It's amazing to see personality develop. Isla is definitely her own person with her own likes, dislikes, and mannerisms. She loves seeing that little girl in the mirror and knows where to find her in the house. She looks for her over my shoulder as soon as she gets out of the tub.
She loves Speckles--she's the only "person" Isla will kiss voluntarily without prompting. She opens her mouth and leans in for Speckles's nose. I think we've caught her so far and kept the smooch from actually happening.
She loves Alison Kraus music, especially Down in the River to Pray. There have been several times in the car that the song has prevented a major meltdown. I have to play it over and over. And it's the only song I've downloaded on my iphone. One night I played videos for Isla as she fell asleep. As long as Alison Kraus was singing, she was quiet and content. When Brad Paisley started singing at the beginning of Whiskey Lullaby, she started fussing again. Alison started singing again, she was mesmorized. I have to sing Down in the River to Pray a lot also.
Isla can scoot across the floor pretty good as long as no one is watching her. Seems like when she knows someone is paying attention though, she expects to be picked up and placed into whatever position she wants. She still doesn't go from laying to sitting on her own--she did it one night when she was mad and wanted out of bed. She has the pulling up thing down pat--that happened a week or so ago. Up, down, up, down. She's got that covered so now I'm terrified to leave her in a room by herself, especially since we have hardwood floors in our living room. We've taken to playing downstairs a lot more--more padding.
As soon as she mastered the pulling up thing, she went back to concentrate on her verbal skills and started babbling a lot more. She says da-da-da-da-da but usually only when she's upset about something. I haven't figured out if she wants to tell on me, if she wants da-da-da-da to rescue her, or if she's cussing him out. Either way, she doesn't associate da-da-da-da with P yet.
Her receptive language skills are on fast forward now though. Each day it seems like she learns a few more words and what they mean. She knows she is Isla, she knows what a drink is, bite, bottle, puppy. I try to do some signs with her as often as I can but I usually forget.
She likes watching her sign language video. Actually she likes watching tv in general. I know, shouldn't be done, but that would be unrealistic for us so we try to focus on educational programs. She likes Dora and Sesame Street. And it was really funny when Rachael Ray was breading chicken in a paper bag and shaking it the other day.
Sleep's been hit or miss lately. Some nights she'll sleep for 8 hours without waking up, some nights it's every 3 hours. Tonight she went to bed at 5:15 and got up for a bottle at 8:15. I hope she'll sleep until 4 or 5 before she's up again.
We had pictures taken in our Elvis Halloween costume. I'll post soon. I have several pics I need to post, as well as some video of her making a huge mess splashing in the tub this morning.
Speaking of tub, we've been to the pool again--how fun. She's also started taking some of her baths in the tub without her inflatable duck--her little bottom slips and slides all over the place which she thinks is hilarious.
My favorite time of day is as Isla's going to sleep. Some nights she fusses and fights it but there always comes a point when she just lays in momma's arms looking up, smiling, telling me how much she loves and trusts me. I'll stroke her cheek and she'll grin. If I'm looking away and she wants to look at me, she'll sit herself up and lean around to look in my face with the sweetest grin you've ever seen. aaaaagghh. Nothing is sweeter. Then we say our prayers, I tell her "sweet dreams princess" and put her to bed.
Life is good.
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