Bryant gave her a bath tonight and I noticed the water wasn't drained. So while elise was brushing her teeth, I pulled the plug and then she started to panic. She jumped off her stool, ran to the bath and screamed, "somebody help me!!!!" as she tried to rescue her toys. Oh man...I was laughing so hard. Where the heck does she learn these phrases?
Monday, October 27, 2014
Bath time
Elise loves bath time and you can really see her imaginative play at work while she's playing with her bath toys and water. It's so cute to see the stories that she comes up. She's very careful to clean up the toys before draining the water because she's convinced her toys will go down the drain.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Movie and a snack
Elise woke me up from a nap today because she had something planned for me. She asked me to get out of bed and sit down and she brought her little karoake toy machine that plays little grainy images if you press a button (like the Hickory Dickory Dock song will play a video of a clock falling off of a wall). When I sat down, she said, "OK wait one minute" and then she went and came back with a bag of goldfish crackers. Mind you, I was still like half asleep. She played the little video and told me to eat the snack while watching. I told her I didn't want to eat and she said, "But it tastes so yummy!" and I told her that I didn't want to watch the video and she was noticeably disappointed. When I saw that, I tried to perk up and enjoy the little movie experience she created for me.
I'm just imagining that she was planning this movie and snack time while I was sleeping and was so excited to share the moment together. So sweet. It's hilarious because I know she totally got this from me. So sweet to see her personality emerging.
I'm just imagining that she was planning this movie and snack time while I was sleeping and was so excited to share the moment together. So sweet. It's hilarious because I know she totally got this from me. So sweet to see her personality emerging.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Math Tutor
I brought Elise to my office hours yesterday, because she needed to go to the dentist, near APU. A student was in my office for help with Discrete Math and Proof. I told Elise I was going to help the girl with some math and asked her to play with her sticker book.
After about three minutes, Elise must have sensed that we were having trouble, because she walked up and said, "First, you start with 1 (holding up one finger and cocking head to the side). 1, 2, 3!"
Thank you, sweetie, that solved all of our problems. =)
After about three minutes, Elise must have sensed that we were having trouble, because she walked up and said, "First, you start with 1 (holding up one finger and cocking head to the side). 1, 2, 3!"
Thank you, sweetie, that solved all of our problems. =)
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Aiyaiyai
Elise picks up little phrases at school, likely from Ms. Gina. Today she said, "Aiyaiyai!" and "Don't worry about that, just worry about yourself" to us.
Also, one of my favorite photos of Elise, taken recently by Bryant. It's so hard to capture one of her genuine smiles.
Also, one of my favorite photos of Elise, taken recently by Bryant. It's so hard to capture one of her genuine smiles.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
The Big Questions
Tonight was our weekly daddy-daughter date, while Mar stayed at APU late to teach. On the way from Peekaboo Playland to Souplantation, I had my deepest theological conversation in quite awhile with, it so happens, a two-year-old =). I really wish I had been able to record it. I can't remember most of it. Here are a few things I remember, but she asked a bunch of other super cute questions too:
Elise: Daddy, that's a cross. When I was a baby, I was scared of the cross, but now I'm a big girl, I'm not scared anymore.
Bryant: Yes, dear, the cross was owwie for Jesus, but it's not scary for us. It just reminds us to think about him.
Elise: Why did Jesus get a big owwie on the cross?
Bryant: Because some bad people didn't like Jesus and they made him hang on the cross, and that was very owwie. But after Jesus got the owwie, God made him all better. God healed him. So now Jesus doesn't have owwie any more. And he loves you sooo much.
Elise: We can't see Jesus, but he can see us. And he can hear us. He is in my heart. God is sooo big. ... He is too big for my heart. He can't fit in it.
Bryant: Does Jesus love you?
Elise: Yes. Why didn't the bad people like Jesus?
Bryant: Jesus wanted to protect us and help us and keep us safe, because he loves us. But the bad people didn't want him to. But he said, I want to keep Elise safe, and dada safe, and mama safe, and everybody safe. So Jesus said, I will get a big owwie, but Elise doesn't have to get an owwie, and dada doesn't, and mama doesn't...only Jesus has to get a big owwie. He let them give him the owwie because he loves us sooo much. But he's okay now, because God healed him. He likes it when you talk to him.
Elise: Jesus got a big owwie, but I only have a little owwie on my knee. Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, God told me he would put a chicken in my nose. God is so silly! Hehehe.
Bryant: That is very true, my dear, God is really funny!
Elise: God is sooo funny to me, Dada. Dada, why did Jesus get an owwie on the cross?
Bryant: Elise, if you are ever scared, and you're not with Mama and Dada, Jesus loves you and wants to protect you. You can always ask him to help you okay?
Elise: Okay, dada. But it's better if I'm with Mama and Dada.
(a few hours later, after Mar gets home and we're all lying in bed)
Elise: Mama, why did Jesus get a big owwie on the cross?
Margaret: What?
Elise: Mama, why did Jesus go on the cross?
Margaret: Oh my goodness. Who told you that?
Elise: Dada did. Why did Jesus go on the cross?
...
Elise: Mama, does Jesus have a dada? Like a God-dada, or a God-mama?
Bry: Yes, sweetie, Jesus had a mama named Mary and a dada named Joseph, but God is his dada too.
Elise: Does Curious George have a mama, or only a dada?
Mar: We don't know about his mama and dada, Elise. Let's go to sleep, sweetie.
Elise: Does the pillow have a mama and dada? Like a big pillow and a little pillow?
...
Elise: I love you guys. You are my favorite dada, and you are my favorite mama.
[I hadn't given much thought to how I would frame atonement theology for a two-year-old. Hopefully I didn't do too much damage =).]
Elise: Daddy, that's a cross. When I was a baby, I was scared of the cross, but now I'm a big girl, I'm not scared anymore.
Bryant: Yes, dear, the cross was owwie for Jesus, but it's not scary for us. It just reminds us to think about him.
Elise: Why did Jesus get a big owwie on the cross?
Bryant: Because some bad people didn't like Jesus and they made him hang on the cross, and that was very owwie. But after Jesus got the owwie, God made him all better. God healed him. So now Jesus doesn't have owwie any more. And he loves you sooo much.
Elise: We can't see Jesus, but he can see us. And he can hear us. He is in my heart. God is sooo big. ... He is too big for my heart. He can't fit in it.
Bryant: Does Jesus love you?
Elise: Yes. Why didn't the bad people like Jesus?
Bryant: Jesus wanted to protect us and help us and keep us safe, because he loves us. But the bad people didn't want him to. But he said, I want to keep Elise safe, and dada safe, and mama safe, and everybody safe. So Jesus said, I will get a big owwie, but Elise doesn't have to get an owwie, and dada doesn't, and mama doesn't...only Jesus has to get a big owwie. He let them give him the owwie because he loves us sooo much. But he's okay now, because God healed him. He likes it when you talk to him.
Elise: Jesus got a big owwie, but I only have a little owwie on my knee. Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, why did the bad people put Jesus on the cross?
...
Elise: Dada, God told me he would put a chicken in my nose. God is so silly! Hehehe.
Bryant: That is very true, my dear, God is really funny!
Elise: God is sooo funny to me, Dada. Dada, why did Jesus get an owwie on the cross?
Bryant: Elise, if you are ever scared, and you're not with Mama and Dada, Jesus loves you and wants to protect you. You can always ask him to help you okay?
Elise: Okay, dada. But it's better if I'm with Mama and Dada.
(a few hours later, after Mar gets home and we're all lying in bed)
Elise: Mama, why did Jesus get a big owwie on the cross?
Margaret: What?
Elise: Mama, why did Jesus go on the cross?
Margaret: Oh my goodness. Who told you that?
Elise: Dada did. Why did Jesus go on the cross?
...
Elise: Mama, does Jesus have a dada? Like a God-dada, or a God-mama?
Bry: Yes, sweetie, Jesus had a mama named Mary and a dada named Joseph, but God is his dada too.
Elise: Does Curious George have a mama, or only a dada?
Mar: We don't know about his mama and dada, Elise. Let's go to sleep, sweetie.
Elise: Does the pillow have a mama and dada? Like a big pillow and a little pillow?
...
Elise: I love you guys. You are my favorite dada, and you are my favorite mama.
[I hadn't given much thought to how I would frame atonement theology for a two-year-old. Hopefully I didn't do too much damage =).]
Monday, October 6, 2014
Talking
I remember one thing I really struggled with when Elise was a baby was trying to talk to her a lot before she became verbal. All the "experts" and baby websites emphasize the importance of talking to (with?) your baby in order to help develop their language skills but I had a really hard time doing it when it was just the two of us sitting at home. It just felt really unnatural to me and we really spent of our time in silence. I would, however, try to make regular trips to Target with her (when it was right across the street!) and I'd basically narrate everything in the store. That was easy since there was so much visual stimuli and different things to describe. I would go, (usually to buy something small like foil), put her in the Ergo, and then spend about 15-20 minutes there walking around looking like a crazy person talking to myself in a very excited high-pitched tone. Like-- "Do you see what this is?!! This is a lampshade! It has pink sparkles on it, see?! What do you think? Should we buy it? No, I don't want to buy a sparkly pink lampshade! Oh, what do we see here?!! This is a picture frame made of seashells! Do you know where seashells come from??"
Anyway, I'm not sure if any of that really worked but at least it worked to assuage some of my guilt. :) Now that Elise is full-on talking, I don't feel pressured to have to talk to her, thank God. But I do find myself coming home from work tired and feeling like I need to engage with her about interesting new things in the world. I had to run to Target tonight and I usually go by myself, but I decided to take Elise with me and talk it out again. It was so neat to be able to converse with her and listen to her questions and comments. This girl loves to talk!
Thought I'd jot down what Elise did when she got home after school today...just to document a typical day. We try to pick her up between 4 and 5, ideally closer to 4.
- come home and eat yogurt
- go outside and ride her scooter (10 min)
- play on the swing and so crazy acrobatics on it (20-30 min)
- decides she wants to cut leaves with scissors (20 min)
- pokes a stick into the holes of a decorative table (10 min)
- throws balls into our barren vegetable garden (10 min)
And then it's dinnertime (around 6:30), which is when it starts to get dark. I'm kind of dreading daylight savings because it will cut an hour of sunlight at the end of the day. She really needs that outdoor play!
Anyway, I'm not sure if any of that really worked but at least it worked to assuage some of my guilt. :) Now that Elise is full-on talking, I don't feel pressured to have to talk to her, thank God. But I do find myself coming home from work tired and feeling like I need to engage with her about interesting new things in the world. I had to run to Target tonight and I usually go by myself, but I decided to take Elise with me and talk it out again. It was so neat to be able to converse with her and listen to her questions and comments. This girl loves to talk!
Thought I'd jot down what Elise did when she got home after school today...just to document a typical day. We try to pick her up between 4 and 5, ideally closer to 4.
- come home and eat yogurt
- go outside and ride her scooter (10 min)
- play on the swing and so crazy acrobatics on it (20-30 min)
- decides she wants to cut leaves with scissors (20 min)
- pokes a stick into the holes of a decorative table (10 min)
- throws balls into our barren vegetable garden (10 min)
And then it's dinnertime (around 6:30), which is when it starts to get dark. I'm kind of dreading daylight savings because it will cut an hour of sunlight at the end of the day. She really needs that outdoor play!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Doing work
Elise sees us working at home a lot...on our computers, grading assignments, etc. Sometimes we'll sit at the big dining table and work together. Elise has a sticker book where she applies little stickers to illustrated pages and she's been calling it "her work". When we tell her that she has to go to school or get ready for bed, she will say, "But I have to do my work. Let me finish my work first."
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