Eloise is my sunshine, even though she has pushed me a little more lately, it seems extra bad mostly because she has just been an absolute delight up until now. She still is most of the time. But when she's not, she's far from it. She is very three. The other night she woke up at 1 am because her tummy hurt and she wanted bubblegum medicine. So I got it out and opened the microwave for some light and she got so incredibly pissed, crying so loud, because I'd turned a light on. I poured some medicine, shut the microwave, and tried to give it to her. But she refused to take it. I had to pour it without the light on (after she spit it the first attempt out). And then she took it. Man, she's crazy.
She says "Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!" over and over. To the point that sometimes I wonder if she is actually saying it on purpose to get my attention, or just because it's a habit or a space filler or something. She's really something else.
But she does the sweetest things sometimes too. She made up a song the other night when I was laying by her. Stuff like, "I like this, I like that, I like this, I love this." And more stuff that was just so cute and funny and amazing. I love her voice. It's so high-pitched and sweet. And her ch's are kind of like Sid the Sloth a little bit. And her s's are a little lisped, like Conley's. Tonight, I just looked at her sweet profile. Her cheeks are so soft and pink and smooth and round. And her libs are so beautiful and soft too. It's just so hard not to kiss her all the time.
She's giggle and funny. She was saying, "I'm hot!" So, I'd take the blanket off of her. Then, "I'm cold!" So I'd put it back on. And back and forth and back and forth over and over and giggling.
She is sooo ticklish on her neck. Joseph plays this adorable game with her where he pretends something is on the ceiling so that she will look up, and then he tickles her neck. She is starting to predict it, though, so she will cover her neck with her hands or tuck in her chin and giggle, resisting the temptation to look up. It takes all she has not to!
Conley has been an angel lately. I feel like his young young boy stage, like post-toddler, slipped through my fingers, like I was watching sand fall through. Slipping away from me. I could see him growing before my eyes, just getting more mature and less dependent. Thankfully, he still loves me and wants and needs snuggles and hugs. It's my favorite when he comes up to me randomly throughout the day and hugs me. He loves those sweet, deep (and quick!) connections. He always wants me to come tell him tomorrow's schedule each night. He loves listening to Joseph read him chapter books at night. He is such a good teacher to Eloise and other kids; he teaches them how to do stuff in such a patient way. He has good suggestions and presents them in gentle ways. Whenever get gets a snack, he gets two--one for him and one for Eloise. They work out problems pretty well together. It usually ends up in giggles. Homeschooling him, for the majority of the time, makes me want to pull my hair out. He lays on the ground, rolls around, takes forever to complete stuff. Eye roll. Me teaching him isn't that effective, I think.
Joseph: "While we were dirt bike riding last week, Eloise was just singing: 'I love riding! It's so fun! Faster, Dad!' The kids have so much fun when we look at houses."
