She Crawls!

We officially have a crawler in our house... well she's more of an expert Army crawler, but Bella is crawling nonetheless. This is a huge milestone for us, because Bella is nearly 11-months-old and just perfected her Army crawling. The next thing we know, she will be crawling on her hands and knees and eventually walking. 


These physical development "milestones" are important to us because Bella has not always had an easy time reaching such "milestones." I say "milestones" because crawling is not considered an actual milestone in terms of development, however it is important for us to consider it a milestone. When Bella was diagnosed with torticollis and plagiocephaly, I worried that she would have a difficult time compensating, however she seems to be developing at a normal pace. We have been working with her to pull her self up and stand with support, but this seems to be a difficult task her. She still does not pull herself up and definitely is not cruising yet. Again, I am worried, but the pediatrician and physical therapist do not consider it a problem at this point in time. 


Speaking of Bella's plagiocephaly... she has been in her helmet since December 10th and has made great progress. When her head was scanned and measured in late November, the asymmetry was 15.7mm, meaning the difference in the shape of her head was 15.7mm. This is seen as moderate to severe and warranted the prescription of the corrective helmet. Bella had a scan and measurements done after being in the helmet for 8 weeks and the asymmetry has improved greatly... and is now only 9.5mm! This is very promising news and we're hoping that another big growth spurt (or two) will help reduce the asymmetry even more. Bella still has bi-weekly appointments with the orthotist and physical therapy twice a week. 


Anyway... we are so very proud that Bella started crawling and I cannot believe how quickly she is growing up! 


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 10-Months-Old TODAY!!!

It's hard to believe that I'm writing Bella's 10-month update, because in my mind, it feels like just yesterday that I was announcing my pregnancy and anxiously awaiting her arrival. Now that she's been a part of our lives for 10 months, we really can't imagine life without her. She is such a blessing and if every child were like Bella, then I'd gladly have 10 more children... okay, maybe 2 or 3 more. 


Bella didn't have a 10-month wellness appointment, but she did manage to see the pediatrician for pink eye... so without further adieu...


Height: 29.5 inches! 


Weight: 24 pounds 10 ounces 

Clothing Size: Bella seems to be outgrowing her 9-month pajamas, so I recently ordered some pajamas from Old Navy... in size 18-24 months! I was going to order the 12-18 month pajamas, but I figured we could get more use out of the larger size. 

Sleeping Pattern: Bella must have missed her own bed because she has been sleeping VERY WELL since we returned from Baltimore. We have totally ditched the middle of the night feeding and Bella has been sleeping through the night. We put Bella to bed around 8:00pm and she wakes up around 6:30am. Needless to say we are all VERY THANKFUL for her new sleeping habits. Bella is also napping twice a day for 1.5-2 hours each nap. 

Eating Pattern: Bella's eating habits have been a little iffy lately. She is drinking her normal bottles, but she sometimes refuses solids. We still try to give her solids, despite her refusal, but with a little patience, she eventually gives in and eats. She is great at picking up food off her tray and putting it into her mouth. I would like to note that she may be a "south paw" because she seems to favor her left hand. 

Milestones: Bella has 5 teeth (3 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth) and is working on tooth #6. She is a trooper when it comes to teething, but can be a little fussy when beginning to cut a new tooth. Bella is army crawling but still prefers to roll her away around. Bella learned how to play "Patty Cake" and says (a variation) of the phrase and claps her hands together. Bella is a little parrot. She tries to repeat words that we say and her most recent words have been "car", "dog", "good girl" and "hi." She is so smart and she is going to be quite the talker when she's older... I suppose it runs in the family?!?

Friends: The usual motley crew of characters, including, Connor, Layla, Taylan, Luke, Camden, Carter, Tyler, Lily, Gia and Logan. We haven't seen our neighborhood friends recently because everyone has been sick. It's so much fun to see the babies grow up together and it's been great to make mommy friends. Bella has recently taken trips with her friends to Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium. 

Current Events: There has been much unrest in Egypt as the citizens of Egypt have called for President Mubarak to step down. Protests began several days ago and seem to be heating up. Two police officers in St. Petersburg were killed in the line of duty. A mother in New Tampa murdered her two teenage children for "mouthing off". Needless to say, we've had some very sober days, and we're hoping for good news soon. Our friends and family up north have been experiencing a very active winter storm season... as have our friends in the Mid-West. Better them, than us! let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!  

Bella has been in her helmet for almost 2 months and is doing very well. The specialist seems pleased with her progress and we go for a scan in about two weeks for exact measurements. The torticollis... oh the torticollis... Bella has been in physical therapy, twice a week since October and I'm really not sure if her condition is improving or not. Some days her neck appears to be straight and other days her neck appears to be tilted. Hopefully another few months of physical therapy and maturity will help her overcome this. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Well, that's all from Casa de Lasher. The countdown until Bella's 1st Birthday is underway... in t-minus 2 months!

Happy 10-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella's Official 9 Month Stats

Bella had her 9-month-wellness check up today, so I thought I'd go ahead and post her official stats:


Height: 29 1/4 inches long (95th percentile)
Weight: 24 pounds 4 ounces (100th+ percentile, technically off the charts)


The pediatrician says Bella is doing just great and she is very happy with her growth. Bella is a big girl and there is not a damn thing wrong with that! 


Well, that's all I have time for right now! 


Love always,


Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 9-months-old TODAY!!!

Greetings from Baltimore! We’ve been in Baltimore since December 18^th and we’ll be here until January 10^th. Our trip has been just over 3 weeks and we’re finishing up our northern vacation. We decided to spend the holidays in Baltimore so that Bella could experience all the fun-filled family get-togethers we experience year after year. It’s been a really great trip and I think we’ll all be sad to return to Florida.

While we’ve been here, Bella turned 9-months-old. Today, Bella 9-months-old and we are “celebrating” in Baltimore. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but this time is going way too fast! Our little baby is growing up and in another 3 months will be a… toddler. I’ve already begun to plan Bella’s 1^st birthday party and have a theme in mind. I’m not ready to share the theme just yet, but as her birthday approaches, I’ll share a few details here and there.

Bella has been scheduled for a 9-month wellness appointment; so official stats will be posted next week. Pop (a.k.a. my dad) and Ian measured her length with a tape and we’re approximating her weight

Height: About 30 inches! Wow, she is getting so tall!

Weight: about 25 pounds (and gaining…)

Clothing Size: I typically don’t post what size clothes Bella is wearing but she wears a 12-18 months in Gymboree clothes and 9 and 12 month clothes in everything else. We’ve gone through a year’s worth of clothes in under 9 months. She was only able to wear several outfits once or twice because she outgrew things so quickly.

Sleeping Pattern: Since arriving in Baltimore, Bella’s sleep was been… well… umm… AWFUL! She is waking up 2-3 times a night. Needless to say we are all a little sleep deprived and take advantage of Bella’s two naps a day. We’re hoping to get her back on track once we’re back home next week.

Eating Pattern: Bella continues to eat about 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours and is eating solids and snacks 3 times a day. Bella is a great eater and will eat whatever is placed in front of her. We’re very thankful that she is a good eater and hope this pattern continues.

Milestones: Bella has 4 teeth and has 2 more on the way. As most parents say, “teething bites”. It’s awful to see Bella in pain, but with each new tooth, the teething process seems to get a bit easier. Thank goodness for Motrin! Bella is still on the verge of crawling and up on her hands and knees throughout the day. She is an expert at rolling and rolls to get from place to place. Bella has recently started “waving” and while I’m not sure she knows what she is doing, she often uses her hand to “wave” at people and things. 

Friends: We haven’t seen our friends in almost 3 weeks and we miss them very much! Birthday season will begin once we return to Tampa and we’ll be attending birthday parties from now until July!

Current Events: This week all the new Senators, Delegates and political leadership have been sworn in. We’re not too sure what is happening back in Florida because we’ve been in Baltimore.

Bella celebrated her first Hanukkah and Christmas a few weeks ago. She also met her other set of great-grandparents, my grandparents, Poppy and Ms. Dot. She loved the lights, the Christmas carols, the presents and especially the wrapping paper. Bella received many lovely and thoughtful gifts from friends and family members and we are very thankful for this. Bella also received many new toys for Hanukkah and Christmas. She is spoiled, but she totally deserves it.

Bella has been in her helmet for almost 1 month and is doing well. It appears to us that her head shape is improving and we can’t wait to get back to Florida to confirm this with the specialist. As for the torticollis, we’re still concerned about the significance of her tilted neck and we’re going to seek a second opinion from a pediatric orthopedic specialist when we get home. All things considered, Bella’s conditions could be much worse and for this we are very thankful, but still keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I’m on borrowed time right now and the little princess will be up from her afternoon nap before I know it. Just wanted to catch everyone up on what we’ve been up to and how our trip to Baltimore has been. More posts will follow regarding details of our trip and pictures from the holidays. Keep warm everyone!

Happy 9-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 8-months-old TODAY!!!

There’s an 8-month-old in our house! Today, Bella is officially 8-months-old and growing up before our very eyes. This whole growing up process is so bittersweet. I’m so happy she is maturing and thriving like she should, but I’m so sad that my itty, bitty, little baby is no longer itty or bitty. This almost makes me want another baby… almost being the key word. Our family of 3 (or 5 if you count the dogs) is perfectly content and while we will add more members in the future, we are nowhere near close to adding baby #2 at this point in time.

Bella was not scheduled for an 8-month wellness appointment, so the trusty old scale and tape measure were used for the 8-month growth stats:

Height: still about 28 inches, although certain pants appear short on her.

Weight: about 23 pounds (and counting…)

Sleeping Pattern: Bella has had some REALLY GOOD nights and some REALLY BAD nights in the last month. She takes 2 really good naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon and goes to bed around 8:30pm. She wakes up around 2:00-3:00am and wants to be fed. The child will gulp down a 5-6 ounce bottle in a matter of minutes. She will go back to sleep and is usually up for the day between 6:00-7:00am.

Eating Pattern: Bella continues to eat about 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours and is eating solids and snacks 3 times a day. A current favorite food of hers is Plum Baby Chicken with Vegetables and Pasta. She has yet to meet a food she does not like and has a healthy appetite.

Milestones: She’s got teeth (4 of them) and she knows how to use them! Bella has 2 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth and uses them to chew (whether it’s my fingers or food). She has an adorable little smile and I don’t really miss those gummy grins (ok, I do miss those gummy grins). Bella is on the verge of crawling and can be found doing push-ups on her hands and knees. Her first word appears to have been “Ma-ma” and she uses it on a frequent basis. When she is pouting or sad, she often says, “Ma-ma, Ma-ma” in a sad little voice. She also says “Da-da” but we’re uncertain if she knows what it means at this point.

Friends: Connor, Taylan, Layla, Tyler, Logan, Luke, Camden, Gia, Carter and Lily. We have a weekly play group with these kiddos and it has been so much fun! Bella will be hosting a play date / cookie exchange later this week. The mommies from the play group are a fabulous bunch of ladies and I’m very thankful to have such a great group of friends!

Current Events: Election season is finally over! Rick Scott is the governor elect for the State of Florida and Marco Rubio is the Senator elect for the US Senate!!! Yay for the Republicans! We are looking forward to the things this men have to offer and we hope they get the job done! Unfortunately, Maryland (where Pop and Didi live) didn't fair as well. O'Malley was re-elected... boo!

Bella hosted her first Thanksgiving dinner at our house. She was such a ham that day and enjoyed eating turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin cheesecake. My dad (a.k.a. Pop) came into town for Thanksgiving and we also invited Ian’s family and the Peluso family (of course!) We had a very nice dinner and the food was fabulous (if I do say so myself).

A health update on little Miss Bella… she was fitted for a corrective helmet in late November and she will begin wearing the helmet on the 8^th. I’m sad for her, but I know she will do great. I wish I was the one who had to wear the helmet, but sadly I cannot take her place in this instance. I regret not addressing this issue sooner, but I’m thankful we still have time to take action. Bella is still going to physical therapy two days a week and will see the specialist every two weeks. We’re hoping she will only have to wear the helmet for 4-6 months, with 4 months being the average time for most babies. Keep your fingers crossed and say a few prayers for a couple big growth spurts! =)

We’re getting ready for the holidays and we’re currently celebrating Hanukkah. Bella will celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, so everyone will surely spoil her. We’ll be going to Baltimore for Christmas and will have an extended stay. Bella and I will be driving and Ian and the boys will be driving… wish us luck!

Happy 8-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 7-months-old TODAY!!!

So, Bella is only 5 months away from her 1st Birthday! 

Today is Bella's 7-month "birthday"! It's hard to believe that in only 5 months we will be celebrating her 1st Birthday. I've already started "planning" her birthday party because a lot of her friends also have April birthdays. I think we're going to have to pull straws to divvy up the weekends. Bella did not have a 7-month wellness appointment, but she does go to the pediatrician on Monday for her 2nd flu shot. I busted out the scale and tape measure this morning, so I can share some unofficial stats:

Height: about 28 inches (She's grown about an inch over the last month)

Weight: about 22.5 pounds (She's still our little chunky monkey!)

Sleeping Pattern: So... I thought 7-month-olds were supposed to sleep through the night, however Bella is not your typical 7-month-old and wakes up once a night to be fed. She is still taking pretty good morning and afternoon naps for about 1-2 hours each time. 

Eating Pattern: Bella eats about 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours and is eating solids 3 times a day. She really likes chicken with sweet potatoes and her rice puffs. We have decided (at the nagging, uh, suggestion of Bella's grandma) that Bella will eat primarily organic foods. We have switched her to organic formula because we really enjoy the convenience of the Similac pre-made nursers for her middle of the night feeding. We may or may not switch her to organic formula... the jury is still out.

Milestones: Bella has TWO teeth and has two more on the way. She has her two bottom teeth and it appears that her two top teeth are about to cut in. Ahh, the joys of teething! Bella sits up quite well, unassisted. She also rolls and scoots herself around on the floor. We can no longer leave her alone in one place and expect her to be there when we return. 

Friends: The usual suspects... Connor and Taylan. She has been spending a lot of time recently with a new friend, Layla. 

Current Events: Election season is finally over! Rick Scott is the governor elect for the State of Florida and Marco Rubio is the Senator elect for the US Senate!!! Yay for the Republicans! We are looking forward to the things this men have to offer and we hope they get the job done! Unfortunately, Maryland (where Pop and Didi live) didn't fair as well. O'Malley was re-elected... boo!


I'm sad to report that Bella has had some health issues that we've had to deal with. Bella was diagnosed with torticollis. Congenital torticollis is most often due to tightness in the muscle that connects the breastbone and the collarbone to the skull (it's called the sternocleidomastoid muscle). This is called congenital muscular torticollis. The tightness might have developed because of the way Bella was positioned in my uterus (i.e. head tilted to one side) or because the muscles were damaged during delivery. The physical therapist seems to think the torticollis was caused due to Bella being cramped in my belly. Small mommy + big baby = torticollis. Bella has been referred for physical therapy and has been attending twice a week. She is doing well with the physical therapy and her torticollis is slowly improving. Unfortunately torticollis often goes hand-in-hand with plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome). Bella will meet with a specialist next week to address the severity of her plagiocephaly. We're very thankful that Bella is healthy and this is just a little bump in the road. We're bracing ourselves for the possibility of Bella needing to wear a helmet to even out the shape of her skull. We think she'll look cute in a helmet, don't you? =)

Happy 7-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 6-months-old TODAY!!!

I'm not one for celebrating "false birthdays" but I have been using these "month birthdays" to keep up with Bella's milestones. In keeping with tradition and without further ado...


Today is Bella's 6-month "birthday"! She is already half way to her 1st birthday and it's hard to imagine, but in 6 months we will be celebrating her official birthday. With each passing day, Bella is growing, meeting new milestones and it's been bittersweet. I'm so happy and proud that Bella is growing up before my eyes, but at the same time I miss the days of having an itty bitty baby. Anyway... here are Bella's 6-month stats:

Height: 27 inches / 90th percentile (She is a looooooong baby)

Weight: about 21 pounds 4 ounces / 100th percentile (Technically she's off the charts...)

Sleeping Pattern: Bella has discovered that sleeping on her tummy is the next best thing since sliced bread. She sleeps about 6-7 hours at night, which is not ideal, but it could be a lot worse. We have the blessing of the pediatrician to drop any night feedings and to allow her to cry-it-out. Hopefully within the next few weeks we will have made progress in sleep hygiene and Bella will be sleeping 9-10 hours a night. Recently Bella's nap schedule has been A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! She takes a 2-hour nap in the morning and a 2-hour nap in the afternoon. These 4 hours have allowed me to catch up on my DVR and house work.

Eating Pattern: Bella eats about 5 ounces every 3-4 hours and eats about 30 ounces of formula a day. She is eating solids twice a day and was recently introduced to meat. Bella hasn't met a food she doesn't like, however she does not like my homemade baby food. My ego was crushed, but feeding her jared baby food does make my life a bit easier. We will introducing a sippy cup within the next few weeks

Milestones: Where to start?!? Bella has one tooth and has another one on the way... Bella sits up unassisted and does quite well at sitting up... Bella pushes up and scoots across the floor... and she is a TALKER! Omg, she is always babbling and her new favorite sound is "Mmmm." A few times it has sounded like she's actually said "Mmmm-ma" but we can't be certain. She is doing something new every day and it's really exciting. 

Friends: The usual crew from MWI... especially Taylan and Connor. She seems to have more "boy friends" than "girl friends." We have been spending more time with our neighbors, the McGills. 

Current Events: The Gators suffered their first loss of the year to Alabama, the Abbott Company recalled nearly ALL powdered Similac due to processing  issues, the Rays are in the ALDS and are trying to make it to the World Series and election season is well under way. 

Happy 6-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Macaroni Kid - Brandon

Have you ever had one of those days when you felt like there wasn't anything to do in your area? I know I have and I scour the internet for something new for Bella and I to do. After a bit of searching, I usually find something for us to do, but wouldn't it be nice if there was a website that published local events in your area? Well, the search is over! 

Check out Macaroni Kid - National to find your local edition. A friend of mine (Sara M.) runs the Brandon edition of Macaroni Kid. She publishes articles about family friendly events in the Tampa Bay area, living green, arts & crafts and yummy recipes. It's a great source to find local events and other fun information.

Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Check it out and it you like it, subscribe to the email list!
Macaroni Kid - Brandon

Is there a dentist in the house?

We're all smiles around the Lasher house!

At her 4-month wellness appointment, our pediatrician confirmed that Bella is teething. She told us a tooth could poke through at any time now. So for about a month, we wiped up drool, slipped teething tablets under Bella's tongue and had a few restless nights of sleep. Today our "fears" have been confirmed... and Bella... does in fact... have her first tooth! She cut her first tooth, a bottom incisor and so begins active teething. 1 tooth down... 19 more to go!

I have attempted (and failed) to take a picture of this monumental occasion, however it is quite difficult to capture a tiny tooth in the tiny mouth of a 5-month-old. I'm going to miss her gummy grin... and more importantly, I'm going to miss being Bella's personal teething toy, a risk I'm not willing to take any longer.

Well, that's all for now... more to come after our trip to Baltimore next week!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 5-months-old TODAY!

Today is Bella's 5-month "birthday"! Has it really been 5 months since we welcomed our little bundle of joy into the world? Time flies when you're having fun (or sleep deprived). She did not have a 5-month check up, so our stats are unofficial, but here are Bella's 5-month stats:

Height: about 27 inches (she seems to have grown in length over the past month)

Weight: about 20 pounds (she is a BIG baby)

Sleeping Pattern: Bella has regressed in her sleeping habits... sigh. Bella is sleeping through the night and averages 6-7 hour stretches of sleep, although with her teething and reaching new milestones, she wakes up around 2-3am for a feeding. We can't wait for her to return to her "old" habits.

Eating Pattern: Bella eats 5-6 ounces of formula every 3-4 hours, she has also started stage 1 baby foods. She has tried green beans, squash, peas, applesauce and pears. Her favorites so far appear to be green beans and peas!

Milestones: Bella keeps rollin', rollin', rollin'! She rolls from back to tummy quite easily. She enjoys tummy time much more than she did before. She's still teething, but we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of her first tooth.

Friends: The usual crew from MWI. She also met her "cousin" Sarah Grace from Nashville, as she and her parents are in town this weekend.

Current Events: College football season has begun (the Gators won), some whack job minister in Gainesville wants to burn the Quran on 9/11 and our neighbor had her garage door dented by a drowsy driver.

Happy 5-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella