Tid-Bits

Ellie is good with rules. She tends to be the one who takes the time to make sure everyone is safe and playing by the rules, while her friends just jump right into having the fun.

On the other hand, she takes things so literally and gets upset if you "break the rules" even on something silly like the words to a song. When Daddy says "Moo cow, don't bother me," Ellie yells at him, "Stop saying dat! It's SHOO FLY don't boder me!"

Addie's favorite word might very well be "echo." After the family shouting "Echo" over and over again in a garage, she continues to say "Eck-toe!" throughout the day. And then the following day. And the following...

I love how if Ellie knows I just took a bath with bath salts of any sort, she'll rush up to me to feel my really soft skin, anxious to see the magic that the salts were able to perform.

Addie is a girl of few words. Sit her down in front of a bowl of icecream and she'll silently sit and eat it with content. However, every few minutes you can hear a quiet "Mmmmmm..." Too cute.

I love that Ellie always thinks of her friends and ways to do nice things for them. Recently, on PJ day, she asked "Can I bring anoder PJs case my friend forgets to bwing hers?" And without fail, there was a friend who needed them.

I love putting Addie to bed. I point to Mr. Bear's nose and say, "Night night, Mr. Bear." This is repeated for Blue Bear, Jelly Bean Bear, Pooh Bear, Snowball Bear, Bussie Bear, Boof Bear, Baby Bear, Bun Bun Bear and then finally tapping Addie's nose and saying "Night Night Addie Bear." She giggles every time.

We recently had our first swim lessons. Ellie finished her lesson with pride and told everyone about how she went under the water all by herself. Addie didn't do quite so well. When Daddy asked her, "Do you trust me still?" she confidently shook her head and held Bun Bun Bear just a little tighter.

I love how happy Addie is to help clean off the table. One item at a time, she'll bring the stuff over to Daddy in the kitchen. The longer she plays the game, the more squeals and skips and funny grunts come from her.

Good things come to those who wait

Ellie: Guess what, Mommy?
Mommy: What?
Ellie: But when am I going to meet my prince?
Mommy: Oh, I don't know. You're so busy having fun playing and having fun now.
Ellie: But I'm not busy now.
Mommy: True, but maybe your prince is.
Ellie: Why?
Mommy: He's somewhere playing and having fun right now too.
Ellie: But when am I going to meet him?
Mommy: When you're much older. Maybe if you're really really really patient.
Ellie: Mommy but it's never going to come that way.
Mommy: I know its hard to wait.
Ellie: I wish when I'm a little bigger.
Mommy: But not too big because I still need to be able to snuggle with you.
Ellie: Yeah and do you remmeber? You are always going to scratch my back when you wake me up?
Mommy: Yep. That's the plan.
Ellie: Ok. I will help you to remember.

Big Sister Quote of the Day

The other day Addie woke up crying, which might be the first in a very long time. I heard Ellie get up and go into Addie's room to calm her down.

Ellie: Oh Sweetie, what's wrong? Ohhhh... Did you have a bad dream? Do you want me to snuggle wif you for a mindute? Ok. I can do that.

When I went in (it was time to get up for the day anyway) I found Ellie laying in the crib with her baby sister, scratching her back and snuggling. Addie's eyes were closed and she looked so secure.

Stained glass windows

Addie recently made a stained glass window at school, and everyone knows that Niffers LOVE stained glass windows. Apparently so does Ellie. She liked Adddie's stained glass window so much that she was anxious to hang it up as soon as we got home.

Ellie: Hey, Mommy, guess what?! For your bird-day you can hang dis up on your window. Oh! I know! You can hang it on my window 'stead!
Mommy: For **MY** birthday we can hang Addie's stained glass window in **YOUR** room?
Ellie: Yeah, it's for your bird-day.

The rest of the car ride home was filled with a joyous melody coming from the back seat:

"... Stained glass windows all day I ree-ah like dem stained glass window... Stained glass windows. Every day is like the same... Dey just help make my heart sing the same on every day. I ree-ah like stained glass windows and Addie likes them too... They are so pretty because they make my heart sing. Every day I'm happy. Stained glass windows. Stained glass windows... I ree-ah like my stained glass windows..."

Though I had never heard the tune before, I couldn't help but think the lyrics were near perfect.

And then, to top it off, Ellie colored me a picture of a pretty stained glass window the following day. She presented it like it was a Picasso, and quite honestly, I like it just as much!

Wordless Wednesday

Touche

Ellie: Stink of a number, Mommy.
Mommy: Any number? Like when I count to ten?
Ellie: Whatever number you want to stink of. I already know da number.
Mommy: You do?
Ellie: Yep. I already know da number you are stinking of because I already know dat.
Mommy: Oh? What number am I thinking of now?
Ellie: What ever number you just thunked.
Mommy: Ah. You're a smart one.
Ellie: I know dat.

Ellie's long distance relationship

About a year ago we visited some friends in New Mexico, who have a boy (Graeme) who is 4 years older than Ellie. They also have Olive (a year younger, almost to the day) and now new baby Callum (born in May). We have told Ellie that we plan to visit Graeme again soon and apparently she has been thinking about him ever since.

I've discovered Ellie singing to herself recently, and though I can't figure out what song she is singing, it has something to do with "missing you every day" and "walk with me in da woods" and "hug me forever."

And when I ask her what she's doing, she shyly says, "Oh, I'm just sitting here stinking about my Graeme. I am ree-ah es-cited to see him again soon."

Ellie on divorce

Ok, it's a bit depressing, but it made me chuckle non-the-less...

Ellie: Mommy we are not married anymore?
Mommy: We're not?
Ellie: No. You will not give me your ring so we are not married anymore.
Mommy: Oh, I'm so sorry, but my ring is very important to me.
Ellie: It's very important to me too so dat's why we are not married anymore and we're now DEAD.

I'm THAT parent now

When Ellie was about 20 months old (if my memory serves me right) another child bit her. The teachers at daycare told me about it (man was that a big bruise on her arm) but they never told me which child bit her. I always wondered if that was a sign that they never told the other parents, but I'm assuming it was because they didn't want me to hold it against the biting child.

However, Ellie was talking by then and she told me it was Lucas. The teachers were right to not tell me because after knowing which child bit my precious little girl, I had a hard time "liking" him. Every time he acted up, in my head I would think something about "yeah, and he bites too," even if the acting up was a normal thing for a young boy to do.

Well apparently it's my turn now. Little Addie bit little Michael yesterday. The teachers are not sure why and they said they were really surprised, but were also surprised when Addie (on her own accord) went over and gave little Michael a hug for his owie.

So... today I'm finding myself on the other side of the story and it's just an interesting perspective. I know it's "normal" for children that age, but it's a first for me. At least I'm comforted by the fact that she gave him a hug afterwards and knew she did something bad. Yay, partial credit!

Wordless Wednesday