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:
Hello Darkness My Old Friend...
One may wish to live in the country for the peaceful, quiet life. Our new home is peaceful, but not always quiet, especially during sleeping hours Although this post is hardly a complaint (most of it, anyway) I would like to list for you the noises we are growing accustomed to, ranked from the worst to least offenders.
Offender #1: The Peacock. As I have posted before, these beauties sound like wailing cats.
There are 3 that live in a neighboring pasture. They take first place for their caterwauling
into the wee small hours of the morning. 
Quiet Offender #2: The Vineyard Fan. (See below for a closer look).
I don't know who the genius was that invented this gem, but someone decided long ago that the best way to keep their budding vines from succumbing the the spring frost was to blow air on them from massive, oscillating fans. (why not a giant electric blanket, I say?) The fans are utilized, obviously, when the air is the coldest. Our experience has been that that can range anywhere from 2-5 am. On a low setting, it's actually makes for a nice white noise. When the fan closest to us, however, kicks into high gear, it sounds like a crop duster circling our apartment.
The *only* reason the vineyard fan ranks #2 on my list instead of #1 is because--mercifully-- they are used only a handful of days during the year. (Also because for one particular member of the Holsten family, who shall remain nameless, (not me, not Isabella) the fans provide the fulfillment of said individual's fantasy of being
a pilot in some John Wayne WWII epic. )
Grrrr....The ironic thing is that as loud as the fan is, it still doesn't drown out the sound of the peacocks. 
Offender #3: The Cows.
Actually the cows are very quiet. They don't even moo, which has proven to be inconvenient in my "What does a cow say? Mooooooo" game with Isabella. One night Mark and I woke up to some strange noises outside our apartment. We both thought someone was trying to break into the car (the New York mentality dies a hard death), We looked out the window only to the discover the cows were rummaging around the farm equipment in the pasture.
Don't cows sleep? I'll have to Google that and get back to you...
Offenders #4: The Guinea Hens and roosters (not pictured)
The guineas cackle. The roosters crow--and not just at dawn-- and get the peacocks all riled up.
According to my Google research, the guineas are a highly under appreciated fowl.
They are good watchdogs when anything unusual happens and they keep the field clear of ticks and snakes.
I'm sure the goats, with whom they cohabitate, appreciate that.
Offender #5: The water heater.
Apparently there's a little man that lives inside the water heater and gets mad when we use hot water. His MO is to gather all the rocks that have collected on the bottom in a bucket and then dump them. Sometimes one at a time, sometimes all at once, like a dump truck. Mostly I ignore his antics, but he's got me beat during Isabella's naps. Because the water heater is located right outside her room, it makes it hard to do anything with hot water while she sleeps (ie shower, do dishes, laundry and the like). Blame him for my messy house and unkempt appearance. 
Noisemaker (never offensive) #6: Isabella.
I must admit that her "mamadadas" and "naynaynays" are music to my ears.
She still interrupts our sleep, but that's the joy of parenthood.
What to do with a Butterfly pool and a hot Saturday afternoon in Napa? Swim Party!! Emily, Matt and Naomi Whitten joined us for lunch. The girls swam (well, splashed).
Naomi and Isabella.
The Dads showering their daughters with water. (Sorry I didn't get you in the shot, Matt!)
Emily and Matt brought strawberries and cream for dessert. YUM!
Playtime!
We are so glad to have gotten to know the Whittens this year! Sadly (for us) they are moving to Portland in the next few weeks. We can't wait to visit them in their new home!
