Happy Birthday Isabelle!!

To our Isabelle Ann,

I cannot believe how the time has flown.  I feel like it was just yesterday when we were bringing you home from the hospital.  But yet other times, I feel like we've had you in our family forever!  Our family would not be the same without you ;)

Your tiny little body has the biggest personality--you are full of spunk and attitude, you light up a room when you walk into it, and you know what you want.  Dad's two favorite nicknames for you are "The Hurricane" and "Little Nutcase."  You are independent and opinionated, but you still love your snuggle time with mommy.  You love to dance and sing (well, yell really) especially to the Frozen movie songs.  You can eat and eat and eat... I know your belly is cute and round, but there is not a trace of chub anywhere else on you!  You like to take your time in everything... you don't do anything fast, really.  But that's okay.  Someday I think you'll be a thoughtful girl who considers her every move before making one.

As a sister...
You and your brother can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies.  You sure know how to push his buttons, and he knows how to push yours, too.  You follow his lead and then some.  It seems like you can always take things to the next level, and you are starting to pick up on his competitiveness... you don't like coming in 2nd to him.  You would rather he didn't kiss you so much, and you commonly shout, "No kisses Too-poh!"  But you like to hold his hand and you are pretty good at sharing when you get a reminder.  He even gets you to play along so you two can 'trick' mom and dad together--like locking us out of the bathroom, or slamming the baby gate closed and sitting in front of it.  He's a good teacher :)

As a talker...
For a two-year-old, your vocabulary is out of this world.  We have full-blown conversations with you, and you can repeat or come up with your own full sentences.  Like 7-10 word sentences.  It blows our minds.  You are getting really good at using your manners, and you are also asking for help more often instead of losing your cool when you get frustrated.  But you do have a lot of patience, especially when things are on your own terms, so you don't get frustrated too often.  I think I stopped keeping track of your new words each day around 18 months, because they were coming so fast.  If we ask you a question, you always have more than one word to answer us... someday I'm sure that will exhaust us!  You like to play with your voice, whispering and shouting, speaking in monotone or goofball style, and it seems like you can always get anyone to laugh just by opening your mouth.

As a learner...
You are picking up new skills by the second!  You can say your prayers almost entirely by yourself now, you know your ABC's with just a little help, and you love to count (although you skip numbers here and there).  I know identifying numbers and letters is right around the corner for you.  You already have figured out the child safety locks and how to open and close doors.  You like to draw and color and stick stickers.  You like to glue things and you know many of your shapes.  My favorite is when you recognize a shape out in the world somewhere and you say it with a smile.  You know purple and pink, and are getting to know your other colors, too.  You love to pretend play with your babies and your dishes.  Playing with the Little People or with cars are fun, too.  You like to play 'puppies' with Cooper, and you'll even let him lead you around on a 'leash' while you pant and bark.  You know dozens of animal names and animal noises, and you share your family's love of the zoo. Potty training is going to happen soon, I think... IF you decide you'd like it to.  You like to sit on the toilet, but only one has anything 'happened' while you've sat there.  So far, it seems like you like 'story time' on the toilet more than the act of going...  You still have a love of puzzles, and you love helping out with 'jobs' whenever you can.

As a grower...
You wear size 4 diapers now, size 6 shoes, size 2T clothes (with some 18 mo pants... you're a shorty), and you have a big noggin like your brother.

As a little stinker...
You seem to know just when to flash that smile and those dimples to get out of whatever mischief you find yourself in.  When you get a time out, it's as if the world should stop spinning for your fat lip.  You really turn on the waterworks when you're in trouble.  But, you have the sweetest way of saying sorry and then snuggling up for forgiveness when you've gotten in trouble.  You don't get time outs very often, but when you do, lately it seems like it's for hitting your brother.  You like to tell people what to do, so you are getting used to hearing, "Izzy, don't worry about it.  That's mommy's job," and other sayings like that.  Just today, when I said you needed to cooperate when you weren't getting your jacket on, you said, "No YOU cooperate."  Here we go with a two-year-old.  I love your independence, and I love that one day you are going to be totally 'in charge' of yourself and your thoughts and feelings, but right now, your independence can be tiresome.  Well, exhausting is more like it.  I know one day, I'll be glad you can stand up for yourself.  But some days right now, I just wish for a two-year-old. 

As a mommy's girl...
I love that our morning routine includes me putting 'pretties' in your hair, and that you love to bring me books to read to you all the time.  I also love that I'm the one you call for in the night, and that you love when it's mommy's night for stories and bedtime. Your tantrums are rare, and I can usually find the ticket to talking you out of them... without giving in.  I think I 'get' you little lady, and I hope we always share that bond.  I am so curious to see if you will be our only girl, or our oldest girl :)  You have become more interested in my growing belly, and you like to lift up my shirt to give the baby soft kisses and say, "Wuv ooh, Baby."  You were ticked to tears the other day when we were in public and I wouldn't let you lift my shirt ;)

Izzy, I can't wait to see what this next year brings for you.  You are a little spitfire, and I wish I could bottle up this time in your life for a little longer.  You are so much fun to be around, and I love you to pieces.

Love, 

Mommy

We celebrated your 2nd birthday last weekend, and it was complete with your Frozen favorites...

You insisted on having your new Elsa doll in the picture

You loved when we sang to you!

Cake and ice cream didn't last long on your plate

You with your cousins and brother, Drake, Cooper, and Laura

Playing with your Elsa doll and your new stroller

Little Ball Player ;)

Playing dress-up in your new fairy tutu and wings

Bouncing on balloons, being a goofball

And I caught a short conversation with Miss Izzy,  although she was a little distracted, and after all that explaining I did of her vocabulary, this doesn't showcase it, but it gives us a glimpse of her 2-year-old-self...