VISITING VERMONT

A few weeks ago, Jen took Bella up north with her so our little girl could hang out with her grandparents - Noonya and Nana - in Vermont along with her aunts, Lindsey and Stephanie, and her little cousins, Wyatt and (the littlest) Travis. Jen took the camera with her and snapped some of the excitement, but rest assured Bella had a good time with everyone, was well behaved all the time (wink wink), and very happy when mommy showed up again after a few days of meetings in Boston. I finally downloaded the images, so here are a few for you.



That's Bella with Wyatt and Travis in the tub!



Bella shows Travis her new favorite book - Colors - which she has destroyed.



Considerable time, energy and laughter were apparently expended trying to get all three grandkids to pose by the fireplace. This was about the best photo that could be taken.

SHARING

Just a quick post here before I forget to mention it (and while Jen has the camera out of town - you should have seen how cute Bella looked today!).

One thing we've kinda inadvertently taught Bella is the art of sharing. Maybe it wasn't totally inadvertent, but it seems to have stuck with her. These days when she has a block or a ball or piece of paper in her hand, she checks it out first, then usually offers it to whoever is closest. We say "thank you" and take it, then we check it out ourselves and then offer it back to her. Sometimes she takes it, sometimes she doesn't. But all this hit home with me the other day when we sat down for a meal. I was trying to feed Bella spoonfuls of whatever and had also put some star treats on the table for her to pick up and enjoy. Midway through all the trial-and-error that is feeding time, she held a star out to me in her hand. I leaned forward, ate it, and said "thank you." She smiled back at me.

There I was feeding her, and there she was feeding me. It's great to know that not only are we teaching Bella the most important lessons in life, but she's also reminding us of just how important these little things really are.

RUN, BABY, RUN!

So anyway, Bella has always liked to run her legs. According to Jen, she was very good at it even before she was born. These days she enjoys stretching out on the floor, kicking her legs and - a recent addition - smacking her belly. Here's the video...

FASHION SHOW!

No posts for a while, and Bella is out of town with her mom visiting her grandparents and aunts and cousins up north. So here's some shots of her in recent - warmer weather - outfits. Enjoy!

ELECTION DAY 2008

Guess who voted with her mommy this morning? That's right: Bella! The line at Hooper Alexander Elementary School on Memorial Drive only took about 30 minutes. I won't spoil the fun of letting you guess who she voted for, but needless to say Bella is not the only one who needs changing.

GOOD DOG CARL?

Good Dog, Carl : A Classic Board Book by Alexandra Day

My review

Good Dog Carl is one of the most disturbing books I've ever read, and I've read American Psycho and the seedier passages of The Starr Report.

We open with a woman asking her dog to look after the baby while she is out. What kind of example is this setting for young parents out there? "Well, I really need to get to Sonic during happy hour so I can get a milkshake for half price. The baby's napping, so I'm sure the dog can take care of anything that happens while I'm gone." Slam. Vroom!

From there, the dog watches the lady leave the house, then allows the baby to climb out of the crib and onto his back. He walks the baby to another room where he allows the baby to play with what appears to be cosmetics and sewing accessories. Way to go, Carl!

As if that wasn't bad enough, Carl then pushes the baby down a laundry shoot, dumping the baby in a dark basement. Miraculously, the baby survives this tumble, so Carl takes it upstairs and dunks it in the aquarium. Carl then dances for the baby, allows it to eat butter, chocolate milk, and whatever is in the red cookie jar.

Finally, Carl gives the baby a bath, blows it dry with a hairdryer, and pushes it head-first back into the crib.

Folks, this is a twisted and disturbing book. I wouldn't read it to my kid again, and certainly wouldn't show it to a dog.


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