My Sweet Bug

My Love For Isabelle is Unmeasurable!!!  I honestly could just sit and watch her all day, every day.  Isabelle is the most interesting human being I have ever met!!!

A year ago, I would of said Belle lives in her own little world.  Unaware of her surroundings.

Yes, I do believe sometimes she is residing in her own little world but  I don't believe that she is unaware of her surrounding anymore.

 When I pay close attention to Belle I realize she is very aware. Just today I was watching her while her siblings interacted with each other in the pool.  They were splashing, squealing and carrying on.  Belle was smiling, a little sweet smile showing that she absolute was aware of what they were doing.  Now that does not mean she wants to interact as well, she enjoys watching from a distance.

 Now that Belle is walking she typically just walks and walks all day long.  Never with a destination really.  Just walking from here to there and back again.  You can see the pride with each step she takes.  My goodness she has worked so hard to be able to walk.  Bug will change the way she walks for each terrain she is on.  For slippery, she takes all the time in the world and her body is stiff as stiff can be, she rarely falls.  

Belle definitely enjoys alone time.  She will let us know when she wants to go in her crib and listen to music. Dave bought her a wireless speaker and she listens to Pink, Adelle and Martina McBride.  HA!!!  Belle will verbalize loudly when she is done and wants out of her crib to start walking again.

One of her favorite things to do is open and close the dresser drawers.  Sometimes she will do this for an hour straight.  We refer to this as her "job".  If you get close enough while Bug is "working" she will sweetly take your hand and place it softly on the drawer handle.  She wants you to enjoy it too!!!  OH MY!!!!  I tear up almost every time.  I can't tell you the things left undone because I am opening and closing drawers with my beautiful daughter.  Oh yes, it's worth it!!!!

Bug absolutely knows that I am her Mother.  With no doubt she knows her Daddy.  She knows her siblings and she has favorites.  Conor is definitely her favorite "big" sibling!!!  She will go upstairs to his room, get in his bed, pull the covers up to her neck and listen to music with him.  When he enters a room she will make sure he takes the time to hold her.  She snuggles right in!!!  Conor always tells us he is not having children unless he knew for sure the child would be just like Belle.  He says "she is the apple of my eye"!!!

  Owen would be her next favorite.  She LOVES to wrestle with Owen.  It is the funniest thing to watch.  Owen is so good with her, Belle is the only sibling he has any patience with.  Owen Loves Bug Dearly!!  

Her favorite parent is definitely her Dad.  Bummer for me I know.  BUT, when I see her look at her Dad, it is not possible to feel jealousy, just pure JOY!!!!  The other day Dave was holding Belle all snuggled up to his chest.  I asked
"Do you think you will be holding her like that when she is 40?"
You know what he said?????
He said
"I Hope So"!!!!!!

Belle likes to pull hair and pinch.  When we tell her "no", she laughs hysterically.  I know, I know, not good!!!  It is so unbelievably hard to be mad at this precious girl for even a second.  We realize we are only creating a little monster by allowing this behavior so we have started getting much more strict with her.  Not that it is working.  She just laughs and laughs.  A deep belly laugh even.  Naughty little Bug!!!

When we were at the playground the other day and a young girl asked me,
 "is she your baby"
 and I said
 "no she is not a baby, she is my five year old daughter"
 and then she said
 "why does she walk like that?"
 and I said
"she just recently learned  to walk" 
then she asked
"what is wrong with her eyes"
I said
"she had to have eye surgery"
(I realized later that is not at all what she was referring to, she was referring to those beautiful brown almond shaped eyes)
and then came the

"why is she so weird"?

UGH!!!!

I said
"she is not weird, she is special, God made her very special". 

In all honesty I was furious.  Listen, I know that is wrong but that was  my immediate reaction.  I realize this young girl did not intend to be mean.  Really I was just hurt with her choice of words.  Why "weird"????  Why that word???  What is "weird" about her????  So once I calmed down I realized this was not an insult, this was just an observation made by a peer.

There is no doubt that Belle is not typical.  But in all honesty, neither is Taylor, Conor, Nick Sara, Owen, Gavin or Lyla.  Would it of hurt less if she had called one of my other children weird?  No I don't think it would of but I do believe I am a tad more sensitive when it comes to Belle.  I believe people are missing out when they judge her from a far.  Belle is so so so so VERY SPECIAL!!!  Her LOVE is GENUINE.  Her smile is INFECTIOUS!!  Her laugh is down right DELICIOUS!!!  Her Hugs are MAGICAL!!!!  And she is just PURE SWEETNESS TO THE BONE!!!

I love My Sweet Bug to the Moon and Back!!!  And if she is weird, then I obviously am an absolute sucker for weird!!!!!!!!