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?

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.

SMILE!!!

It was one of those days that she suprised me with her vocabulary. Whenever I whip out my camera, she'd run to try to touch it, smell it, kiss it, press the buttons etc... but today, when I took it out and said, "smile darling!". She stopped running towards me, and smiled very very prettily! Isn't she gorgeous?

Dear Papa Kevin,
It's been almost a month that we've left Paris. Time flies doesn't it? Well, the only way we can see this is through Babybel. She's changed little physically, but developmentally, well, there are many many things that she couldn't do in Paris when we left at 10mths old but can now. And there are many things that she couldn't do well before but can do easily now at 11mths old.

Let's start with the physical attributes:
- she's about 9.4kg, up from 8.9kg when she first got here
- she's at least 70cm long. (don't have a measuring tape, so not so accurate here)
- she's sprouted 2 more teeth, with 2 more peeking out
- her hair is still unruly and wavy at the ends, but longer

Movements:
- she's a speeding bullet on all fours
- she's a drunken sailor on two (walks from one end of the room to the other), complete with little sways, and bumps on the bum
- if you hold her hand, she runs
- she can stand from a sitting position with great ease

- she can climb (watch out!)

Intellectually:
- she answers when you call her name
- she understands: come here, water, NO!, sniff, hug, flower, bunny, book, Sophie the Giraffe and probably other words that I'm not aware of
- recognises words from her favourite book and bursts into giggles whenever you say them
- very curious about how things work, especially things that she sits in
- can play chase
- can drum on table and clap hands in sequence
- says papa when I'm the phone with you or when she sees you on the camera
- says mum mum when she knows food is near
- says a-ma for grandma
- can't say kong kong but she knows who he is and will pat him if she is near enough when you ask where's kong kong?
- says mama for mummy (but not very often, only when she's looking for me apparently)
- knows how to work the sliding door
- she knows how to hug
- bring books to you so that you can read to her
- share toys
- pull things off tables (yikes!) but also put them back... er...throw them back

That's what I can think of at the moment. Will update when I think of more. Our little Babybel has grown and she's lovely!

We can't wait to see you next week.

xoxo

Babybel & Me

More pearly whites!

Babybel's teething again. This time, it's her 3 lateral incisors with the fourth one making an appearance soon. She's obviously taking this well. Just lots of drool, biting her bunny, toys, and the worst being waking up her mummy EARLY at 5.30am in the morning. Guess will be looking out for her canines soon, according to this chart. Droool....

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands...

Baby Bel loves it when we clap for her. The past week or so, I've been showing her how by bringing her hands together repeatedly. Today when I went to get her in the morning, I placed her on the change mat to change her diaper and.... YEP! You guessed right! She clapped! It wasn't as fast as furious as you and I can clap. But it was a definite attempt in bringing her hands together and clapping... three claps in fact... no sound yet, but the action's there! What a gal! She's such a fast learner!

A FIRST for the First of August!

Here's the photo of the day... a couple of months back, when she was a dear little 3mth old who couldn't crawl, didn't like to be on her tummy and didn't need Mummy to chase after her. = )

Growing a set of choppers!

Just a little update to let you all know that Baby Bel is in the process of cutting another tooth. This time it's the top right one. It's not been as difficult for her as the first 2 teeth, but this time she has a slight fever. And as usual, lots and lots of drool!

Poor Bunny is feeling the brunt of this with its ears constantly in Baby Bel's mouth.

Learning how to crawl and sit up

Baby Bel has been practising her crawling. She's learning how to steady herself. It's very comical to see her balancing her upper body on her left hand and right leg while she tries to grab something else with her right hand. It seems that she'll be a rightie all right... hee hee. Grandma Iris finds that pose (photo number 4) very sexy haha.

Knock head, knock head

That was a favourite game played between Ee-ee and Baby Bel. Where Ee-ee would say,"Belle Belle, knock head, knock head." After a couple of times, Baby Bel would catch on to the game. Then whenever Ee-ee would say that, Baby Bel would bring her head closer to Ee-ee's head and their heads would touch. It's amazing how fast she learns and it's so cute to watch!

Baby Bel's Little Frens

Remember a few posts back, I'd mentioned that after many nights of sleeping from 7pm to 7am, she started waking up frequently again? We think that it might have something to do with a gift from our cleaner to Baby Bel. A little pink, soft fren with long ears that Mummy sent for washing. Sure she's been sleeping with it for the past few weeks, but we didn't think that the attachment was so strong!

This was taken a week or so before Mummy unwittingly put it in the laundry basket for the next wash. (the ears were so filthy as she loves biting on them... poor bunny) Hee hee... see? They're in matching pink stripes!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

When Baby Bel was younger, Kev used to swing her in front of the mirror. Now, every time I get her from her cot, I'll bring Baby Bel to the mirror at our hallway to say hello to her reflection. She loves laughing and touching her own reflection. But I think she knows that it's a reflection as she never touches my reflection, instead she'll turn and look at me. I've since put a little "sun" on her play mat that has a mirror on the opposite side. Watch how she reaches to and talks to the pretty baby there.

Rooaarrrrrrrrrr... Lion....

How Baby Bel loves music! Especially from her new toy the Graco Baby Enstein Exersaucer. It was kindly lent to us by Sandra since Laetitia has since outgrown it. Thank you Sandra & Laetitia!

Baby Bel loves it to bits! Especially the portion with animals on it (bottom right hand corner of photo). Didn't take her long to figure out that if you keep hitting the segments, music would be played. It was Kevin who noticed that she would thump on the animals enthusiastically while it went through the different pre-recorded mix ie Roarrrr.. Lion.... Pachelbel.... tum tum tee tum (music). Only when it reached the music portion would she stop hitting it. Then she would lean back and laugh or turn around to play with the other toys... only to start again when the music ends. Our little musician = )

Recently heard

D: Belle! Isabelle! Say PAPA! PAPA! (makes silly face)
M: Belle Belle! Say MAMA! MAMA!
B: Ah...ah...ah... goo (laughs)
D: Woo hoo! She said PAPA!
M: (indignantly) That was clearly a MAMA!

What do you think?

So bite me!

So guess what I found today when Baby Bel and I were playing??? Two little white ridges poking through a wall of pink. Yep! Baby Bel has her pearly whites!

No wonder she's been salivating so much... although I'm told that babies do this regardless. She'd also been biting on lots on things, especially her hands, sometimes pushing them so far in that she gags (roll eyes).


On the other hand, this paranoid mummy was a little sorry to see the teeth. I rationalise that the earlier they appear, the higher the chance of them getting damaged before the permanent teeth appears. That might mean that her permanent teeth would also appear earlier, and there'll be a higher chance of cavities etc etc.... yes, yes, mummy worries and ramblings. Husband thinks I'm crazy. We're just thankful that for her first teeth she didn't need to go through the fever and the crankiness. But maybe she did and we just thought that it was, well, normal.

We tried to take a photo of the teeth but didn't manage to. She wasn't exactly a very willing participant. Maybe this is what a trip to the dentist will resemble! We'll try again.

Different uses for same toy

When she was little, Baby Bel would just lie on her back on her play mat and stare at the hanging toys. As she started to master her movements, she would swat at them. Later she progressed to try to pull them all off, and then later she discovered the mat itself and all the wonderful colours.

Lately, she's been learning that there's another use for the mat and it's overlapping arches. Monkey bar! No, she's been using the arch and the toys to try and pull herself up from a lying position to a sitting position. No success yet, but will post it as soon as it happens! What a clever girl!

I wanna be just like Daddy

After watching Daddy read the papers, Baby Bel is anxious to follow suite. However, no boring newspapers for her...

"Nope! No boring Les Echos for me! Now where's that FUSAC Magazine?" (shares Mummy's love of magazines)

"Hmmmm interesting.... a 2nd hand high chair for only 30euros? What else can I find?"

"Mummy! Daddy! Look! Look! I found us some great bargains!"

"What? You want to get a new high chair? YAY!! But you wouldn't mind 2nd hand books? Okie, let's see what I can find..."

Mid-Year Review

Just as Kevin has an upcoming Mid-Year Review, we thought that we should do one as well for Baby Bel, now that she's 6months old. See any differences between Isabelle when she was a few weeks old (left) and now (right)? No, the slightly bald patch that she has is not counted because we know that it will definitely grow back! Optimism is beautiful!

At 6 months old, Baby Bel weighs 7.4kg and is 64cm long. That's more than double her birth weight and almost 20cm longer!

Things that she can now do:
- turn over on both sides
- sit up for a while
- spend considerably long amounts of time on tummy playing with toys around her and above her
- reach for and pick things up very accurately
- babble
- laugh
- smiles back when someone smiles at her
- razzes
- supersonic high pitched screeches when excited or wants attention
- be gentle with toys
- jump with our support

Things that she's trying to do:
- sit up from lying down position, by pulling up on toys or by holding on to our thumbs
- stand by supporting on us
- talk (she engages us in conversations by answering back... in baby talk, yes)
- crawl