038. Growing Up - Isabelle is 23 months

The weather this month has been beautiful, we have had such a lovely time being able to go out and about and learn new things. 

A trip to Monkey world was definitaly Isabelle's favourite thing and she was telling people about it for days afterwards.

She is still an amazing sister and i still get surprised by how much she wants to help me and how loving she is towards Amber. They are going to grow up so close, i can just see it now!!

Likes 

Isabelle's favourite thing of all time this month is Monsters Inc, she adores it. Whatever she is doing will revolve in some way or another around monsters inc, Her favourite charecter is Sulley.

Isabelle drawing a picture of Sully

Dislikes

Wearing a nappy or having her nappy changed. Isabelle has loved the no nappy time we have had in the garden due to the lovely weather and I really want to potty train Isabelle because she really is starting to dislike nappy time but i dont think we are quite there yet. She will tell us when she has a dirty nappy and will tell us when she is going but we havent quite got the grips of the feeling before. 

Maybe next month?

Says

Isabelle has started stringing together 2 and 3 word sentences. She also copies everything she hears you say. She has got so much better with her spontaneous talking and will tell you what she wants, how she is feeling.

Can

Isabelle can now count from 1-10 completely unaided. She also knows circle, square & triangle and most of her colours. She knows red, yellow, orange, green & black. She still gets confused between purple and pink though. 

030. Growing up - Isabelle is 22 Months

This month my baby girl became a big sister, and she is an amazing one at that!!

Isabelle loves Amber and is always asking to "help mummy" and "hold?". She loves giving cuddles, getting things i need for Amber and soothing Amber when she cries. 

I think it has shown me how adaptable Isabelle is, regardless of the situation. June was a busy and hectic month for Isabelle with lots of changes. She started a new nursery and Amber was born all within weeks of each other. Isabelle wasn't phased by it at all and took it all in her stride. 

She has shown me how quickly she has grown too. She has always been an independent child, but she seems so much more mature and i sometimes forget she isn't quiet 2 yet. 

Likes 

Colouring, Water play, Bath time, dolls, Mr Tumble, Gardening.

Dislikes

Leaving nursery, going in her car seat or pushchair, not being able to walk.

Says

Her new phrases this month are "Hold on", most colour names. She uses her manners properly by saying Please & Thank you and will say excuse me too.

Can

Name all her colours and choose the correct colour when asked, climb up and down the stairs unaided (as we discovered when we accidentally left the stair gate open), do some puzzles with help, use a correct pincer grip when holding a pencil or crayon.

015. Growing Up - Isabelle is 21 Months

Is it really only 3 months until my tiny little baby is 2 years old? Has time really gone that fast? It really is true that you blink and miss half of their childhood as it flashes before your eyes.

In the last month Isabelle has really started to amaze me with the things she can do and the things she can say. How much her personality has developed and changed is amazing to watch and everyday she does something new.

Likes 

Animals, Mr Tumble, Playing outside, Books, Dancing, Drawing. 

Dislikes

Bedtime, sitting anywhere for longer then 5 minutes (unless it involves one of the above), being told no, sitting in her pushchair. 

Says

She will repeat almost anything you say to her but her new spontaneous words are Orange, Crossiant, books, garden, shops, dinner, a few of her friends names, horse, sister, baby. 

Can

Count unadded from 1-4, Count with help 1-6, drink confidently from an open top cup, jump, climb down the stairs on 2 feet holding your hand,  settle herself to sleep without her dummy. 

005. "Me time"

I am currently sat on a camp bed by the edge of a gorgeous lake in hampshire admiring the view on what can only be describes as one of England's  "sunny" days! 

We came here last night with friends so Sean could have a night of fishing and we could spend some quality time together "child free" before Baby girl number 2 makes her arrival. Isabelle had a sleepover with Nanny and is spending some quality time with her today going to feed the ducks! 

So I thought what better chance to start another blog post.

When you first plan to have a child I don't think you truly understand how much your life is actually going to change and how many sacrifices you will have to make in order to live your life around this small person who takes up every single second of your time.

Long gone are nights out partying, quiet romantic meals and weekends away, in return you get nights in front of the telly, chaotic family meals and day trips to the zoo or farm!

Personally, I prefer the later.

The first time I left Isabelle alone after she was born was for a night out and few drinks for a friends birthday. Isabelle was 7 months old. Even then she stayed with her Dad and I came home that evening.

The first night I spent a whole evening away from her was when I was admitted into hospital just before Christmas because of suspected gallstones. That night she spent with her Dad. It was the oddest night of my life, I kept worrying over silly things that were out of my control, even though I knew Sean was perfectly capable of looking after her and to be honest she probably wouldn't even have noticed I was away! I missed her far more then I expect she missed me.

Then last night was the very first time Isabelle has been away from both Sean and I at the same time for a whole day and night! She loves spending time with her Nanny and even though I am a nervous wreck wondering what she is doing, if anything bad has happened I know she will have loved every second. 

When we go out with friends Isabelle generally comes with us, we have never hired a baby sitter it is always Sean or myself that stays in with her if we can't both go and on the odd occasion Nanny will baby sit but we like it this way.

We are very lucky to have friends that enjoy spending time with us as well as our children even though they don't have children themselves, and we have never wanted nor needed to hire a babysitter for "me time"!

I am not judging anyone who hires a baby sitter for days/nights/weekends. In fact  maybe I am a little jealous that I don't have as much free reign to go out and paint the town like I did pre-children but its these are the choices I made when I had children and that's what I enjoy!

So with that I will carry on snoozing on my camp bed, enjoying the weather (whilst the rain holds off) and see what the rest of my bank holiday has to offer.