I'm really proud of my Isla pie. She's so adventurous and willing to try new things - I just love that about her! I'm realizing another perk of being her mom is that I get to be a kid all over again as I introduce her to new experiences. Her excitement is contagious!
I see so much of myself in her sometimes it's scary (except for her looks of course!) She's a lover of order and symmetry and likes everything to be a certain way. I wasn't paying any attention one day and realized she'd put together this masterpiece with no guidance. Wow!
I took the girls raspberry picking with Rachel and Oliver a couple weeks back. We picked about 20 pounds and had a ball! Isla did a phenomenal job. I wasn't really paying attention and next thing I knew, she'd filled her red bucket 3/4 of the way full all by herself! Then she decided to take a break and plopped down in the middle of the row to taste the fruits of her labor. Next thing I knew, there was only about 2 inches of berries left in her bucket. She probably ate at least 3 cups! :)
She's my little gardener and loves to help me whether it be digging, watering the plants or weeding. She likes picking strawberries too, regardless of their color. I look forward to many years ahead of teaching her what (little) I know about growing things!
I have to keep a watchful eye out for her as I think she would live outside if I let her. She just lets herself out, sometimes without shoes or clothes... I love this shot I caught of her, playing in the yard in her undies. :)
I have been making a very intentional effort to let the little things slide as I know I have four little eyes watching me very closely (and I've been known to growl and make a fuss when messes and accidents happen). I can't even tell you how much it warms my heart when Isla spills something or falls and gets dirty but then she jumps up and cheerfully exclaims "That's OK!" It has taken a lot of hard work and biting my tongue to teach her to do this but it's working and I'm thrilled she's picking up on it.
We've been having a lot of spiritual conversations in our house lately. Isla asked me one day where MY Grandpa and Grandma Wilson were and I told her they were in heaven at Jesus' house. I don't think she quite understood that MY Grandpa & Grandma Wilson and HER Grandpa & Grandma Wilson were not one and the same. Oops. I think we have that all straightened out now. Anyway, now she is always wanting to know if Jesus is wearing underwear and whether there will be various toys in heaven. I love the way she thinks and try to answer her questions as best as I know how.
She's also started to pray aloud this month with is something that, as parents, fills our hearts with joy. Her prayer topics are variable but she often includes things like "Help us to learn to obey the first time" or "Help Emma to stop screaming." Then there was one day on a run when I'm pretty sure we caught some teenage boys who were just about to graffiti a bridge. Since then, Isla has prayed numerous times "Help those boys not to paint the bridge."
Isla really does love her daddy though I think he's questioning that fact lately. Isla is ALL about me and is frequently caught saying "No Daddy! Mommy do it." Graham is doing a good job of pursuing her despite the face slaps (thankfully verbal and not physical!) she keeps throwing his way. We know this is a phase that will pass but it is rather tiring for the both of us.
Isla is still in her crib but we are about to make it into a big girl bed. Maybe. She has learning that SCREAMING in the middle of the night that she needs to go potty usually gets her some attention. But, when this happens five times before 3 AM, and she doesn't go with any urgency when she gets up, a parent starts to wonder... BUT, though she could technically take care of her business on her own if we had her in a big girl bed, I'm pretty sure we'll just end up with a little visitor at our door multiple times a night. I am officially as sleep-deprived as I was when Emma was a newborn so it's time to do something. I guess you never know until you try.
Oh my goodness these two just love each other! (Don't let her shirt deceive you - they are just cousins though Isla sometimes bosses him around like she's his sister). The kids are old enough now where I've been able to manage to watch Gid again occasion while my sister works (3 kids under 3!!) and it's been a lot of fun.
We took Isla on her 2nd ever (??) hike this month to Mason Lake with our friends the Welchs. Yowser was that hard work! She LOVED it though and I was proud of our family for doing it. Hiking once a years makes you hardcore, right?
I wonder if Isla's favorite part of the day isn't getting dressed in the morning. She loves to pick our her outfit and is very particular that everything must "match." And that, my friends, is why you are seeing a lot of my child in monochromatic color schemes. The green top must be paired with green pants and pink with pink. She is totally puzzled when I tell her blue jeans "match" a red top. Throughout the day, she'll add another layer or switch into a new outfit because "the other one was too hot." A co-worker gave me 3 HUGE bags of hand-me-downs and you would have thought Isla died and went to heaven given her excitement as she tried on each new item (days of entertainment people!)
We've been trying to get into a routine of talking about our days at dinnertime. Over the past couple months, I've been asking Isla about the best and hardest parts of her day. She used to respond with "all of it" when asked what was her favorite but now she's actually beginning to select one of our activities. She's even gone as far as to ask me "Mom, how was your day?" I love it!
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