Don't Forget the Chapstick!

Everything about Isabelle screams "GIRL." Everyday she asks to wear a dress, she picks out shoes from her closet full of shoes (I think she has more shoes than me), she puts on my makeup and jewelry and she asks for me to do her hair with a "bow", all so she can look "pretty" as she loves to say.  This is all her doing, not mine.  Then, whenever we see anyone (even strangers) she points out her shoes, dress, and bow, to make sure they notice how pretty she is.  Isabelle's newest item she has added to her list is chapstick.  She is absolutely obsessed! Wherever she is, her chapstick is there with her (except for in bed, I have to draw the line somewhere).  The first thing she asks for in the morning is her chapstick (and yes, she can say it loud and clear).  She is very particular about it though, if she doesn't have the top of the chapstick she will go nuts, she has to have both parts.  All day long she takes the top on and off and puts chapstick all over her lips, my lips and Charles' lips.  Charles has been forced to accept having strawberry and mango flavored lips.  What a champ!  

One day this week I was picking Isabelle up from the child care at the YMCA.  I noticed she didn't have her chapstick in her hand, which is very unusual.  I asked one of the workers if they had seen it.  They said they knew she came in with it, but they weren't sure where it was. Isabelle heard us talking and said "Chapstick?"  She then went over to a shelf that held a bunch of toys.  The YMCA worker went over to the shelf to see if the chapstick was on it, but it wasn't there.  Isabelle got down on her knees to look under the shelf and said "chapstick" again.  They then moved the shelf and sure enough the chapstick was underneath it.  Isabelle picked it up and smiled and once again said "chapstick!"  We were all amazed that she remembered where she had lost it earlier that day.  She continues to amaze me, she always knows right where it is.

Another day this week there was a photographer at the YMCA.  The membership director, who we've gotten to know pretty well, asked me if Isabelle and I would be willing to have some pictures taken of us.  So we went in for our "photo shoot"  I thought they were going to take one or two pictures but we ended up being in there for about an hour.  Sure enough Isabelle had her chapstick with her in every picture.  I guess we'll see if they use the pictures or not.  

When we got back from North Carolina Charles had bought Isabelle some chapstick as a welcome home present.  She was thrilled with the prospect of having more than one.  She also found two more in Charles' desk.  So now she carries them all around.  It is starting to get a little tricky for her to do anything else since her hands are full of chapstick.  When we leave the home I make her choose just one to take with her.  I've taken advantage of her having multiple things of chapstick to learn to count.  So far she is counting up to three in both English and French and she seems to grasp the concept of  counting.  She continues to amaze me everyday.