Yzabelle turns 5!!!

Yzabelle's birthday was last week. I have been meaning to write about her and all of her progress...this is probably a good time. Holy cow I can't believe that she is 5!!

She has grown and learned so much over this past year. I am so proud of her. I get frustrated with her sometimes because she is so stubborn, but then i realize that she needs to be stubborn to help her with her disability.

She is a very sweet considerate little girl. She is never shy and never hesitates to give kisses...I love that. She loves to snuggle and hug and be held. I think that's her idea of a good time. She is very gentle with Tristyn (at least most of the time). Her and Emerald play so cute together. Usually Belle is the baby and Emerald is the mom...does that really surprise you??

Her favorite thing in the world are the Disney princesses. Anything that has to do with Cinderella, Belle, Ariel or any of them catches her attention. I'm sure that she thinks that she is one of them.

She loves to sing. She knows all of the words to "Teach Me to Walk in the Light" and we sing it every night before we go to bed. She actually sings with me...it's so great. Her favorite movies are "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music" That movie is like almost 3 hours long and she will actually sit there and watch the whole thing...She knows a lot of the songs to The sound of music...she calls it "hills." This is major progress for her. She can remember the words and then tries to say them. Even if she can't get all of the words she still know the tune to the song. Sometimes I will sing the songs with her and stop at a certain point and she will fill in the missing word. What a smart girl. She makes up song too. Sometimes when Tristyn is crying she will go up and in her cute little singing voice say "Uh hill(ww)s a lolly day!" We don't know exactly what she is saying, but it's cute anyway!! She knows primary songs, but doesn't sing at church. I think that she knows more than we think she does.

She started her 3rd year of preschool this year. I have been trying to work with her on her colors, and shapes. I think that she knows most of her colors, I'm not too sure about the shapes.

She is talking so much more than she was last year. She can put 3-4 words together in a sentence, but a lot of the filler words are "uh". I totally speak "Yzabelle" though so I get what she is saying mostly! I am hoping that she will branch out and start to talk to other people. I think that most of time she speaks very clearly, but she is really shy and quiet in front of other people.

She is so willing to try new things. Last year she wouldn't go near the trampoline. This year it was one of her favorite things to do outside. She can jump really high and it is a good exercises because it puts pressure on both of her legs. And oh man...you should see that girl swing... This is another thing that just amazes the crap out of me. She actually holds on to the swing with both hands and pumps her feet. She goes soooo high! It is really a great thing because she has to hold on with both hands, and I know that she has to hold on really tight in order to go so high. She has really improved strength in her right hand (the one she doesn't use as much)

She also can (FINALLY) get herself dressed. She is so funny when she does it too. Her clothes are either in-side-out, or backwards, or both. But she doesn't care. Have you ever tried to put on your clothes with one hand? I am so glad that she can finally do this. She hardly ever asks for help either. Last year she used to stay in her room for 1/2 hour just trying to put on underwear. She would scream and cry because it was so hard for her, and she would get soo mad at me if I tried to help her. I eventually learned that she really did just want to do it herself. Totally determined and some junk!!

She loves to color, draw and paint. Last year she would just scribble. This year she has turned scribbling into circles and little pictures. She says that she is drawing people. They have fat little bodies and really long arms. She tries to draw eyes, and noses too. I love seeing her pictures.

She is so happy and she loves to laugh...totally just like in Mary Poppins!!

I am so impressed with her. I don't know how she does what she does. For those of you who keep wondering what I'm talking about...she has been labeled "developmentally delayed" She suffered a stroke right before I delivered her. She has right sided weakness. The doctors told me that she may never walk or talk. She totally proved them wrong. I am so proud of all her accomplishments. She is so wonderful and sweet, and so stinkin' beautiful!!

I wish that I had better pictures, but my camera is broken!

Give mamma a little kiss!!