Futon Cookies

Dear Isabella,

Tonight you enjoyed "futon cookies." Your favorite part was breaking them open and reading your special messages. You were most excited about some "good news" that is coming your way.

Mission of Hope

"Mommy, I had a great day today."

You were amazing today. You helped deliver Christmas joy to a lot of kids in Scott County. I love that you held hands with each and every child with whom you shopped. You told them about the available toys. "Here some dress up stuff. You like poodle box?" Poodle box is Play Doh in case you don't remember calling it that.

What was my favorite part of the day? You got it. You didn't cry about not getting a toy for yourself. You simply enjoyed giving and sharing. At then end of the day I took you to the Disney Store so you could have a toy after a long morning of watching other kids get toys. A few hours later, you said, "Mommy I had a great day today." I asked why; I imagined that you were excited about your trip to the Disney Store. You replied, "I helped those kids get toys, Mommy."

Daddy's Christmas

Dear Isabella,

You are not very good at keeping secrets. You've told Daddy all about his iPod at least three times, and you've mentioned his Cookie Monster tee-shirt a couple of times as well.

Diamond Room

Dear Isabella,

We now have a diamond room (dining room) and a tidee (T.V).

Things You Say

"Mommy, teach me French. Angel speak French, and I wanna talk with her."

"Mommy, I loooooooove Christmas."

"Mommy, I have iPhone, you have your phone."

"Mommy, you pick up my toys. I watch you, okay?"

Santa's List

Dear Santa,

I want:

a castle for my princess Barbies
a coach for Cinderella
Barbie earrings
Barbie crowns

Sincerely,

Isabella Shory (age 2)

Roll Tide

Dear Isabella,

We have an Elf on a Shelf, and you named him... Roll Tide. Hmmm... I think Daddy helped you with that name. Anyway, you are having a BLAST with Roll Tide. I wouldn't describe you as a morning person, but Roll Tide has made a tremendous difference. You wake up each morning determined to find your elf.

Thanksgiving

Dear Isabella,

You loved Thanksgiving! You reported that you were thankful for your mommy (thanks!), daddy, grammy, and papa. We asked you about Sitty, but you refer to Sitty as "Daddy's mom" now.

We had our traditional Thankskibby. The kibby was delicious!

Canned Food Drive

"Daddy, I give cereal to a kid so he have some tomorrow when he wake up. He not have cereal."

This is how you explained your contribution to the canned food drive at our school.

Jealous

Dear Isabella,

You joined me for lunch on Monday and Thursday. I had to giggle when during the middle of our lunch you exclaimed, "Mommy, Daddy gonna be jealous because we at McDonald's." You even told Daddy the same thing when you saw him in person.

Princess Beauty Parlor

Dear Isabella,

Tonight you bought a Princess beauty set. You have a flat iron, curling iron, blow dryer, and much more. We hurried home and took turns being the client and the stylist. When we were done giving each other new styles, we styled all of your Princess dolls.

You are such a girly girl.

Dogs

"Angel is Daddy's dog, and Daisy is my dog."

Does Mommy have a dog?

"No, Mommy, you have me."

Drama

"I'm not a drama queen. I'm a drama princess, Mommy."

Let's leave it at Isabella Shory

Dear Isabella,

You are quite obsessed with your name these days. The other day I gave you some big news: I told you that your name was NOT just Isabella Shory ... and that you had a middle name, "Michaelyn." This was exciting news to you and you were really excited -- until you figured out how hard it was to say "Michaelyn" and keep all of the names in the correct order. For a few days you referred to yourself as "Isabella Shory Hankins." This made us giggle -- a lot. After a few days of this, you told us that we should, "just leave it at Isabella Shory."

Awfuls

Dear Isabella,

Today was cold and rainy, so we decided to have "awfuls" for dinner. Oh, "awfuls" are waffles.

What You Say

"Whatchu guys talking about?"

"My name not Izzy. I Isabella Shory."

"Not call me Izzy."

"Grammy, that not your question. That an Isabella question."

"Play with me."

"I a [pr]incess bee; Angel and Daisy bumblebees."

Working from Home

Dear Isabella,

I have a big evaluation coming up at school and I'm trying to do some work at home tonight. You are helping by screaming, jumping around, sitting on my lap, and punching on my laptop keyboard with your toes.

Thanks :)

Grammy

Dear Isabella,

You had so much fun with Grammy this week. You made lunches in the tub (I'm not really sure what this entails), you played bus/airplane with the dining room chairs, and you cuddled a lot. You also spend most of the time naked (or aked). Grammy looked tired when we took her to the airport today.

Barbie

Dear Isabella,

Grammy is staying with us this week, and she brought you your very first Barbie. You LOVED it, especially after she bought a Ken, too. Barbie couldn't stop crying because she needed a Ken. Well, now you are addicted. You have multiple Barbies (Disney princess Barbies) and Kens (princes) and clothes. Oh, the clothes. We dress them, dance with them at balls, undress them, and make them talk. You didn't want to go to bed tonight because you wanted to play with them all night. I actually didn't mind at all. It was really fun.

Lunching at IHOP

Your school called and said you are sick. You are actually just fine, though! Anyway, we are taking this opportunity to lunch at IHOP. You're upset we're not wearing our pajama pants.

Why, Mommy?

You just started asking this today.

"I gotta poop like Mommy"

Dear Isabella,

This is what you yelled ... in Target... in front of people we knew.

Thanks.

Fall

Dear Isabella,

Yesterday I told you how much I was enjoying fall. I told you that I loved the colors, the leaves falling, and the cooler temps. You agreed with all of this but added, "Mommy, I love up. It's so nice when the leaves go up."

What Drives You Crazy

"Daddy, you drive me crazy! You take the towel off and the zoo was closed."

Daddy Day

Today was Columbus Day. Your school was closed, but my school was still open. Daddy decided to take advantage of the opportunity to have some special Isabella time and took the day off.

He told me that you started the day by demanding some eggs, which you promptly gobbled up. Next, you tried to make it to story time at the library, but you argued over which dress to wear and didn't make it. Then, you met Mr. Cohen for lunch at Double Dogs. Daddy said you were very, very good. Finally, you ended the day with a late trip to the zoo. You were really late and they were about to close, but since the people at the zoo know Daddy quite well, they allowed you to sneak in for a quick visit.

It sounds like a great day!

Sun

"Mommy, please turn around [on the interstate] because the sun is hurting my eyes. Go the other way, Mommy! Right now."

What are you going to do, Mommy?

This is what you asked me this morning when I told you that Daddy would pick you up this afternoon.

I'm not sure why this made me giggle, but it did.

Daddy's in Washington

Dear Isabella,

So, Daddy's out of town for a couple of days, and you are trying to understand where he is and when he'll be home. Since you're kind of weirded out by all of this, you are bunking with me for the next few nights. As we were climbing into bed, you told me, "Mommy, I like your jammies. They are cute." Now we are watching Glee and you are impatiently waiting for the singing to begin.

Godmother Mike

"Mommy, I had a lot of fun with my godmother. I really, really had fun at his house."

This is how you woke me up this morning. You also had a lot of fun with Sitty and her cat, Jaycee. You are a sweet, sweet girl.

Molly

Dear Isabella,

Today Sitty had to have her cat, Molly, put to sleep. You and I had a very mature discussion about it. You summed it all up with these words:

"Mommy have sad news. Molly very sick. She died. She in Heaven running around with other kitties. Heaven way up in the sky. I can't see Heaven. Sitty sad. I'm going to give her hug."

You understand so much now. It takes my breath away.

Where Papa's House?

"Mommy, I sad. I can't see Papa's house. Where is it?"

Fairy Wings, a Tiara and a Tutu

This is what you are wearing right now. You want Daddy to wear the same combination...in blue.

Cute Stuff

"Mommy, where my cheese necklace? I wanna look like a mermaid, but I don't wanna get wet."


"Mommy, did you have a crash in yours car?"
"Yes, Isabella. It was just a little crash. I hit the garage and scraped the car, but Daddy doesn't like it, so let's not talk about it.
"Mommy, Daddy not like little crashes. He like big crashes?"


"Mommy, Daddy home! I so 'cited! Are you 'cited, too?"

Greeting for Daddy

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Big hug. "Do you have money for me?" And so it begins.

Happy Birthday for Daddy

Sharon

Dear Isabella,

A few months back Sharon, our cleaning lady, spilled some droplets of bleach on the carpet in your bedroom. Tonight, you marched up to Sharon and said, "Don't put more white stuff on my floor, please." She was shocked, but she giggled.

Thanks, Isabella. You are way more direct than your mommy.

Shy? Not this girl

Dear Isabella,

You are officially a flirt.

No Sleep!

Dear Isabella,

After breastfeeding (and waking up in the middle of the night each night to feed you) for 19 months, I've become rather attached to sleep. You are usually a great sleeper, but last night was hard. You woke up at 1:00 AM and talked to me until 3:00 AM. You told me all kinds of interesting things. You told me that you liked princesses, that you had hands, and that Angel did not have hands. Well, needless to say, we are all very tired this morning.

I'm hoping for a better night tonight.

Puzzles

Dear Isabella,

Have a I mentioned that you are really, really good at doing puzzles? Well, you are. You are amazing. You are now assembling puzzles intended for 4+ year olds. You are completely bored by easier puzzles.

Babies Don't Like Princesses

Dear Isabella,

Sunday night we took dinner to our friend, Paula who just had a baby. As long as we were taking dinner, we grabbed a few of your old puzzles, toys, and books for the baby. You weren't very happy about it. You were not very keen on the idea of taking some of YOUR toys to a baby, but you finally got over it. However, you have been reminding me for days that babies don't like princesses. In fact, tonight you told Daddy to remind me that babies don't like princesses.

Angel, Rocks, Madeleine, and Paris

Dear Isabella,

We've had some pretty intense conversations lately. Here's a little sample:

Yesterday we were on our way to Angel's vet appointment. I asked if Angel should drive, and you got really upset and explained that she couldn't drive because .... she didn't have hands or arms.

Today I received a note from your teacher, Ms. Sue, stating that you were putting rocks in your mouth on the playground. We talked about why this was a bad idea. You finally decided that you didn't want to eat rocks and end up in the hospital (like Madeleine). Madeleine is your current favorite book.

Speaking of Madeleine, as we read it for the tenth time this week, you asked me if I would take you there. (There is Paris.) I told you that I would, but that we needed to save our money because Paris is very expensive. We will go to Paris, Isabella. I promise.

Funny Stuff

" I a princess, Daddy a king and you a teacher, Mommy."

"Mommy, I got your beer for you. Here it is."

"Daddy, I buy you apples. You love apples. Dark red apples."

Thanks!

Tonight you dumped a bunch of your toys on the floor --seconds after I had picked them ALL up. I was so angry and tired, but I had to giggle when you put your arms around me and said, "It's okay. I not mad at you for making mess, Mommy."

Thanks, Isabella

Thanks for the nose nuzzles, Despereaux kisses and big squeezes. You are one sweet kid.

What you say... all day long.

"I DO IT MYSELF"

"I NO WANT IT!!"

"I Princess, you Despereaux. I kiss you."

Funny Girl

"Isabella, Pocahontas wears brown shoes. Please wear your brown shoes."
"No, Mommy, Pocahontas has feet, no shoes."

"Isabella, when you are very sweet, we can buy the Pocahontas doll."
"I pretty sweet, Mommy."

"Isabella, how was school today?"
"No, Mommy. I not talk with food in my mouth."

Estella

Dear Isabella,

Today you pushed Estella (she's much younger) at school today. You didn't push her down or anything, you just gave her a little tap. Why? Because she's a baby and she can't talk. Oh, Isabella.

We're Back!

Dear Isabella,

We're back at school. I'm pretty proud of us for not crying too much at drop-off this morning.

Tonight we're going to find an anniversary present for Daddy and just cuddle... a lot.

Sorry!

Dear Isabella,

We've had so much fun this summer. We went to the mountains with Sitty and Uncle Lein's family, we visited Grammy and Papa in Wisconsin, and you and I went to Dollywood a lot. I'm so sorry that I have not been updating properly. Please know that we had a lot of fun, and I promise to do better.

Love,

Mommy

Favorite Books

Dear Isabella,

Your current favorite books are all about... princesses. Yes, it's shocking, I know. But you LOVE princesses. In fact, you are dressed like a princess most days. Currently you are sipping juice from a juice box while wearing a Little Mermaid wedding dress. My inner feminist is dying, but you really, really, really love those dresses.

Last night I read you Princess Diana's biography. You stayed still for the whole thing. I couldn't believe it. You also love The Tale of Despereaux and any other books about princesses.

Sharks

Dear Isabella,

Today you were convinced that you saw some sharks in the trees. I explained that sharks are in the water and not in trees. You immediately got upset and asked me to call Daddy and tell him that there were sharks in the water. We tried, but he was in a meeting.

That is all.

Peanuts

Dear Isabella,

You informed me the other day that you want pink peanuts for your next birthday party. I was a little confused until we saw some doughnuts later in the day. You actually wanted pink doughnuts for your birthday party. You've got it, girlfriend.

Busy, Busy!!

Dear Isabella,

People say that teachers are so lucky to have the summers off to relax. Ha! You and I have been busier than ever. You are going to nursery school on Tuesdays and Thursdays while I'm teaching four different classes at UT. It's been wild. To add to the fun, we are having a lot of work done to the house. We had some hail damage from a pretty horrible storm, so we are having some painting and replacing on the front of our house and some other stuff done just for fun. We're getting new flooring and counters in the kitchen and some fresh paint. I'd love to get new carpet, but I'm going to wait for everyone to get a little older.

We've had a little fun, too. We've been to the zoo, the movies, the library, and the Disney store. You are almost completely potty trained. I'm so proud of you!

Marvyl has been spending a lot of time here. You really like having a big "sister" to play with.

Attitude

Dear Isabella,

As you get closer and closer to the 30 month mark, I'm noticing a change in attitude. While these changes are not always pleasant, they are indeed humorous. For example, last night you told your babysitter, Krislyn thay you were not going to go to bed and that you were waiting up for your mommy. Well, you went to bed before we got home. Today, we were sharing an apple and you told me that I had eaten enough... twice.

You are a very determined girl and you know exactly what you want all of the time.

Potty Training

Dear Isabella,

Potty training is in full swing at the Shory house. You've been wearing disposable Pull-ups for the past few months, but now you are wearing big girl panties. You are excited by this new development, but a little annoyed by my constant question, "Do you have to go the the bathroom, Isabella?"

Potty training has made me a little sad. This seems like the last step from babyhood to girlhood, and I'm just not really ready. I think sometimes you feel the same way. We've been playing "baby" a lot this summer. I wrap you up in a blanket, carry you around, and you say, "Goo goo! Ga Ga!" We both giggle and laugh at this game of pretend, but I wouldn't be lying if I didn't admit that these moments always make my heart ache just a little bit. Yes, I love the sweet, spirited little girl you are becoming, but I also feel like I'm losing my baby.

When does the fun start???

Dear Isabella,

My last day of school was Monday, and here it is Wednesday night... and we've still had almost no fun. Well, if you call driving around running errands, watching repairmen come work on the house, and watching me type lesson plans for my Upward Bound classes fun, then we've had our fill. I promise that things will slow down soon and we'll play.

Jewelry

Dear Isabella,

You have discovered jewelry, and you have decided that more (not less) is more in a big way. Last night we met Daddy at Arby's for a quick dinner. You wore earrings, a necklace, a couple of rings, a tiara, and heels (all plastic) for the occasion.

Today you wore two long (and very large) necklaces to pre-school with one of your rhinestone headbands (crowns). It all looks fantastic with your cotton dresses.

Confession

Dear Isabella,

Being a mommy is wonderful, amazing, fulfilling, and all consuming.

However, sometimes being a mommy is tough. Sometimes you just feel like you're going to pass out and that you can't handle much more. This is when I think it's okay to cheat a little, so I'm going to confess a few things. Please consider these "tips" for when you are a mommy. I certainly won't judge you.

• Always read bedtime stories, but when you are super tired, read only the first and last sentence on each page. If you're really, really tired, secretly turn a few pages at once. Your child will always pick the longest books when you are the most exhausted.
  
• Eat in a restaurant. No shopping, no cooking, no cleanup.
  
• Give your child a bath, but make it really quick and don't bother to wash his/her hair. If you're really tired, skip the bath and bring your child in the shower with you in the morning. Wash his/her hair tomorrow.
  
• Turn on Sesame Street of Dora the Explorer. While your child is watching, you can sneak a peak at a magazine or catch up on email.
• Use disposable diapers.
• Schedule a few nights out each month with girlfriends. Giggle and do something you love to do.
  
• Spend time with your husband. This will renew you and help you both remember that you are a team... and in love.
  
• When your child won't go to sleep, take some work or a book in the nursery and just sit there until he/she falls asleep. I love hearing your calm breathing at the end of the day. If it seems like it's going to be a really, really long night, bring in a glass of wine.
  
• Put a daybed in your child's nursery. On sleepless nights, you can just sleep in your baby's room. I sleep in your room a couple of times a month. Daddy often takes naps with you.
  
• Exercise! Run, dance or whatever you need to do to blow off a little steam.

I've been typing as you sleep, and I think that you've finally given up.

I'm going to finish my glass of wine in the tub as I read some trashy magazines.

Good night, Isabella.

I love you.

We made it!

Dear Isabella,

Well, today was my last day of school for the 2011-2012 school year. It was also your last day of M-F classes at Oak Ridge Nursery School. You and I are both going to be busy on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June. I'm teaching at UT and you will be going to nursery school on those days. I'm excited for the break from our daily routine, but I'm also glad that we're going to have some structure...at least for a few days. We've already discussed the fact that we will be "playing like crazy" on our free days.

It's been very, very hot for the past few weeks. I hope the whole summer isn't so hot.

I love you.

Night, Night.

Dear Isabella,

After finishing a few chips, you folded over the top of the bag and said, "Night, night, chips."

Night, night, Isabella.

Stressed Out!

Dear Isabella,

I'm sorry that I'm behind on updating. Actually, it' because of you that I'm behind. You are now officially a "handful." Really. A handful. You require an incredible amount of attention. A mere shopping trip that used to take 10 minutes can now take an hour. You have many rituals and are fascinated by everything, so life is now much more complicated.

A couple of things that have happened since I've last written:

You had your first pedicure. At first you weren't so sure, but soon you warmed to it and the forbidden Sprite that you were served. It's okay, they let Mommy have wine. Just yesterday you cried because your nails were chipped. I tried to calm you by telling you that I would touch it up. You exclaimed, "No! Lady do it." Apparently you now require the services of professionals, only.

We went to Nashville last weekend. You loved rolling your "case" through the lobby, riding the glass elevator, and swimming in the pool (but only with a dry suit).

You are obsessed with PBJs and will eat them all day long. This is wonderful when we are at home, but terrible when we are in a restaurant that doesn't offer PBJ.

You wear a "diamond crown" every day. Actually, it's a rhinestone headband, but you can't leave home without it. You also can't leave home in shorts, pants, or even a skirt. Only dresses will do. The fancier the better. Perhaps you've read too many princess books.

You love to sing and dance.

You are a delight. A lot of work, but a delight.

Pacy

Dear Isabella,

You gave up your pacy a long time ago, well, sort of. Up until a few weeks ago, you were still using it to fall asleep at night. A few sucks, and you would go right to sleep. Most of the time you would spit it out. Well, you forgot about it one night. One night turned into a few nights, and pretty soon, the habit was over. Well, last night you found a pacy. I nervously watched as you played with it. I silently cursed myself for leaving it in a drawer that you could open. After a few minutes, you decided to give it to one of your baby dolls. Crisis averted!! Yay, Isabella! Next milestone: diapers.

Crazy Week

Dear Isabella,

This week has been wild! First, you were sick on Monday, and we stayed home from school on Tuesday. Wednesday, there were terrible tornado and hail storms. Daddy worked until 3 in the morning, and you, Daisy, Angel, and I spent most of the night in the tiny powder room. Thursday, we decorated your bike for the Trike-A-Thon. By the way, you won an award for the best decorated bike. Friday, you participated in the Trike-A-Thon. You didn't really want to peddle. Instead, I pushed you around and around the parking lot. Saturday, Daddy and I volunteered at the school, and you went to camp at the Children's Museum. Saturday evening, you and I went to the prom. You loved dancing! Finally, Sunday, you and I went for a relaxing run in the jogging stroller, and you and Daddy went to a Butterfly Fund dinner where you got to see princesses. You loved it!!

Sick Day

Dear Isabella,

Yesterday, I got a call that you were at school with a 100.4 degree fever. I scooped you up and within ten minutes we were headed to Dr. Forsee's office. She checked your ears and throat and declared that you simply had a cold. So, we headed home and cuddled together and watched Little Einsteins. You didn't have much of an appetite, but you drank some juice.

Today, we are home. You were really crabby this morning, so we decided to shop. We went to Target and bought some Little Einstein movies, chocolate milk, and Lunchable pizza kits. We've never bought chocolate milk before, but you asked for it. Hmm.. I'm not a huge fan of the Lunchable kits, but you LOVE them. Since you haven't had much of an appetite, I decided to let you eat whatever you wanted. It worked! You ate a lot at lunch today.

I'm typing these words as you finally nap. You had a hard time going down today.

I'm feeling pretty sentimental today. As hard as days like this can be (no sleep for Mommy and a lot of work rescheduling meetings and arranging subs), I don't want you to grow up. You are officially my favorite person in the universe. I could stare at you for hours. Watching you eat, walk, draw, dance, and play is my new favorite past-time.

Easter with Sitty

Dear Isabella,

We drove to Birmingham on Good Friday and spent Easter with Sitty. You had so much fun finding eggs, playing with all of the toys she bought you, and best of all -- sleeping with Sitty in her big bed. You are such a sweet girl, and Daddy and I are so proud of you.

Also, you looked very pretty on Easter. You wore a yellow, pink and green dress that Mammy bought you. You looked like such a little lady. Daddy had fun taking pictures of you in front of a fountain after church.

Face

Dear Isabella,

The other night I was listening to the radio as we ran some errands. The song "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars came on, and you started singing the words. It's now your favorite song. You demand to hear "Face" several times per day. Daddy and I love to hear your sweet little voice singing the words.

The Babies

Dear Isabella,

You are very interested in babies right now. You carry two "babies" around with you all of the time. They have no names; they are simply called "babies." Daddy and I love to watch you spread out their sheets, blankets, and "bobos." You are such a great little mommy.

Phone Talking in Church

Dear Isabella,

Yesterday you called "Belle" from your Belle phone during church. You told her that you were in church and proceeded to have a 2 minute conversation with her... during the homily. You are funny.

Bobo

Dear Isabella,

You call a pillow a "bobo." It's really cute.

Mermaid Walking

Dear Isabella,

Today we took your baby purple mermaid for a "walk." I walked Angel and Daisy while you pushed the mermaid in your little pink stroller. You are a little annoyed that your mermaid doesn't actually have legs, so she keeps sliding out of the stroller.

Dancing with the Stars

Dear Isabella,

Well, DWTS is back on, and you are one happy kid. When you were just one, you would watch and clap at all of the appropriate times. I thought that was hilarious. Now, you and I dance with all of the performers. It's really funny to watch your interpretation of the quick step and the tango. Your favorite part, of course, is when I spin you around and dip you. I guess I need to sign you up for a dance class.

Driving

Dear Isabella,

I must be honest and tell you that you are not a happy camper when you first wake up in the morning. In fact, you are quite mad and very vocal each morning as we all get dressed for school and work. Daddy has considered wearing earplugs.

However, after a few minutes, you settle down and are quite hilarious. You're my copilot on the way to school in the morning. You shout, "Top, Mommy, Top!" and "Go, Mommy, Go!!" when you see red and green lights. You have your favorite landmarks: the house that's up, the Super China Buffet that serves pink ice cream, McDonald's, the Chick-fil-A where you got a boo-boo, Mommy's cool, and Izzy's cool. Yesterday you were talking to yourself in the backseat as we approached our house. I heard you saying, "Izzy's house? No. Izzy's house? No." Usually I ask you if different houses are yours on the way home; it was fun to hear you asking yourself the very same question.

Dance me, Daddy!

Dear Isabella,

You love dancing to Disney songs. Tonight you yelled, "Dance me, Daddy!" when Daddy walked in the door. He scooped you up and the two of you dances to songs from Aladdin. You giggled and laughed so hard.

Bugs!

Dear Isabella,
You are really worried about bugs these days. Back in the fall, there were some black and red bugs on the porch of Oak Ridge Nursery School. Six months later, you are still looking for them, even though they are never there. Each day, you tell me an interesting story about the bugs on the playground. Today you told me that a bug hit you. Interesting.

Counting

Dear Isabella,

You can almost count to ten! Yay!! However, you hate the number 4. You will count 1, 2, 3, and then scream when you get to the number 4. Later, you'll pick back up and count to 10. What's up with the number 4? You are so silly!!

Nose Nuzzles

Dear Isabella,

Your favorite book is "Corduroy." When we get to the end of the book, you love to nuzzle noses. It's very sweet.

Aunt Mandie

Dear Isabella,

Aunt Mandie has been staying with us all week, and you've had so much fun! We took you to the aquarium, the zoo, the park, the playground and shopping, of course. You've had so much fun! You've also been letting Aunt Mandie style your hair. This morning, when you woke up, you had the craziest hair do! We all laughed so hard. I can't believe that you sat still for so long to let Aunt Mandie do your hair like that.

Chick-Fil-A Boo Boo Pt. II

Dear Isabella,

We made our triumphant return to Chick-fil-A today. After much debate, you decided that you were finally ready to brave the slide again. So, we entered, ordered our chicken, sat down to eat, and then noticed the sign: Playground Closed for Cleaning. Ahhh!! You were not happy. The manager came over and offered you a balloon for the inconvenience. You accepted her offering and took your balloon, a pink one.

Cuddles

Dear Isabella,

Tonight you were all about cuddles. I asked you if you wanted to go home and cuddle tonight and you enthusiastically agreed. We went home and cuddled with your favorite seek and find book. It was fantastic. Now you are asleep, and I'm wide awake waiting for Daddy to come home.

Llama, Llama

Dear Isabella,

You are starting to sit still for longer books. We've been enjoying Llama Llama Goes to School. You can actually tell me the story as we read it together. You love the page where the mommy plays with the llama on the school playground. I plan to do that the next time I catch you outside at school. You are also enjoying Corduroy. You love telling me that he's washing his green pants. It's amazing how you've really started talking. It seemed like you went from single words to entire sentences like, "I got it," "I catch you," "I mermaid now." It's amazing. I'm enjoying every minute with you.

Love

Dear Isabella,

The last few days have been very sweet. You've been extra cuddly and I love it. You've been completely content to lounge around and just kiss and hug. It's been really nice. I hope you still want to do this when you are 12.

Feet or Shoes

Dear Isabella,

You have decided that people either have feet or shoes. It's hilarious. If you are wearing shoes, you don't have feet. You have shoes. I love your logic.

Mermaid!

Dear Isabella,

You are currently obsessed with The Little Mermaid. We sing the songs, read the books, play with the toys, buy the T-shirts, and most importantly, watch the movie. It's so funny to watch how excited you get about her. You do the funniest mermaid poses, and you do the sweetest little mermaid moves in the the bathtub, of course.

Cheese

Dear Isabella,

The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl and you are now forced to wear a lot of Cheesehead apparel. The other day you were wearing your Cheesehead sweatshirt -- you were super proud of the cheese wedge on your chest. Anyway, we were shopping at Target, and I saw the cutest little kitty shirt. I asked you if you wanted it. You stared at it, though about it, and responded, "No, Mommy, have cheese. " You are hilarious!!!

Snacks!

Tonight I saw a disgusting car packed full of food wrappers. I stared at it and wondered how the driver could even see out of the filthy, trash-filled rear window. You noticed that I was looking at the car and you shouted, "Mommy, snacks!" in the most excited little voice. I paused and thought about it: I saw a filthy, nasty car, and you saw an awesome snackmobile. Thanks, Izzy. You make the world a better place.

Chick-Fil-A Boo Boo

Dear Isabella,

A few months ago, you got the tiniest scrape on your wrist going down the slide at Chick-fil-A. You showed me the boo boo and talked about it for months. I thought that you had finally forgotten all about it... until the other day.

We drove by Chick-fil-A. I asked you if you wanted to stop for dinner because Daddy had a work dinner. You exclaimed, "No, Mommy!" and showed me your boo boo. Seriously? Months later you were still thinking about that tiny scrape. I love you, Isabella.

Abby

You got a stuffed Abby doll today from Sitty. Abby is a character from Sesame Street. As soon as you opened the box, you were in love with her. You carried her around all night and were pretty mad when her sewn on clothing couldn't be removed so she could bathe with you. Instead, you opted to place her on your training toilet while you got ready for your bath. After a few moments, you picked up Abby, wiped her bottom and threw the tissue in the toilet.

This pretending stuff is pretty darn cute.

Daddy's Cereal

Dear Isabella,

Last night you demanded that I go to Food City. When I asked why, you replied, "Daddy." I wasn't really sure what we were looking for, but I took you in. You walked down the cereal aisle and found Daddy's favorite cereal, Raisin Bran. You proudly carried the box to the counter and "paid" for it. You were very proud this morning when you showed Daddy what you got for him.

Phone

Dear Isabella,

We had our first phone conversation on Saturday. It was wonderful. Instead of just listening, you talked back. You even told me, "Bye Bye!" You are growing far too quickly. It's so much fun.

Grammy

Dear Isabella,

Grammy is staying with us all week. You are having so much fun with her. You all do crafts, have picnics, play dolls, bake, and watch cartoons. You are having so much fun, and so is she. I'm really glad that you all are spending this time together.

You are 2!!

Dear Isabella,

You are now 2!! You had such a fun time at your birthday party. Three of your friends came over: Henry, Lily, and Isiah. You all played pin the tale on the donkey, the grand prize game, and played with your kitchen. You loved it.
Sitty gave you a rocking chair and the sweetest little outfit with an owl applique. Grammy and Grampy gave you a savings bond and some cute party dresses. We gave you some sticker books, Disney movies, and a double stroller for your babies. You are a HUGE fan of your babies, and you all are totally enjoying the double stroller.

You are really growing up! You are VERY independent. I can't help you with a lot of things anymore because you want to do them all by yourself. I'm not allowed to dress you, comb your hair, brush your teeth, help you in the car, feed the dogs, or let Daisy out of her crate. You want to do it all!!

MLK Day

Dear Isabella,

We're home again today, but we don't have to stay at home today. We went to the bookstore for coffee and Princess books, and we met Daddy for lunch. Later, we came home for a nap, but we missed the window. You refused to take a nap because you fell asleep in the car. Now we are cuddled up watching Despicable Me. You have a little bit of a fever. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

Snow, snow, and snow!!

Last week, we were home on Monday through Wednesday because of snow. We had a lot of fun baking, playing with your kitchen, reading books, and watching your two favorite movies over and over again. You LOVE Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty. Daddy and I have all of the songs memorized.

We played outside, but you didn't really like it. Angel and Daisy LOVED it.

Two Hour Delay!

Dear Isabella,

Because of the snow, you and I got a two hour delay Thursday morning. It was fantastic. We slept in, ate breakfast at home, watched cartoons, and dressed your babies. I think we both enjoyed the extra morning time together very much.

Back in a Routine

Dear Isabella,

You and I went back to school on Monday. We're doing OK; however, we had some pretty heavy snow Wednesday afternoon during our drive home. Our commute usually takes about 20 minutes, but our drive on Wednesday took an hour and a half. The roads were a little slick and traffic was very heavy. You screamed and kicked my seat for the entire drive home. It was very stressful.

New Year's!

Dear Isabella,

Today has been a pretty low key day. Daddy made you pancakes, bacon, and eggs for breakfast, but you were too excited to eat. You were playing with your kitchen... again. We're so happy that you like it! Oh! We are hiding all of the Christmas books and movies in the attic. We are tired of seeing Frosty and Rudolph, and we hope that you look forward to seeing them again next year.