Field Trip

Bella in the driver's seat! (Scary!)

Listening attentively, I'm sure.

Bella's class at the Woodinville Fire Station!

(Photo credits to one of Bella's awesome teachers: Nathan Larsen)

April Lists

Elin
1. She sucks her thumb. I'm not happy about it, but she digs it and I can't really make her stop except to hold down her arms.
2. Her cowlick is less noticeable (I think).
3. She LOVES the baby in the mirror!
4. She got her first school pictures done earlier this month!
5. She's moved onto the "fast" speed bottles.
6. She fits in the jumper!
7. She rolls onto her side with expert precision.
8. She slept in her crib for the first time, for, oh about 15 mins.
9. Her giggles light up my life!
10. She finally fits in the ergo (my favorite carrier) and enjoys facing out!

Bella
1. She is so set in her routine that even on the weekends when she wakes up (at o-dark thirty), the first thing she does is gets dressed for the day. Even if we're still in bed!
2. She likes to brush her own hair.
3. Poor thing puked (I mean really puked) for the first time (all over my car) today.
4. She loves mushrooms, crab, and olives (all things I dislike, but pretend to eat in front of her).
5. She is 100% potty trained EVEN through BEDTIME!
6. She has her first soccer game on April 30th! Her team is the Owls and they have orange jerseys.
7. She is going to a play this Thursday with her class: Sleeping Beauty.
8. We are sounding out words now! Ah-may-zing!
9. She would like her hair even shorter (like mine). We have to convince daddy.
10. She is a member at the YMCA!

Sister Crush

A Visit with Grandpa Hall

At the end of March we welcomed Grandpa Hall for 10 days! Bella was thrilled to have Grandpa Hall in town; she was so excited to show him all of her new capabilities and especially to go swimming with Grandpa.

Grandpa with his grand-girls!

It seems that every time Grandpa comes to visit, we put him to work. When we were in Maryland, we always had a house project waiting in the wings that required his expertise. This time, Charles couldn't wait to get his wisdom & experience involved in his transmission project. Bella surprisingly wanted to help, too. She didn't mind getting dirty. Afterward, she came inside and donned her frilly Snow White apron to help me bake a cake. I guess she'll be a well rounded girl!

Later in the week we took a trip to the Woodland Park Zoo! After two failed attempts earlier this year to go to the zoo, we finally made it. For Christmas we were given a year-long pass to the zoo and I fully intend on taking advantage of it as much as possible. It's like taking a nature walk! Bella and Grandpa shared an ice cream.

Three generations of Halls outside the Lion cave...

The zoo has an antique carousel from the early 1900s. Grandpa treated us all to a ride.

It was a great visit! Fortunately, he has to come back to get his compressor, so we'll be seeing him again soon!

Dr. Isabella Grace Hall

...Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Hopefully my passion for helping families through really stressful times, navigating the health care world, and being a compassionate nurse will transfer to one of my kids. She'll be a nurse first - to get that quality bedside manner down. Then she'll become a doctor because she simply wants to learn more and challenge herself. But, she'll know that the nurses do all the hard work and are really the eyes & ears on the patients. Right? Right.


Seattle Children's put on a Children's Fair for kids to come in and explore the hospital world. It was great for me to be able to show Charles & Bella around, let them see my world a little bit. And boy was it ever the picture taking opportunity. We invited Claire (Bella's friend from school) and her family to come along and the girls had a blast playing doctor. Afterward, we all went for lunch, then Starbucks. By the time we loaded all the kids into our cars, we were all tuckered out.

Surgical patients. My specialty. I can see it already.