The Nay Sayer

The look....so sweet and innocent, right? From her big teethy grins to her "wuv wu's", little Isabelle Anessa has everyone fooled! The time in Isabelle's life that we have been dreading has finally arrived; the day when the word "no" becomes a staple in her everyday vocabulary. From asking if she wants help down the stairs (since she has mastered going up them on her own) to what she wants to eat...this one has become a very opinionated little girl. Which is still kind of funny but oh buddy, I am sure we will not be feeling the same way a few months from now.

Here is how the stair scenario goes:

Isabelle starts down the stairs by herself but holding onto the railing.

Me: "Mommy help you?"
Izzy: "No."
Me: "Please, Mommy help you?" as I grab for her free hand.
Izzy: "No! Izzy." As she pulls her hand away from me and I go down to the step in front of her...just in case.
Izzy, as she bends over forward on the stairs and touches the step she is on (insert Mom having a heart attack): "Stair."
Me: "Yes, stairs."
Then we round the corner where there is no rail to grab.
Me: "Mom help?" Izzy actually gives me her hand for 2 steps where there is no rail then is off on her own again.
Izzy: "Sock" as she stops on a step and lifts up one of her feet to show me her sock.
Me: "Yes, Izzy's sock."
Izzy, as she points to my feet: "Mama's sock."
Me: "Yes dear, Mama's sock."
Izzy: "Du, tree!" (translation: two, three) As she climbs down the last few steps.

Then there is "the stool". Mom/Grandmama and I bought her a stool for each of our homes to assist Isabelle with getting on the potty, washing her hands, etc. which she now moves around everywhere and climbs up onto it to reach everything. She brings it into my bathroom to brush her teeth (although she cant quite reach the top of the sink yet), she brings it to almost every light switch downstairs so she can turn them on and off, she uses it as a toy to jump off of and of course sits on it when she is all pooped out at the end of her day :)

The Stool
Speaking of "pooped", we are still working on potty training but we have to admit, not consistently. She does however let us know when she has a poopie diaper and lately, she says "poo poo" before she goes. So we are able to share with you that we have had one success story with going #2 on the potty! YAY! She loves being in the bathroom, sitting on her Elmo seat and reading all of the "bathroom literature" we have in a basket for her; "Got to Go", "Once Upon a Potty", "Everybody Poops" and a few other books that we hope will inspire her to "go. We will be sure to let you know!