Congratulations Nicholas!

We had a wonderful long weekend in Houston to celebrate Steve's nephew Nicholas' graduation from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. It was fun being with all the family, and as always Isabella loved hanging out with her Houston cousins!

This marked our last big trip before Baby Baker arrives. It is hard to believe that in about 8 weeks we'll be a family of four! Besides, I'm pretty sure that Isabella thought we were becoming gypsies with all the traveling we've done.

On a totally different subject next week is being called "Potty Training Boot Camp week" in the Baker household. Wish us luck!!

What a trip!

1906 miles, 5 different hotel rooms, 2 quick visits with family, 2 swollen ankles and 1 VERY shocking assignment! That pretty much sums up the last two and half weeks of the Baker Family life. We left at the end of April for our trip to Mongomery, AL where Steve was attending a class at Maxwell AFB. We were able to spend the first night of our road trip in Shreveport where we had a nice dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's house. For the next few days Isabella was asking where Aunt Rita was.

We spent two weeks in Alabama, which went by fairly quickly with the help of a playground within walking distance of our room. Isabella decided that she was going to really start acting two years old and terrible two's, or as Aunt Helen says "trying two's," started with a vengeance.

I hit my third trimester while we were in Alabama, and the tiredness and all the other fun stuff started as well. All the miles in the car took a toll on my hands and ankles. I'm just glad I can get my rings on again and that my ankles don't look like grapefruit!

After Steve's class was over we headed back to Abilene via, Baton Rouge, Houston and San Antonio. We were able to go to Steve's cousin Janelle's quinceañera and see all the family. It was a really fun night. In San Antonio Steve was able to meet with some people from personnel at Randolph AFB to see if he could get more direction on our next assignment. Much to our surprise it looks like we'll be headed to Little Rock AFB for a couple of years. This is a real shock that I'm trying to get use to, but as Steve says God has great plans for us there. I still have my hopes on getting back to Europe before our time in the Air Force is over. As of right now, we should be heading out of Abilene and onto Little Rock sometime in December.

It is so nice to be back home and in our own beds. Isabella is again having fun watering the flowers and riding in her car.



Isabella still smiling in her carseat, it must have been the first day of the trip.



Daddy still smiling while filling the car up with gasoline. It must have been the first fill-up of the trip.



Isabella is always happy when she's playing with water.



Isabella on the steps of the playground equipment. She LOVES the stairs.



Isabella showing that two year old moments can happen at any moment, even when playing!



Isabella with one of her favorite cousins Nicholas.

Isabella's New Favorite Store

I would love to say that Isabella's new favorite store was Janie and Jack or Gymboree, but no, it's the Bass Pro Shop. The Bass Pro Shop is full of camping and outdoor type items, but it is an amazing place. The store we were in today (Steve tells me they're all like this) had a huge three or four story waterfall in the middle of the store, a HUGE fish tank and tons of life size, very realistic animals. Isabella's favorite animals were the horses and bears. There were tons of fish in the tank, including cat fish. It was hilarious when Isabella walked up to the tank and said "Mommy, cat" (anything with whiskers is a cat to her). I told her that she was right it was a cat fish. She looked a little puzzled.

By the way, her old favorite store was Best Buy, because they have an Apple section. She affectionately called it the Apple Store. Ah, she makes her Daddy happy!

Alabama

Please forgive me if you're from Alabama or have friends or family from Alabama, but it's not the most exotic of vacation spots. We're here for two weeks while Steve attends an Air Force class at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery. I've taken some great and funny pictures of Isabella, but will have to wait to get home to post them since I forgot my card reader.

It seems that on every trip we take with Isabella, however long or short, she picks up the funniest things. Here's what Isabella has taught us so far during our time here in Alabama:

1. She takes her patriotism VERY seriously! At most Stateside military bases they play the National Anthem at 5:00 every evening. People stop what they are doing to pay respect. Well, Isabella remembered from a trip we took to San Antonio about a month ago that her Nana taught her to place her hand over her heart when she heard the National Anthem played at Randolph AFB. We're staying on base here at Maxwell, so every evening at 5:00 when they play the Anthem, she stops whatever she's doing, stands up, and places her hand on her heart. She usually says something about Nana teaching her, and can become quite cross when Mommy doesn't do the same! If she's up late enough she also stands at attention at 9pm when they play taps. I like to tease Steve that she's an Air Force Officer in training!

2. She loves saying the word Alabama! Steve became quite concerned when he realized this and immediately reminded her how to say "hook 'em horns." I think he's afraid that she'll forget that she's a Texan in the two short weeks we're here.

3. She LOVES steps. Since our house is on just one level at home in Abilene she hasn't had much opportunity to climb stairs. Since we're staying on the second floor of TLF she gets overly excited every time we go outside and she gets to climb down the stairs. When we went to the playground yesterday she spent most of her time climbing up and down the stairs instead of going down the slide. It is a good way for her to use up the abundant amount of energy she has.