Happy Birthday Isabela!

Yesterday morning Isabela got up and put on her swimming suit.  She said, "I'm ready!"  I asked for what.  "To go swimming with Abuela at the motel."  That's not 'til tomorrow night, Silly.  She has been UBER excited!

Then last night, talking to Abuela on the phone.

Abuela: "I'm excited to see you for your birthday!"

Isabela: "I'm excited for my present!"

(My child is not vain at all :D)

Brandon talking to Isabela as she is waking up in bed, about 6:30AM.

Brandon:  "Happy Birthday, Isabela."

Isabela:  "Happy Birthday?"  

Brandon: "Yeah, it's your birthday."

Isabela:  "Am I four?"

Brandon: "Yes, you are four."

A minute later she comes running out.  "Mom!  It's my birthday!  I'm fooouur!" (as she holds up four fingers.)

 

Me: “Isabela, what do you want for breakfast?  Do you want some avena?”

Isabela: “Ooohhhh!!  I need to eat my birthday cake first!”

Me: “We are going to eat that later tonight when Papi and Abuela get here.”

Isabela: “I don’t want anyone else to eat my birthday cake!”

Me:  “You’re not going to share?”

Isabela:  “Well,  I guess I can share with my friends.”

 The morning of Isabela's birthday, we drove to Daddy's school so his class could sing to her.  They were super excited!  But they always love visiting him at work.

 In the hallway.

 Xander refusing to take off his glasses the entire time we were inside.

 Daddy may have sprayed Isabela with Silly String when she came in the door.  She wasn't all too happy about that.  It was silly string we initially gave daddy when we came and surprised him with our Valentine's Day gift.

 Slightly happier....

 And then MUCH happier after she got her sweet revenge!

 And then Xander got to join in on the fun!  He cackled and made the entire class laugh when he did it.

At the "Motel" with Papi, Abuela, Kim & Bill, and Tio Brett

 Xander didn't get pictures on his bday blowing out candles, so he got a turn, too.

 Her princess castle, that she slept in, ate in, and lived in for the next couple of days.

 What a pretty princess!

 And handsome prince?  Such a funny kid.  I can't believe how content he is sometimes (apart from the major tantrums he also throws... we may sometimes refer to him as our bi-polar child, although don't go thinking we are "labeling" our child, because he definitely is not bi-polar--he's just 2 years old).

 My new strider bike.  The seat is still a little low, but after a few times out on it, she really has been getting the hang of it.  Good thing it will last for all of the kids.

 Bellie's Birthday Buddy Papi got a new Kindle Fire.

 Yep, a little more Xander's size with the seat that low.

Gymnastics!

 We were lucky enough to be able to put Bell in gymnastics for a little while.  She absolutely LOVED it, and we were very impressed with how well she did.  Every week before class, Brandon told her she had two rules: 1) Listen to your teacher, and 2) Have fun!  She always did really well, maybe a little talkative at time, but what did you expect from a 4 year old?  

Love the glasses!

With my very supportive brother!

 Her favorite trampoline.  It was really long, and the kids did all sorts of jumps from one end to the other.

 

Cheese!

 Practicing a front roll

 I was impressed with how many of the bigger things she could do all by herself.

 Working on a full body spin around the bar (and I am no expert on gymnast terminology, so please feel free to correct me).

 Jumping to do a pull-up.  I never could do a pull-up myself growing up.  Hopefully she will take after her Aunt Misty and do much better than me.

 What a good girl, waiting in perfect form for her turn on the beam.

 Even when she stepped off for a bit, she kept form.  I know she is only 4 and this class was just for fun, but she impressed me every time with how well she did following each technique she was taught.

 Hanging out in the corner, waiting her turn again...

 Another front roll...

 And she won!  I love how proud each of the little kids were to stand up there and receive their cute little medal.  We just signed up for 8 weeks, but I think the sessions are usually 12 weeks long.  I wonder how much it goes to their head when every couple of months the kids get another medal.  Isabela sure has been proud of this one.

 At the end of each class, they sing a little song, "Put your hand on your head for a stamp."  She would do it, and sometimes Xander as well.  Right after, though, she would ask her teacher if she could give her Dad and Mom a stamp.  The teacher was so nice, she always did.  So we all got to leave with rainbows, dolphins, and other pretty pictures on our hands after gymnastics!

5/10/13

Bike Rodeo 
Our little town of Silt, CO puts on a bike rodeo each year.  The kids get to ride a little course with road signs, learn their hand signals, and get free helmets.  Isabela can't quite ride by herself yet, but she zoomed around the whole thing with me, and my very pregnant belly, leaned over holding onto her.  It was fun, and now she is excited to learn her hand signals.  Xander didn't ride the course, and I was really surprised that they gave him a helmet as well.

 Brandon pushing her all around the park.

Getting ready for the course, answering all the important questions with the police officer before she could get on.

Xander refused to take off his helmet the entire day!

Historical Parade in New Castle
Unlike any parade I see nowadays, every scene in this parade taught us something about the history of the town.  It was really fun and informational.  Only the kids got a little bored.  They did great for the first hour and a half.  We played at the park for the last little bit.

 Isabela did great when the flag went by... and she did

stand up.

The fire truck was there (although nobody could get on or anything), but they gave each of the kids a sticker.  They gave me chapstick, which Xander deemed his own.  He rubbed it on his lips throughout the entire parade.  (I admit, he loves chapstick, and hasn't quite figured out yet that a glue stick is not chapstick.  Even though he puts glue sticks by his mouth whenever he finds them, he doesn't rub them on the same, thank goodness.)

I am going to miss you soooo much!

Yesterday, Brandon took Isabela to the store.  Before leaving, she told Xander, "Xander, I am going really far away.  I am going to miss you SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!  Are you going to miss me?"

"Ummmmm......    Nope!" he replied.  She seemed a little sad, but we were laughing way to hard to try to explain or help her out.  She asked a couple more times, but I don't think he ever said yes to her.
Although, he did recently start saying, "Umm... Yep," as well.  For weeks, whenever he started with Ummm, it was never an affirmative response.

Nueces

Isabela has been learning that there are bones inside of your body.  Today she pointed to Brandon's hand and said, "There are 'nueces' in there."  What she meant to say is, "There are 'huesos' in there."  So she said "nuts" instead of "bones."  Brandon is a little nuts sometimes, so I guess it fits. :D

Then on Sunday, we were walking out the door when Isa says, "I have to go to the bathroom."  Brandon takes Xander to the car while I take Isa to the bathroom.  Afterward, driving home, I whispered to Brandon, "I guess it was good I took her to the bathroom.  She peed like a race horse." I don't know how much of that statement she heard, but Isabela started neighing and making all sorts of horse sounds.

--Also a note from Brandon, the big nut himself.  Isa was watching Dora the other day.  At the end, the show always asks "What was your favorite part?"  This episode was about the different seasons throughout the year.  The final question this time around was "What is your favorite season?"  Isa simply replied, "I like it when it is cold, in the winter" Like father like daughter!  We have a small snowboarder yet.--

We call Xander our bi-polar child.  For the record, he is not bi-polar.  He is just 2 years old.  I remember Isa throwing tantrums, but not the switch of emotions so quickly from happy to angry to happy again.  He loves, loves, LOVES the new baby!   He hugs and kisses my tummy constantly everyday.  He talks to the baby, shares his toys with the baby, tickles the baby, and feeds the baby. One day, he was giving the baby crackers.  I stopped paying attention momentarily, when I realized he had switched.  I then had yogurt all over my shirt.  Yes, my tummy gets lots of attention.  Sometimes he is so possessive, saying "MY baby!  MY baby!" that Isabela gets upset, saying, "It's my baby, too."

Xander is talking more and more, in English and Spanish.  It is our favorite thing to listen to!  Lately, every time you ask a question, he says, "Ummmmmmmm...... Nope."  He loves to say, "I di ih.  I di ih."  I did it!  Then will translate and say "O hice."  Lo hice.  He can say "Isa" very clearly, but prefers to say "Ehah" for "Bella."  He uses everybody's names.  "Icko" is "tickle." We understand almost everything he says, but he is getting more and more clear.  We haven't really had tantrums due to his frustration not being able to communicate.  He has always been able to communicate with us really well.  And now his vocabulary is quite extensive, it is even easier.