Stuff.

How about that creative title?

Did you know I'm a princess? Or, at least according to Isabella, when I wake up in the morning, my hair makes me look like a princess. On the flip side, she was pointing out some little bumps on her face and suggested that they might be "the pink things" that are on my face. Pimples. Thank you for boosting my self-esteem and then bringing it right back down.

Homeschooling. Some days are great, and it's amazing to watch her pick up on stuff, like reading words, which is something I've been particularly excited about. And other days, she falls on the floor at the mere suggestion of using her brain, and melts into a puddle of tears. I want her to enjoy learning. I even want her to enjoy math of all things. Which led to my spontaneous math song all about how exciting math is. It was a total lie. I hate math, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't learn to like it. I bribe her with stickers, and craft time, and play dates. But ultimately, I want her to enjoy learning for the sake of learning! I continue to remind myself that this is just Kindergarten.

Isabella is doing so well with learning how to read. It is incredibly exciting and rewarding for me to teach her how to read. She recently read the first five Beginning Reader B.O.B Books. I couldn't stop smiling. It was the coolest thing! She was reading to me! Next week she will have her first Assessment for Phonics Book A to make sure she is ready to move to the next book. I think she'll pass with flying colors.

"Do you remember what we end a sentence with?...A period." 
"Oh. Well, I'll put that on my 'thinking list'."

Sleep Study. Isaac spent the first half hour screaming. This was also before anyone touched him, so I thought we were in for a horrible night until they took us back to our room, and he saw the toys they'd put on his bed.  That perked him up but he was still skeptical and trust me, there was not shortage of his evil eye. He tolerated everything surprisingly well and once all of the stickers and wires we on him, he laid down on the pillow and didn't move until I sat him up the following morning. He was awake from 2:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., but other than that he slept really well.

I'm sure the technicians enjoyed listening to me sing Jesus Loves Me three hundred times. He typically responds to my singing like a robot who instantly runs out of battery. It's kind of amazing and makes me feel powerful.

Fall Hike.

Not the outfit I would choose for hiking, but who am I to argue with this fashion statement?

"But mommy, when you say 'no' it really hurts my feelings, because I want what I want." Well said.

 Time to paint!

Some days she looks so darn cute!

Stella is no longer wearing the cone of shame. Her leg is just about healed, and she's back to her old self. Which means she stole Isabella's taco tonight. We've considered making her wear the cone as punishment.

We have no idea why, but Isaac screamed about sixty percent of last night and watched TV the other forty percent. Before leaving for work, Walter said to him, "I'm not sure what kind of monster you turned into last night, but I'm very angry with you this morning." Isaac appropriately responded with a growl. 

With that said, we are very tired over here. 

Goodnight.

Isabella

As I was cooking dinner last night, I realized that I am quick to share Isaac's accomplishments and challenges on my blog, but often leave out all of the wonderful things that Isabella has accomplished. So, despite the fact that we have exciting news to share about Isaac (he's walking) , this post is about Isabella.

I really feel for this girl sometimes. In her little, five year old body, she can in the matter of one minute, experience elation and quickly shift to devastation. It's like witnessing the worst PMS you've ever had, in action, right in front of you. We definitely have our good moments, but we're really working on thinking, before reacting, following directions, listening, and all of that fun stuff.

She is so much like me, it's scary. She rolls her eyes, she requires a constant supply of food, she makes the same faces I make (including the ones I wish I didn't make), she is independent and wants to do everything on her terms. Unlike me, she is incredibly brave--fearless, even. She does flips off the swing set, eagerly hopped on rides at the fair (whereas the one time I went on a ferris wheel, I was screaming so much that my dad had to have the operator let me off...I guarantee I was older than Isabella at the time).

This summer she has:
-learned to count to 100
-practiced writing numbers 1-10
-perfected writing the letter 's'
-been to summer camp one morning each week
-played piano with Josh (and Rosie when she was in town)
-learned how to control the TV remote (I'm not sure yet if that is a good thing)
-in her mind, learned how to read silently
-learned how to brush her own hair -- oh, by the way, I no longer judge you if your daughter's hair looks like a bird's nest because now I know, and will take bird's nest over screaming, just about any day.
-learned to pump her legs to swing
-helped Walter build the swing set
-decided (for the moment) that she wants to be a photographer, and told me that she and I can work together. I asked her what we should call our business and she said, "Isabella and Mama Photography".

Yesterday in the car,

"Mommy, I don't like that Isaac has so many appointments."
"I don't like it either, but remember, Isaac has a hard time learning things."
"I just wish he didn't have a hard time, and could do everything that I can do."

Believe me, I wish that too. She does have to go to more appointments than most kids, but she is usually very patient and cooperative. When we go to hospital for therapy, she gets to push all of the elevator buttons, so that usually makes her happy. I can tell she's been one too many therapy sessions when I overhear: "Isaac, you can have the train when you use your signs. No, you didn't use your signs. Sign, 'please'". Yep.

We have our good days, and our bad days, but I wouldn't trade her for the world.