Elle is a character. This should come to no surprise given the choice of genes she was given. Neither Jay, nor myself, are called "normal" by those who know us well. The long debated notion of nature vs. nurture can be thrown out the window in the Shaw household. Either way, our children don't hold much hope to be "normal." Personal, I think normal is overrated anyway :)
This blog is an attempt to document the happenings of our household. I sadly have already forgotten so many of the things that I had to "write down immediately lest I forget!" Today's post is a montage of "Elle.isms." There are so many, but these are the ones that we hear now on a regular basis.
Introductions:
This is my Elle.
She "lubs pwincesses, specially Punzel." We often role play that Lucy is "maxis.us" and Caroline is Pascal. Elle has started using her imagination all the time. I'm not convinced that she has an imaginary friend, but she frequently refers to "Chi Chi" and laughs at something Chi Chi has done.
This shot is from Elle's 3rd Birthday party. (She is painting like Rapunzel.)
When Elle goes to bed, she knows she is not allowed to get back out without our permission. I went to check on her one night to find all her babies tucked in right by her. The next morning she said, "Mommy, sometimes it's hawd to sleep. Sometimes, peoples get out of their beds. But don't worry, you no need to spank Ewel. Look..." She then rolls to her side, lowers her pj bottoms to show her tiny hiney and proceeds to spank herself. "See, Ewel alweady got spankin' and Mommy can just say it's okay. It is okay Mommy, it's gonna be okay. Ewel a gooooood giwl. You wanna hug?"
These pictures are from Elle's first Auburn game. She is learning the fight song and sometimes will randomly yell "Wa Eagelged!!!"
Elle tends to stutter a tidge right now and always asks "whats in.n.n.n.n it?"
Elle always asks us to "clause it!" meaning, pause the tv.
She recently hurt her mouth and kept referring to the "snore" in her mouth.
Elle loooves "Dr. Whig.gig.ew"
"Maz.a.beans" Elle loves magazines.
The other day we were picking Elle up from the nursery and asked her if she was hungry. She replied by putting her hand under her chin and saying "no, I not hungry. My tummy full up to here." Jay said, "Oh, well that's good to know because they have cookies in the fellowship hall." Elle then scrunches her eyebrows and thoughtfully says "hmm, no, my tummy only full to here," while lowering her hand to her belly button. This is now how she communicates her hunger level.
She just loves to decorate. Herself. Anyone else see Jay in her??
People always say that children are honest, but what they don't say is that you should teach them to filter early early on! Forget filter, you should teach them to simply not talk in public. After I had Caroline, Elle thought everyone had a "baby in their tummy." She asked my dad, neighbors, cashiers at hobby lobby, etc. etc if they had a baby in their tummy. I apologize to anyone who felt the need to palio it up in response to our presence.
Elle's sips n' strokes painting. ALL PINK and so her.
One evening we were face-timing with Aunt Tracie (Jay's sister) and co. Elle was talking to Aunt Tracie, Juju and Noah. She suddenly realized Uncle Scott was not present. "Where's Scott?" she asked. Tracie said "I don't know, you ought to yell for him to come." So Elle said "Scoott!" Scott did not hear, so Jay instructed Elle to yell louder. So Elle proceeded to yell "Yell Louder!!!!"
She loves, oh how she loves Caroline. Until Caroline's arrival, I considered Elle like an only child on crack. She had gotten so much attention simply due to Jay's profession. From the time Elle was only a few months old, before I was even really getting out of the house, some of my students would come over multiple times a week. Elle was and is loved on beyond measure. She has pretty much gone to every youth function, knows half the nursery staff by name, and has seemingly never met a stranger. I was terrified at how she would adjust to having to share the attention. When Caroline came home I was amazed and thankful at how the Lord answered my petitions for Elle to love her baby sister. Caroline has brought out a side of tenderness in Elle that I have not seen before. I am sure that as Caroline learns to crawl and wants to play with Elle's stuff we will be having many "opportunities for correction," but for now I am enjoying how much Elle looks after her baby sister.
I remember one morning Caroline was crying and my limbs weighed 100 lbs each. (Translation: I did not get out of bed right away). I hear Elle jump out of her bed, then hear her creep into Caroline's room. Then Elle proceeded to say "It's awight Clawolime. Ewel's hewe. Sissy's wif you. It's gonna be okay." If you know how extremely spirited my Elle is, you can imagine how much I savor these moments. It is my prayer that they become the best of friends who are a source of encouragement to each other. I have talked to many moms as I struggle trying to figure out how to biblical reign in some of Elle's Elle.ness. Those moms who truly know my child have varied responses. I am learning from the godly women in my life that prayer is vital and essential. I am also learning to pray with more than hope, but with confidence that He is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3:20)
Oh... last story.
Thank you to Ms. Jennie and Ms. Mikelyn for teaching Elle about her "muddy heart." EVERY time we see mud, look at mud, see mud on Lucy, etc. Elle exclaims "That's like my heart mommy! It's got mud on it. Only Jesus can wash it. Mommy can't wash it, Daddy can't wash it, but Jesus can make it clean!"
