school, sisters and sillies

In recent months, Tim and I will watch our 2 year old Eliana (2.3 years to be exact) and ask, "Did she just grow up overnight?" Sometimes the changes are subtle. Sometimes they are striking.

Today is Maia's first day of Senior Kindergarten. (Sorry, no pics -- camera still won't take pictures, only videos.) She thought it supremely unjust that the older kids got to start two days ago. She seemed mildly relieved to know that the JKs had to wait even longer than the SKs for their first day. Her new shoes had her giddy with excitement. For show and tell, she wanted to bring Eliana. After a myriad of other suggestions, she settled on her swimming badge, her soccer medal and a photo of her soccer team. Maybe she'll be open to me taking a video of her reaction to her first day when she gets home. Not likely!

So perhaps it's just because it was my first day at home with Eliana that she seemed more grown up today, but I think not. All week she's been coming out with these funny one-liners that I keep thinking I'll remember to write down later, but then can't recall. So today I determined to write them all down as they came. Here's a sampling, just from today:

Eliana: Can I put on my babing [bathing] suit? It's upstairs.
Me: Don't you think it's too chilly for swimming today?
Eliana: It's a GREAT day for swimming!

Picking raspberries together in the backyard. One has started to expire.
Eliana: This raspberry needs a bath.

Eliana: Bye bye! I'm going to school.
Me: Who will be your teacher at school?
Eliana: [Big smile.] Maia.

Me: Ellie, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Eliana: [Another big knowing smile.] Maia's sister.

And these statements were totally random. Totally out of the blue:

Eliana: I want to spit on you.
Me: You want to spit on me? That wouldn't be very nice.
Eliana: Yes. And don't pee on mommy.

Eliana: I want to go to the garage but we don't have a garage. So I won't go.




I caught Eliana on video this week, putting scoop after scoop in the dog's bowl without a word to anyone. Was Phil the dog ever loving that. The funniest thing to me is that she kept dropping the kibble and as she would reach down to pick it up (well, whatever the dog wasn't getting first) the bowl would tip over and she would drop more. Also, she really likes to use the word 'because' these days but doesn't always have enough to say to make a compound sentence. So she'll end up saying things like, "He wants to eat the food because he wants to eat the food." Too cute!