At the playground

At Hippo Playground in Riverside Park with Sawyer.

Friday's breakfast

"Mommy, eat Cheerios" Belle says proudly as she enjoys the breakfast Daddy prepared for her.

"Napping"

"Under covers"

Belle as Bluefish

 

Belle's Fears

In the past two days, we've learned more about what Belle fears. Yesterday, at the mattress store, Belle was playing with a remote control for a mattress when the mattress started moving. She ran to us crying, scared by whatever the mattress had done.

Today, we went to a Bridgeport Bluefish baseball game. Belle was so excited to see the mascot, a bluefish. We waited in line to see him, and, when we got to the front, Belle was scared by him. I'll give the Fish credit though. I originally held Belle between me and the Fish. When the Fish saw Belle was scared, he moved to the other side of me, away from Belle. Nonetheless, a good time had by all.

With the Bluefish himself

Bottom of the seventh inning.

Belle's first baseball game

Mommy teaches Baseball 101 at the Blueport Bluefish game. Daddy will be responsible for Baseball 201.

Belle is now learning that baseballs go high and trains pass through the outfield. The stadium is next to the Bridgeport train station.

Getting ready for the Olympic balance beam

Loving the swings at the playground

"Weeeeeeeeeeee!"

Ready for Puddles

Bon jour, Montreal!

From Mont Royal's peak.

Bathing

Bath has been on bath-strike for a year.  After trying everything, including all of our pediatrician's suggestions, we resorted to simply showering her.  That is, one of us gets in the shower and holds Belle while we wash her.  We have tried to introduce the bath from time to time this past year to no avail (to dangerous kicking and screaming fits).  But, we enjoyed a wonderful week that included fun times in the pool. After seven straight days of playing in a pool, I thought I could parlay that watery fun into a bath.  Guess what: it worked!  With bubble bath and a few bath toys (strategies that backfired a year ago, because they made her bath fits dangerous), Belle happily played in the tub while I knelt on the bath mat to bathe her.  She didn't much enjoy me pouring cupfuls of water over head to wet and rinse her hair when I shampooed her, but her discontent was minor.  I think we are finally back to baths around here!

The newest bathing problem?  I couldn't get Belle out of the tub after I'd finished cleaning her!  Not a bad problem to have after a year of showering her..

My little mad scientist

At Stepping Stone Museum for Children in Norwalk, CT with cousins Lauren and Jordan.  It is fun to compare Belle's enjoyment level today with our visit to the Ithaca Science Center last August just before Belle's first birthday.  It makes me really excited to see how much she enjoys our next jaunt to another children's museum next year.

Weeeeee!!!!

At Stepping Stones

With cousin Jordan.

Rainboots in July

What happens when I invite Belle to pick out her shoes.

Joe Cool on the Scooter

Cousin Noah's scooter, while in Sag Harbor.

"Daddy, read please"

Belle ran to Craig requesting he read her Time magazine. She asked "what's that?" On every page. It was fun listening to Craig try to make Time sound fun and kid-friendly.

Language Development

It was astounding to witness Belle's language development over our week together on vacation.  For example, a week ago, Belle pointed to the Chobani Champions Greek yogurt in the fridge and said "please" when she wanted to eat yogurt.  A few days into our trip, Belle started saying "tiggitt" when she wanted yogurt.  A few days ago, Belle started clearly asking for "yogurt, please."  In fact, Belle can now ask for all of her favorite food by name: Cheerios, applesauce, apricots (dried), cheese, yogurt, cookies (which still refers to anything that doesn't otherwise have a name), steak (Craig is so proud), milk and water.  Of course, I wonder if she learned the words because she likes the foods, or if she gets those foods more since she is able to say the words to ask for them by name.

Belle also repeats everything we say, so it is officially time to watch what we say around her.  She sometimes sounds like ET, repeating the last few or the key words of something we say to her: "Belle, come over here right now" gets repeated back as "Belle come now."

When Belle fell in the playroom yesterday, she asked me to "kiss knee, please."  She actually answers "yes" to some questions now, despite her favorite word being "no."  She can say people's names and greet them appropriately: "Hello, Jordan!"  "Bye Bye, Claire."

This language development, like most stages in Belle's growth, draws attention to the fact that I am a sucker.  Last night, when I was putting Belle to bed, Belle asked for "more song, please."  Being the sucker I am, I ended up singing a whole concert to her.  I finally said, "Belle, this will be the last song."  After, Belle asked for, "last song, please."

Two more videos from Rhode Island

Here are two more videos from our Rhode Island adventure. The first is Belle playing in the quiet bay. The second is Belle splashing in the ocean. Enjoy.

A successful nap

Seren and I aren't the best when it comes to getting Belle to go down
for a nap, especially in the crib when we're at home. Today, however,
Seren got Belle to go down early for a nap that lasted almost three
hours. I'm very proud of my baby mother for a successful nap.

Morning bike ride

The words we were waiting for

This evening, just before bedtime, Belle said, "I love you, Daddy."

Uncles/Daddies/Cousins in the pool

Swimming swimming in the swimming pool

Listening to music

Cousin Noah and Belle

Hello from the Shelter Island Ferry!

Next Leg of Vacation

View from New London to Orient Point as we leave New London.

Likes long walks on the beach

Enjoying Ice Cream on the Beach

We took a long walk and then took a break for ice cream.  Although Seren and Belle meant to share a cone, Belle didn't share much.  Here it is.



When she was done, Belle walked up to the window and asked for "more ice cream, please."  With that, we continued our walk home.

Belle on the carousel

She loved it so much we went thrice (twice on the big horses that go up and down). So cute. I have a little girl and not a baby.

Fear overcome!

Daddy taught Belle about the joys of getting your feet wet in the ocean while we took a long walk on the beach. So much fun!

Belle plus Beach

Let me clarify Belle's opinion of the beach:
Belle loves looking at and listening to the ocean (who needs a sound machine to replicate the sound of waves when we're staying at a beach house?  Perhaps the ocean accounts for Belle's post-7am wake-ups).  She also has fun playing in the sand- for a while (when she realizes that she can't easily clean her sand-covered hands, she is done.  In fact, she knows where the outdoor showers are and she goes right to them when she's done playing in the sand so she can clean her hands).  She likes being and splashing in the water, though.  Belle enjoys wading in the swimming pool, and she also had a great time walking in the bay, which is on the other side of the street from us on the ocean beach (bay = beach - waves).
Bottom line: Belle's a happy vacationer (and when Belle's happy, Mommy and Daddy are happy)

Rainy Fourth of July

Belle slept from about 7:30pm until nearly 8am. It's raining so all there is to do is snuggle and read. Not a bad morning. : )

The sun should come out later, so we'll play in the sand and swim in the pool soon.

Pre-sleep walk

"Watey!" (Water!) "Burr-dee!" (Bird!) If the waves weren't so scary and the sand so messy, Belle would love the beach.

Making Music at Mystic Seaport

A pirate chantey it was.

Ready for the beach!

The water is great from afar, but scary up close. The sand, on the other hand, is so much fun! 

Yes, of course she is slathered in sunscreen (and she opted for her sunglasses over her hat when we got outside).

Naptime now.  More fun later!

I love vacation.

Apres le deluge, le soleil se couche.

Belle meets beach

And she's not so sure about it...

Trying to get serious

Belle is so cute and playful that it is hard to be serious with her.  Yesterday, Craig asked Belle to pick something up that she had thrown on the floor inappropriately.  Craig asked her to pick it up, and Belle said, "No!"  I turned away so she wouldn't see that I was laughing.  Craig asked her again, and she repeated in her cute way, "Nooooo!"  Craig said, "I am going to count to three,"  When he said "One," Belle chimed in excitedly, "two!"  Clearly, Belle thought it was a game, while Craig really wanted Belle to pick up the item of his that she had thrown onto the floor.

Eventually, Craig took Belle's "baby" doll away until she picked up that which she'd thrown down. 

What we learned here is that I am the biggest pushover and worst disciplinarian.  I was laughing at Belle's reaction to Craig and was ready to pick up Craig's things myself.  This can't bite me in the butt, right?  Boy, am I in for it.

And, yes, Belle is learning to count.  She also can sign through the alphabet repeat-after-me-style (Craig sings "A" and then Belle sings back "A," and so on through "next time won't you sing with me.")