When you woke on your birthday Daddy and I took 2 dozen balloons and poured them over you several times. You were a bit shocked and didn't know if you liked it but once you woke up a little you ran around saying "I'm so exciting!!" which is Bella speak for "I'm so excitED" When we told you you were three that day you said "I'm 3? I can drive now?! *insert overjoyed happy face here*" You asked where your birthday was-"downstairs??" Then you ran downstairs to "see" your birthday and came back up and asked where it was. I guess you meant was there a party? lol! You also wanted to "eat my birthday" but we told you you can't eat a birthday-only birthday cake.
Personality: I love your passionate personality! You act like such a grown person in such a tiny body. Last week at church they knew it was your birthday but one lady wasn't sure if you were 3 or 4 and she decided you must be four since you speak so well and act older (it's really quite a compliment!) and so you got to go to the big kids class for Sunday School. You thought you were SO big. You have an opinion about everything-I guess you inherited that-I was the same way, I am told. You are also full of emotion-you remind me of the description they give fairies-so tiny you can only feel one emotion at a time! If you are happy, you are entirely happy, and when you are angry-move out of the way!!! That's ok, because I know that it will serve you well someday-all that passion will work in your favor if you channel it for good!
Mentally: You blow me away. In this year you have grown leaps and bounds! You can read a lot of small 2 and 3 letter words. You can spell your name with magnet letters and verbally (as well as my name, because you asked how, lol). You are very aware of your surroundings-just this morning you had my high heels on and you put the bottoms together and very excitedly exclaimed "look Mommy, a triangle!!" I love watching you learn-it's such a beautiful gift. You do not forget a single thing (which can be very good, and not so good other times, lol). You are great at small puzzles, you love painting, drawing, and play-doh creations. It's hard to keep up with you these days-you constantly are making your Daddy and I laugh because you understand so much more than we think you do!
Physically: My, how things have changed in one year. You are a little over three feet tall, your blue eyes have just a twinge of brown/gold in the middle-and still SO much light that shines out. Your hair is long enough to put in pigtails, we are working on growing it out but I did trim it a slight bit to make it all straight ;). You still have your fire red streak of hair you were born with and people often ask me if it's natural because it's so bright! You love to balance on things by holding yourself up with your arms. You jump from couch to tables when you can get away with it. You love shoes-all kinds-especially mine! You tolerate bows in your hair because you get compliments on them. You talk to anyone who you see-telling them your name, birthday, my birthday, Isley's-you usually introduce Isley before you say your own name! You LOVE your little sister. The two of you play together all day long. You wake up wanting to play and you take such good care of her-always offering her food (sometimes good, sometimes not!), toys, etc. You console her in the car saying things like "Isley, it's ok baby, we're almost home" or "here, play with the drum, do you like the drum?!" You are SUCH the little Momma. I know you will be a fantastic Mom someday!
Heart & Soul: This makes me pretty teary-eyed to think of. You have such a compassionate heart. No matter where we are you love to help anyone (big or smaller than you). I often get stories from your Sunday school teachers about how you will bring a child a toy to console them if they are upset or crying. They see your tender heart, and they brag on you!! It makes me such a proud Momma to know that when we send you into a class you not only take care of yourself but others as well. You are starting to ask more questions about God and Jesus like "where is God?" "how does he heal my boo-boos?" etc. It makes me burst with love when I don't have to say a word and you run to me and show me a hurt you got while playing and then your sadness disappears and you confidently say "it's ok, Mommy, don't worry, God will heal it-He will!" (We try explaining to you that God made your body so that it will heal on it's own but I think you might believe it's one of those miraculous type things all the time-which is fine, after all-believe like little children-that's what Jesus says to do!) You hug your friends when you see them. You win a crowd over faster than I could imagine possible. I swear we went to a party a few weeks back and after just an hour or two we had to go and you had 75% of the large crowd of people there telling you goodbye by name-you had never met more than the immediate family who was throwing the party (except maybe as a baby). It's incredible the way you connect with people. You amaze me. You love to sing-and talk-alllllllllllll the time. lol.
This is far from all of what I could write but I just wanted to hit the highlights. I may have to start doing these updates every few months-you are changing so fast it's hard to keep up!
I love you, dearest Isabella Selene-you have my heart.
