News of the weird.

We used to have a column in our newspaper when I was younger entitled "News of the Weird."  Sometimes I feel like I'm living there.  Well, most of these happenings aren't "weird" in the classic sense, but they're still odd... to me.

* One of Elyse's new goofy habits is to speak without moving her lips.  Try it.  I have a feeling you're trying it now and then realizing how funny you look.  Perhaps she'll be a ventriloquist when she grows up!!  YES.

* Elyse is still in the habit of referring to her dad as "little baby Daddy" sometimes.  I almost caught myself calling him that the other day.  I took a nap.

* My oldest daughter is going through a very "unique" stage.  She cannot relax and play at the park.  I'm starting to wonder if she's afraid of heights, because she insists on crawling through the jungle gym and keeps looking precariously over the edges.  I do feel badly for her, but she's fully enclosed.  Could be a long spring & summer.

* Elyse is getting very upset about stains on her clothes, or Emily's clothes for that matter.  She'll point at it and even start crying at times.  Sadly, it hasn't impacted the way she eats.  Bummer.

* Elyse is also very attached to the lake we drive by on our way to church.  She says hi to it, tells it goodbye, and even cries sometimes as we drive away.  "Bye-bye, Stumpy Lake!  See ya later!"  She talks about this lake ALL WEEK.

* I was at the store with the girls a while back, and an older lady stopped me to ask about the kids.  She said something like (pointing at Emily), "is that her [Elyse's] baby brother or sister?"  I replied that Em was Elyse's sister, and then I realized Em was wearing pigtails.  I couldn't quit smiling, but I'm glad the lady didn't seem to notice.

* Elyse has been using a "Mommy voice" lately.  It's high-pitched and kind of sing-songy.  Yes, just like my voice.  I hear her using it when she is reminding herself to do things that I would normally tell her... "Last bite!" or "Be careful!" or "Do not scream!"  She loves to ask where Daddy went, especially 10 times right after he has left the house for work.  The other day, she sat at the table eating her lunch, said goodbye to Daddy, and said, "Where'd Daddy goooooo?"  Our conversation:

Me: "Daddy went to work." (My explain-it-one-time rule)
Elyse: "Where'd Daddy go?"
Me: "Honey, you know where Daddy went.  Where did he go?"
Elyse: "Where'd Daddy go?   {change voice: a bit lower}  Daddy went to work.   {change voice again: Mommy voice}  Stop asking where Daddy went!"

Oops.  Guess I don't always handle those questions so calmly.

* I have pages memorized in books Elyse reads, just to avoid anxiety.  Page 138 in her Winnie the Pooh book has the picture of the pancake.  These numbers float in my head daily.

* Elyse has been asking where everyone she knows is on a daily basis.  She inevitably asks, "Mommy go to work?"  I seriously have the best job ever.  I love it :)  ... even in all of it's weirdness.