She is doing spectacularly well with using the potty and is now quite modest about her business, telling us, "I need some privacy" when we have the nerve to invade her space whilst she's in the act. She's had zero accidents. Zero setbacks. I am still in awe. She's in pull-ups for naps and nighttime, but other than that, she's a potty-and-toilet-using machine. I am incredibly proud of her, and so damn happy that we no longer have three kids in diapers.
In the past month, Isabella has been resisting naptime and bedtime* a bit, but her reason is one for which I can hardly blame her. She does share my genes after all. She wants to read. One morning a few weeks ago I went to get her up for the day and she said, "Mommy, I have to show you something." She lifted up her pillow, and beneath it were no fewer than 10 of her books, taken from her bookshelves in her room and placed under her pillow sometime after she was tucked in the night before. I asked her why she was hording books and she said, "So I can read them before sleeping." From that point on, each time I've tucked her in for naps or the hubs has tucked her in for bedtime, she will ask us, "Is it okay if I read a little?" and she'll lift up her pillow to show us the stockpile of books she's amassed under it. We'll tell her, "just one," and most of the time, she listens. She'll recite her version of the story's tale, tuck it back under the pillow with the others, and go to sleep.
Despite being in her big girl bed now for over three months, Isabella has still not attempted to leave her room once we've shut the door behind her. Of course, she's out of her bed to gather books, but that's about it. Her bedroom door has a safety doorknob on it to prevent her from leaving should she try, and I figure it's only a matter of time before books cease to be the bedtime procrastination tool of choice, but so far, so good!
I've begun to talk to her a bit about preschool. I've told her that she's going to have so much fun, that she'll make new friends, and get to play with all the cool toys we saw when we toured it last winter. When I told her that I would drop her off and that I would be back in a short time to get her, she said, "I don't want to be alone at preschool." That broke my heart a little, but I know that reaction is completely normal. She's still excited about it, and still asks me every single time we're in the car together if we're going to drive by her preschool so she can wave at it.
Isabella must be going through a growth spurt this month because she has an insatiable appetite. She's asking for food constantly, and I'm trying to feed her healthy snacks, but I've got to wonder where in the heck she's packing it away. I swear there are days when my 28-pound toddler (preschooler?) eats more than I do.
She is wonderfully helpful with the twins, and has taken to asking me, "Can I help you with something?". If I ask her to help me make them stop crying, she jumps up and down, sings songs, or tickles them, and a lot of the time it works. Some days she's a better mother to them than I am, and I know they like her a hell of a lot more than they like me at times, especially when I have the nerve to set them down to entertain themselves.
The twins are generally up before Isabella each morning, and they're usually in their exersaucers or on their floormat in the living room while I'm getting Isabella up for the day. She usually asks where they are (and I need to give her a very specific answer) and as she descends the stairs, she's started singing, "Here comes Isabella!" over and over to let the twins know she's coming. They immediately look to her and smile or laugh, which delights her to no end.
It's been a good month in Isabella Land. She's growing into such a funny, independent, charming little person, and while she certainly has her whiny moments, most of the time I'm so proud to be her mama.
Current Likes: Dancing, eating, ketchup
Current Dislikes: Bedtime
*Check out my most recent article for Root & Sprout on creating a bedtime routine for your preschooler. And if you haven't subscribed to the site yet, consider doing so. The feed button is located in the top-left corner of the home page.
Aww. She's so cute. I'm glad she's becoming her own person. It's so cute to watch.
She is so sweet, Kristi! I had to chuckle about Isabella hiding books underneath her pillow - Jacob does the same thing!
She is the cuteness. Honestly that first photograph of her is amazing. Her personality is completely captured in that one shot (or at least the way I understand it from how you explain it). It's such a great photo.
Matthew does the same thing with his books. Julianna's starting to read in her bed, I'm going to make her this book sling to hang on her wall and put her books in: http://pennycarnival.typepad.com/penny_carnival/2009/02/tutorial-hanging-book-display.html
She sounds absolutely delightful. I bet she'll love preschool. It's wonderful she's so helpful with the twins...are you SURE you want to send her to preschool? lol
What a big girl! The book thing is too cute!
Your posts make me feel like I know Isabella. You describe her so well.
I love the book story - how can you deny a girl her reading time?! :-)
It sounds like the big sister role is suiting her well.
And so so so great about the potty-training!
Wow - Isabella is really growing up! It's especially noticable in that first photo of her - and of course, in what she's doing.
Do you think she remembers when it was "just her" and no twins?
She sounds like *the best* big sister to have
Isabella Land sounds like a beautiful place to be. :) I love her hair and her smiles. And of course, I'm jealous about the potty.
What a cutie!! I love hearing about her ... entertaining the twins, wanting to read. And I am so happy she's pottytrained! What a relief for you not having to change 3.