A Spring of Joy

Just a couple Bella stories to make your day.

A few months ago while Bri was away, I decided we’d all curl up and watch a movie. The boys chose Finding Nemo. Bella was 2. I figured she’d be fine. She wasn’t old enough to understand what was going on, right? She might get a little scared of the sharks, but we’d get through it. She could sit on my lap and I’ll comfort her and then we’ll be fine, right?

If only I had known.

15 minutes into the movie, Nemo gets captured and taken away in a boat. His daddy, Marlin, swims after him and spends the rest of the movie searching for his son.

15 minutes into the movie, Bella begins wailing.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

Chubby cheeks covered with wetness. Pudgy hands wiping the tears away, pushing red curls from her face. She can barely speak through her sobs.

“He got taken fwom his Daddy. Is his daddy going to find him? I want his daddy to find him wight now.”

Oh, how I underestimated my Bella. She spent the entire movie on my lap crying. She could care less about the sharks or the scary angler fish. All she wanted was Marlin to find Nemo. But she wouldn’t let me turn it off or find another movie. She had to know it would all be okay.

And when they did find each other? The wails began again.

“It’s okay, Bella.” I soothed, almost frantic by this point. “Look! They found each other.”

“I know, Mommy!” picture those pudgy hands wiping her cheeks again. “I’m just so happy dat I cwy.”

Mind you. She’s TWO!

Oh, but it doesn’t stop there y’all.

Today she and I were running errands. She’s three now and even more dramatic than before. When we arrived at our driveway, she clapped her hands in delight. “Oh!” she shrieked. “It’s our home!” She threw her hands up to her cheeks, open-mouthed. I grinned, watching her in the rear-view mirror. Then I turned as she began to wail, “Oh, we’re home. We’re home. We’re home!”

“What, baby? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Mommy!” the sobbing, y’all. Oh, the sobbing. “I’m just so happy to have a home!”

I think I’ll end every post about Bella like this:

We’re doomed.