Pris Adventures: Dear Isabelle

Dear Isabelle

You, my little princess have turned the big one! It's crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun! You are our 4th baby and we wish time would stand still for you! But you have 3 older brothers to show you the ropes, so you're ever so impatient to join them in everything! Here's a little interview of you at 13 months old!

So, tell me about Isabelle! What is she like?

Isabelle is a relatively calm baby who smiles and laughs a lot. But she's got a pretty determined (ie. stubborn) streak such that once she has set her mind on something, she would not give up until she's succeeds. That explains how she would be gingerly taking her first few steps one day and proceed to cruising through the house in just a matter of days! Her motor skills are really advanced, this one!

She absolutely loves the little Ikea chair in her brothers' room and would very often climb onto it and place her little butt there! She's also a cheeky little monkey who would climb up the sofa and bed that is three-quarter her height!

What does she like to eat?

She has a very healthy appetite and eats pretty much anything Mummy cooks! But her all-time favourite food is mango, raspberries, kiwi and bananas (in that order). Her palate is very developed because she eats the same food as the entire family. She loves to self-feed, which results in a lot of cleaning up for Mummy & Daddy!

Does she sleep through the night now?

She's a great sleeper in that she falls asleep relatively quickly by herself. She still wakes up once a night to nurse but since she is co-sleeping, Mummy and Isabelle do not wake up much at night. At the moment, she seems to be teething so that explains her more frequent night wake-ups.

What's her routine like?

She doesn't have a fixed routine because she's often following Mummy and Liam to do things around the house and pick up her older brothers from school. She absolutely loves going on the swing and would squeal in delight whenever we place her on one.

How do the boys treat their sister?

The two older boys pretty much dote on their younger sister. Unfortunately this results in them trying to parent her as well. The youngest boy, Liam is more of a play buddy with Isabelle because they only have a 2.5-year age gap.

Does she talk?

She loves saying "Mama" and "Dada". While she seems to know that "Mama" refers to "Mummy", "Dada" seems more of blabbering for her. She understands the meaning of "no" and has (finally) stopped putting lego into her mouth. You can tell that she's processing a lot of information in her brain when you talk to her. I have no doubt that she will be a talker because she blabbers from the time she wakes up to the time she goes to bed - a typical girl really!

What does it feel like to have a girl after 3 boys?

Honestly, it still feels really surreal for me. Even after 1 year, I still find it hard to believe we have a baby girl in our family! Its definitely very fun to be able to dress her up in girls' clothes. I'm going to milk it as long as it lasts (ie. before she insists on choosing her own clothes). It does feel like being a first-time Mom all over again because Isabelle gives a feminine flavour to our testoterone-dominant family.

How did you celebrate her first birthday?

It was a very chilled affair! We had immediate family members and close friends over.

The hub baked a Russian cheesecake and brownies. I was in-charge of the decorations - which we got from Amazon. This time, I went all out to have a pink party! It was so fun! And girly! But guess what? The helium itself cost way more than the balloons! Argh. Lesson learnt!

Our guests stayed for dinner. But this time, instead of cooking dinner, we decided to just heat up some frozen pizza! It was the BEST.THING.EVER! I could actually enjoy the party with my baby girl and talk to my guests! I think this will be the muster of our future parties. Just more chill and no more slogging in the kitchen food-wise.

At first, I thought I should do bake the birthday cakes and cook dinner. But the hub kept telling me to keep it simple. Soo, I really had to get over myself and my Asian cook-up-a-storm mindset, to simply feed my guests. Germans are happy with Abend Brot (evening bread with cold cuts of ham and cheese). So, I'm a happy camper to feed my German family and friends.

Sounds awesome! How are you coping as a Mom to 4, 8 and under?

Hmm, what can I say. It is a lot of juggling and being on the ball. Some days are just crazy madness. Some days, like Wednesdays are awesome! Since last week, my in-laws have started taking the two younger ones in the afternoon, while the 2 older ones stay in school longer. I actually had my first-ever kids-free day in years!! I'm so definitely going to book myself in for a massage soon!

I'm always praying to God for wisdom, strength, lotssss of patience and grace for the parenting tasks at hand. I make a lot of mistakes! But I'm constantly reminded that God is my children's Father and I'm just a steward that He has chosen for my children. God sustains me and my husband day after day. Motherhood is honestly the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life and yet the most challenging one at the same time.

Dear Isabelle

We pray that you will know that you are so loved by all of us and by our Heavenly Father! Don't define yourself by the world's definition of beauty, because God looks at the heart. I pray that you will be a mighty princess warrior for God, but always have a gentle and quiet spirit that draws your strength from Christ. Grow well little one! Enjoy your toddlerhood and try not to skip all these milestones in your hurry to keep up with your 3 older brothers ok. We need you to stay young and babyish for a little longer.

Love
Mummy & Daddy

xoxox