Babybel's first sentence was...

"Papa est la... Mama est la!" (Daddy is there, Mummy is there) whilst pointing to the top shelf of the cabinets. Seeing my motionless body and mouth agape she insisted again that "Papa est la... Mama est la!". I turned around and looked straight into a photo of Kev and myself in Switzerland. Indeed, Papa IS there and Mama IS there.

There's nothing wrong in Babybel speaking french since we are in France, you exclaim. But she hasn't been to school for almost 2 weeks due to the summer holidays so she hears only english 24/7. French tv has been limited to at most 1 hour a day. So where did that phrase come from? And in a sentence?

Even stranger, Babybel has taken to calling me "Maman" (Mummy) sometimes. Yesterday she started to say "allo" on her toy phone instead of Haaar-low. Kevin thinks that she's stored up all these french terms in her head and it's starting to come out now that she's mastered her moto skills. What do you think?

So voila! My little french speaking girl... Now will you start speaking some english sweetie?

What time is it Babybel?

Babybel has always loved watches. She loves it an accessory and spots it in magazines or on us. She fiddles with our watches so often that we finally bought her one in a market at Honfleur in May this year. It's blue with green frogs all around. She would always want to wear it to the Garderie and the teachers would ask her each day, "Il est quelle heure Isabelle?" (What time is it Isabelle?)

Here is a short demonstration on what to do when asked the question, "what time is it?" when you don't even know how to tell the time.

When the buckle of the watch came off, she was very sad. But not anymore! Mummy bought a replacement at the our local market! This time with cats! And it's even more special because it shows 2 different cats depending on how the light catches it. Cool...

Lucky gal, first watch at 1.5yrs and second watch before she hit 2yrs.

A pond where?

Can you imagine that after living here for almost 4 years, we didn't know that this existed? A lovely pond with a little waterfall near the foot of the Eiffel Tower, complete with ducks and koi the size of cats! Can you see a hint of an orange koi near the duck by the pond?



Here's a shot of Babybel with Kong Kong.

Kalor Kalor KAAALLLOOORRR

Babybel lurves to colour. You'll hear her asking to KALOR all day long. She can colour for almost half an hour on her own, and if you colour with her, the whole day. Her first efforts were just light scribbles all over the page as seen below (actual coloured bits are done by Mummy) as her magna doodle didn't need her to use any pressure.




Then after 1 week, she started understanding the concept and very intently scribbles little patches of colour. She also likes to colour little areas. See the nurse's cheeks?


And the windows of the aeroplane?

Here's Babybel's masterpiece with Kong Kong

and Babybel's masterpiece with Mummy.


And finally today, check out the 3 middle flames and the 3rd candle... she coloured mostly within the lines! Yay!!! Attagirl!



Babybel says, "Papa, aren't you proud of me? Quick come back and KALORwith me!"

It fits Mummy & Daddy!

Here's a t-shirt we bought for Isabelle when we were on holiday with Calvin and Irene in Spain when she was only 6months.... 6 months in uterus that is.

And here she is 2 years later, FINALLY fitting into it.

Papa... WERKK!!!!

Poor Babybel, even though her papa explained to her that he had to go to work she didn't take it very well. Well, at first she did, but when she saw the luggage, she finally realised that it was real and gave an outstanding goodbye performance at the door... so good that even if your heart was made of stone, it would break into.... pebbles? Papa? Papa? Werk (work)? Werk! Papa Werk!!! Wahhhhhh!!!!! She was so upset that I had to bring her to the window for a final goodbye as Papa got into the cab. Daddy's girl...

Babybel even wakes up at night now. But don't worry Papa, she's happy in the day just a little insecure at night. She spends all her day asking to carler (colour) la (there/here), more plait (eat please), wark (walk) to the parc (park)...

This meow chair (as is called by her) was bought during the sales along with another chair and table that's not set up yet. See how impatient she was when Kong Kong was fixing it for her.

Moving on

So the movers have packed all our furniture and boxes from the old place and dumped them in the new place in under 5hours. We were really impressed with them. First they said that they would come at 8am and be a 3-4 men operation. BUT there were 6 of them and they rang the doorbell at 8am sharp! Unheard of over here!


Here's what our kitchen looks like. As you can guess, it's way smaller than the previous. Since the kitchen came empty (except for the sink), we rented everything (even the lights) from this company called Homat.




Look how good the movers were! They even managed to pack Babybel into a box!



Here she is on tippy toes checking out her new surroundings and exclaiming very loudly everytime she spies a dog.



So do you think she likes her new place? Yeps! Very much mummy & daddy... now will you read to me?