A day in the life of 13 month old Isabelle

Hello there, dear aunties and uncles,

So my mommy decided to write a day in the life of me, so if you are interested to find out more, read on!

Somehow my body clock is tuned to wake up between 7-730am everyday.  It's mostly a good night's sleep - through the night - after mummy or daddy tucked me into my snug sleeping bag at bedtime.  Mmm.. I always need my muslin and dummy to fall asleep.  In the morning when I'm awake in my cot (in my own room), sometimes I sit there and talk in my baby language.  I'm told it sounds cute.  On certain days where I wake up feeling really hungry, I will let out a loud continuous cry, in hope I can wake someone up in the other room and make me a bottle of milk.  It always works, I tell you.  Sometimes I have to wait a while, but eventually someone will come with a bottle of milk and I get all excited!  I stand up in my cot and start bopping because you know... milk.  Mummy or daddy will open the curtain to let the sunlight in, and start to change my very full overnight nappy whilst I drink very happily.  Then mummy or daddy will change me into my day clothes, and I think they usually tell me where I will be spending my day today - either at the nursery or at Vanessa's, my very nice Spanish childminder.  When I'm done drinking my milk, mummy would usually grab my face cloth and wipe my face to freshen me up.

When I'm all dressed and ready, I love to observe how daddy and mummy get ready for work.  I crawl excitedly into their bedroom and see what catches my eye.  Most times I love seeing what's on the bedside table.  I take each item, study it and throw it on the floor.  So fun!  Even more fun when I throw them into the wastepaper basket next to the bed.  Once mummy found her watch inside.  Ooh and that make up bag which mummy uses is filled with so many fascinating things.  No idea what they are, but again, I take each item out and start throwing them on the floor.  This game is so enjoyable, you know what I mean?  Daddy gets ready within a few minutes, he is like speed Gonzales.  I love watching him wear his socks.  Don't ask me why, maybe I am fascinated by the size of my socks, compared to his huge socks.

We always leave in a hurry, although thankfully both places are within a 5-10min walk.  These days it's really cold in the mornings.  I get all wrapped up with just my head peeking out of the buggy.  Sometimes when mummy or daddy talks I see their breath in the air.  So fun!  I get really excited when I reach Auntie Vanessa's place.  I see her assistant Zara at the door welcoming me and I smile and kick - can't wait to go in and play!  Every Tuesday and Wednesday, however, I go to the nursery.  This one, I don't really like.  The teachers don't play with me as much as Vanessa or Zara.  The place where I nap is right next to the other room with kids who are screaming most of the time so I don't nap well here.  In fact, I get quite upset when daddy or mummy leave me here.  I cry and look at them longingly when they leave.  I try to tell them I want to go to Vanessa's in my baby language, but of course they don't understand.  But I do hear them talking about trying to take me out of this nursery and I quite like this idea.

At the nursery, waiting to go home

I play pretty much the whole day, but I don't quite know how to play with friends yet, though I am learning.  Most of the kids at Vanessa's are older than me but on some days there is another baby friend called Jessica.  I try to share my toys with her.  Oh did I tell you we get to eat many times in a day?  Its really cool because I love food.  So much.  I get a little annoyed when I see my parents eating and not offering me some of their food to share with me.  A bit rude, don't you think?  Everyone says I eat really well.  Thanks!  I just happen to really like food.  A foodie!  I've tried quite a variety of food by now and geez, it is so hard to pick a fave.  Mmm but if I really have to do so, I would say banana!  or bread!  Make it both I'd say.  Actually.... yoghurt too.  Tough one!

I love playing with my tea set

This was at my baby sing and sign class with mummy

Vanessa takes a few pictures of me while playing and uploads them on a secure website to show mummy and daddy, so they know what I was up to after they left me in the morning.  Oh just last Friday, it was a beautiful day and Vanessa and Zara brought all of us to the nearby park!  I sat on the swing; I loved it!

Sensory play with cotton wool but I'm not sure I like it.  Feels kinda weird in my hands.

Doing prints on coloured sand

Sometimes auntie Vanessa helps me make artwork on special occasions too!  Look at my big feet here.

Soon, the day is over and by 6pm I will see either my mummy or daddy's head popping into the play area.  Yay they are here to get me!  I often scream with joy and drop whatever I'm holding and speed crawl toward them.  Then I hear auntie Vanessa telling him/her my day, how well I ate, how much milk I drank, and how much I napped in the day.  I feel so happy knowing I am going home.  It's usually dark by them, and we start our quick walk home.

We get home, and the adults fuss over me by feeding me some dinner and cooking their own dinner, not before either giving me a bath or wiping me down to get me ready for bed.  I will be put down for bedtime between 730-745pm.  By then I smell nice, feel clean and they tuck me into my comfy sleeping bag.  Daddy usually gives me a quick cuddle and put me in my cot, which I sometimes cry in protest against, but I love it when mummy puts me to bed because she gives me a long cuddle, and I am in her arms while she's in the armchair, till I drift off to sleep.

And that's the story of my life - thanks for reading!  What do you think?  Do you like how I write?  Should I write more?