Time Passing

We went to Maymont Park last week, which was beautiful.  But it was cold and windy so we didn't stay outside.  We took Elaine in to the nature center to see some wildlife.

Not a whole lot has happened since the last post, but for my own future enjoyment I wanted to write more about my time with Elaine and her wonderful quirks.

• Our first morning here she looked at me first thing and said "I want food."  Then ran out into the hallway, stopped, looked around and asked "Oh! Where's the kitchen?"
• She loves being out in the yard, opening acorns, looking for worms (thanks a lot mom mom - my back and my ankles thank you for teaching her that).  I showed her the root sprouting out of an acorn and she said "Root! Root root for the home, team..." which I had just taught her a few days earlier.  She also loves being chased, sweeping leaves, and telling Daddy "Ooh! Daddy! Parking lot." with a hand up when he gets close to the street.  We get the mail together every day and put her feet in sometimes to mail her off.
• She is in a phase that she thinks every picture and illustration is looking at her, which she does not like.  I hope this passes quickly.
• When I came home from my church group this week, I heard Daddy putting her to bed.  I wasn't going to go in to disturb them, until I heard a sleepy, sweet voice say "I don't want Mommy leave without me." When I ran in, she said "Mommy at church.  Don't leave without me Mommy.  Mommy's hands cold."  And she held onto my fingers.
• Speaking of bedtime...she is a pro at the cute tricks - "Daddy don't leave.  Stay with me Daddy."  "I want Mommy to hold me.  Little bit?"  This week was the first night she got out of bed and walked into the hallway, saying "I wanna see you Mommy" (repeated a half dozen times).  Then when were in bed later, she woke up crying again and ran into our room.  She melted into my arms and I couldn't send her back...
• She is firm in expressing "I not need" - her coat, nap, diaper change, etc.  "My body not need rest."
• When Daddy comes home, he gets a big smile and "I waiting for you, Daddy."
• Of course she loves copying us in the kitchen - doing dishes, making coffee, toasting waffles, playing with the spices, sweeping, and on and on.
• It is so easy to make her laugh.  She loves physical play, such as being pushed around the wood floors, buried in the leaves, flipped upside down, and running with us in the yard.
• Today she dropped our owl timer, then said she needed two hands and delicately picked it up and handled it with such care. She scooted around the vent between the window and table so she didn't step on the grate.
• So far I'm getting 1 1/2 - 2 hour or longer naps out of her.  I hope that lasts after the baby comes!
• Her reaction to baby brother is pretty much just "Stay in there baby brother. Don't come out." And I can't figure out what her objection is, exactly.