Growing Up

Isabelle has been making new friends both at school and on our street. We are very lucky to have several very kind families as neighbours who have helped us to settle in to life in the South.

The nature of our neighbourhood is very different from Belcher Street. There is no traffic, we are at the end of a cul-de-sac in the middle of the subdivision. The children closest in age to Isabelle are a year older and all have older siblings who watch out for the little ones and, presumably, have broken in the parents. My office is at the front of the house so Isabelle goes out to play without us as long as she stays in the circle of the cul-de-sac where I can see her. She has learned very quickly that she must ask permission if she wants to venture up the street at all. She also knows she must ask us before she goes into someone else's home.
So, last night she decided she wanted to call one of the girls to see if they could play. Unfortunately, no one was home. Today, after riding her new bike for a bit by herself, she decided she wanted to try again. So, with a little coaching, she called J., asked for her, said she "was wanting to play" (an interesting verb conjugation she often uses) and was invited to J's house.

She has always been independent and that is paying off now in her confidence. Now, if we just could get her to talk to her grandparents on the phone...