5 years I think that should come with a prize!!

Well Iz....we did it...you are five years old.  I say we because there is no way I could have done it with any other person than the incredible little person you are.  I remember this night 5 years ago I was staring at you so unsure...probably the most unsure I've been in my entire life...I hate unsure Iz...it scares me...scares me a lot.  Today though 5 years later I have decided you are the one thing I am so incredibly sure of.  I'm sure you rocked my world....I'm sure the no one can breath life into a room the way you do...I'm sure that you are the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on...I'm sure you are smarter than me...I'm sure that I knew true love in you...I'm sure that you are full of sass (I happen to adore that about you)...I'm sure you have an infectious laugh...I'm sure you are wise beyond your years...I'm sure you are a force to reckoned with...I'm sure that you were what I was made for...I'm sure that you changed me, gave me more purpose...I'm sure that you are going to do incredible things....I'm sure that I won't have to worry about you but you better be sure that I know that tough exterior has a soft heart...I'm sure that you have made me whole and I'm sure that you will blow me away even more next year!  Thank you sweet baby for being my greatest accomplishment just by being you!  I love you to the moon (around it) and back!
Love Always
Your Mommy

Lets Go Royals

One of my favorite things about this past summer was watching Isabella fall in love with baseball...even though T-Ball is currently not her favorite sport (mommy can keep hoping) she loves her Boys in Blue...Omar Infante is her favorite player...which its very difficult to explain to a very adorable 4 year old why he isn't playing....At one of the games we went to this summer he came over and signed her hat!  He was super sweet to her when other players were pretending (I let them know they were pretending) they couldn't here us...so Infante it is!  Well I never though this would happen but the Royals made it to the Worlds Series this year (two years in a row I might add) and Iz wanted to go...so after searching for tickets and even emailing a video of her crying that she couldn't go...tickets were found....I wish I would've captured the look on her face when I told her Mac found tickets for her...I mean I thought she was going to come out of her skin...so we were going...I wasn't really sure if Isabella would be as into it with as busy as the game was going to be...but she loved it....she screamed for every player and didn't even let a little rain bother her!  Even after we had a little spill on the playground (rain and slides don't mix well) we got a souvenir ice pack and kept on cheering on the boys and blue.  The best part is they gave her a win...so at 4 Iz can say that she's been to a winning Worlds Series game!  It really has been incredible enjoying this ride with her...It is interesting that she knows most of the players numbers and what position they play...I didn't think watching baseball would be her thing but for this year it was....maybe she caught the blue bug like everyone else in KC did but I hope that I can look forward to baseball summers with my girl....if not there is no way I could forget the look on her face this year! 

The Parade...WE WON THE SHIP so we get a parade...well we went to a game we had to go to the parade right....right....holy smokes....first off I need to send out a serious thank you to Seanie and Lisa for braving the crazy with us..never would we have survived or would Isabella be able to see anything if she wasn't sitting on his shoulders...LOL so That blue bug I spoke of....they are estimating that there were 800,000 people at this parade and rally outside of union station.  Isabella was incredible, we didn't eat anything from 10am until 7pm...minimal complaints....we were crammed in with all the other crazies....minimal complaints....I think my favorite memory from the day is me trying to find a place to park (people got out of their cars and parked on I-35) I kept asking "do you think I can just drive up there" Lisa and Sean weren't sure....so they next place I asked "can I pull in there"....this happened a couple times and I kept being shut down....from the back seat I hear Iz say..."But Seanie we have to pull in somewhere"....my mini me had my back!  =) I'm thankful that we went...Iz saw a couple players (they are much harder to recognize out of uniform) and we made memories...if they win again I think we will just watch on TV hahahaha

Tball

So we started something fun this summer that one part of me couldn't wait for while the other wishes we could've skipped straight to fastpitch...Tball was well...interesting....it was a little bit like watching the most adorable train wreck you have ever seen...I might understand now why my Dad would take his hat off and stomp on it....how hard is step and throw....obviously it's a little more complex than I realized...it was incredible to watch Iz figure it out...and the first time that she "struck out" and she cried my heart broke...I hope that this is the first of many summers sitting at the ball park!  I wonder how long she will yell "Hi Mom" from the field...I'm going to live it up while I can!!

I'm glad my Dad is still coaching...he has a ton more patience than I do...probably why he was such a good coach when I was a kid...Iz liked playing the pitcher or first base...that seems to be where the action is in Tball...even though the entire field runs where ever the ball is....hysterical....Her favorite part of the games was going to Dairy Queen after!!!! 

Thank you!

Isabella~~
I just wanted to write you a little letter today just to say thank you...we are having a beautiful day in January and I just wanted to take a minute to make sure I tell you how fabulous you are....you have a personality bigger than your little self....I can't even put into words how much fun you are....today we were on our way hone and came up to a stop light...I was slowing down and from the back seat I hear "why are we slowing down folks"....I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard....then you don't understand why I'm laughing...you said "why are you laughing that's what my Toshy says"...You make me skip through Target and sing songs about squares and make me look for rectangles throughout the store...I'm sure people thought we were crazy...but I don't care....I'll never forget it (and wonder if you will remember). We've spent most of the afternoon playing outside....I love watching you dig in the dirt with your pink painted nails....I just hope if I can teach you one thing it's to try and see yourself like I see you.  You are beautiful and terrifyingly smart...you have no fear but a humongous heart...you are just incredible and I wanted to write you a little thank you for making Mommy smile so big today!
All my Love
Mommy

Birthday Letter

Sweet Girl,
So today is the first day of being 4!  I sure hope it feels as good as it looks!  I am in awe of you daily...right now you are dancing in the living room...watching batman...twirling your Rapunzel wand....I wish I could just freeze time just like this...on the other hand each day you get better and better so I'd probably miss out on too much....You are an incredible source of strength for me, we had a scary time this weekend.  Your Pa had a heart attack...Thank GOD he's doing well now....we were out to lunch at Margaritas (OUR FAVORITE) and we got the phone call...we rushed out of the restaurant and Mommy was very scared...I was driving and crying and calling people and in the middle of all the chaos you yelled for me from the back seat....so I tried to pretend not to cry and asked you what you needed....Calmly in your sweet little voice you told me "Mommy don't cry just pray"....you blew me away...How could you already know that...You are exactly what I needed in that moment...I hope you always remember that....Don't cry just pray...After your baths you still ask me to hold you like a baby and rock you....even though I'm starting to struggle holding you like a baby I will do it as long as you will let me...I know one day you will be too cool for that...so for now I'm going to cherish rocking you...I can't believe how smart you are...you can spell your first and last name....and are just starting to recognize a few words...I bet we will be reading soon....You are still loving batman and I hope you continue to march to the beat of your own drum...I hope that you never feel like you have to apologize for being you...I want you to always know that you are perfect just the way you are and should be proud of it...you will always have someone here that thinks the world of you...Mommy is guilty of not always having the most patience and I hope you just ignore that flaw in me..or at least just learn to roll your eyes at it....There is really no way to put into words how much you mean to me....Love just doesn't describe it but that's all I have!  I love you to the moon (all the way around it) and back!  Can't wait to see what this year brings us!!
Love you
Mommy

Summer Update

I totally feel like a slacker...can't believe I haven't updated since May...oopps so here is the summer update...I can't get over how much Isabella has changed just in the past few months!  Sweet girl is not a baby anymore...a little sad but so much fun at the same time...

Isabella had her first dance recital this summer...seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen...she did the Cuddle Bug Boogie....I was so proud of her though, she was one of the few that actually danced...it was so much fun getting her all dressed up and seeing her enjoy something I loved so much as a kid!  When I went to take her back stage she kissed me on the cheek (it left an adorable little red kiss mark) and walked to her dressing room, no fear at all...She was very very excited about the trophy she got too!  I love watching her grow into a beautiful little girl...I personally think she was the cutest little lady bug I've ever seen!! 

So we jump from all dolled up at dance to a fishing derby....lolol that couldn't be more appropriate for Isabella...my little tomboy in a Tutu...I have never been to a fishing derby before but it was adorable...The kids signed up in different age groups and then when it was over there were prizes for each group and then an overall prize for biggest fish...Isabella won her age group and biggest fish...She liked playing with the pole and carrying the little fish on the line after she reeled it in..the most hilarious part of it is she wanted nothing to do with the big fish....she was so excited when they were reeling the fish in then when it broke the surface of the water all bets were off....she screamed her little head off and ran away....We had to bribe her to take a picture with the fish but she won!  

The summer isn't complete unless you go to the fair...I look forward to going to the fair every year...this year Iz was big enough to ride some of the rides with me...I was soooooo proud of her we rode the octopus and the Ferris Wheel she loved them both!  She wasn't scared at all...even when we got stuck at the top she was pumped! I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt listening to her giggle on the rides...no fear....she is going to be my little dare devil....I hope my heart can handle it hahahahaha....of course we couldn't leave the fair with out playing the games...and of course we ended up going home with the biggest stuffed animal at the fair....she couldn't even carry it but she was thrilled!!!! 

I don't know if it's my little pony or what has caused it but Isabella is in love with horses...She started taking riding lessons this summer!  What's awesome about the lessons is they are teaching her how to take care of the horse too not just ride it...Right now we are only going monthly since she is so young but I'm sure this is something that will continue...it's a lot of fun to watch her....when they are practicing walking every time she gets close to me she smiles and waves....she's got the princess thing down hahahaha

Boston and Isabella love love love the zoo...they are so much fun to go with too because they are little tour guides...cracks me up...I know I've said this a million times but I'm so thankful they have each other....they picked out little bracelets at the zoo that said "best friends" they are lucky to have each other....

Spunky....that seems like the best word to describe Iz right now...she is a force...daily she amazes me with the way her little brain works...with that spunk sometimes comes an attitude....so with that we have been working on choices....so if she doesn't want to do something I give her 2 choices and she can choose what she wants...for example she doesn't want to eat dinner I would tell her she has 2 options eat dinner or go to her room....well that back fired on me in a big way a few days ago....it was nice out and I wanted to take Abrams for a walk...so I said "Hey Iz lets go get Abrams and go for a walk" she didn't want to...she wanted to keep playing with her scooter....so I asked again....She got off of her scooter and put her hands on her hip and said "Mommy you have 2 options (while holding up 2 fingers) we can go inside and not go on a walk or you can have a spanking what do you choose (with a little head tilt)"  First off her other option has never been a spanking so I have no idea where that came from....I was literally stunned I could not believe that she had just used my options against me..It took everything I had to not laugh at her....I shouldn't have been surprised though she is too smart for her own good!!  

One thing I know is life will never be boring with this gorgeous little girl!! 

  

The Easter Story (according to Isabella)

Today after Isabella got out of the bath she was telling me the Easter story.  Her attention to detail is pretty incredible for being just 3.  She told me that Jesus was "praying in the garden because he was scared"....that the soldiers "were mean to Jesus and beat him up and killed him"....she then went on to say that they "put in him in the tomb and his just his body was in the cloth"...then she said "Mary came to the tomb and Jesus was gone but the tooth fairy told her Jesus was alive"!  Yep go back and read that last sentence I said tooth fairy....I giggled a little and told asked "Iz wasn't it an Angel in the tomb"...she got her adorable I'm thinking look (which if you know Iz you know exactly what I'm talking about) and said "I think you're right Momma, it was an Angel" You can't help but just adore this kid she is hilarious....at least she got the major points right?!?!? I mean Angels and "tooth fairies" both have wings...HAHAHA