Courgette babies

Izzie stands on a kitchen stool at the sink "helping". I am cooking a big pile of vegetables fresh from the Farmers Market. I look over and Izzie has taken a small yellow courgette and it has become "A little baby boy" and she has taken a large green courgette and it has become "Mummy". There is also an asparagus, who may or may not be a border, a kindy teacher, or the lady next door.

Izzie wraps the baby in a tea towel blanket and the Mummy goes to bed in the thing that holds the Tupperware picnid box together. Izzie doesn't really even know I'm watching because she's so involved in the story. The Mummy kisses the Baby and they all go to sleep then the baby wakes up and says Can I sleep with you ? to the Mummy (sounds familair!). Then at one stage they all get scared and jump into the tea pot.

Izzie acts out this little play for nearly an hour, uninterrupted. At one stage the baby falls on the floor and his head breaks off so I have to do a quick swap with a stunt double. And when it comes time to actually use the courgetes for dinner I feel so sad about it, so involved in the little family that I use some other courgettes rather than Izzie's two.

When it's time for dinner Izzie happily leaves the courgettes and even takes up the knife, chops the asparagus rather ruthlessly, and adds it to the pot. Life really is brutal - best to learn it young.

Bernard

I have to tell you about Bernard. He is a four foot, fat, brown teddy bear Nana Anna brought home from England. he wears a pink scarf. His name used to be Bert but Bax has a collection of Alfie Books and in there the best friend is called Bernard, and as they say in the book "Everyone loves Bernard!" so when the kids met Bernard Bear and fell in love with him they renamed him after every one's favourite best friend Bernard.

Bax and Bernard fight. Like any couple of mates. Bax pounces on him and throws him to the floor, knocking him out with one punch. I gues it sounds a bit violent but it's better than fighting with his sister, or me!

Izzie cuddles Bernard and lies on him. Again, better than lying on the cats which is her other favourite pasttime.

Sometimes Izzie puts the pink scarf on and wanders around the house telling everyone that she is Bernard! Perhaps she's just looking for hug?

Baxter says

Going along in the car last week I was teaching Bax and Izzie to drive. My foot tapped lightly on the brake and I said "That's the break", then with the accelerator, then the indicator, then the gears. It's a 25 min drive home from kindy so all the way I did this. Then I tested them. I touched the brake "What's this?" I asked "The brake" said Bax. "and this?" I aksed and flicked the indicator on "Indacada" said Bax. "And this?" I zoomed up a bit the engine reving . Bax thought long and hard "The Go Handle!" He said triumphantly.