Walking with Bella

Bella and I had so much fun exploring the neighborhood on this beautiful autumn day. It's always good to go walking with Bella...she reminds me to slow down and enjoy life at a slower pace. Come walk with us!

So Much Joy

Bella has been such a joy lately. She brings so much passion and energy to our life. She talks so much, and has so many ideas and opinions about things. Here are some of the things on her mind these days:

• She was standing at the table drawing today and she looked up and told Matt ..."I need a Half-Caf Caramel Latte". We obviously buy too many fancy coffees! I laughed so hard.
  
• She's been "running errands" a lot lately. She will get on her shoes and hat and grab her purse and announce that she is "running errands". She will then walk into the bedroom and stay in there for awhile and then come back out.
• She LOVES to jump on the bed while we hold her hands and help her go higher. Great fun.
• She picks out her clothes everyday. A few days ago, she woke up...proceeded to wake ME up and with both of her hands on my face, she says "Mommy! Get up...I need to get dressed!". I told her to pick out some clothes. She went to her drawers and pulled out a jean skirt, tights, and her belt (she calls it her seatbelt)...and announced "This is Cuuuuute!"...in her little princess voice. That's my girl :)

Guitar Time with Daddy

Bella has ALWAYS loved her daddy's guitar. Grandma and Grandpa Janssen got her a guitar for Christmas last year, and it has been one of her very favorite things. They have so much fun playing and singing songs together. Her most recent release is "Itsy Bitsy Spider"...rock and roll style like only Bella can do.

Snow or Sun?

It' has started to get cold here...so Bella and I have started to talk about winter, snow, mittens, hats, etc. She decided that she wanted to try on her snowsuit that we got from her cousins, and it fits perfectly! But within minutes, she was back into her bathing suit (she wears the top of her bikini almost everyday under her clothes and calls it her "bra"). I guess she wasn't quite ready to accept that it was winter yet. Maybe because they turned the radiator on in our apartment, and it feels like Aruba in here!

So Grown Up

One of our friends commented tonight that Bella has "grown up overnight"...and she really has. In the last month or so, she has completely changed. She peppers her conversation with the cutest little phrases throughout the day...

"No worries mama!"
"That's crazy!"
"That's not annoying..."
"It's good..."

Her personality is forming before our eyes...such an amazing thing to watch.

Wildlife

There is all kinds of wildlife at our new apartment. In the photo above, you'll see Bella and the friendly squirrel having a stare down. We also have an owl who lives outside our window in the tree...and a raccoon who will stroll down the sidewalk and scurry up the tree. Just like camping...except we're in the middle of the city. Weird...but fun.

Hangin' Out

Bella loves to hang on anything. Her favorite is the bar in the bus...but any railing will do. My dad tells me stories of me hanging on bars as a baby...he says I had the strongest grip around. Looks like she takes after mama. And look at those stomach muscles!

Little Artist

Every day, Bella asks to draw. She loves to draw big circles. Around and around and around...most of the time she tells me she's drawing a "daddy" or a "mommy". I recently bought her a huge roll of paper that we stretch out across the coffee table...I tape it down and it's there all day long. She can draw til her heart's content. She also has an easel at Nana and Papa's house. She has some waterpaints there that she LOVES.

She gets very intense when she's drawing. It's very serious stuff.

The Park

We've had beautiful weather here lately...perfect for swinging in the park. This park is just a few blocks from our house, and the walk is wonderful. We pass gorgeous old Victorian homes, dogs, runners, and changing leaves.

Bella loves it when Daddy pushes her HIGH!! Click here for a few more photos.