Christmas Wish Lists (according to Eli)

Celebrating the Christmas season with an excited 2-year-old is so much fun.

*Everyday, Eli comes down in the morning and says, “Oh no! The Christmas lights aren’t on.” and I explain they’ll come on later in the day when it gets dark. And then sure enough, every day at 4:30, the timer switches the lights on… once Eli notices, he runs over and reminds me of his favorite ornament (the small, wooden Santa) and tells me which is my favorite (the red painted, wooden fish ornament).

*Another thing Eli has said just about every day since we put up our tree - “Santa’s not coming today.” I can’t wait for Christmas Eve when we can tell him that Santa is coming that night!

*For the last week or so, we’ve listened to the Raffi Christmas CD in the car – Eli’s favorite songs are Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I didn’t love the CD at first, but it’s growing on me after hearing it for the 50th time.

Other current Eli-isms that I don’t want to forget:

*He uses “felled” instead of “fell” - “Oh no! Tyrone felled!” he’ll say, referring to his Backyardigans guy. I think it’s really cute and know he’ll say it the right way soon enough.

*The other night, we were doing the usual nighttime routine, which includes reading one book, then helping him say a prayer, and reading one more book. Lately he’s been resistant to all of this (or at least has become the master at S-L-O-W-I-N-G the process down). So we told him he could help his froggy say the prayer (thinking this was different and might get him excited about it).

Eli proceeded to prompt froggy, and then would repeat the words in his froggy voice, which is high pitched and quiet. It was SO FUNNY. Ben and I were laughing so hard and then Eli realized he was being funny and kept doing talking that way, then laughing here and there. We tried to get serious again and be more respectful, but it was just hilarious hearing this little boy talk like his frog. Or the way he imagines his frog to talk.

I’ve noticed his imagination has come alive lately. I love hearing him play with his toy guys and creating stories and games. And when it gets dark in the late afternoon, if we come home from something and he runs back to the family room to play, he’ll come running back to me, saying there are ghosts or monsters in the dark room. Thankfully he doesn’t seem afraid of his dark bedroom at night, at least at this point.

One other thing I’ve observed lately – Eli completely clams up when we’re around people he doesn’t know very well. It’s amazing to see him go from talking a mile a minute to not saying a single word because he’s feeling shy.

Anyway, the reason I started writing this post was tonight I found a piece of paper on a clipboard – Ben had written the following with Eli’s words:

Mama’s Christmas List

1. Choo choo

2. A CD and CD player (huh??)

3. A car (scooby doo one)

To Charlie

1. shoes

2. a balloon

3. a car

To Eli

1. a cash register

To Dada

1. (it was blank – Eli moved on to something else before getting to Ben’s wish list)

I’m dreading tomorrow. The news is saying our wind chills will be 20 below zero. Poor Ben, walking back and forth to the train in this weather is not an enjoyable experience. He’s a trooper!! (and I think the kids and I will just stay home tomorrow – there is no need to take my kids out when it’s that bitter cold…)

BRRR!!