Back room

Back Room. The top item on your Christmas list. You know what a back room is -- it's how you clean the carpet.
Others call it a vacuum.

Girl Talk

Dear Isabella,

You are a LOT of fun most of the time.  Yesterday, I couldn't wait to tell you something, so I woke you up a little early.  I can't even remember what I wanted to tell you, but I remember how impatient I was to tell you. 

Thanks for being my girl.

Body Book

Dear Isabella,

Your favorite book du jour is a book about the body.  You love to point to ribs, the heart, the brain, and lungs. You really, really love talking about the small and large intestines and explaining their most important function. 

There's a section in the book about hearing and sight, and it mentions that some people cannot see or hear.  You confessed that one time you didn't hear your gym bus sticker fall off your shirt when you were in the bathroom, and this made you to wonder if perhaps you couldn't hear. 

Disney Reflection

We look at your autograph books daily. Last night, you even showed them to Justin. This was huge. Usually you are shy around visitors.

Messes

"Bonus rooms just get messy. That's what they do."

Careers

"I'm going to be a teacher, a vet and a princess."

You're a Runner!

Dear Isabella,

You ran a mile today.  A mile.  That's amazing!

We did laps at the gym, and you got a little tired and had to walk for a little while, but you did it!

I'm very proud of you... and I hope you sleep well tonight.

Taking Care of Ourselves

Dear Isabella,

This is the first cold weekend of the fall and we're nesting.  We've been cooking comfort foods and watching a lot of Disney movies.  I think all of this is good for our souls.  Sometimes it's nice to slow down, cuddle and  just enjoy each other.

Tomorrow, we're heading to Dr. Forsee's office for our flu shots.  You are NOT happy about this, but it's time.

Favorites

Dear Isabella,

You and  I have been very, very busy.  We are having a pretty great time, and I'm sorry that I haven't written more.  It's important for me to write about us for a couple of reasons.  I need to do better.

Favorite things you say:

crash = trash
mazagine = magazine


Favorite rituals:

Monday - ballet
Tuesday - your share day at school
Wednesday -- craft night
Thursday -- fairy tales
Friday -- gym bus and pizza

Weekends- We bike from Earth Fare to Calhoun's. You eat soft pretzels with cheesy beer dip and drink Sprite.

Each Morning -- We get to your school early and eat breakfast together. Most days we have bagels with different toppings.

Each Night -- If you go to bed without a fight, you get a sticker on your sticker chart.  Yesterday, you earned a Strawberry Shortcake Play Doh kit.  We had fun playing with it last night.

After Dinner -- We take Angel and Daisy for a walk in the neighborhood with Daddy.  It's nice that he comes home before it gets dark.

Cooking

While playing in your kitchen...

"Do you want that a little bit hot, a little bit hot or hot?"

Then, clarifying, "Do you want that a little bit hot, a second little bit hot, or hot?"

Cooking

While playing in your kitchen...

"Do you want that a little bit hot, a little bit hot or hot?"

Then, clarifying, "Do you want that a little bit hot, a second little bit hot, or hot?"

Heights.

"Yes, the horse in the book was afraid of heights, Isabella."

"Heights, those are what we take at the 'oreport.'"

Your Crib

Izzy,

We are heading north to give your crib, toys, etc. to Aunt Mandie and Jones. Each time I put items in a box for Mandie, Daddy pulled some out. We both fought a lot of tears yesterday.

Disney Dreams

While discussing an upcoming Disney trip with Daddy, you explained that you didn't need to take the train inside the Magic Kingdom because we have... a stroller.

Vacation

Dear Isabella,

You and I flew to Wisconsin to spend time with Grammy and Papa last week.  You loved it --especially the cheeseheads.  Here are some funny things you said on the trip:

When the flight attendant announced that there would be no beverage service on the short flight, you responded with, "I'm going to tell my daddy about this."

Any time I bumped into you or injured you in the slightest way, your responded with, "I'm going to tell my daddy about this." 

In church, while pointing to the cross, "Hey Mommy, you've got that necklace." 

The Haircut

Dear Isabella,

A few weeks ago, you were practicing your cutting -- very quietly.  When I came to check on you, I found a clump of blond curls on the floor.  Yes, you gave yourself a haircut.  In all fairness, it wasn't too bad, really.  But, you were most upset and wanted to hide all of the evidence.  We put the hair in the "crash" and put your hair in a pun so Daddy wouldn't know about your misdeed.  You kept up the charade and wore your hair in a bun for nearly 12 hours before you confessed -- just before we headed over to the salon for Miss Mandie to repair the damage. 

Candy Land

We made it through our first actual board game tonight.  You didn't quit, cry or cheat.  You played beautifully, and we had a ton of fun -- twice.

Beauty

Dear Isabella,

Trying to teach you that beauty is about much more than outward appearances is difficult.  You are very, very interested in all things "beautiful" -- makeup, shoes and most importantly, dresses.  Getting ready each morning is a true chore.  Many days you ask, "How am I supposed to look beautiful in this?"  I always respond that you always look beautiful because you are sweet, smart and kind.  And, yes, beautiful. 

Backtalk

Dear Isabella,

Say it isn't true, my girl is backtalking..and it's not good.  I'm having a hard time staying strong through this.  The whining, pouting, and arguing are totally taking their toll on our summer fun, but I am determined to set clear boundaries and expectations for you.  I don't want you to grow up to be a spoiled brat.  A little spoiled is okay, a brat is not. 

Truth

"Isabella, you may be excused."

"It's not May, Mommy; it's June."

Vocabulary

"I know all the words: mommy, daddy, iPhone and tissue."

Little Disappointments

So life can disappoint at times. Here are a few things that have irked you lately:

If you wear sunscreen, you still get hot.
If you wear your bike helmet, you can still fall off your bike.

How Many Words Per Minute??

Dear Isabella,

Some research study somewhere shows that women talk a lot more than men, a lot more.  Daddy and I are already aware of this from our relationship.  I think I utter about three times as many words per day as Daddy.  However, I haven't come across any research that shows how much more a three-year-old girl talks than anyone else in the world, but I know it's true.

A sampling of tonight's constant running commentary:

"Mommy, I'm thirsty.  No, I'm hungry, but I'm tired, too.  Will you make me a capital C?  No, that's a lower case C.  Ring around the rosy.  Pockets full of.... Daisy is being mean to me.  I want ice cream.  Can we do some art now  No. I'm not talking to you now.  I'm pretending."

Big Boy

Daddy:  Isabella, I had so much fun with you today.  I loved spending the day with my little girl.

You:  I liked spending the day with my big boy.  

Table Manners

"Isabella, Daddy passed you the bread.  What do you say to Daddy now?"

"Daddy, please pass the butter."

Cuddles

Tonight Daddy and I went to an event, and this means that you had a babysitter. We tried to sneak in quietly, but you heard us. I went upstairs to check on you, and you whimpered that you just needed a little cuddle before going to sleep. Funny thing. I needed the same thing.

Mommy's a Runner

Dear Isabella,
I hope when you are old enough to read this I'm still running, and I hope that you become a runner, a walker, a cyclist or whatever gets you outside and one with the world for a few hours each week.

 I've never been athletic -- in fact, I've always been quite girly and wimpy. But, a couple of years before we welcomed you into the world I discovered running, and I haven't been able to stop. Really. Even when I was pregnant with you, I kept on going. Sure, my running became more of a waddle, but I kept going.

I run after school, late at night and even early in the morning. If I don't get at least four good runs in each week, I can feel my energy (and especially my mood) decline. Life is hard sometimes, and I sometimes feel overwhelmed, but running always brings me back to joy. I thank God for the beautiful scenery, the strength of my body and those amazing endorphins that come at the end of a good, hard run.

Running reminds me that life is challenging, but we always make it. Sometimes we run a little slower, sometimes we need to take a quick walk break, sometimes we need a little TLC and sometimes we can run 13.1 miles and still want to run more.

 Life has been really hard for the past few months and finding joy has been harder than usual, but yesterday I found it and running led me to it. Just like the bad stuff that can sneak up on us, unexpected joy can too. You see, yesterday I was the FIRST female finisher in a local race. Yes, it was a smaller race. Yes, I'm sharing this title with a friend, but it's a WIN. I didn't expect it, and I surely wasn't looking for it. I just ran little faster than usual and didn't give up.

 Here's my cheesy life lesson: Keep your head up, keep moving and you WILL be pleasantly surprised. Yes, life will knock you on your ass from time to time, but let joy win. Let love win.

 I love you,

 Mommy (who is still glowing from her first athletic win)

Career Focus

"I wanna be a teacher like Mommy. I not wanna be a policeman." This is what you told the sweet officer who gave you a plastic toy badge.

Shovers and Cuddlers

So, you have a blossoming (and creative) vocabulary. Two of my very favorites are a shover (a shovel) and a cuddler (plush toy). Adorable!!

Naked

Yesterday, you and Henry played together all day, while your dads built a float for the Dogwood Arts parade. The highlight of the day for you two was when you both decided to get naked in this backyard. Silly kids.

Unconditional Love

"Daddy, I love you. I love you because you buy me ice cream."

Um, Thanks.

"Daddy, Mommy not a very good driver."

Boyfriends

"Kaitlyn is back with Brody. Now I with Isaac." Ahhh!!

Tough days

Dear Isabella,

Some days are tough, and some days are REALLY tough. You are a great reminder of what's really important in life. Thank you.

Princesses

Dear Isabella,

You love princesses. I mean you LOVE princesses. Unfortunately, princesses are pretty controversial right now. A lot of progressive mamas are not in favor of the materialism, old fashioned stories, stereotypes and pink plastic. Well, too late! You are obsessed.

We have a lot of discussions about princesses, their stories, dresses, and songs. I've actually found a lot of positives in your princess worship. I remind you to say please and thank you, just like a princess. At dinner time, you remember that princesses have good table manners and ask to be excused. You are also kind to your friends and animals, just like a princess.

You have a lot of princess books and "peeps." As we read at night, you use the peeps to act out each story. When you play by yourself, it is often princess play. I'm amazed by the sophisticated vocabulary that you've acquired from all of the fairy tales we've read. You talk about coaches, spinning wheels, enchanted castles, and fairy godmothers.

So, maybe I'm not the most progressive mama in the toy department, but I'm doing something I think is more important: I've found something you love, and I'm sharing it with you.

Okay, I have to go. We're watching watching Enchanted for the first time tonight!

Love you,

Mommy

Mommies can fix things, too -- not just daddies.

This is what you told me tonight when you asked me to super glue one of your peeps.

Taking Sides

Dear Isabella,

Tonight Daddy and I were disagreeing about a lot of things. It was clear that you took my side in all of it. He had to work pretty hard to get you to cuddle and play with him.

Daddy and I need to be more careful in front of you. It's clear that you understand when we are frustrated with each other.

I'm sorry if our disagreements upset you. It's not okay.

We will do better.

Love you,

Mommy

Anatomy

"Mommy and me got chinas. Daddy got a tennis."

Sick Day

Dear Isabella,

Well, we're home today. You have a runny nose, a pretty good cough, and your mood is less than cheerful. We started the morning with artwork and Dumbo. You are now napping, and I hope to join you in a few minutes. Being a working mom can be a bit tricky at times. This morning I woke up at 4:30 to write lessons, drive those lessons to my school, and run four miles before Daddy needed to leave for work.

You are totally, totally worth it.

I love you so, so much.

I hope you feel better very soon.

The Doctor

"We need prizes for my doctor kit. Doctors give prizes." Yes, you had a check-up today, and you took along your new doctor kit in order to examine Daddy in the waiting room. You are totally healthy. 53rd percentile in height and weight. Your head, however, is another story. It's huge! It must be your giant brain.

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Dear Isabella,

You had a fantastic birthday weekend. Sitty arrived on Thursday night, and we opened presents with her on Friday. You got an easel, a doctor kit, and some Strawberry Shortcake items. We had a lot of fun with the doctor kit. I learned that my blood pressure is 24, and my temperature is 55. Thanks.

Saturday was your art party at the Children's Museum in Oak Ridge. A lot of kids came, except you were pretty blue because your "boyfriend" Austin wasn't there.

Today, we celebrated your birthday with a breakfast of pink pancakes. Dinner was at Jason's Deli which is your favorite restaurant because they serve free ice cream.

Big Girl Bed

Dear Isabella,

We're making the transition from your crib to a big girl bed. It's been a slow process, and you aren't very interested in moving. Last night you slept in your big girl bed, but you just asked me if you could sleep in your crib tonight. So, you are now in your crib and I'm crossing my fingers that you'll go to sleep quickly. You've been staying up far too late and demanding that I bring you water, etc. It's been exhausting for both of us.

Go to sleep, Isabella. Go to sleep.

Boyfriends

"Mommy, I don't have a boyfriend. I have three." Gulp

Blue Room Blues

Dear Isabella,

You are growing up far too quickly. At the beginning of this month you moved to the blue room. Sadly, your friend Austin is still in the orange room because he's not potty-trained... and you are pretty upset about this. Whenever the teachers aren't looking, you sneak over to the orange side and just stare at Austin and giggle. Oh, my.

Holiday Update

Dear Isabella,

It's been far too long, but it's because we've been having so much fun. Really! You loved Christmas, your castle and your vanity. You delighted in opening presents and watching others open the gifts you had selected. You had a blast visiting Grammy and Papa in Wisconsin, but you did miss Daddy and the dogs.