Isabella has a pretty big vocabulary for a 3 year old. I’m constantly amazed at what words she knows. She’s also kind of a know-it-all.

I can’t imagine where she got that from…

When she doesn’t know what a word means she just makes something up. She’ll say, “[xx] is Spanish for ___”.

Before you say anything – yes we are growing her bangs out which is why they hang in front of her face. And if your name is Fred and you’re related to her, no, you can’t cut them.

Here are a few excerpts from Isabella’s Language Dictionary:

• “’Grrr’ is dog Spanish for ‘bark’”
• “Rum punch is the English word for fruit punch.” (English being the King’s English of course!)
• “Zenta is the English word for underwear!” (I don’t even know where she got Zenta. She was looking at a Ziploc lid and I think saw the ‘z’ and went from there…)

And then there are her shortened version so words or names. Many times these come in to play when she can’t admit she got a word wrong.

• “His name is Daddy but I call him CJ for short”
• (When I asked her what she calls me for short) “Well, Mommy of course”!”
• She called something an asteroid and I corrected her because it was a star. “Well, I call stars ‘asteroids’ for short sometimes.”

So there you have it! Some recent Isabella-isms and translations! Thanks goodness I have her around to help me understand what The Brit is saying! Oh wait, most of the time what the Brit is saying isn’t appropriate for young ears…

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Potty Time | Singing for her Supper | Are you Smarter Than a 2 Year Old?

It has begun.

The dreaded “PT”.

Potty Training.

Admittedly, we’ve been putting this off for a while. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not like we haven’t broached the subject at all. We’ve read books on potty time. Bought her a special Sesame Street potty seat. Even had her try it once or twice. But that was about it. We didn’t push much more than that.

Last week we took her in for her 3 year well check visit and the doctor told us it was time to get serious about it.

So this weekend we got to work.

Friday night we went out and bought her some new underwear. She already had a package at home that was a gift but we thought it would help her get in to the idea of the whole thing if she got to pick out her own. She chose the sock monkey ones.

Saturday morning we had dance class so I waited until we got back from that. When we changed out of her leotard, I put “big girl” panties on her. Every 30 minutes I asked if she needed to use the potty. If she said no, I’d ask again. If she still said no then we dropped it.

She had her first accident around noon. I was in the kitchen and she ran in and said, “Mommy I pooped!” She showed me and she had actually just peed. There was a nice big puddle in her play room. So we got the paper towels and I had her help me dab it up (after we wiped up her legs and changed her to clean undies). Then she helped me get out the steam cleaner and clean the carpet. After all that I said, “Phew! It sure would have been easier if you’d have just gone on the potty!” The whole thing didn’t seem to phase her that much.

The second accident happened a couple hours later. We were playing. I asked if she had to use the potty and she said no. Then I heard a dribble sound and sure enough she was going. Again we went through the clean-up routine. This time she seemed a little bothered by it.

During her nap we put a diaper on her. She fought her nap big time too. One excuse she used was, “Mommy! I lost my sense of spit!” At another point she cried out that she had to pee. I didn’t know whether to believe her or if it was all a rouse. But I couldn’t very well ignore it so off to the bathroom we went. Sure enough, she peed in the toilet! Success!

As a reward, we made chocolate owl cookies!

With a few “Mickey Mouse” cookies for good measure.

Her 3rd accident came after dinner. She was outside playing with CJ when I heard crying. She came in all upset that she had wet herself. I figured we were making progress in the simple fact that she went from “I don’t care” to crying with each progressive accident.

Today, we got up and used the potty first thing. And she went on it! She was very proud of herself – and I was proud of her too!

She’s getting more confident too. Now, she goes in the bathroom and tells me not to go in with her because she can “do it herself!” And she does. I help her wipe but otherwise she manages the whole operation on her own.

Such an independent diva.

No accidents yet either! *knock on wood, rub my lucky rabbit’s foot, and wish on a 4-leaf clover*

She even did #2 in the potty – twice! She’s starting to recognize the feelings and will tell me she has to go before I ask her.

So, we’re making progress. Are we all the way there yet? No. We still have to remind her and be vigilant about it and of course she’s not to the point of taking naps or going to bed without a diaper. But we’re definitely on the right track and I’m amazed at how quickly she took to it. After yesterday and so many accidents I was somewhat discouraged but the progress today has been amazing.

We might just be potty trained in time for pre-school in January! Not to mention the new baby. NOT having 2 kids in diapers would be a huge blessing.

{to the tune of Eddie Murphy’s ‘My Girl Likes to Party All the Time’} MY GIRL LIKES TO POTTY ALL THE TIME, POTTY ALL THE TIME, POTTY ALL THE TIME!

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Singing for her supper | Proud Moments | Are you Smarter than a 2 year old?

Isabella loves to sing. She always has. It’s usually pretty random too.

Here’s a video of her singing the “Stoplight Song” in the car the other night.

Right after I shot this, she asked me when it would be on YouTube. I guess the answer turned out to be “one week.”

Tonight, during dinner, she broke out in to the Olympic anthem. Now, the Olympics were over like almost a month ago and we certainly haven’t been singing the song. But she felt the need to bust it out.

(You may need to turn up the volume for this one)

I’m just impressed that she actually remembered it!

Just thought I would share those little snippets of our life – and her singing talents. My mom tells me over and over that Munchkin “has music in her”. Indeed she does. I’m counting down the days until her first record contract when the big bucks start rolling in. Toddlers and Tour Buses anyone?

When you’re a parent, you inherently have an undercurrent of emotions that run through you on a constant basis – worry, joy, frustration, confusion, fear. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to get bonus feelings like pride.

Tonight was one of those nights for me.

It’s currently a one hundred million degrees outside – too hot to run around and really play as a kid. So after dinner I took Isabella to the mall so she could play on the indoor playground.

I both love and loathe this place.

On the one hand, it’s a nice option for too hot, rainy, snowy or windy days. And it adds some variety. On the other hand, there are always kids in there that are too big and run around like crazy, creating chaos. I ALWAYS worry that Isabella will get knocked over by one of them.

Usually Munchkins approaches these play areas with hesitation. She watches the kids for a bit before deciding to jump in. Not tonight! She ran right in and got to the business of playing!

Proud moment #1.

She also is somewhat intimidated by slides. She will go down but with our assistance. She did that tonight but then decided she wanted to go all by herself. And she did – 3 times!

Proud moment #2.

Then she ran over and shimmied up another obstacle, going all the way to the top for the first time!

Proud Moment #3.

Then it happened. As she was walking around on one of the taller pieces of equipment, holding my hand, I told her I had to let go in order to get to the other side. As soon as I let go, a bigger kid ran by and knocked in to her. I saw her teeter on the edge of this thing, probably 4 feet in the air and I reached out to grab her but I was too late. She fell and landed flat on her face and tummy.

Every parent in the place stopped and gasped.

I think I squeaked out a little “oh no!”

Isabella started crying.

The boy ran off.

I grabbed her and carried her off to the corner, away from everyone else. She was more scared than hurt (me too). She had hit her chin, forehead and elbows. No bruises or anything. Just shock.

My fear had come true.

But I knew that the most important thing was to get her back out there playing so that she didn’t develop a phobia. I gave her the option to keep playing or sit and watch. She chose to play!

Proud moment #4.

As someone with many fears in my own life, I know how hard it is to get back on the proverbial horse after having fallen off. I was so proud of her for doing just that!

I rewarded her with a cookie (only giving her a piece of it) and some Bug Juice.

She even rode up the escalator all by herself (well, while holding my hand).

On the way out we stopped by the Foto booth to take some fun pictures.

Disclaimer: Normally I look nicer than this when going out in public but I had gone to the gym after work and this is my post-workout look. I didn’t bother to clean myself up between the gym, home and the mall because I didn’t really care how I looked for the play area. Didn’t realize it would be documented for life!

Just goes to show that in life, we all take some spills. It’s how we get up and dust ourselves off that is the important part.

And I’m proud to say, Isabella did just fine.

Isabella and I were having another tea party tonight. I picked up a little pink teapot that she has, which plays music, and pushed the buttons. Nothing happened. I flipped it over and looked for an on/off switch and didn’t see one.

“This teapot must need new batteries” I said.

“No it doesn’t Mommy,” Isabella informed me. “See!”

And she slid a little green switch in the front that turned it on.

Guess I’m not smarter than a 2 year old.

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