing wall, train rides, big blow up things to jump on, a Ben and Jerry's ice cream cart...(I am definitely not in the South Bronx anymore).
There wasn't much Isabella could do, so I thought for sure she'd love the train ride. Not so. She hated it. She clung to me and cried the whole time. I attempted to jump off at one point, but the train people were serious about safety. Isabella had to endure two loops around the carnival while inhaling stinky gas fumes. She'll probably never board another train again. I tried to make it up to her by sharing a slice of pizza and a bottle of water afterwards. 
On Saturday morning, we woke up early and headed to Golden Gate Park in San Fran. for another 5K run with the Girls on the Run organization. It was a gorgeous day and a great run!
Mom, Dad, Mark and Isabella came to cheer me on.
The adulation after finishing a race can only last for so long...baby needs to eat. 
So I gave Isabella her bottle and pretty much crashed. 
and posed for family pics.
After the race we headed back to Mill Valley for a big breakfast at the Dipsea Cafe.
Finally the attention was back on Isabella where she knew it belonged the whole time. 
I told Mark if he wanted to get me a Mother's Day present, perhaps a new, breathable racing cap would be lovely so I could finally retire my faded, gross Red Sox cap. It sure is lovely.
On Saturday night we went out on a date. Mark and I saw the new Star Trek movie and ate at P.F. Chang's. I was so excited to be out on the town with Mark I planned to take pictures of everything. I forgot. I remembered I had the camera right after we finished dessert. Soooo good!
Sunday, Mother's Day. Isabella came in with Mark to wake me up and handed me a blue box with this note: (see below).
Translation: Mama, since I can't talk yet, I have to write you this. Dada is helping me.
Happy Mama's Day. Love, Bisa Ella.
Inside the box was a beautiful shirt from one of my favorite stores, Title Nine.
After church we went back to my parents' for a lovely Sunday mom's day brunch. Eggs, bacon, and homemade cinnamon rolls.
ONE!
(No, she did not get a cell phone for her birthday.)
At one year Isabella loves to:
Roll on our bed. Crash on our bed. Do head dives on our bed--especially when she's tired. 
Eat strawberries. The more the better. In fact, she is currently going through a phase where she
only wants chopped up fresh fruit: pears, pineapple, bananas, and especially strawberries.
Play in the sand. She used to love to swing at the park, but I guess she's over that.
Now she's all about the sandbox. She likes to dig, throw, eat, scoop and "organize" the sand. 
Play with water. Loves the butterfly pool. Loves her bath. Loves to try and pick up the water
in her hands and drink it or simply put her face in it and lap it up (think:puppy). 
Isabella loves being outside. If she's inside too long, she gets cranky. She immediately calms down when she's in the great outdoors
(which is generally on the porch).
Isabella sorts q-tips, laundry, whatever you like. 
She loves her books. 
(Isabella and her cousin Jack)
She is surprisingly social. I just figured since Mark and I were shy as kids, she would be too. Not so. Once when we were out to eat, she was so engrossed in the conversation that two women were having at the table next to us, I turned her high chair around and pushed her up to their table. She loved it. They loved it. She's gotta be where the action is. 
(Isabella and some of her other baby friends Naomi and Edward)
Other fun facts:
*At one year, Isabella has minimal strawberry blondish hair, 6 teeth and weighs 16 pounds. She's a petite little thing. I always leave her pediatrician's office feeling worried, but I'm pretty sure she just has the petite Holsten gene.
*Her eyes are blue, blue, oh so blue.
*She has dimples.
*She does NOT like trains at school carnivals, getting dressed, or nasal aspirators, especially the Swiss kind.
*Her nicknames given by family include:
-Izzie (Nana and Papa)
-Izzie B. (Uncle Dave)
-Bisa-Ella (Daddy)
-Isa-Smella (Daddy &Mommy--after she dirties her diaper. Sometimes we just can't help ourselves)
*Isabella has the busiest legs/feet around. Since she was a newborn we've been told she'll be a future dancer, swimmer, cyclist, runner, etc. Whatever she chooses one day is fine with us. We like to think she expresses her enthusiasm for life through her happy, little feet.
Here's my view of Isabella when I take her out running in the jogger stroller:
My sis-in-law Christa and nephew Jack came up from LA to visit! 
We ate, took a walk, explored the property and visited The Oxbow Market.
Nana and her grandkiddies.
The Kortz's treehouse and zip line-swing. Jack was brave enough to try it out!
Isabella was brave enough to try dirt. 
Cousins
Did someone say ice cream?
(Tastes better than dirt.)
Jack was fantastic with Isabella. They got along swimmingly well and are ready to star in their own sitcom. 
Isabella plays with Daddy at the Oxbow.
Parting group shot.
