Eli asks for a story (no...3 stories, no... 16 stories!) before bed every night. Zach is superb at making up Roary (Dinosaur) adventures on the spot, but I usually resort to retelling fairy tales. Now though, in part because of all the talk about the baby coming, all Eli has wanted lately are "Eli Baby Stories". This really strains my story telling abilities because while Eli was an adorable infant, there's not much plot line to be had to entertain a toddler, and I've forgotten more than I ever thought I could about that baby phase. This post is so I can remember for future "when I was little" requests.
The Tupperware and Pot Relocation Program
Apparently Eli feels sorry for the pots and pans in their cold, dark cabinet and can't resist the urge to take them out for an airing on the stairs. Despite having his own kitchen, most magnet and crayon concoctions are created in my pots and dutifully tested thereafter.
The tupperware that hold our flour, wheat flour, and sugar were also lined up on the same stair daily, much to the danger of anyone attempting to go up or down the stairs. After Eli learned to get the lids off I started my own relocation program to a higher shelf in the pantry.
Baggie Compartmentalization
This is one organized child that we are raising, and small plastic baggies are his weapon of choice. If left unattended, a box of sandwich bags will all be filled with blocks, dinos, silverware, legos, and cars in less than half an hour. These baggies are then placed inside of other baggies, and then into grocery baggies from whence they are then claimed as "lunch for Daddy" and ordered to be taken to Daddy's work. Many credit cards and pieces of jewelry have been "organized" in this manner so we are very careful about what we toss in the garbage can these days.
Apple Jack Adoration
A few months ago we started bedtime prayers with Eli and tried to explain the general organization of how a prayer should go. Every night he is grateful for (in this order) Grandpa, MaiMai, Mommy, Daddy, and the baby in Mommy's tummy. But before even Grandpa is mentioned, Eli is grateful for Apple Jacks. It doesn't matter how long it's been since he last had a bowl, "Thank you Apple Jacks" is the first thing out of his mouth.
No-huh
I remember fearing the "no" stage of toddlerdom and now that it has arrived it's as bad as I thought. Eli's initial response to everything is NO, so I take great delight in offering things I know he wants right after a particularly adamant refusal. His mouth is faster than his processing skills, so when this happens and the "no" has already come out he modifies it with a "huh" (as in uh huh) at the end.
This method also works really well when Zach and I are both around and he doesn't want to bother calling us by our individual titles. We become Mah-dee or Da-mee at times like these.
Never ever ever ever AGAIN!
If "no's" aren't cutting it to express Eli's feelings, then he pulls out the big guns: "Never ever ever ever ever ever (number of evers directly related to the hatred of the offense) AGAIN! His delivery is usually funny enough that I laugh, but it's hard to explain to a two year-old that we will, indeed, have to cut his hair, change his diaper, take a bath, and go to bed again. It's difficult to avoid a breakdown after this statement has been used.
Use THAT in a sentence
With his ever-expanding vocabulary, there are times that Eli knows words that I don't. Take "sanshi" for example. After having him repeat the word a couple of times and not recognizing the context, the conversation usually goes something like this:
Mom: Eli, what does "sanshi" mean?
Eli: Sanshi, is, like, "Hi, sanshi!"
Mom: ?
Every time.
HIDE!
I'm not sure how it started, but Eli loves to hide when either Zach or I comes home, and gets VERY upset if not given enough warning. His usual preference is to be covered with blanket but has lately favored under his bed behind his animals. As soon as he hears Dad's voice on the phone saying he's coming home (be it in an hour or more) he bolts for the nearest hidey-hole.
We love this quirky kid and look forward to the not-so-little times to come!
