Is it a bear or a cow or a rabbit?

Annabelle has started growling like a bear. I heard her this morning while her Daddy was reading a book to her. She started growling, and her Daddy laughed and said, "That's right, it is a bear." She apparently was pointing at the picture of the polar bear in the book "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" by Bill Martin Jr and illustrated by Eric Carle.

We checked it out from the library on January 12, 2008, and I have continued to renew it. She loves that book! My husband and I, on the other hand, aren't the greatest of fans. Not because it isn't a cute book, but because we have to make the animal sounds for all of the different animals in the book, and I, personally, do not know the sounds for three quarters of the animals. I think my husband does a great job with the sounds though, but he doesn't seem to think so.

Last night, while Annabelle and I were looking at one of her picture books with animals in it, she pointed to the bear and said, "Grrrroooowwwwlll!" It was hilarious!

Then tonight at dinner, my husband starting growling at Annabelle, and they both had a growling contest. She was too cute, and I did happen to catch some of it on video.

She had started mooing like a cow awhile ago, at least her version of mooing like a cow. The first time I noticed this was actually about a month ago. It was some time shortly after her 15 month birthday because the pediatrician was the one who recommended pulling out some Richard Scarry books to help increase her vocabulary. I had read them to her while she was just a baby, but I put them away when she started going through the phase of tearing and eating books.

We were looking at Richard Scarry's "Best Word Book Ever," and there is a picture of a cow on the front of the book. She would (and still does) point at the cow, take her paci out of her mouth and then "Mooooo." Of course, it sounded a lot like "Mmm," but she understood that a cow says "Moo."

However, now when we ask her what a cow says, her cow sounds a lot like a cow growling!

So, is it a bear or a cow? Either I guess! It just depends on the question.

And, below is a picture of Annabelle actually growling like a bear, but dressed as a bunny rabbit! After I put these bunny ears on her tonight and I started singing, "Here comes Peter Cottontail," she started trying to hop! She basically just bounced up and down in one spot.