Tell Me a Story

Yesterday, I wanted to take some pictures of Elanor in her new summer clothes. However, I could not get her to look at the camera or sit/stand still for longer than 30 seconds.  So, we sat down and I asked her to tell me a story. She told me three.

{Did anyone else think of Gimli saying to Legolas "She gave me three" referring to strands of Galadriel's hair?--I did...}

While I clicked my little camera as fast as I could, Elanor told me about Rapunzel being locked in a tall tower, Snow White falling down dead after eating a poisoned apple, and Aurora meeting Prince Phillip in the forest.

 I had a hard time not putting all of them on, but here are quite a few of them:

She is talking about Rapunzel's hair, I believe.

She is so sad that Mother Gothel is mean and locked Rapunzel in the tower.

But... Flynn Rider.

Happily Ever After.

Another story... Snow White!

The Queen is scary.

The Prince comes!

...and gives Snow White a kiss!

Another story... Sleeping Beauty (this one is short, though.)

Something about meeting Prince Phillip in the forest.

She is a pretty good story teller.

But.... not such a good napper. I better go remind her once again, that nap time is not playtime. She took a nap yesterday and everyday this weekend but not three of the days last week. It is not like she can actually handle not sleeping--she gets super cranky and then falls asleep at five and is a super crank if I wake her. I have already taken her teddy and all dolls and animals away, put her chair in front of her closet, moved her and her mattress to the bathroom and threatened to not let her play outside after her "nap" unless she goes to sleep. What else can I do? I have talked nicely, talked seriously, yelled (unfortunately, I am only human), threatened, taken things away, yet she still does not listen and gets out of bed. Tyler put her to bed this weekend and she slept. I did all the same things he did, but still nothing. Granted she did nap for me yesterday. Any advice?

The Weekly Photo

 Spring happened this week. We have had little tastes of spring since March, but last week all of a sudden it was sunny and warm, all of the trees were in bloom or were getting their leaves, and tulips were everywhere!

"Caitlin and Mallory, Caitlin and Mallory"

Elanor chanted their names in a little sing-song voice the whole time they were here. Caitlin and Mallory are, by the way, twins, and also very good, old (as in I have known them since kindergarten) friends. They are the best and they came to visit us last week.

We had a wonderful time exploring Salt Lake City, hiking, listening to stories, tasting chocolate, sipping tea, watching movies, eating fish fingers and custard, and talking, talking and more talking. I love them and am so glad they came to visit!

Thanks you two! 

I did not get as many pictures as I would have liked but here are a few:

{Oh, and I would not mind it if you (meaning Caitlin and Mallory) email me any of your pictures--I'll email you mine.}

 We took Caitlin and Mallory to our favorite bookstore--The King's English Bookstore--Elanor had some story time while we explored the store/listened in. Can you tell she loves it?

Caitlin and Elanor, me, and Mallory

 Springtime at Temple Square = beautiful.

 Mallory and Elanor

Beautiful.

 Mallory and Elanor

The weather turned a bit cold the next day, but we still ventured up Ensign Peak.

Elanor and Caitlin eating lunch.

 Mallory checking out the view.

We had a little Doctor Who party for Caitlin and Mallory and invited our neighbors (new Whovians--such a weird, nerdy term... I  know...).

 We had Doctor Who-y food such as fish fingers/fried fish and custard (honey mustard custard--say that out loud--it is surprisingly fun), chips (as in fries), parsnips (not really Doctor Who, but quite British) and some artichoke dip (not Doctor Who either, but very yummy). We also had a chocolate soufflé cake in honor of the Doctor's new companion, Clara.

{I am aware that everything is the same color. It all tasted good, though.}

After the babes were all sleeping we also watched an episode, of course.

We took the Trax downtown and it was a very clean, enjoyable experience. Elanor especially loved it.

And...unfortunately this is the last picture I took. Caitlin and Elanor are pretending to be asleep in a boat-bed display at the Church History Museum. Elanor actually looks quite believable, don't worry, you do too, Caitlin.

We had such a lovely time. Thanks again for coming. I love having visitors, so please come family and friends!

The Weekly Photo

My very good friends, Caitlin and Mallory (yes, they are twins) came and visited last week. We had a jolly time exploring Salt Lake City and staying up way too late!

This Kid...

...purposely makes faces like this just to make me laugh.

Elanor is no longer a baby and has not been for awhile now.

 It makes me a bit sad and I miss having a baby, but she is growing into such a fun, hilarious, and adventurous little girl.

 "Take a picture of my messy face, Mommy!"

 We were playing hide and seek the other day and I was hiding on top of the washer (it is in the bathroom and if the bathroom door is open the washer is blocked from view) and she could not find me. I gave her several hints by knocking on the door and she eventually found me. When she saw where I was she said, 

"Mommy, get down from there, it is not safe!"

 I said, "Who says it is not safe?" 

"I do!", Elanor declares in a quite grown-up voice.

She makes us laugh everyday. Elanor is a fairly spirited and imaginative child. I love listening in to conversations she has with her dolls or stuffed "amials", as Elanor calls them. She talks to them like she is their Mommy and puts them in time out or gives them to the count of three to do something she asked. 

She still sucks her thumb (we need to somehow wean her off it!), but in many ways she is so grown-up. She talks sooo much...pretty much like a regular person. She has been speaking in sentences for almost a year now, but her sentences are pretty complex and only occasionally does she make some grammatical errors.

She has her fair share of tantrums, whiny days, obstinate "no's", and bed-wetting (we are trying to night-train her=lots of laundry). We are so extremely grateful to have her, especially since having a second is proving to be very difficult. She is such a joy and brings so much happiness to our little family. I especially love it when she wants "to cuddle for just a minute" or give Tyler and I a "family hug", as she calls our group hugs. 

Elanor is our favorite.

The Weekly Photo

Friends

This post has been floating around in my head all week, but I have just now sat down to write it. 

Sometime last week, Elanor announced, "I like my friends, Mommy, know dat?!?!" 

{She ends a lot of sentences in "know dat", meaning "did I know that?" ("that" meaning whatever she had just announced).}

Eli and Elanor (about 11 months old)

This little statement got me thinking. Elanor really loves her friends (Grey, Micah, Eli, Hazel, Noelle, Malachi and others at church). We see our upstairs neighbors a lot, since they obviously live upstairs and have twins the same age as Elanor. She loves them and her day is not complete unless she has seen Grey and Micah at least once. She often talks about how much she loves Grey, how she wants to hug Micah, how she wants to walk to Eli's house, or ask Hazel to play. She seriously loves her little friends so much. It amazes and inspires me that such a young little person already loves and needs friends so much. We, humans, are born with a desire to love and be loved. We are not complete unless we can love and be loved. I love that this is evident in two year olds. Of course, I already knew that about the parent/child relationship, but seeing it in a peer to peer relationship is something new (well, it has developed over the last year). I love it. I love that Elanor loves other people so much (sometimes a bit much--she is a hugger and kisser--and some kids do not always want so much attention). That is not to say that there are not fights (there are plenty), but parents are there to supervise and two year olds forgive each other in about a second. 

Elanor and Malachi (Elanor--about 16 months)

Elanor with Grey and Micah (Elanor--21 months)

This gives me hope for this human race of ours. You know, that race that kills other people, bickers over gun laws, starts wars, and such. If a two year old can love so much and is born with the need to love and be loved, then what is our problem? We need to be more like children (in a good way, no fighting over toy cars, boots, or baby dolls) and love and forgive easily. Everyone needs a friend (or several) no matter their age. I know when we first moved to SLC it was hard because I had left so many good friends in Virginia. I made friends here eventually and it makes me so much happier to have friends. It sounds cheesy, but everyone needs friends. We need other humans. So, lets try to be more friendly, more free with our time to help others, more likely to give hugs, and more willing to play/talk. After all, if a two year old can do it, then surely an adult can. 

{And since I could not pick just a few pictures, here are a ton more adorable pictures of Elanor and her friends. I actually had more, but limited it to non-posey pictures, if you get my drift.}

Eli and Elanor at the zoo (Elanor--26 months)

Elanor and Grey chillin' in the hammock.

Elanor with Malachi (and Tyler of course)

Elanor with Grey and Micah (and Becky)

Cake!


Friends are the best.