Photo Shoot

I like Aunt Letha's idea of babysitting: free photo shoot!
Isn't she talented?

 

Bryn and Anali

Look at this pretty couple!

 

First Bottle

On Thursday, while we were visiting Anali's Aunt Bryn, Brandon gave Anali her first bottle. As she'll need to take one each day when I go back to work (part-time, praise God!), we thought it was time to gently introduce it to her.

To our surprise, the moment the bottle glazed her mouth, she was off, and didn't pause until she drained the thing! I couldn't believe it. Then, of course, as a new mother, it had me worried: "You're a little too good at that, Pumpkin." It was weird how hard it was for me, after breastfeeding for five weeks, to watch her find sustenance in a bottle. Fortunately, she didn't have any problems nursing after that, and now I know she'll be able to eat while I'm away. All things work for good... 

Uncle Matthew and Aunt Letha

Anali finally got to meet her Uncle Matthew and Aunt Letha on Saturday. Letha even got up in the night to comfort her as she cried. Hey, I didn't stop her. I just went back to bed. She was in good hands!

 

The Wind Up

Brandon decided it was time Anali mastered her knuckle ball. That change up pitch just wasn't cutting it for her anymore...And there she is for the wind up...

Play Date

Anali had her first "play date" today with my friend Susan's five month old daughter Jasmine. They were amazing together. Susan and I were both impressed with how the girls took in one another and cooed. It was so adorable!

P.S. Isn't it funny how my five week old daughter is virtually the same size as her 5 month old daughter? Jasmine, mind you, is growing perfectly on schedule. We just have a little giant in our home. A perfect giant, of course.

P-I-G, but with Faces

Aunt Nan came to visit today.
She and Anali really hit it off!

Then they played a spin-off version of the
famous basketball game P-I-G.
You know, one makes a shot,
then the other tries to mimic it.
First, one made a face,
then the other tried to copy it exactly.
Anali lost, of course, because
she doesn't really pick up on those subtle cues, yet.
Aunt Nan refused to hand over the game to her.
I really have to talk to her about that.
She's going to give our daughter a complex.
But then that brings up a whole new debate.
Should children's "athletic" teams play for points?
Let's do an online poll, shall we?

 

Tummy time got to be a little much yesterday evening. Brandon says all it took was his saying, "Go to sleep now, Anali." Apparently, he's "got the touch."

Sweet Sleeper

Proud Papa!

Happy Girl!

Johnsons on Chinook Pass

A Little Story

Let me tell you a little story. We decided that the whole birthing process wasn't enough excitement for our little family, so we suggested one to the other, "Let's take a road trip." Since gas is approximately $50 a gallon, we made like surfers and bummed a ride off Brandon's parents to the Sahara, oh, I mean, Yakima Valley. Why? Because we wanted to test our 4 -week-old's capabilities in the 107 degree heat. She was a bit sweaty and a bit rashy, but we're happy to report that she travels well, albeit fussy if she's wet, tired, hungry, gassy, hot, overstimulated, understimulated, or generally irritable. No, really, she was a dream to have around, though I wouldn't suggest interviewing the other occupants of our car.

We left Saturday afternoon for Anali's Great Aunt Rhonda's house to visit with Brandon's aunt and her family. We had a lovely time visiting with them. It was so fun to introduce Anali to her extended family and pass around the little hot-water bottle. They fed us well, which was my prerequisite for a return visit; we'll be back. Truly, it was incredibly nice to see them all.

Aunt Rhonda with Kerra's Gabi and Anali

Kyle and his beautiful fiancee Jenni

Kerra, her son Carter, and Anali

Anali had a few firsts on our trip:

• 1st Trip to the East Side of the Mountains
• 1st Sleepover
• 1st Real Tear to Run All the Way Down Her Face (Oh, what sadness!)
  

Such a sad face! Don't worry! She recovered nicely.

We're glad we tagged along for the visit, but it sure feels nice to be home too.

She scored a 95!

Okay, so she's not yet acing standarized tests, but she is in the 95th percentile for length! Anali has grown 2 INCHES since she was born! And Grammy, none of us guessed right; she weighs a whopping ten and a half pounds! For the record, Tana guessed 9 lbs, 13 ozs, Brandon guess 9 lbs, 11 ozs, and I guessed 10 lbs, 1 oz, a good one pound gain since her appointment two weeks ago. We lose! And apparently, Anali gains!

So let me sing her praises. She is a smiley little girl. She loves being talked to and gawked at and she'll coo right back. Her first word was, "Ah-goo." That's got to mean something, somewhere. Mark that: first word, four weeks old, A-H-G-O-O.

Additionally, our sweet girl (who is begging not to have to nap, as I write) can "track" like she's watching the Indy 500. You should see her bright eyes follow a face or a white rabbit (Literally, a white rabbit. Pat, the bunny, to be precise). So cute! So so so so cute! And not just 'cause she's mine, either. 'Cause she's CUTE!

Look at this girl sit up! She isn't supposed to use this seat until she is three months old, but she holds her head up so well, we thought we'd try it. Is that bad?

Loving and Learning

Anali's personality is really beginning to shine. She is smiling often and beginning to coo and make little noises, especially when we are "singing" along to music.

Tomorrow she will be four weeks old. A month! This has been the most amazing month of our lives. I can't remember a time when I have learned more about myself, how to love and show love to another, and my God. Love for Anali comes naturally, of course, but learning how to use that love to care for her in the best way has been a process of trusting God and trusting His equipping of Brandon and me for this task.

Trading Faces

Look at that grip!

Laughing...kinda

Gazing at Daddy

Over this past month, I have relied on our mothers and my friends who are mothers like never before. I am so thankful for my mom and Tana, Brandon's mom. They are such gracious and patient teachers and incredible encouragers to me. I feel I have grown so much closer to them in the past weeks, and I treasure their input and time spent with them more than ever before. My favorite part of our time together is to watch how they love on Anali, each spending such tender time with her, giving me the rest I need to continue the days refreshed.

I was sharing with my friend Vanessa today about how much I love to share Anali with her grandparents. She is so fortunate to have four grandparents, and three great grandparents, who adore her. What a legacy we have in our family!

Good Intentions

Funny how our good intentions turn to mush when reality hits. This is only one of three cloth diapers I've actually put Anali in. I'm still making excuses. Still hope to use cloth diapers at home, though. Maybe...tomorrow...


Milestone: Anali's umbilical cord stump fell off yesterday! Hooray!

 

A Fieldtrip

Yesterday, we went on a family date to Mt. Rainier, introducing Anali to my favorite pocket on the planet: Chenuis Falls. We walked the quarter-mile across the Carbon River and into the shade of the falls. It was warm and beautiful. Can't tell you how nice it was to get out and experience a few minutes of summer on the trails.

At Carbon River

On Chenuis Falls Trail

At Chenuis Falls

Anali was tentative, at first, (You can see it in the progression of her facial expressions in the pictures above.) but once she was within sight of the waterfall, she was lulled by its churning. I think she'll love it as much as we do! She certainly is drawn to outdoors. You can see it already in the way she turns her head longingly toward the windows (Okay, all babies do that, but do all parents interpret the fascination correctly?). We can't wait to take her on longer hikes.

Hair

I don't think I've written about Anali's HAIR yet. Have I told you how fond I am of her hair? It's gorgeous! For the record, it's not strawberry blond, it's red. Sure-fire red. Copper in some light.

It's humorous to me when people approach us and say in a startled voice, "My, isn't that incredibly...[stammer]...s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y b-l-o-n-d hair she has." Since when was saying "RED HAIR" a taboo in our society? It's RED, people.

True, it means she's limited in the colors she can wear already. She just can't pull off pink like a blond can, but whew, you should see her in green! A stunner! 'Specially with that baby poutty lip out..."Sure, honey, you can have a new convertible!"

Exhibit A

Fun with the Grandies

Fun with Grammy and Grandpa...

and Nana and Papa...

and Grandma and Grandpa Great

and Great Grandma Betty.

Four Generations of Isaaks

Grammy and Anali Nap

Grandpa and Anali

Papa and Anali

Nana Whispers to Calm Anali

Great Grandma Betty and Anali

Great Grandpa Keith and

Grandma Doris with Anali

Bright Eyes

Expressions

A Girl of Many Faces...

"You don't say!"

"Aw, Shucks!"

"Mommy, you're so funny!"

The Thinker

(Seriously, I didn't pose her like this.

We were deeply engaged in a discussion of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.

She thinks it's a sham!)