Another Milestone

Isabelle has learned how to say 'helicopter'. I'm sure most parents remember how their children pronounced certain words - one of our favorites has been helicopter but today as one flew over the house, she proclaimed "Mummy, helicopter" as clear as anything, as if she had always said it that way - I asked her to repeat it, in case I heard her wrong, but, no, she had it.

Our weeks have been pretty normal since Paul got back from Ireland - swimming lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays, gymnastics on Thursdays and dinner out on Friday. We try to pick a different place every week - usually a smaller independent restaurant. Isabelle and I did cheat when Paul was away and went back to Pho Noodleville - again it was awesome. In between that, I try to get to the Y, get some stamp stuff done and keep the house relatively tidy. Did you hear that noise? That was my mother chortling at the thought!

On Monday, we had our first parent-teacher conference at the new school. She is doing well - despite the phone call from the teacher I got when Paul was away. Isabelle wasn't following directions from her teachers and had to be asked repeatedly to stop fidgeting during 'line time'. She was also pulling her dresses over her knees. OK girls, who out there didn't do that and, heck, she wasn't pulling her dress over her head... Oh well, I'm sure its only the first of many discussions with teachers - have I ever mentioned Isabelle is independent and maybe a bit headstrong...I wonder where she gets that?

Isabelle is coming home with new things everyday - decimal beads are very popular (did you know the words decimal when you were 4?) as are word boxes and colouring and painting. She is learning poems and songs faster than I can keep up with them. My current favorite is:

As Paul spoke about in his blog, Halloween is huge here! Isabelle has already worn her costume once. She can wear it to her school's fall fair tomorrow, to gymnastics next week, to school on the 31st and, of course, on the night of the 31st. We have been booed. We went to Boo in the Zoo. I actually went out and bought Halloween lights for the house and one of our neighbours gave us some of her extra decorations.
So with that in mind, I am already plotting Christmas and the huge space above the garage door, the crazy tall entryway, the shrubs - all suggestions welcomed. Oh, and a wreath - I think I want a spectacular wreath - in lieu of snow!

We had dinner out last Saturday with the parents of one of Isabelle's classmates. He is originally from nearby Clemson and she is from Boston/Dallas. The have twin girls who are also in their first year at the Montessori - one in Isabelle's class and the other in another classroom. We went to the Bohemian Cafe. It was great, the food, the atmosphere and the company. I suspect some of our visitors may get go - it is definitely worth several return visits.

I am hoping to drive up to the mountains this weekend. We can pick apples and see the fall colours in the Blue Ridge Mountains - if the weather holds perhaps I will get some good pictures - although how it could compare with Cape Breton, I'm not sure.