Giraffes at the Bronx Zoo

Grandma Ann would be proud

Belle and I are at the playground on this beautiful afternoon. At the particular playground we're at, I take up my spot sitting atop the monkey bars so I can watch Belle wherever she goes. She climbs in a wooden structure, at the top of which is a covered area, just passed which there is an opening to see the sky.

Belle climbed to the top, looked out to sky, and called me over. She wanted to show me the half-moon in the sky. We looked at the moon and then called Grandma Ann to tell her about our moon sighting.

Big chair, big book, little girl

Matzah balls are easy

Chicken soup presents a more difficult challenge.

Who's the boss?

I started telling Belle that I am the boss.  When Belle fusses about something, I'll say, "Belle, Mommy is the boss so please do as I say."  I started doing this to remind myself that I am in charge (it's easy to forget since Belle can be so stubborn and strong-willed).

 

Last week, when Belle was giving me a hard time about brushing her teeth, I reminded Belle that she needed to open her mouth to let me brush her teeth because I am the boss.  Belle responded by saying, "Mommy boss."  Since then, Belle eager shares 'Daddy boss.  Mommy boss."  If I ask her if Belle is the boss, Belle will say, "noooooo."

 

And yet, who is the boss in our family?  Belle remains on sleep strike.  The other night, I found myself in a sleep stand-off with Belle.  I told her that I would sit in the rocking chair in her room if she lay down in her crib.  She made it clear to me that she would lie down after I was sitting in the rocking chair.  The standoff ended when I sat down and then she lay down, and she eventually fell asleep (after which, I tip-toed out of her room). 

 

So, Belle will excitedly answer, "who's the boss?" with "Daddy!" but in reality, Belle is the boss of the Tri-Ceps.

Stuck!

Belle interacted with a corded phone for the fist time over the weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Long Island.  Belle's assessment of a phone that is not a cordless/portable phone or a cell phone?  "It's stuck!"

Duping

1.  Craig has figured a way to use Elmo to our advantage at meal time.  Belle often prefers playing to eating, and then gets cranky when she grows too hungry.  Elmo (and creative Daddy) to the rescue!  Craig put Belle's bib on her Elmo doll and then put Elmo in Belle's high chair.  Then, Craig offered Elmo bites of chicken and peas and whatever else we were aiming to feed Belle for dinner.  Craig reacted by noting how much Elmo liked the food.  Once the bite was Elmo-approved, Belle was suddenly eager to eat it herself.  Genius, Craig.

2.  Belle's sleep-strike started about a month and a half ago.  She fusses at bedtime and sometimes refuses to nap.  It turns out, she simply wants to be near someone.  Tonight, after I completed our bedtime routine, I put her in her crib and then sat in the rocking chair and read a magazine.  I assured Belle that I was there and told her to lie down.  To my shock, she complied.  Belle looked up a few times to make sure I was still there.  I said, "Mommy's here, Belle.  Now please lie down."  Each time, Belle smiled and said, "Oh," and then lay herself down.  I read Time magazine.  Neither the creaking of the rocking chair on the hard wood floor nor the turning of the magazine pages seemed to bother her.  Nor did Belle need to be held to remain calm, as we previously thought.  A few essays into the magazine, Belle seemed asleep enough so I tip-toed out of her room and downstairs for dinner.  Lucky that we are dealing with this icky sleep-strike phase when the days are longer so the sky is lighter (I might have fallen asleep had the room been darker and had I not been reading).  Anyway, I got Belle to sleep without a single cry.  And without holding her.

Belle and her French uncle

Uncle Joe and Aunt Carla visited on Sunday.  I prepared Belle for their visit by trying to get her to say their names.  Belle sort got the idea:

ME:  "Belle, who is coming to visit today?"

BELLE:  "Gaga and zhou ZHOU."

"More cookie, please"

Belle is talking up a storm, but one must understand Belle-speak to interact with her.  For instance, "cookie" refers to any food...any food item that Belle desires at the time she says "cookie, please."  The other week, we enjoyed a lovely meal, most of which Belle played through.  When it was time for dessert, suddenly Belle appeared on my lap.  I gave her a small piece of my slice of chocolate babka, which she apparently enjoyed.  She finished her small bite and said, "More cookie, please."  Not wanting to overindulge her, I put five pieces of fruit (one pineapple, two cantaloupe and two honeydew) on my plate.  Belle took them off one by one and said, "No. No. No. No. No. More cookie, please."

Today, I satiated her desire for "more cookie" with Ritz crackers and dried apricots.  In Belle-speak, "cookies" are really just whatever she wants to eat at that moment.  It just so happens that sometimes she really wants a cookie.

PB&J Night

Or Belle was kissing the Joker.