The Financial Times

This morning while I was taking a quick shower this is the conversation I heard going on in the other room:

Belle: Who's that?
Ben: A Stock Trader.
Belle: Oh, is he sad because the market crashed?
Ben: Yeah!

I guess these are the types of questions you ask when your dad reads the Wall Street Journal with you during breakfast.

The conversation carried on for a few minutes when I heard:

Belle: Don't worry, we can build a new market.
Ben: That's a good idea, we will build a new market!
Belle: I want a purple one!!!

In this grown-up world I am glad all innocence has not been lost!

A sweet treat!

This evening while Belle and I went on a walk to greet Ben on his way home from work, we passed an ice cream truck! Belle was quite interested in the weird truck driving by, very slowly, playing a silly song. I explained to her that it was simply an ice cream man who was driving around checking to see if any kids needed any dessert. She thought that was pretty cool and asked her daddy as soon as he arrived home if she could buy an ice cream. Of course Ben said yes, so we walked another block to find that silly truck. She picked a Bugs Bunny treat which Ben tasted and stated that he had no idea what the flavor was suppose to be. Belle is traditionally not a big ice cream/popsicle eater, but she enjoyed about 1/3 of Bugs before her sweet tooth was satisfied. What a fun surprise to hear an ice cream truck playing that familiar tune in our neighborhood tonight!

Tough as nails!

Isabelle never ceases to amaze us! Today was her flu-shot vaccine so I was prepared for it to be a long afternoon. I have learned that more information is better than less, with her so I told her this morning that she would be going to the doctor today for a quick shot. She plays "doctor" with her veterinarian kit all the time so she is very aware of shots and is constantly administering them to all of us. She said "maybe later" this morning when I told her the afternoon plan so I figured she was warned.

When I told her it was time to get in the car and head to the doctor she was like "okay." She never acted concerned on the way there and even peed in the doctor's potty before we headed back for the shot. Luckily since it was just a vaccine we were spared of all of the normal pediatrician hassle and were called in quickly by the nurse. She sat on my lap and we pulled her pant-leg way up while we waited. The nurse showed her the needle and then quickly cleaned her leg and gave her the shot. Isabelle just sat there still as can be and said "thank you" when she was finished.

While waiting in line to get a sticker the Office Manager, whose office is next to the "shot spot," came out and said he just had to come meet the little girl who was so brave! He had been hearing kids scream all day and he was amazed that Belle was so nonchalant about the entire visit. When telling daddy about it she said, "it was just a little ouch!"

Since no tears were shed, we celebrated with a Sonic apple juice, straight-up, her favorite!!! Now we just have to find a way to remove the band aid without her noticing...she is the only child I know who HATES band aids!

Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away..

Isabelle loves Sesame Street! It was one of the first TV programs that she ever requested to watch and she has enjoyed the hour long show almost every weekday for the last 18 months or more. Sesame Street starts at 9:00am which is perfect for our schedule. Most mornings, we are in from our jog and showered and ready for some breakfast just in time to enjoy the show. This is also the time when I get her hair combed for the day as she is very actively listening to every word. Ben and I are constantly amazed at all that she learns from Sesame Street. Just this weekend she told us that "dinosaurs are extinct" and that "pets need to exercise too!" When we asked her where she learned that, she proudly exclaimed Sesame Street!

I am grateful for PBS and the wonderful shows they air...especially for children. I too was once a little Sesame Street fan and it is fun to hear and know the words to most of the songs they still sing. Gordon and Maria are getting a bit older, and there are a few new monsters living in the neighborhood (like Abby Cadaby who Belle dressed like for Halloween last year) but it's still a sunny day every day on Sesame Street!

Let's play school!

Today was Isabelle's first day of Pre-School, or should I call it Pre-Pre-School? We are lucky enough to have a great friend who not only has a teaching certificate but also is the mother of a two year old and one of Belle's dear friends. When she decided to have a little "school" at her house one morning a week, especially for two year olds, we quickly signed up.

Belle told me all morning that she was NOT going to school but instead wanted to stay home with mom and watch Sesame Street. She was still not convinced on the ride there but once we got inside the door and she was greeted with friends and alphabet flashcards, she was fine. She waved goodbye to me and was on her own nearly 3 hours. I wasn't sure what to do with all my time, but you can bet that next Tuesday morning I will have a list a mile long of un-friendly Belle errands!

She was exhausted after a busy day and missing her nap and literally could not keep her eyes open long enough to see her daddy. She was asleep and in her bed by 6:45pm so dad will have to wait until tomorrow night to hear all about her adventure.

As I was putting Jelly to bed tonight I kept thinking, she is too little to go to school...she still wants to be rocked and cuddle with her mom. Thank goodness she is still my baby!