Pumpkin Muffins

Monday was Isabelle's snack day again so we were faced with the ultimate decision as to what to bring. For those of you who have not yet experienced helping a child choose a snack to take to preschool, you may not realize what a critical decision this can be. For a three-year-old, choosing snack might be analogous to planning a dinner party. First, there has to be variety. A selection for one's guests is imperative. Second, there must be a theme and this theme must be carried over to the beverage selection and choice of linen. Third, one must account for the special dietary needs of one's guests - no nuts at preschool please. Lastly, it has to be something that is fun to make and pass out to one's friends.
Taking all this into account Isabelle chose to make pumpkin muffins with raisins on the side. She also served a lovely 2008 organic apple juice and found pumpkin napkins that perfectly highlighted her choice of entree.

Selecting her ingredients.

Ready to bake.
Mini-muffins are all the rage amongst the preschool set.

Mixing the dry ingredients.

Working on her whisking technique.

Isabelle feels she is ready for her own cooking show.

Voila! 24 miniature pumpkin muffins!

Preschool Days

We just got back Isabelle's first ever school pictures. As professional photo shoots have not been her favorite thing in the past, I was apprehensive about how the pictures would turn out. I was fully preparing myself for the possibility that her picture wouldn't be taken at all and instead I would be left hanging a blank blue background on our wall to commemorate Isabelle's first year in preschool. However, I totally miscalculated how rule-abiding and direction-following a person Isabelle can be - especially with her teacher! Not only did her individual picture turn out great, the class picture, which I can't post, is amazing! I have to brag a little and say she is the only child in the class actually looking at the camera with a smile on her face.
A few weeks ago I took the afternoon off work to take Isabelle and her friend Laney on their first ever field trip. It was really fun to have two giggling girls in the backseat, especially since all they wanted to do was make silly faces at me.

She even crossed her hands obediently!

Off to the pumpkin patch!
Laney, Isabelle and J.J. J.J.'s sister is also in my kindergarten class this year! The girls being silly on the hayride.

Holding hands while waiting to go through the hay maze.

The best part of the trip? Popsicles at the end!

A few nights later Jason took Isabelle to preschool in the evening for Daddy/child pumpkin carving.

Getting Ready for Baby M.

Things are staying busy here at the Brock house. On Saturday we spent the day shopping for special items to send to M. in Ethiopia. We are allowed to fill a gallon-sized bag with goodies and I think we crammed about everything we could into it. On our trip to Babies R' Us Isabelle helped pick out a cozy blanket, some books, a snuggle toy and a rattle to send to her new sister. We also got a photo album for babies that we filled with pictures of the three of us and some of our referral pictures of M. She can slobber all over it and hopefully she'll get to know us a little bit before we bring her home. I don't think I've ever spent so much time choosing books and baby items. If your child is home with you and they aren't as interested in a toy as you might like, you just hand them a different one. Sending toys all the way around the world is a different matter. There are no three strikes you're out! Hopefully these items will amuse her for at least a little while.
After a trip to the notary today we are ready to send off the next round of paperwork to AGCI, along with the package to M. Now there is nothing for us to do but wait, most likely until at least January or February (hopefully not longer!) In the meantime, we get to enjoy these last few months with an only child. We are so proud of Isabelle for being such a great helper to us and being so patient these last few days. She is a great little girl!

These are the items we're sending to M. Yes, they really did fit into a gallon-sized bag! Okay, the lamb didn't, but Isabelle desperately wanted to get it for her sister so we let her. It's already in the crib upstairs. :)

As part of our photo album it was recommended that we include pictures of our pets. This was the most successful of the poses we tried. Can you tell Annie and Emma are less than thrilled to be in this close proximity to one another?
Isabelle's list of what she will teach her sister.

Big News!

We have received and accepted a referral of a precious little girl from Ethiopia. She just turned three months old and is beautiful! I wish we could share more details but until we are officially through court we cannot show pictures or reveal her name. We love the name she was given in Ethiopia and will definitely be keeping it as a middle name but we also want to choose a name for her as well. Jason and I just realized that her initials will be M.L.B. - and NO we are night baseball fanatics! Right now we are not expecting to travel to Ethiopia until January or February so we are still in for a long wait but it is wonderful to have a face to look at and a little one to think about even though she is so far away. We are also really happy to know that we can send her a small care package so we'll be busy putting that together this weekend.
Isabelle is excited to have a little sister, although I don't think all the ramifications of this have sunk in. For example, while looking at a book with her the other day I mentioned that she would have to share it with her new sister and she got a very confused look on her face and said, "but it's my book!" We are really trying to keep Isabelle involved in the process but I think we will have to put our foot down at some point, especially when it comes to naming the baby. Here is Isabelle's line of thinking when talking about her new sibling:
"When my baby comes I will feed her and hold her and teach her and I will call her......Winnie-the-Pooh!" Somehow I don't think that would go over too well on a birth certificate!
Please keep us in your thoughts and be excited because you have a new baby to love too!

A Very Blustery Day

Saturday was another busy day for the Brock family. Isabelle attended a much anticipated birthday party for her friend Jaelyn, the most important part of which was choosing her outfit. Isabelle jumped out of bed Friday night and declared she must wear "a dress that twirls to the party." After the party we headed straight to soccer practice in the middle of a windstorm. The kids had a great time running around the field but it was so windy that it blew all of the equipment right off the field - it even blew over a couple of three-year-olds! Isabelle was screaming and laughing the whole time. Practice was eventually cancelled, but it was a great twenty minutes!

Great-Grandma sent this dress - Isabelle loves it and wants to wear it everywhere. We really had to talk her out of wearing it to soccer practice.

Isabelle picked out Jay-Jay's gift and helped wrap it.
Off to soccer!


If we have to be outside in the wind and rain at least it's a turf field. We shouldn't get too muddy!
Check out Jason's coat!