News and views from Isabelle

Time for an update???

2009-10-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hi folks

My Mummy would like to apologise for not updating my blog for 8 months. Yes, that's right, 8 MONTHS! Now you may wonder what on earth she has been doing that has kept her so busy? Well she decided to give me a little brother! Charlie was born on the 18th June 2009 and I love him very much. Well, most of the time. He does tend to demand attention which I find hugely annoying and I have been letting Mummy and Daddy know that I am annoyed quite a lot lately. In fact, Mummy says I cry more than Charlie does.
So I suppose you would like to know what I've been up to since my last post? Here's a summary:
1) Nana and Grandad came to stay
2) I had my second birthday
3) Mummy was told I would need surgery on my eye
4) I decided to stop sitting up again
5) My Physiotherapist got me to walk with assistance
6) I worked out how to sit up on my own
7) Mummy was told I did not need surgery on my eye
8) I started an Early Intervention class at a school called Genesis
9) Mummy finally found a main-stream nursery that would take me
10) I worked out how to crawl, but now refuse to walk!
11) Auntie Lucy moved to Singapore - HOORAY!
12) Grandma and Grandpa came to stay

I've had a very busy few months as you can see. Mummy has promised to try and update this blog a bit more often for me but I have been told I need to cooperate and stop having so many tantrums so she has time to do it!

Bye.x

Sitting up isn't that bad.....I suppose

2009-01-28T04:32:00.000-08:00

After a 2 month blogging-break, I'm back!! I don't know if you've realised, but Mummy types this blog for me as I'm still learning. As she has had one hand permanently behind me for the last 2 months to stop me from falling backwards, she has been unable to type as well.

But I decided last week that the novelty of spending most of the day on my back was wearing thin and rediscovered the sitting position. Mummy and Daddy were so pleased about this that they booked a long weekend in Phuket to celebrate.

The last time I went to the beach I wasn't very impressed - that sand stuff felt weird and I didn't like touching it, I even tried eating it and that wasn't great either. However, this weekend I felt WET sand for the first time. It's BRILLIANT! You can dig holes in it, throw it, cover your legs in it.............but it still doesn't taste very good.

Now you may notice from this photo, I have realised the benefit of wearing sunglasses. I could actually play with both hands rather than having to use one hand to keep the sun out of my left eye. And I think I look pretty cool too.

I'm really looking forward to all of the visitors arriving over the next few months - Auntie Hannah and Uncle Kaine, Nana and Grandad, and Great Uncle Ollie and Great Auntie June. I'm hoping that I'll get LOADS of attention, especially as it's my birthday next month. Mummy's even threatening to bake a cake. Uh-oh.

Nasty needles and christmas trees!

2008-11-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

Hello

This week I put Mummy and Daddy through a very traumatic experience. I faked having a tethered spinal cord. The dr's and Mummy and Daddy believed me and even went to the extent of making me have an MRI scan. Now there was one fatal flaw to my evil plan.......I didn't realise that I would need to be hooked up to a drip which involved a needle being stuck in my hand. And my arm. And my ankle. And my foot. Yep, that's right, the stupid dr's couldnt find a vein. But i had a nice sleep and Mummy and Daddy got a cd-rom of my MRI as a souvenir.

Daddy has been desperate to celebrate christmas and was finally allowed to buy a christmas tree this weekend.

I had hold of the instructions and gave him direction as he assembled it....

"Errrrr, left a bit, and Daddy your pants are showing"

"Yeah the lights look good, but your pants are still showing..."

The finished tree. Hooray, Christmas has arrived in Singapore!

Indoor playground?!

2008-10-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hi folks

I wanted to show you how I can crawl down the rather large slide that is taking up a lot of room in our apartment.

I'd quite like to go down the slide the conventional way but apparently this way is better for strengthening my upper body. It's always nice to get to the bottom and find my Beba waiting for me.

Mummy bought me this new outfit at the weekend. Unfortunately she didn't really think it through properly as it's mainly white in colour and I love orange food, uh-oh.

My holiday in France

2008-10-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time in France with Mummy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, Grandad and Uncle Jay.

We flew to Amsterdam, waited there a few hours, boarded a flight to Toulouse, got diverted, landed in Carcassone, got a coach back to Toulouse, then drove 3 hours to La Reynie. I ran out of food on the second flight so was starving by the time I arrived at Granny and Grandads house - poor planning on Mummys behalf I think.

We flew all the way with KLM and I have to tell you about something that happened on the flight to Amsterdam that I hope will put anyone reading this off flying with them. The conversation between Mummy and the air steward went like this:

" Please can I have a bassonet for my daughter"

" There is a weight limit of 9kg for bassonets"

" That's ok, she weighs 8.4kg"

" There's no way an 18 month old child weighs less than 9kg"

" She has a medical condition that means she is small for her age"

" You're lieing. I'm not listening" (Walks off).

Mummy is obviously extremely angry about this and has complained to KLM but not heard back yet......watch this space.

I made a new friend in France - Bella. She was slightly larger than me (see photos below) but we definately had a connection. I loved her so much I practiced saying her name over and over again, even in my sleep....Beba, Beba, Beba, Beba.........it's hard to make the 'll' sound you know.

I also accompanied Mummy and Daddy on lots of long lunches. People in France seem to have 6 or 7 courses for lunch, and a glass of wine with each course. Mummy and Daddy like this way of life although they are on strict diets since returning to Singapore.This is me doing an impression of what happens to Mummy when she drinks wine at lunch time.

And when Daddy drinks wine at lunchtime he becomes very, very happy.....

It was lovely to see all my grandparents again and I hope I don't have to wait too soon until they come and visit me in Singapore, I have lots of places I can't wait to show them, like the East Coast Park where we can hire bikes...or the fantastic Singapore Zoo where we can look at monkeys.....

......ride on swings.....
......and practice walking in the chidrens paddling pool!

I'm on the move - well, a little bit!

2008-09-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hello folks

I just had to write to let you know that I managed to pull myself down a slide on my tummy today. Not once, but FOUR TIMES!! And I didn't have my usual crying fit, I actually was very very pleased with myself when I got to the bottom and asked for 'MORE"! I've been having physio twice a week lately and it seems to be paying off. I'm much stronger now, I just have to work on holding my head up for a bit longer. Do you know what evil Mummy did yesterday? She made me watch a whole episode of In The Night Garden on my tummy so I had to keep my head up. Honestly, I just want to watch Upsy-Daisy in peace.

I'm flying to France on Wednesday so will have lots of exciting stories to tell when I get back.

A weekend in Phuket

2008-09-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

I have just got back from my first trip to Thailand - Sawas-dee-kaa ( That's hello).

Daddy had a meeting in Phuket on Friday so Mummy and I decided he wan't allowed to go on his own and joined him.

We stayed at the Indigo Pearl Hotel on Nai Yang beach. Daddy had to go to his meeting as soon as we got to the hotel, so Mummy took me down to the beach - she said she wanted to show me the sea. However, I saw the sea for about a minute and then the inside of a bar for another hour.

She met an 'old friend' called Mr Kobi and he persuaded her to have a few gin and tonics. We then went back to the hotel for an afternoon nap - mummy needed it more than me.

Although it rained for most of the weekend I managed to get to the beach for an hour and try out my new beach tent.

I liked Phuket very much and think I'll be going back there very often!

Bird Park and Raffles

2008-09-08T05:02:00.001-07:00

We have a new camera, hooray! So you get to see my beautiful face again.

I packed a lot into this weekend. We went to Jurong Bird Park on Saturday. I have to say that, as a whole, birds are a pretty boring bunch of creatures. Especially the penguins. I was about to start showing my boredom by screaming how I wanted to go home, when I discovered the 'Talking Birds' corner. I found that if I bounced up and down the birdies copied me, and if I shreaked so did the birdies, brilliant!!

I also visited the tallest man-made waterfall in Asia. B.O.R.I.N.G.!!!!!

On Sunday I put on my posh frock and went to High Tea in the Tiffin Room at Raffles.

Unfortunately the Raffles Hotel only had posh high-chairs. Incase you didn't know, I am very fussy about high-chairs. I am very happy to sit in the cheap white ones from Ikea but hate any chair that comes higher than my back. Strange but true. So I thought I might have to ruin Mum and Dads tea as there was no way I was going to sit in that chair while they tried to feed me cucumber sarnies. Luckily the head waiter noticed my distress and decided that I was the cutest baby he'd seen for a while and took me for a walk to meet all of the other waiters.

Mummy says I'm a big flirt. It takes one to know one!

STILL NO CAMERA!!!!

2008-08-29T04:37:00.000-07:00

Hello

I must apologise for the lack of photos in this post, I have been promised that we will be going shopping for a new camera tomorrow so you will be able to see pictures of my beautiful face again!

This week I have visited the Botanical Gardens twice. Mummy was so impressed with it at the weekend that she took me back there again yesterday on her own. She was very silly and forgot to wear insect repellant and had her ankles eaten. Haha I didn't get bitten at all, I don't think mosquitos like the taste of me as I haven't been bitten at all since I've been out here.

Today I had another physio session with Shalini. Mummy thinks she's great but I think she's evil. She made me go down a slide on my front 3 times. I spent the whole hour screaming in protest but Mummy thinks it is doing me good and helping me build my muscles.

We are visiting the Indigo Pearl in Phuket this weekend. Mummy and Daddy have been telling me about what a great place it is and how I'll love the beach. I'm packing my beach tent and bucket and spade. Mummy and Daddy are hoping the hotel has a baby-sitting service.

Then on the 17th Spetember I am going on a long flight to France to see Nana, Grandad, Grandma and Grandpa, oh and Uncle Jay and my Sandy dog!

Can I please make a plea to Nana Scammell? I haven't had any white chocolate buttons since I got here......please can you bring some to France for me........but don't tell Mummy and Daddy, they think they are bad for my teeth.

I had to have my BCG injection when I got to Singapore and the lump it left has gradually been getting bigger and bigger over the last few months and it actually exploded yesterday (sorry if you're eating whilst reading this) and it's really really painful. Oh yes, another plea to Nana Scammell - please can you bring some Nurofen Orange sachets to France too? I think they are yummy and they send me to sleep which Mummy thinks is a bonus.

I finished my Kindermuzic course today and got my first ever certificate! I've loved going every Friday, banging on drums, shaking bells, dancing (well Mummy was dancing, I was being carried). I hope I get to go again as I really loved it. Mummy has said that I need to walk before I can go again as her back will break if she has to carry me any more.

That's all my news for this week - Ill make sure that there are some photos of me on here soon, enjoying the sun (it's rainy season) in Phuket. Byeeeeeeeeeee.

My new home

2008-08-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hello

My Mummy apologises for not updating this page for a long time. She doesn't have a camera at the moment so had to get Daddy to use his camera phone so we can show you our new home.

I've been here 2 days now and there's been a lot of unpacking going on around me and loads of moving boxes - mainly into the spare room so I hope noone is planning to stay here soon. It's official, my parents are hoarders!

The floor is all shiny and hard and I really don't want to hit my head so I spend a lot of time on my shaggy rug.

Mummy and Daddy are taking me for a swim in the pool tomorrow - hooray I love swimming! This photo only shows half of the swimming pool - it's huge.

Mummy says she'd have an asthma attack if she had to swim one length of it. Daddy says they'd send the whale rescue team to the pool if he got in it.

This is my bedroom - it's much bigger than my old bedroom which is great because I can have all of my toys out, and I have a LOT of toys.
Mummy thinks I'm spoilt but I can't help it if people think I'm worth spoiling.

I definately approve of my new room because I have had no problems sleeping in there at all ( Mummy says PHEW!).

I borrowed Daddy's camera earlier to catch Mummy doing what she does best.........

Yes, that's right, she found the wine shop yesterday and I don't think this lot will last for long.

Mummy (whilst sober) has promised that she will update my blog a bit more often in future so please come back soon!

We've arrived!

2008-06-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have officially been a resident of Singapore for 3 days now and BLIMEY it's hot. Mum and Dad seem to think the weather's lovely but I'm sweating my nappy off.

I was great on the flight, sleeping most of the way, just making the occassional cry to make sure Mummy and Daddy were awake. Hee hee - well they deserved it, look what they were going to do......

I nearly rang Childline, but apparently it was a joke - hilarious.

The first thing I did when I arrived was get my hair cut. I found a great hairdresser, just for kids, where the nice lady put a Bob The Builder DVD on for me to watch while she chopped my hair and got rid of the ridiculous haircut Mummy gave me last month. They gave me a 'before' and 'after' photo but personally I can't see much difference. What do you think?

Mummy says you can tell the difference from behind - well what use is that, I can't see it?

We are staying in a serviced apartment until we find a permanent home. I like it because it has nice soft carpet - unlike the rough, dog-hair covered carpet in my old house. But all I hear is Mummy moaning about the size of the kitchen. I don't see the problem, do you?

Seeing as Mummy is VERY keen to move out of the apartment and find a permanent home I'm sure I will post an update shortly telling you all about our 3 day house hunting expedition and where we will be living.

My trip to Boston

2008-06-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

I got back from America yesterday and, although I have jet-lag, I thought I'd let everyone know what a fantastic time I had.

The airplane was brilliant, I didn't stop smiling for the entire 6 hour flight and the other passengers on the plane kept telling my Mummy and daddy how well-behaved I was.

I met Auntie Lucy's cats - Buster and Tallulah. Tallulah seemed to take a shine to me but Buster kept out of my way - I don't know why, I only wanted to pull his tail.I learnt to wave on holiday, and so I did it almost non-stop for 2 days. I even waved at the gorillas at the zoo, but they didn't wave back, how rude.

We went to the beach at Cape Cod but despite the blue sky, it was very cold so we didn't stay too long. I'm still not happy about wearing sunglasses or hats - they just aren't as effective as putting my hands over my eyes. Only problem is, I can't really see anything.

Auntie Lucy spent ages cooking food for me before my visit but I wasn't too keen (sorry Auntie Lucy), I much preferred whatever Mummy and Daddy were eating and ordered my own pasta meals in restaurants - easy to swallow whole without chewing. I hate chewing.

And there was cheesecake - Mummy thought by placing it in front of me and taking a photo it would look like I was eating it, when actually she was stuffing her face and has come back from Boston 2 stone heavier.

We are going to France in a few days time to take my dog, Sandy, to live with Grandma and Grandpa in France. I'm very sad as she is my most favourite thing in the whole world. Bye bye Sandy, I promise I'll visit you loads.

Then when we get back from France I'll be preparing for the big move - I've already been reading up on my new home....

Hello and Welcome!

2008-05-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody and welcome to my blog. I've been pestering Mummy to set this up for me for ages, but it's taken a big kick up the bottom from Abigails Mummy to get her to do it, so a BIG THANKYOU to Alison.

My clever Daddy has got a new job in Singapore so we will be moving out there very soon, maybe even by the end of June if we can get all of our things shipped out there quickly. I think I will need a boat all to myself for all my clothes and toys.

I have promised Mummy that I will try and keep my sunglasses and sunhat on when we get out there, I'm just pretending not to like them at the moment. This is the face I pull when Mummy gets them anywhere near me...

We are flying to Boston next week to visit Auntie Lucy. I haven't been on an airplane before and can't decide if I will scream all the way there or sleep. I'll let you know what I decide. This is me with Auntie Lucy last summer when it hadn't occured to me that hats can actually be removed from my head.

Watch this space, there will be new photos of me with Auntie Lucy coming soon!