Isabel Update

(Sorry everyone but you're going to have to live without pictures for this post - one of our "Christmas Break Projects" was some computer maintenance and it has left all of my pictures in a giant, unorganized heap on our new external drive - so just use your imagination!)

What's new with Izzy?

1. She is peeing and pooping regularly on the potty! I actually don't even have any pictures of that - although I was sorely tempting to bust out the camera during our own little Christmas miracle of her first #2 on the potty. I have found that just telling to her go herself has worked much better than taking her and sitting with her - this was stumbled on accidentally while I was helping Brooke with breakfast and just couldn't go with her. We've even taken a few trips out of the house in underpants without any accidents!

2. She is full on into the "why" phase. It is a constant barrage of questions the entire day. I'm sure in the big picture this is a good thing - but I spend my day in constant pursuit of the answer that will be followed by the simple "oh" response rather than another "why" follow-up.

3. She was really into Christmas this year - lots of cute little Izzy-ism stories from this season that I'll save for another post - like why did she ask Santa for a walker.

4. She's also developing a little attitude which has landed her on the naughty step a few times.

5. She is very much into the Imagination Movers (for those not in the know it's kind of an American/Disney Wiggles knock-off). Four guys with a show built around mostly tolerable kids music that stays stuck in your head the entire day once you start singing a few bars. It seems that Scott is her favorite.

Snowbunny

Isabel didn't really get the chance to fully appreciate snow last year - I wasn't sure her delicate, closer-to-the-equator sensibilities were ready for it. After getting Brooke off to school today she was really in no mood to go inside so I figured what the heck and grabbed the camera. Who needs snowpants when you have sweatpants (at least she had boots on, right?). So I guess we'll make a trip to Target for some snowpants for the girls and maybe even a sled. Now we just need to figure out a way to convince Jeff that you really can have fun in the snow - he will not be easily swayed.

Aw-thumb!

So I was really just curious if I could figure out how to get video clips on to the blog - pretty easy actually. Enjoy!

One Year Ago

One year ago yesterday was the first time I held you. It was such a happy day for Jeff and I, I'm sure a bittersweet day for your foster family and probably a pretty scary day for you. We've come a long way in a year but it's important to me that you always know where you started.

Some specific memories that still stick in my mind from that first day - the tears in your foster mom's and her daughter, Lillian's, eyes. I could only imagine how hard this was for them. They had arrived early so our agency representative wasn't there yet. It was amazing how much we could communicate without sharing the same language (although we did ask the very nice bellman that had taken us to our room to help translate a bit).

You were facinated with our watches.

You seemed fine with us, even after Yolonda and Lillian left, even after we went up to our room. But when we came back down to the lobby to finally meet with our agency rep - you became very upset. I think it was probably then that you realized the family you had known up until then may not be coming back.

The rest of the day was spent trying to console you. Even though I knew this grieving was something you needed to go through (and that in the end it was a good thing) it was still difficult.

You liked to look at yourself in the mirror so we would just walk around the hotel room looking in each of the three mirrors. You finally gave in and ate a little applesauce which also seemed to help.

I remember you falling asleep on my chest and when you woke up about an hour later looked up at me with your sleeply little eyes and as soon as you focused on my face - you burst into tears again. That was when dad had the great idea of turning on the TV - thinking that hearing spoken spanish might be calming to you. And indeed it was.

Things improved slowly each day and it's really only now that I look back and realize just how long it did take you adjust. And I know those adjustments and bumps will continue throughout your life - but your dad and I will always be there to help you through them.

OUCH!!

Do you see the thing under Isabel's left eyebrow that looks like an extra eyeball hiding up there? We will lovingly refer to that as "trauma d'jour". We had just come in from getting Brooke on the bus and she was fussing around with the kitchen chairs and tripped on one. And I saw in that slow motion vision that seems to come with motherhood when your child is about to do something that's really going to hurt but you are helpless to stop it - her nugget connect with the seat of the chair next to her. Crying ensued, cuddling followed and after a minute or so I tried the old "let mommy see". What mommy expected to see was maybe a little red mark or, heck, maybe nothing at all but I certainly did NOT expect that.

18 months

Just wanted to share a few recent pictures of Isabel. These were taken to celebrate reaching the 18 month milestone. And I'm happy to say that Portrait Innovations only got half as much money out of me as the one year mark.

First we have the traditional wicker chair/flower picture. Unfortunately, that was as cute as things got for this outfit. Someday I will learn to tell them to pass on the lame props.



Here is one taken in a dress we purchased while we were in Guatemala. I was trying to guess on the size - too bad we now have a sundress that fits perfectly in October. And rest assured I have already heard about the black background - nobody likes it and I'm the one that told them to use it. I will defend my decision by saying all of her one year pictures had a white background, I thought the dress would look good against black and the kid is cute, she'll look good no matter what color background is behind her.




Here's a sneak peek at this years Halloween costume -



And finally I just had to include this one. It is safe to assume she was saying "booger" at this moment and no I didn't purchase any of these -