We’ve got a runner on our hands!
We have an old rusted out chain link fence with no gate across the driveway. So when we’re playing in the backyard, it’s very easy for Ellie to escape to the front yard. She’s usually very good at staying within the boundaries of the backyard, but sometimes all it takes is for us to look away for a few seconds for her to make her Great Escape.
As the baby’s due date gets closer and closer, I’ve really started to feel it. My outwardly lax attitude that I’ve had for the majority of this pregnancy is quickly fading. We are having a baby, and we are having one really soon.
It was time I started the “nesting” process. You know, everything you have to do to prepare for the arrival of a baby. So while Aya’s personality had changed into a hormonal naggy wife, I’ve turned into a Type A organizational control freak.
There’s a monster that lives among us. This monster doesn’t live in the basement, the closet or under the bed. It doesn’t have red eyes, sharp teeth, or even green fur. It’s not the boogeyman, mothman, sasquatch, chupacabra, or the nain rouge. And it’s not limited to appearances after midnight with a full moon. This monster is 30 inches tall, has brown curly hair, an adorable smile, makes cute little airplane noises and on occasion has been known to bite people. You may know her as Ellie, but can you be so sure? You never know when the transformation will begin, for at a moment’s notice that cute smile can disappear and you will be standing face-to-face with the monster we’ve come to call, Eloise.
As Ellie gets older and more independent (and she is without a doubt independent), and her imagination develops, it’s really interesting to watch how she plays. Most often she can be found putting her “friends” (or me) to bed, playing in her kitchen making turkey sandwiches and soup, or demanding to be my helper in the kitchen. She likes to crack eggs and stir things. “Me too!” she’ll demand while pulling her stool close to the action. But sometimes her play takes her to a private magical zone that must not be interrupted.
It appears I need to buy a new web domain; thegoodthedadandthebabies.com. Yes, babies, as in plural.
