Elayna-isms

Over the last week or so, Aaron and I have traded off ‘Guess what Elayna said today’ –isms.  Apparently it is time for me to write some of these gems down:

1. On Friday morning, Elayna woke me up by saying ‘Mommy, have you seen Daddy anywhere?’.  [Aaron leaves for work ridiculously early].  This cracked me up … it wasn’t ‘Where’s Daddy?’ or ‘Get your lazy butt up!’ but nice complete, coherent sentence.
2. On other mornings, E will wake us up by politely tapping me on the shoulder and saying ‘Mommy, get up.  The sun is awake.’
3. While swinging and dancing she’ll declare herself a ‘ringa-bella’.  {This is the Elayna-ism for ‘ballerina’ – just in case you didn’t translate.}
4. Elayna’s first friend was Pete.  We watched a Pete character on TV today and E said:  “Pete?  Just like my Pete has a friend on me!”  {Grammar … we’ll work on it}
5. One of her favorite preschool TV programs is Bubble-Guppies; little animated mer-people explore different topics like firefighters or space or grocery stores.  From a recent episode on rock-n-roll, Elayna picked up her new favorite phrase, “You TOTALLY Rock!”  This is how I know I’ve made my daughter happy.
6. Elayna has become a backseat driver – very advanced for an almost 4-year old I think.  At nearly every traffic light she’ll direct whether I should go or stop, speed up or change lanes.  Heaven forbid I run a yellow.  And waiting to turn left is extremely perplexing.

All in all, she makes us laugh all the time.  Aaron delighted her with bucket of colored rocks which for some unknown reason has given her hours of happy imaginative play.  Funny.  Too funny.

Tuesdays and a Day of Play

The month of January has sped by with busy-ness and yet nothing exciting at all.  I routinely feel I should be blogging more … and yet have not a lot to say.  Daily life is boring and pleasant, standard and exciting – all at the same time.  A strange story to tell.

I spend Tuesdays home with Elayna.  Swim lessons are at 5 and usually I spend our mornings running errands, spending $$ at the zoo or children’s museum, or dragging her to the park.  Elayna seems to enjoy none of these things.  Lately she has been begging me to stay home, and so for the past few weeks I’ve been doing that.  [Consequently, we have little to no groceries in the house]

And while I love my daughter and I love spending time with her, I’m noticing a shift in her methods of playing.  She’s always been an independent player (LOVE IT!) but since Christmas she’s becoming more needy.  She whines more, she pleads with me to play with her (even when I’m right there), and her games have rules only she understands. 

For example:  her new favorite TV show is Disney’s Octonauts.  If we’re not watching it, we’re playing it…

E:  Mommy, you’re Quasi <the pirate cat>

Me:  OK.  Octonauts, let’s go.  <sing theme music>

E:  No!!  You stand over there.  Now, make a map.

Me:  A map?  Like this? <rolling a piece of paper – it’s a pirate map after all!>

E:  No!!  Not like that.  Sit like this.  Now hit that button.

Me:  Wait – what about the map?  Can you ask me instead of being so bossy?

E:  Mommy!  Pluhhhhh --eeeease be Quasi.  Stay here – I’ll be right back.  <locks me in her room for several minutes.  I honestly enjoy the break.>

E:  <back in the room>  Quasi!  Where’s the map?  Ugh…  Mommy, not like that!  You’re not playing with me!

This is about the point where I either (a) tell her I won’t play anymore because she’s being too bossy or (b) head off to make dinner at 10 in the morning or (c) beg Aaron to play with her.

I’m reminded again and again that free play is good for her.  I guilt myself constantly that I am not an adequate playmate, that soon she won’t want anything to do with me, that I need to be ENJOYING this 3-year old imagination.  And I curse that little pirate cat….

There are however 2 saving graces in this play-time hell.  One is a late-Christmas present from Grandpa Cliff:  a coloring program for the iPad.  E LOVES this – you can select pictures, colors, and it comes with a coloring stylus.  Very cool!

  

The second is a racket set from the going-out-of-business toy store nearby.  E’s tennis talent is negotiable but the rackets have been a great excuse to get her out of the house, exercise, and not play Octonauts for a few minutes. 

  

So yes, busy we are.  Productive … well, that’s a post for another day.

Happy New Year

Happy 2012!!  We celebrated with Aaron’s family at our casa.  A fun evening of food, games, and a piñata.  Elayna stayed awake until midnight and had a BLAST – she loves her grandparents and Oklahoma cousins. 

     

The Insight Bowl

There are many advantages to living in Arizona.  A big one is that we host TWO college bowl games (Fiesta Bowl and the lesser known Insight Bowl), and that family will come to visit if anyone of note is playing.

This year, OU won a berth in the Insight Bowl and the Kellums and Cudds spent several days with us to celebrate.  The game was Friday night and it was GREAT.  Great weather, great game, and a lot of fun.