Isabel's Toothless Grin!

Dear Isabel,

Congratulations! You did it! You lost your first tooth today while at the beach house with just a little help from grandpa, Fred! I think your grandpa was as excited as you about the prospect of a loose tooth. You loved to wiggle that tooth and kept hoping and waiting for it to fall out. It is a special moment that you will share with grandpa always. Treasure the memory!

Do you feel any different now with that toothless grin? You have a beautiful smile! Losing a tooth is a sign of growing up. This has been a big year for you with finishing Kindergarten, learning to ride a two-wheeler, mastering the yo-yo, and now losing your very first tooth. You have a lot to be proud of Isabel Grace.

This tooth is very special and filled with magic. I can tell it is an excellent tooth because it is strong,, has good color, pearly white, and comes from the mouth of a very special girl. Teeth that possess these three qualities are very valuable in Tooth Fairy Land.

Thank you for leaving me your 1st tooth. During my visit, I noticed you had a memory box in your closet holding some of your most important childhood treasures. While I would love to add your 1st tooth to my collection, I think you should add this very special first tooth to your own collection of unique things. Besides it won’t be long before you will lose more teeth! I look forward to collecting the rest of your fine teeth. Please continue to take good care of them and remember to floss and brush, brush, brush!

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

Isabel, my shining star!

I cannot believe it, Isabel has officially completed Kindergarten! Andy, Brady, and I attended the Kindergarten closing last Thursday. The kids sang lots of songs from the school year, my favorite was Math Macharena, where they counted by 1's, 2's, 5's, and 10's while doing the hand motions! I have to admit it was hard to pay attention as Brady wanted to talk the entire time....honestly, he would not shut up! Unfortunately, he is a momma's boy, so going to daddy was not an option. He would've screamed. I took him to the back of the hall and walked around with him. He is completely aware of his surroundings and wants to tell you all about it. I got to hear all of the Kindergarten songs, but really wished I could've sat down and watched the entire show. Isabel was in the very back row (again!!) so it was almost impossible to see her anyway. At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Kohlhepp gave out certificates, to make it official.

Another exciting event, was the dance recital this past weekend. Nana, Pop Pop, and Gigi came to see the show again this year. Isabel danced to Beauty and the Beast (ballet) and Everyone's a Star (jazz)! She looked amazing. I was so proud of her. She had such grace and presence on stage. Isabel you are a star in my eyes!!

A loose tooth for Isabel

Last December, the girls went to the dentist for a cleaning and check-up. The dentist thought she felt Isabel's bottom teeth wiggle, but after looking at the x-rays, informed Isabel that she probably wouldn't lose a tooth for at least another six months. Isabel was so disappointed! Secretly, I was relieved. I guess I am not ready for my little girl to grow up and have her big girl teeth. Isabel's friends have been losing teeth since preschool. She is very curious and excited about this experience.

Anyway, it seems that since the last visit to the dentist, Isabel has been jiggling those two front teeth a little each day hoping to make them just a little bit looser. Routinely, she asks me, "Mom, do you think my teeth are getting looser?" In fact, this morning she asked me that very question. After checking, there was still barely a wiggle. I thought it would be months until my little girl lost her first tooth!

Surprisingly, this evening, Isabel came running up the stairs, yelling, "Mom, Mom, you are not gonna believe it! My tooth is loose! Do you wanna feel it? Can you believe it?" I have to admit I was shocked. One of her bottom teeth is actually quite loose. While she is very excited, she is actually a little bit nervous too! Looks like mom is going to have to accept the fact that little girls do grow up!

Chloe, my little cowgirl!!

Today was a very special day for Chloe May! Mrs. Lewis, her teacher from NSPCNS, invited Chloe and her pal Kiersten to feed, groom, and ride her horse, Wise Guy at the barn! She dressed in pants, a t-shirt, boots, and her cowgirl hat. Chloe was all smiles and unable to hide the excitement in her eyes.

While at the barn, the girls measured out the food for all five horses. Mrs. Lewis then put the food in the stalls and let the horses eat. It was funny because the horses knew it was dinner time, some of them began to snort, whinny, or even stomp their hooves. After dinner, the girls had an opportunity to give Wise Guy a snack - carrots and and an apple (which Chloe brought from home)! Then it was time to remove the empty feed buckets from the horses stalls and rinse them.

Mrs. Lewis then taught the girls a little about horses and how to care for them. The girls had an opportunity to use a curry comb to loosen the dirt, use a stiff bristle brush to remove any dirt, use a finishing or soft bristled brush to make the coat shiny, and finally, use a hoof pick to clean out the horses hooves.

Finally, Mrs. Lewis put a saddle and reins on the horse and took the girls for a ride. Chloe enjoyed walking and trotting on Wise Guy! I think Chloe's favorite part was pulling on the reins and saying, "Whoa!" to bring the horse to a halt.

One certainty is that Chloe has an innate passion for all animals. She seemed to have a glow about her from the moment we arrived at the barn; she was truly in horsey heaven! It was a wonderful evening for both mom and Chloe!

I love you Chloe, my little cowgirl!