Emily is 9 months old today!

My kite

Growth Chart

Belle July 2012

Belle July 2013

Yum! Chocolate ice cream!

Beach bum!

Jumping for joy

Rides

Belle begged us to try a ride on the mini dinosaur roller coaster. We let her try, but she wasn't prepared for how scary it was. The ride conductor stopped the ride after one trip around the track and gave us our token back. We took the token and enjoyed a ride on the carousel. MUCH better.

Beach play date

Molly (from school) came to play today.

Beach baby

My, how you've grown

Belle wasn't tall enough last summer.

Captain Belle

Yummy toes and binoculars

Emily's toes are so yummy.
And Belle's new toy? Purple binoculars. She had fun looking through both ends of them, especially after she enjoyed a cup of chocolate ice cream (much of which remains on her face and arm)

Best shopping cart

The Mystic Whaler

We stopped in New London and visited an old whaling ship, the Mystic Whaler. The last time Craig and I enjoyed an evening sail on the Mystic Whaler, I was 9-months pregnant with Belle.

The Essex Steam Train

We took a ride on the Essex Steam Train. Belle was especially excited to hear the conductor yell, "all aboard," just like in her Goodnight, Connecticut book.

Joyful Belle

Belle isn't even three and already I love going to the mall with her.

When the oil change, which was supposed to take 20 minutes, turned into a much longer endeavor, I scooted across the street to the mall with the girls I wore Emily in my wrap and she slept nearly the whole time. Belle, on the other hand, was keen to shop (we bought her new sneakers-purple, of course), sample, and explore at the mall. In this pic, she is playing with her "friends" (a statue on a bench).

Belle = joy.

Smiling blue-eyed Emily

Enjoying Washington Square Park with her cousins.

Legomania runs in the family

Craig used every Lego piece we had to build this tower that is nearly as tall as Belle. No wonder Belle is a master Lego builder.

Belle the master Lego builder

Outing to Stamford

We visited Great-Grandma Ann in Stamford,CT on Tuesday. So did Cousins Diana, Izzy and Owen. It was a hot day, but cool in the shade and with a Popsicle (purple for Belle, of course).

We hosted music class this week

Our living room was fun!

Mundane tasks made more fun

Laundry and grocery shopping are less efficient but way cuter with kiddos. Belle, by the way, is riding in the toy car attached to the front of the shopping cart, and this was Emily's first ride in the cart's seat.

Bellerina

Belle fits perfectly in my very old ballet slippers, as well as the tiara I wore to the first day of my senior year of high school. Belle whirls and twirls like a princess ballerina.

So many generations

Belle, Emily, and Sasha represent a fifth generation of friendship.

Emily and Charlotte bond

Emily and Rylea get to know each other

They may be lifelong friends, as Rylea's mom Katie and I are.

Belle reads with Grampy

Grampy is reading Belle some classics while he recuperates.

4 generations

Grandma Ann and Emily

Enjoying the shade of the Fourth of July.

A duet

Noah and Belle got together in Jericho for the Fourth of July. The piano was a hit as usual.

Bonding with Cousin Mia

It is delightful to have some girl Ceplers around.

Belle's patriotism

It doesn't get much more patriotic than red, white, and blue, and Minnie Mouse. Happy Fourth of July!

"Careful the things you say; children will listen. Careful the things you do; children will see and learn. Children may not obey, but children will listen."

Stephen Sondheim, who has no children, is so wise.

As Belle's language develops, I can hear Craig and myself in her words.  She says things like, "How cool is that?" and "Be right back!"  I hear Belle and think, "those are my words!"  Belle speaks to Emily as if Belle is a parent: "Emily, don't cry, sweetie.  It breaks my heart when you cry."  She has an "Emily" voice she uses (she makes her already-cute voice sounds cutsier by speaking in a higher register), as she must hear us and nearly everyone who speaks to a baby speak in a high-register voice.  And the words she says to Emily are nearly always the words I say to Belle or Emily: "It's time for your nap."  "Close your eyes and sleep tight!"  "Oh, sweetie."  "I love you sooo much."

One night recently, Belle was having a hard time falling asleep so she sat at the top of the stairs and just babbled.  Craig and I ignored her to try to encourage her to go back to bed and sleep.  While Belle sat alone on the top step, she said all of these words and phrases that Craig and I say all of the time; things we say in front of Belle, to Belle, about Belle, but most certainly around Belle.  "I'm just going to..." "Give me a minute..."  "Are you listening to me?"  "You're my lovie."  "The answer is no."  "Do you understand?"  "I love you sooo much."  "What a cutie."  "Belle is tall for her age."  "I've never cut Belle's hair. It's sooo long."  Belle just sat and talked and it was if Craig and I were listening to a recording of ourselves.

Another fascinating aspect to Belle's language development is how her language is catching up with her memory.  Just the other day, Belle said to me, "Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa took us to the circus and there was a clown there who said, 'yoo hoo' in a funny way!"  I was astounded.  True, Craig's parents took us to the Big Apple Circus...six months ago.  There indeed was a clown who walked around and only said, "yoo hoo" in silly ways.  Belle hadn't said a word about the circus in months, but it seems that the memories remain and that silly clown really stuck with her.  And now, at almost-three, she has the words to express that.

Belle says everything.  She can- and she does- tell us what she wants, what hurts, what's bothering her, what makes her happy.  It is a pleasure to listen to her.  Out of nowhere today, Belle asked me for something.  When I gave the requested item to her, she said, "Thank you, Mommy.  You're my best friend."

Beating the heat

Happy Canada Day!

Rain or shine, Belle celebrated Canada today with a t-shirt and Canada tattoos on both hands.