Isabella Daisy is 'fhwee'

My Isabella Daisy...

I have repeatedly asked her how old she's going to be on her birthday...consistently, with a ginormous grin on her face she replies, "six and a hab (half)!" She makes me laugh, my little two year old turning THREE!

I always wanted twins. Heavenly Father saw fit to NOT do that to me, but to rather let me be pregnant 7 times, yielding 6 births. Sometimes I wonder what would have been easier since pregnancy was only a means to a baby for me. Shocker, I know. I didn't love the swollen ankles, sleepless nights, aches & pains, heartburn, the way it sort of slowed me down SIX TIMES, watching my fanny grow with my belly... I just never loved all of that. I know there are some that do. And I am NOT one of them!

but I did get my "Irish Twins."

Alexandra & Isabella

They are 13 months apart---and couldn't be more opposite in personality much of the time, yet a perfect pair. I know they speak their own language telepathically...they just have a special bond and Heavenly Father knew...oh, how they needed each other. I love it that Lexie and Izzie will never remember life without one another.

I never thought in a million years I'd get yet ANOTHER girl, my Izzie. Afterall, I was the only girl with FIVE brothers growing up. I feared Izzie's birth a little because I felt I robbed myself and Lexie by getting preggers so quickly. Afterall, Lexie really was still a baby. I was WRONG. It was in the divine plan. They all just needed to get to earth NOW. Part of me thought that all the ultrasounds were wrong...that this really WAS a boy...Me? Another girl? Couldn't be! You know, we had a pattern going: boy, girl, boy, girl...boy

Nope, didn't happen. Izzie was just her own little person and fit right in. Of course, my love multiplied quickly. She was the biggest of our babies, which I realize is still munchkin compared with many of her cousins... She was 8 pounds - she baked the longest. She had a unique look...you could tell she's a McLaughlin, but she's always had her own look going on. And she's as determined as the rest, yet always different than the others...

uniquely izzie.

I have always loved the name Isabella...very classic and beautiful. I thought we'd call her Bella (means 'beautiful') but the moment I laid eyes on her, "Izzie" came out. Originally I chose her middle name and the birth certificate said 'Menzie,' my maiden name. But it just didn't fit her. The day Monson met her he referred to her as 'Dizzy.' We thought he said "Daisy" and it was fitting, darling, spontaneous and it just worked. Thus, Isabella Daisy.

She makes our home come alive!

And by alive, I mean...

• She is a girl with a mind of her own

• A spunky little girl with a wit 100 times her size

• A now THREE-year-old going on 16

• She LOVES being a little sis to her bff, Lexie (and the rest of them too)

• She LOVES being a big sis to sweet Viviana

• She has to put 'yipstick' on everytime mommie does

• She can't sit still when music is playing

• She can't just walk; she skips and hops

• She marches to the beat of her OWN drum, for sure

• She is a little song bird

• She can do EVERYTHING all by herself...or at least tries

• She loves being a princess and insists on going to bed with her hair all done

• She finds comfort in her left index finger...I mean her left index finger in her mouth

• She can't leave home without one of her three pink blankies

• She's scared silly of the garbage truck

• She is generally so polite and will say "sure" when we ask her to do something

• She is addicted to chocolate milk in a sippy

• She has a smile that will brighten any room

...and a twinkle in her eye to match

• She loves cheese and 'cwackas'

• She loves having her tummy, legs, arms, back tickled/stroked

• She has terrific hygeine...brushes her teeth like 5 times a day

• She has to wear a dress everyday...only because Lexie does

• She's always been Daddy's little girl...she came home from the hospital on Father's Day

• She's mostly a cheerful girl unless she's in A MOOD.

• She can make us all laugh until we pee our pants.

everybody loves Izzie.

Happy 3rd Birthday, sweet Isabella!