Happy Birthday Princess!

I can't believe our baby is three years old today! Yesterday, at daycare, they had a party for Isabelle. We walked in to streamers and a huge birthday sign. I brought cookies and candles, and she wore one of her Princess dresses and her Princess Tiara to celebrate the special day.

She already got a big train table from GeeGa and Grandpa, we set that up early so she could start playing with it. Today, she woke up to presents from me & Ed, and her party this year is at an athletic club called Big Vanilla. She has 8 little friends coming. Big Vanilla has a list of "themes" to choose from so we chose the only gender-neutral one they offered - Under the Sea. We had cupcakes made by our friend Patty. Ed & I made sandwiches in the shapes of fish and crabs and seahorses using cookie cutters. And we'll have goldfish crackers and Swedish Fish to nibble on.

Happy Birthday, my beautiful baby girl. Thanks for the best three years of our life so far.

She wore her Ravens purple beret...

…the kind you don’t find in a second-hand store.

Isabelle got a unique gift in the mail last week, just because her Aunt Susan loves her. Meandering around the streets of the Montmartre district in Paris, Aunt Susan spotted the perfect gift for our Littlest Raven. A perfectly purplicious beret befitting the most fashionable Parisian. Très chic!

Three going on Thirteen

We're just three days away from the Third Birthday. This week has brought a more-than-usual hectic schedule between me having a work training event this past weekend, an out-of-town guest for two nights, Ed trying to finish his third Grad class before vacation next week, preparing for the pending Birthday Party this coming weekend, me finishing up a creative writing class, ahhhhhh! Calgon, take me away...

My weekday mornings are chaotic under normal circumstances, and I only have one kid! But in recent months, Isabelle has been sleeping late, thus leaving us less time for the required routine (breakfast, getting dressed, finding coats and shoes). This morning, Isabelle apparantly woke up before my alarm even went off. Typically, when she wakes up before me, she comes into my bedroom and stirs me awake, alerting me to the obvious conclusion that it's time for breakfast, getting dressed, and going to school.

This morning, I'm not sure if she tried to wake me or not (I was admittedly in very deep slumber). When my alarm sounded, I performed my normal routine of slapping the snooze button in disgust. Isabelle sauntered into my room, informing me that she already put her clothes on, but now she reallllly wanted her banana and OJ-juice.

As I pried my eyes open, not quite understanding what she was saying, I saw with an unreal fascination that she had, indeed, put her clothes on already. (Note: This was not an outfit I had laid out the night before). She had actually gotten her little stool, pulled it over to her tall dresser, and went through three different drawers, choosing the pieces that any good outfit requires (shirt, pants, socks, shoes, and underthings).

She had chosen her Ravens purple long-sleeve t-shirt, a pair of blue stretchy play pants, matching blue socks, and her Ravens purple boots. She explained, quite pointedly, that her boots and shirt were purple-purple, and they matched! She then explained that she really wanted to wear her purple "Wild Things" shirt but she couldn't figure out how to put it on (ha ha). She was quite proud of herself, and I was speechless with my own pride.

I realized quickly that I've probably been "stepping in" a little more than I should. In our hectic morning routine, I often pull out an outfit and rapidly get her dressed for the day. I do this mainly because of time constraints -- she has been able to put some of her own clothes on for a while now (I just don’t have the patience most days). But, I have been remiss in allowing her the autonomy to try and "do it herself".

Even more surprising was the coordination and utility of the outfit that she chose. Not only did the colors and styles match, but she also chose a good play outfit for daycare. She could have just as easily ended up wearing a too-fancy dress or a Halloween costume.

We’re just three days away from the Third Birthday. Hey Doc, where's the PAUSE button on this time machine???

The Wickedest Witch of Selby

Halloween was a blast this year. It was a chilly night, but we had no rain like last year. Izzi and I were decked out as black and pink witches with full makeup to match. Our little witch got very into character, cackling her way all over the neighborhood. She wished everyone a Happy Halloween, she proclaimed "Trick or Treat?!?!" on cue, and pretty much said Thank You each time without being prompted.

One of the first few houses we visited, she went up to the door for her treats. She turned around to come back down the front walkway and tripped over some uneven bricks. She screamed in terror and pain and I thought she had really hurt herself. Hat askew, plastic pumpkin rolling down the walkway, and dress caught under her feet, she landed flat on her face. I picked her up and checked out the usual spots (knees, face, hands) for blood or raspberries. She was free of any glaring injuries. When she finally caught her breath, she finally was able to tell me what was wrong. "Myyyyyyy cannnnnndddddddddyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!". She was devastated at her spilled candy all over the brick walk beneath her. Hilarious. We picked up the candy and were on our way with cackles of delight and a bit of smudged face makeup.

The rest of the evening, we steered clear of any houses with big steps or uneven walkways. We had no more spilled candy tragedies for the remainder of the night.

We finally circled our way back to the community beach. The neighborhood association puts on a Halloween party every year with treats, a haunted hayride, and a costume contest. Isabelle WON this year for the scariest costume in the 'under 5' group. She got a big gift bag full of treats, coloring books, pencils, crayons, stickers, and light sticks.

The only bad part of Halloween this year is that it's over. Izzi did not like having to take the decorations down. But she quickly got over it, when we went to Factory Card Outlet to get the party favors for her friends who are coming to her Birthday Party next weekend.