Nine years ago I became a mother! It seems so long ago, yet the years also seem to have gone by so fast. Izzy is excited and happy to be 9. Here are some additional notes about Isabelle at the age of 9:
-she often comes up with really good ideas and loves to share them and implement them. She was into origami for a little while, and would make those little paper fortune tellers (that we all made as children I'm sure.) Well one time she made one with songs to be sung by the Primary during Singing Time, and got permission from the Singing Time leader to use it for an activity one Sunday. I was really impressed as she didn't ask or talk to me at all about it first. I thought she might be a little shy to do that, but I was wrong!
She also had some good April Fool's Day ideas. She wanted to do a prank on me and came up with the idea to take all of the clothes out of my closet and dresser (even the underwear!) and put them in her closet. She truly fooled me that day, because when I went to get dressed I was so surprised to find ALL of my clothes were GONE! I don't know when she did it without me seeing, but she did!
- she likes to think outside the box and tries to take challenges and assignments one step further. In a recent math fair at her school, her teacher had all the kids make these paper bracelets to be handed out as a reward to people who got the math questions correct. About a week earlier I was going through all the toys in our house and I had told the girls that we had too many stuffed animals and they needed to think about which ones to give away. Well, Izzy put those two things together, and came up with the idea to bring a box of stuffed animals she no longer needed or wanted to give away as prizes for the math fair at school. She asked her teacher who thought it was a great idea, and gathered several stuffed animals to take to school. She said her station was a real hit with the kids, and all the kids were asking to do her math questions so they could choose a stuffed animal.
-she has a genuine concern and love for others and those around her. Every morning before she leaves to catch the bus she asks me to tell Olivia and Chloe who are still sleeping goodbye from her and that she'll miss them. She used some of her birthday money from her great Nana to buy a small mood ring for Lily for her birthday, even though we said we would pay for it. She kept saying, "No I want to use MY money." When she was thinking of people to invite to her birthday party she tried so hard to make sure that everyone who came would have at least one other person they knew there and felt comfortable around besides her. She didn't want anyone to feel left out. She loves to help Olivia and sometimes will change her diaper without my knowing! One time I found Olivia with her diaper on backwards and I knew Isabelle had changed her earlier. Her desire to love, help, and encourage others is one of her greatest qualities.
-she loves to have one on one time with me or Ben, and loves to join in on our conversations. We try to have monthly "interviews" with the girls, and she is always quick to remind us that it is time. She loves to talk to us about all the happenings at school and things that go on with her friends. We love to hear it.
Here is a photo of her earlier today blowing out a candle on a little cupcake we bought. She had Activity Days tonight (which she loves!) and was so excited to have it on her birthday. Ben also had Young Men's and she came home and told me that Ben had all the Young Men and Young Women sing happy birthday to her with the Activity Day girls. That made her feel really special. She came home beaming.
And this was early in the morning, walking to the bus. I made mini cupcakes for her to share with her class. She said everyone, even her teacher, loved them.
Happy 9th Birthday Isabelle! You are such a wonderful daughter and person!
