Our Baby Turns 3!

Isabella turns 3 today. We did her party on Saturday so to avoid the continuous obsession we have not even told her today was her actual birthday. It is hard to believe that she is already 3.

Our baby is growing up. She is in panties and a big girl bed. She is talking and playing with little toys alone. Her little voice is so sweet when she playing little imaginary games with her stuffed animals. She adores Lucy and they are like two little peas in a pod. At night when we try to find Lucy to put her out she is almost always snuggled up on Issies bed. And she is smart. Freakishly smart at times. With numbers and letters but also with the things she says and how she can figure things out. She is still pretty bossy. She is tiny but it like a rudder on a big ship. She steers the entire family. But we love her so much.

About two weeks ago, she broke my heart. Brad was out of town and she was getting ready for bed (she has a wild burst of energy at bedtime). The out of the blue, she stopped and said "I lub you Mommy" then went on her way. I think this is the first time she said I love you first. It was precious.

Saturday was her first Birthday party (we have just done simple family stuff on the other years). I think it was the first time she really understood what a Birthday was. She went to her friends party a few weeks ago and I think it clicked and she has been obsessed about her Birthday ever since. We do simple for the birthday "like a playdate with a cake". So she had 3 friends come and we had fun. Jack and Kadie rearranged the living room and got out all the tents and tunnels for a bit fort. The little kids loved it.

Birthday Girl

So silly.

Daddy was a big hit when he walked in with the balloons. Issie LOVES balloons.

Issie and Hope (these two were cut from the same mold, so much a like in so many ways)

Blowing out the candle. I made her a slug cake. (tried to make it look like a catapillar for the other kids but she loves slugs so to her it was a slug cake) When it rains here we have soooo many slugs so every morning she likes to count how many slugs are on the sidewalk from the door to the car- her record is 17!

"Bows" from Kadie. Issie gets very attached to stuffed animals so the kids got her several new ones including this one. So sweet.

I think this might be the first real time Issie has opened presents. Up til now she has not shown any interest so we have down played it all. Not now. She is totally into it. We got her Beauty and the Beast and I forgot what a great movie that is. Our whole family has watched a few times since then. Even Jack loves it.

It was a fun day. Issie we love you so much crazy girl.