On Becoming Clever

Beatrice has become quite the little comedienne lately. (She's also had a string of terrible-two days, but that's a different post.) She recently started to "get" the concepts of silly and ridiculous, loving the Laura Numeroff books like Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers, If you Give a Pig a Pancake, etc. She likes asking questions like if Sula will come shopping with us, and then answer it herself with a big smile and a "Noooooooo!" like it's the funniest concept in the world. She also made up her first joke a week or so ago, and delivers it with enthusiasm. I've tried and tried to videotape it, but she erased the only decent version I could get. (yes, she handles my little digital camera with amazing dexterity). It won't work as well in text, but here goes.....drumroll please...and you have to imagine the final word being shouted loudly and with no "r" sound in sight for the full effect....."People eat DIRT!!!!!!!!!!"

That's it. We have no idea how she came up with that one. It comes out of nowhere, in cars, in public, at 2 a.m., and is followed by lots of laughter and expectations of others to do so, and we and all hearers of it oblige of course. Yesterday, we were driving in the car singing Down by The Bay (Raffi version)...you know the one that goes "did you ever see a ______(insert animal)_________(doing something silly that rhymes with the animal name), Did you ever see a BEAR COMBING HIS HAIR????? So anyway my friends Uncle John and J.J. and I were singing and taking turns making up verses and, after a while, I declared it to be Beatrice's turn, and she comes out with Did you ever see a "turkey (pause)....working?" Brilliant! Hysterical! And it even almost rhymes! Her next attempt was just "Did you ever see....DIRT!....WORKING!" Eat your heart out Carol Burnett.

She is too much, too much indeed.

We'll see how funny she is flying an overnighter to France tonight......

And, just because it seems cruel to do a post with no photos, here are some shot yesterday of her helping Anthony stuff some envelopes for advertising mailers, followed by her usual sleeping pose lately. It took me a while to clear the Color Accent mode she had set the camera in. Also, some of just minutes ago picking out something to wear-her choice today, (if I told you her clothes are usually neatly folded and today was just an "off " day, would you believe it?), brushing her teeth and showing a cheesy grin. I hope to be able to post pictures from Paris and Pau over the next 2 weeks. Please send prayers and thoughts for peaceful flights and a safe, healthy trip!