Our Fish!

Isabelle is as outdoorsy as her folks. She loves taking walks, playing in the park, games on the grass, riding her tricycle (which she has finally gotten down) and most of all....swimming.

Belly flop!Remember back to 4th of July, 2007...the first time we took Isabelle in the pool. She wasn't all that thrilled with the initial dip into the pool but also wasn't scared about being in it. Then in the Summer of 2008 we started the "1, 2, 3, GO!", blew in her face and quickly dunked her completely under the water and brought her right back up again and not once did she cry. Right then and there, we knew we had a water baby on our hands.

This summer is even better! She is so excited to go swimming to the point that if you had to bribe her to do something in order for her to go swimming, she would do whatever had to be done! She is a little fish! Mackenzie, who is another water baby like Izzy, came over one day with arm floaties and was bobbing around and jumping in the pool to Travis all by herself which is when Michael decided to go and get Isabelle a pair to try out while in Kauai and she LOVES them!

The "Nestea Plunge"-falling backwards into the pool...and with a smile!With Travis off in the summer, Michael, Isabelle, Travis and Mackenzie get together once or twice a week in the morning to go swimming. And from what I hear, with or without floaties, those two are fearless! We also go to the Magin's and Price's for pool play whenever the chance arises. Those Pickles (Roxy and Jazzy) are water babies too!

We are super excited about Isabelle starting lessons at our local Swim4Life Academy. Our neighbor Rose has given us a leftover credit from her daughter Sophia's lessons (thank you again, Rosie) and we can't wait to get Isabelle in! We have a feeling she is going to learn a lot more than the "lessons" (which were more like water play) that we took last summer through the City. We will be heading over to the academy after her eye surgery to get some time in before the Summer is over. Wait a second...at the rate this heatwave is hitting us, that wont be until October! She may know how to do the breaststroke by then! :)

"Playing the pole" with her diving sticks.

Pre-op...piece of cake!

With only 21 more days until Isabelle's eye surgery, we went to see Dr. Diab (her primary pediatrician) today for a check up. After playing in the waiting room with a few other kids, Isabelle's name was called and as we walked into the doctor's office, my whole outlook on how her surgery is going to go changed right then and there.



Isabelle followed the nurse over to the scale, she asked Isabelle to stand on it which she did without hesitation (she is now 28lbs. in case any of you were wondering). I picked her up to have her temperature taken and to my surprise, I didn't have to hold her head. While the nurse was getting the thermometer ready, I told Isabelle that the nurse is going to take her temperature like Mommy and Papa do at home-in your ear. She held perfectly still and when it was over she asked me to put her down so she could walk. Without holding my hand, Isabelle marched behind the nurse into the room where her check up was going to be done. The nurse asked for me to get her undressed down to her underwear and as I was finishing putting my things down on the chair, I turned around to see Isabelle sitting on the step stool taking her shoes and socks off. Dr. Diab came in a few minutes later and was going over all of her stats (still tall for her age with a big noggin and gaining wait...slowly but surely). He was pleasantly surprised on how verbal she is and that she followed his directions remarkably; I told him that I wish she was like that all the time at home too! He finished with her check up giving her a clean bill of health however, he noticed that she has not had blood work done since she was a few months old and with her being "put under" for this surgery, he wanted to have that updated.

Showing me her "boo-boo"

A hop, skip and a jump away from Dr. Diab's office, with a Batman sticker in hand, we arrived at the lab. We signed in, sat down and a minute later we were called in. Cringing to myself, I pushed open the door and the nurse in direct eye shot was all ready for us. I sat down on the chair with Izzy on my lap as she showed off her stickers to the nurse and admired the ones the nurse had at her station. The nurse told her she could have a sticker when she was finished taking her blood....I joked saying if I make it, may I have one too? :) She showed me how to hold Isabelle's arm; on her wrist and then up at the crook of her elbow. Then as quick as a wink, she was drawing Isabelle's blood. Isabelle let out a cry but it was not even half as bad as I thought it was going to be. We talked to her to soothe her and before the needle was even pulled out, her tears were pretty much gone. She scored with that nurse...3 stickers! One pre-op appointment down and one more to go...I think this Big Girl is going to be fine, its Mom and Dad that I am worried about now :)