Every day with our pink princess was filled with smiles

PINK dolls and toys litter the living room and little pink shoes line the hallway at the Meyers' house.

Like many little girls her age, Isobel Meyer loved pink clothes, Peppa Pig and Disney princesses.

Her wheelchair, which she used when she was tired, even had a "Princess Isobel" sign, so everyone knew someone special had arrived.

Each day Isobel was alive was filled with smiles and joy, her parents said.

"She loved all the normal things girls love," said her mum Sarah.

"She loved Peppa Pig and she liked pink.

"She could be shy in a big group, but she had a one-on-one worker with her at school and she would chit-chatter away to her.

"She was very smiley and loved to make up songs and draw."

Dozens of pink fifth birthday cards still line the Meyer family's mantelpiece.

But, already, a pile of sympathy cards is stacking up beside them.

Newland St John Primary School pupil Isobel lived to see her fifth birthday, but died just five days later at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Her parents knew it was a day that could finally come, as Isobel had been diagnosed with a heart condition when she was a baby.

Scans during pregnancy revealed she had a heart problem, but when she was born, doctors realised the full severity.

The condition meant Isobel's heart was not functioning properly and feared she might not live past a few days.

Having lost another daughter, Madeline, who only survived 25 hours, the couple have seen their fair share of tragedy.

But despite their ordeal, they have made family life a special time full of happy memories.

Instead of the few short days doctors had predicted, the family got to spend five years with Isobel.

And to add to their happiness, just two months after Isobel came home, they took a relative's baby into their care and adopted her.

Since that time, Sarah, Marcus and their two daughters, Isobel and Jodie, six, have enjoyed many happy days out and trips away.

"Sarah was a tigeress – she helped give Isobel the best start in life and I think that is what gave us the five years we had," said Marcus, 46.

Sarah said: "I think she was one of the earliest babies they let go home, she had done so well.

"I remember I said, 'we are taking her home to live' and we got those sympathy glances from people.

"I didn't want them thinking we were being unrealistic, we very much wanted to focus on the fact she was coming home to live.

"As long as she wanted to be here, she would be."

Proving she wanted to stick around and fight through her condition, it was little baby Isobel who decided she had had enough of medical intervention.

Sarah said: "At first she had a gastric feed and heart and oxygen monitors. She had wires and tubes all over her.

"One day she pulled out the feeding tube herself – she'd clearly decided she'd had enough.

"She started breast feeding a little bit at first, but then she was doing it a lot more."

During her life, Isobel had a few chest and gastric infections and did take a few trips to hospital. But each time she recovered well and was home within a few days.

And when she wasn't in hospital, her life was filled with happiness.

"We knew she had problems, but everything else seemed normal so we wanted her to have a normal life," said Marcus.

"She wanted to do things other children were doing, so we let her.

"We didn't believe in wrapping her in cotton wool."

Sarah said: "We never told her she was ill.

"She knew she would get tired easily and would watch the other children and knew they had more energy.

"But she had a go at everything."

One of Isobel's favourite films was Snow White And The Seven Dwarves and she would often ask her sister Jodie to act out scenes with her.

Her most treasured item was her reindeer teddy, which was given to her at Lapland.

Isobel went on the trip in December 2011 with the When You Wish Upon A Star charity, which organises holidays for poorly and terminally-ill children.

"She had a fantastic time and made sure she got to the front of everything," said Sarah.

"When Santa came out to see the children she said, 'it is my Santa'."

Queuing up to meet the man in red, Isobel was beside herself with excitement.

Marcus said: "She kept trying to get to the front but I had to keep explaining there was a queue.

"Eventually, we got to the front and the look on her face was just amazing. She was given a reindeer and that was her favourite toy ever.

"If she went to bed without it and woke up and realised, she would shout for us to bring it.

"She also went to Disneyland and got a Pluto toy. She insisted on calling it Goofy, though."

But sadly Isobel's full and exciting life came to an end the day before Mother's Day.

She had become unwell and the pressure was too much for her weak heart to take.

She died at Hull Royal Infirmary on March 9.

"It was very quick," said Marcus.

Her loyal older sister Jodie remained in the hospital, in a room further down the corridor from Isobel.

She spent the hours after Isobel's death making cards and paper gifts for her while adult family members came to say their goodbyes.

Sarah was the one who explained to Jodie what had happened.

She said: "I explained that Isobel was really poorly, but that even though you try really hard, you can't always fix things.

"I said this time she had been really poorly and she had gone to sleep.

"Jodie said 'will she wake up?' and I said 'no' but reassured her Isobel would never be poorly again.

"Then she gave her a kiss and went off to make her a card."

Family members and friends will say goodbye to Isobel at a service taking place next week.

The funeral is being held on Monday at St John Newland Church at 11am.

Sarah said: "She was a lovely little girl. She was always so smiley and happy and cheeky with it too.

"She'll be missed very much, but those five years were the best we could have hoped for."