Isla Bean is moving all around...

This is how we (try to) do it: studying hemoglobinopathies & ABC's

curious

contemplating the roll and dreaming about the crawl

sweetness

This has been a week of movement. We have realized that we have a very willful daughter. Isla started rolling this week. On Thursday she rolled from her stomach to her back (see video) & then determined that this was not sufficient, on Friday she decided to go ahead and roll from her back to her stomach. It was amazing to see this process of brain & body colliding into a first movement. The initial rolls from stomach to back almost appeared as if by mistake. They look kind of like a fall over, as opposed to a concerted effort to roll. But, the initial roll from back to stomach required some work and she expressed this with little grunts of effort. Affter a few tries, she does this movement now with ease. When she is on her belly, post-roll, she gets a little frustrated after a few minutes because in this position she starts "swimming." She moves her legs and arms attempting to move forward. I foresee crawling on the horizon. Since these new developments, Isla appears to always want to be rolling. This, as you might imagine, is a bit tricky. What Isla wants, she attempts. For example, she wants to roll while nursing, and while on the changing table and while in the bouncy seat. Gone are the days of blissful infant, non-motion simplicity... No, we love this new development. She is a cutie, without a doubt.

Other news this week:

She is now 14 weeks old, and starting to take a nap in the morning and one in the afternoon. This is helpful for mom's studying, although the length of napping is highly variable at this time. Late afternoon walks are becoming our most favorite ritual, after bath time of course.

We went for many very long stroller walks around town, one with Isla's friend Kaelyn and one with Annelle. This weekend Isla had a "first date." A couple we met in childbirth ed class came over with their son. Isla hung out for several hours with the very handsome Gabriel, an older man by 4 days. Elise also came for a visit, the amazing labor whisperer, who was actually present at the births of both Gabriel and Isla. That's all to report this week. With love.

Isla Rolls

She is 3 months & it is fall!

3 months!!

just the three ladies

...excuse the photo shoot, just SO cute...

lazying around

bonjour!

little feet, loving hands

Nonna & Me

Big smiles

Seeing Howard Dean speak on health care at Atticus

Fun times with Nonna

OK, I'm all ready. So where are we going?

Isla is officially 3 months old. It has seriously flown by. Nonna was here through this week, and it was SO amazing to have her here & have this special time with her & Isla. Taylor & I loved it. Most days started out the same, with Nonna coming in and taking Isla for some quality one-on-one early morning bonding. Giving mom & dad some extra sleep time. Then we would all have coffee & breakfast. Nonna discovered Isla's newly needed morning nap, which she enjoys in her crib. Around this time Taylor would head to work, and me to study the rest of the morning, likely at LuLu's. I would meet up with Nonna & Isla around lunchtime and we would relax a bit, and maybe head out of the house for some errands or cafe chatting. So nice to have a daily partner for hanging out with Isla. And, so amazing to see my mom with Isla, and learn nice little tricks from her expertise. I think I have discovered that Isla almost does better when she has more going on in the day. This may seem obvious, but as the new parents, all this is learned via each day's experiences. Walks with the dogs, keeping Isla content at cafes around town, and a viewing of Howard Dean speaking at Atticus on his book about healthcare reform, these were our days. Nights were cozy with yummy meals and relaxation. Likely we'd watch a Netflix episode of "Friday Night Lights," which is allowing me a newfound appreciation of football (and Texas). Speaking of football...

I welcome the fall wholeheartedly, every year. The weather is absolutely amazing right now. With that first gust of refreshingly crisp air and the scatter of a few leaves across the pavement I am energized and always reminded of a new year ahead. Seems I will always see the years as unfolding in academic semesters. Each year as the fall commences I reminisce about driving Christina, my very little (at the time) sister, to school listening to music with the windows rolled down (and maybe the heat on too) and driving up Pleasant Valley Drive, watching the leaves swirl in the wind as I pass. The fall is all about possibilities.

This week has been an interesting one here in New Haven since the pharmacology grad student went missing & then was found dead. She lived around the corner from here, so my cafe studying was often interrupted by community comments and speculations regarding her murder. It was a creepy week in New Haven, to say the least. Such a sad, sad situation. An interesting time for my mom to be here for sure.

Isla is just getting so much bigger & seems a bit older with each new day. She has such a personality and such an assortment of facial expressions. She is a joy to entertain & it is certainly a joy to be in her audience.

12 weeks of fun

Practicing sitting in my Bumbo seat

Cafe chatting with Nonna

with Nonna on campus

3 generations of ladies!

Yay Nonna's here!

Maxin' & relaxin' with Kate & John

rooftop lazy

Exploring the Green Animals topiary!

Pub fun in Newport, RI

Isla with Ms. Bishop!

Kate & John

Massage time

so cute.

in Chester, CT

so peaceful

loving her best friend, Lampy

These past 2 weeks have been surprisingly busy. Isla has literally grown before our eyes, and is truly a big little baby girl. Taylor, Isla & I took a mini-Connecticut road trip to visit a small town called Chester, that we had been wanting to explore. Isla is great in the car now. She really loves exploring anything & everything she can. Her eyes widen with awe at every new thing she sees. In particular we must point out her OBSESSION with our living room lamp, we have now named "Lampy." She smiles at it every morning with the same sweet smile she gives her mom & dad. Sometimes we even feel a bit jealous...

Isla went to hang out with her friend Kaelyn a few times. They went for a very long stroller walk and spent sometime outside. Isla also went to see a play, "The Holiday" in Edgerton Park with Uncle Wade, Annelle, Alex & Su. Isla was a dream. She slept while everyone picnicked, woke up with the introductory clapping and watched the start of the play in her dad's arms until she was ready for more sleep in her little tent. It was great. She also had a super fun visit from Kate & John. We all drove to just outside of Newport, Rhode Island to visit the most spectacular topiary garden in the world: Green Animals. It was a beautiful day. Isla not only left the state for the first time, but she also hung out in her first pub, while everyone enjoyed a beer & fish n' chips. She also spent some sleep time at CT's awesome outdoor eatery, The Place, in Guilford, while we enjoyed a great meal.

Just when Isla was getting sad to say goodbye to Kate & John, her Nonna came into town on Labor Day!! The week with Nonna has been relaxing. Little errands and some time at cafes. Nonna is helping to watch Isla while her mom tries to study a bit for her boards. She is behaving wonderfully, most of the time. It has been quite the few weeks for Ms. Isla Bean.