Bible Readings and Re-readings

Classic Eva expression, 3 1/2 yrs old

Eva's really into hearing stories from her picture Bible lately (thank you Mary Miller for the baptismal gift!) It's fascinating  to try to think about what theology a three-year old gets, needs or absorbs - but of course I do it anyway. She understands many things recently about God - God is strong, powerful, made everything, gets mad at bad kings and bad people, used good kings and Queen Esther to help other people, saved baby Moses, beat Goliath, and crashed down the walls at Jericho. These are her fave OT stories lately - and she seems to ingest the meat of the story and repeats kernels of their truth to me at random times, integrating story parts and cause and effect with surprising comprehension.

When it comes to the NT, she is not as into it yet - which makes sense to me, since there are less intriguing stories and more parables there that she just hears as slightly disjointed stories. :) She does talk about how Jesus can calm wind and waves, can heal people, helps the blind and lame, loves children, was baptized, was a baby that many people were excited to see be born, and told people to build their houses on rocks. She now asks if our home is on a rock, "Even though we can't see any rocks under my bed;" she will jump up and down in her bed and say "Yep, I feel a rock momma, we are on solid rock." So no metaphor comprehension yet. :)

She also has asked me to baptize her in the tub several times, likes to pretend she is baby Moses and baby Jesus, and is asking about praying for various worries, illnesses, and fears.

My favorite story of her appropriating scripture happened a couple nights ago, when we had just read - again - the story of Jesus healing the lame man whose friends lowered him down through the roof. She loves this one, and we sing a little song with it, and she knows the story almost word for word.  After we read this one she said, "Mom, my legs are lame, I ran too fast today; can you pray for them?"  So I prayed, smiling the whole time, holding her little knees - and as I prayed for God to protect my little girl's legs and health and strength, it struck me that she really probably thinks that this is what Jesus did - what he does now. If your legs are tired, broken, or hurt, you pray and then they are fixed. Faith like a child, right? :) I was reminded of the grace of simple faith and truth, and also realized that I could probably pray for my daughter's legs more often. Even as I grinned at her interpretation of "lame," I think she is getting the love and strength and life-changing power of this story. What good news we get to retell!      

Check out the memory on this kid!

I have been stunned at Eva's capacity to remember details, stories, and events lately. She regularly recounts things to me that have happened months, or even a year, before with specifics, accuracy, and certain details that stuck out to her at the time - and that seem to still help her recall the tale now. This morning seems to have triggered a bunch of her specific tales, because in the last two hours she has recounted the following stories/details for me:

 - (While sitting in the dining room next to some Christmas decorations:) Look at the carved Santa momma, its carved, its wooden, its made of wood. Do you know who carved it? Jed did! And Santa is holding a birdie, he is not waving, he is holding a birdie. And he is made of wood. (This story is completed by details I gave her about a month ago when we got out our Christmas decorations, and she randomly brings it up every few days or so, almost exactly in this same order.)

- Look at baby Jesus momma, he is sleeping, but he is not inside his house, he is outside, he is in a manger. He is by the other guys, those guys rode camels. Did you know those guys rode camels? They rode camels for a long time to visit baby Jesus, they rode camels a long time. And Jesus was inside his mommy's tummy and she rode a donkey, and then he was outside her tummy, and he was born! (She pulled these facts together from various stories, books, and times looking at the nativity - today was the first telling of this particular tale.)

- Did you know we want to a museum, and there was a scary statue, and we didn't go up the stairs, and Izey didn't want to go up the stairs, and then we went on the alelater (elevator) and we saw colors and books and hats? (Recalling our trip to the Swedish American Museum about a week ago with Izey and family - she remembers him not liking a scary statue and has told many people about this, kind of with the tone of, "So don't try to go by that statue ok? Bad idea.")     

- (Walking through the dining room while we are playing something else, she says:) One time we were at a museum and it was dark, and we had to be really quiet - and look, I was there! (Here I figure out what she is talking about, as she's pointing at our Ravinia poster on the dining room wall that shows a night scape scene of an outdoor concert there.) We were really quiet, and then we heard music, and it was Peter and the Wolf music (I think this translates as classical music in her brain!), and then we sat down, and it was dark, and I was really quiet and there were stars.

- (After talking to Grammy on the phone, the story I heard was:) When Grammy and Gramps come I can ride in their van, and we can all get groceries, and Gramps can sit in the back, and momma can drive, and Grammy and daddy can sit in the back, and we can all ride in the van together, and I wear my seat belt and then I don't fall out of the van and then I don't fall and get hurt, and then I can get to make cookies and ride in the van!

- (In the office, she looks up at the bookshelf and sees my camera and says:) Momma that's your camera, and one time Josh was sleeping and I was with Izey. (I was stumped here so asked a question or two, to which she replied:) I was with Izey and Ando and we heard Josh snoring, you know, big Josh? He was sleeping and snoring and we didn't wake him up, but we were playing and you had your camera and I was at Izey's house! (This was an actual accurate story of her view of a birthday party - either Ando's or Izey's, probably at least one year ago, could have been earlier even, when we were hanging out at Danielsons and Josh snoozed on the couch a little. I was a little floored at this one!)

- And my all time most amazed memory example from this kid happened a month or two ago, when she and I drove out to a suburb to the JCPenney photo studio, which we only do once a year to get her picture taken. We drove into the parking lot, and got out of the car, and she started to ask, "Where is Kara?" (that is her Aunt in Minneapolis,) and I was confused and said something like how Kara isn't here, she lives in Minnesota remember? But we can skype her if you want later, etc. But the girl keeps asking for Kara, and says Kara is here, Kara is here, where is she? And then I remember - Kara came with us, one year ago, to pick up our portraits at this same store. We had not been there since then, and somehow, even though it was hazy in my own head, Eva connected the parking lot of this mall store to who we came with last time. Unreal to me! She also asked for Meghan once we got into the studio inside - her Auntie who came with to help her smile for the photos the past two years when she was in town. So the parking lot is associated with someone, the studio is associated with someone else, and somehow being in those surroundings pricks her memory from a year ago. Crazy!     

Being Born and Growing Up

While in the car on our drive to MI this past weekend (more photos and stories from that adventure coming soon), Eva told us quite a long story about being born and growing up. It was fairly random - she started the story while we were on 90/94 downtown and she was looking at the skyscrapers, and it was fairly long - what follows is the general recap of what I remember, wit direct quotes where I remember them. It was a very sweet little story that had Peter and I both grinning though, and I wanted to remember it. Snippets of her story relate to us having a friend over last week that was 9 months pregnant and talking about that, and she and I visiting the pharmacy together in the hospital where she was born and me pointing out the floor where my doctor was. Eva's little story went something like this:

"Momma, did you know I was born? And I was just a little baby, a teeny tiny baby, but not right now. Long time ago, I was born. And I was born at the hospital, and I was in Mommy's tummy, and I was sleeping. And then, I WAS BORN! Now I am not baby. Now I older, I am big girl. I am getting bigger and bigger!"

(me) "That's right babe, you were born just a tiny little baby. And how old are you right now?"

"I am two and half, I am big, not like when I was born. But then I keep getting older and older, and older and older, and then I can go to school and play outside and see my friends! When I get older though, I not older now."

(me) "That's right hon; did you know that everyone starts as a tiny baby and then gets older? Daddy was a baby - and then he got older - and now he's grown up. Mommy was a baby - and then I got older - and -"

(Eva cutting me off) "..And now you're MOMMY! Awww, mommy is all grown up. Are you two and half?"

"No, I am older then that. I am thirty-three!  Really old!"

"Wow, thirty-three?? That is WONDERFUL!" (said emphatically!) 

Super Grammy!

Last week was one of those whirlwind weeks, followed by a full weekend, and then followed by crazy full start to another week. It was just one of those sequences where fun, and work, and church, and household-ey things, and two flat tires, and deadlines all piled together to make a very full week and a half. In the middle of this full calendar, and contributing to the fullness, Peter left town for a conference for 3 days. I was planning on just using extra sitter help and winging the Sunday-Wednesday stint on my own, but then my mom got off of work and fabulously volunteered to come to town and help out while he was gone. Tonight, now that she's gone, I am realizing just how much she did while she was here!

Grammy Lou did all the dishes and almost all the meals for me while she was here. She left us homemade apple crisp, pumpkin pie, and shelves full of groceries and Target items. Grammy cleaned up the playroom and kitchen each day, and tidied up other rooms, clothes, and stuff on tables strewn around hourly by our two year old. She re-sewed two pairs of curtains for our bedroom, hemmed my dress pants, and took us girls out for Chinese and shopping at night. She helped me pick up our car from the mechanic's lot, provided a second car for a few days in general, and watched Pirates of the Caribbean with me in the evening. All this was on top of, and not an expected/required part of, me asking her to come and help out with Eva while I was pretending at single parenthood. She got up with Eva in the mornings, watched her while I was teaching or at work, and made up games, songs, crafts, and homemade cocoa with marshmallows for her grand-daughter. It was SUCH a relief to have her help and I kind of can't believe all that she got done. BIG THANKS to you mom. :)

I told her when she was leaving today that I should get her a cape - since she's Super Grammy!      

         

Literalist

We recently started trying potty training around here - very recently. Eva picked out a treat at Target yesterday for her to get whenever she successfully used the kiddo potty, and she chose gummy worms! So last night we got home and headed for the bathroom, after talking up using the potty all day and now there was the promise of a gummy worm. So, Eva quickly took off her pants, had me help her pull off her diaper, and then sat down on the top of her potty with the lid down while saying, "Ok, I get a gummy worm now!" I said, "Babe, you have to go pee or poop in the potty, remember? That is why you sit on the potty." She answered, "No, you said worm if I was on the potty. I am on potty but I don't PEE on HERE??? Worm! Worm please!"

So yeah, we have a little ways to go.... 

Once upon a time...

Eva loves to tell stories and make up silly plot lines lately. She usually talks about something that we've done lately, or that she's seen Dora do lately, and mixes it up with new characters and some crazy connections. Her stories crack me up and are also very good diversions when she's crabby or doesn't want to do ________ activity. She also starts her stories with the prerequisite, "Once upon a time," although sometimes it doesn't come at the beginning. Here is just one example of the "power of story":

This past week we were packing a lot and she got a little frustrated one afternoon since we weren't playing together very much. It had been raining the day before and so we had been cooped up a lot - and she decided that she wanted to tell me a story. So, using her cherished angel mouse that she only gets to hold once in awhile (it's Peter's breakable childhood toy), here is a story about an angel, being in the rain, flying, and going to sleep (sort of). I give you, Miss Eva M, storyteller!  

Funny Phrases From a 20(ish) Month Old

- Eva routinely stands up, points both hands outward in a wide gesture, and exclaims, "Ta-da!" This can happen when she wakes up from a nap, when she puts together a toy, when she gets all dressed up in her winter wear - really anything she is proud of or just done with. It's awesome.

- When Eva is upset about something that is going to happen, like us leaving her or turning off Sesame Street, she know states emphatically ahead of time, "I cry, I cry" - which sounds like, "I kai, I kai."  Then she half fake, half for real starts to cry - with her hands up on her cheeks. Except for the part where she is really truly sad, it's pretty funny. :)

- When Eva is done with an activity, or done being with a certain person (could be a babysitter, one of us parents, a grandparent, etc.) she turns to that person/activity and loudly says, "Bye-bye." Even if you are mid-way through an activity, or in the middle of holding her, or still hugging her good-bye, if she is done, she declares "bye,bye" - several times, while waving bye to you - and that is that.

- Eva has discovered the fine art of tickling, which anyone who knows her dad will not be surprised at. She has helped tickle other people for awhile now (by 'tickling' I mean sort of scratching, sort of wiggling her fingers generally in the direction of someone else.) Recently she added tickling herself to her repertoir - so her routine goes something like this: yell, "Tick! Tick!" then wiggle fingers at mom, wiggle fingers at dad, tickle self in the tummy while falling over backwards on the couch, repeat.  

- Her current counting usually goes something like this: : "1, 2, 8, 9... TEN!"

- Her current alphabet singing goes something like this: "a, b, Ceeeeee, d, eh, eh, Geeee.... eh, eh, eh, eh, l, m, oh, oh, Peeeee.... eh... Veeeee, ....Zeeee... eh, eh, eh, eh, a, b, Ceeees, ...... Meeeeeee." 

Spilled Milk

It's been a hectic day full of prepping for leaving town for awhile, and Eva has been slowing me down (even more than usual). I am realizing, though, that I often forget how aware of things and how smart this kiddo is getting. Here is my favorite example:

This afternoon Eva was eating a snack on the floor in the kitchen (peanut butter, milk and popcorn, her new favorites.) I looked over to see her accidentally spill some "mick" on the floor after putting the cup up to her mouth to drink, and just as I was starting to whisk her up to put her in the high chair, where messes would be easier to control, she ran away from me. Purposefully ran away, carrying a dripping cup. More than a little perturbed, I firmly said, "Eva, come back, you need to sit in your chair now and not spill the milk." She wandered back next to me, and as I looked down, noticed she was holding our kitchen towel. Before I could pick her up to save future messes, she started to wipe up the milk from the floor!!! She looked at me and smiled as she cleaned up her own mess, and said, "ah-dow" (all done.) I broke into a huge grin and gushed, "You were helping momma clean weren't you? THANK you Eva, that was so nice! What a smart girl."

After I gave her a BIG hug for acting so grown up and helping, but before I got her up into her chair, she deliberately turned her same cup of milk fully upside down and made a HUGE mess of spilled milk on the floor. Then she handed me the towel. Sigh.

Eva the Princess Chronicles

For Eva's birthday, Liz and I wanted to find a way to commemorate her first year with us. So we came up with the idea of a story that captured many (unfortunately not all of them) of the important experiences that happened during that first year. I, of course, have been meaning to get this up on the blog ever since we started it, but better late than never, right?

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Herein lies the Chronicles of Princess Eva.

Our tale begins when the citizens of the Kingdom hear some wonderful and joyous news. A princess was coming to the kingdom. There had never been a princess in the kingdom before and no one knew what to expect. What does a princess look like? Does she have horns? What can a princess do? Can she fly? Everyone was very excited to meet this new princess.

Soon the heralds announced that a date had been set for Princess Eva’s arrival to the kingdom. The entire land got ready for March 25, 2008 – a very special day. Nobility from all over world began to arrive to meet this new princess. Lord David and Lady Linda crossed the Arctic snow. Grand Duke Thomas and Duchess Karen sailed the Great Lake. Count Josh and Countess Kara traveled across the Golden Fields and Green Pastures. Baron Timothy and Baroness Meghan, Marquess Zach and Marchioness Kate (escorting the Prince Isaac and Prince Anders), and Duke Joshua all traveled from their nearby kingdoms. Rulers from around the world sent their gifts and accolades. Countess Alicia and Count David’s emissary traveled for weeks across mountains, deserts, and seas to send their salutations to the new princess. Baroness Jill, Marquess Jedidiah, and Marchioness Linnea all sent their missives on the backs of winged unicorns. One by one all of nobility met the new princess and everyone fell in love with her the moment she arrived.

The days and weeks after the arrival of Princess Eva were filled with wonders too many to tell.

Not long after Eva’s arrival, Duke Christopher and Duchess Sarah requested the presence of the princess and her escorts at a grand party in the magical woods far north of the Kingdom. Eva had taken many trips, but never one as far as this one. So the Queen walked out to the highest cliff and sang a beautiful song. Soon a giant blue dragon swooped down from the clouds with two strong dragon riders perched on its back. The dragon was going to fly them all the way to the magical woods! So the King, Queen, and Princess jumped on the back of the dragon while the Baron and Baroness helped the Lord and Lady up onto dragon’s tail. Everyone held on tight as the dragon riders tightened the reins and the dragon soared into the air. As they climbed higher and higher, Lady Linda became scared of how high they had traveled. Eva though gave her a hug and made the Lady forget how high they were. The dragon riders, impressed by the kindness that the princess had shown, gave her a pair of diamond dragon wings. They told her that whenever she needed to travel to a distant land, she just needed to pin the wings to her clothes and they would come as fast as she could blink. Eva had never been to a party as amazing as the one held for the Duke and Duchess. The Duchess wore a dress that was so beautiful that everyone who saw her cried for joy.

As the days grew shorter and the nights longer, Princess Eva was invited to observe the commemoration of the birth of God’s Son at the court of Lord David and Lady Linda. The queen explained that the birth of God’s Son was the most special event of the whole year. Princess Eva asked if she could have a special dress for the occasion. So the queen assembled all of the best tailors in the land and together they created a beautiful red dress for the princess to wear for the special ceremony. On the eve of the birthday of God’s Son, the Lord and Lady hosted a huge feast and then Princess Eva, resplendent in her red dress, was escorted by the King and Queen to the commemoration ceremony. Eva sat in awe at the beautiful music and magical rites of the ceremony. During their stay at the Lord and Lady’s court, Princess Eva also had the opportunity to meet the Grand Lady Marilyn at her estate.

Soon after the commemoration ceremony, Princess Eva traveled to the Grand Duke and Duchesses’ Kingdom to attend the Grand Ball in honor of Count David and Countess Alicia. The Count and Countess were getting married and Princess Eva watched as hundreds of the finest dressed gentlemen and ladies eagerly lined up to enter the Grand Ball in honor of their wedding. While Eva was amazed by all of the ladies’ dresses, only two were grand enough for her to remember forever. Countess Alicia, of course, was dressed in a beautiful wedding gown made from strands of moonlight that lighted the entire room. One of Countess Alicia’s attendants, the Baroness Jill, looked spectacular in her flowing black dress. The beauty of the Countess and her sister the Baroness were the talk of the ball. The entire evening of the ball was enchanted. There was a sumptuous feast and many hours of dancing with all of the gentlemen and ladies. Princess Eva never wanted the night to end, but the duties of a princess are never done and soon Eva had to return to her kingdom.

For the next few months, Princess Eva kept busy learning her many duties in the kingdom. She spent many days and weeks working studiously at the King and Queen's side. As a reward, the Queen and King told Eva about an amazing place called Paradise. The stories that Eva heard filled her with excitement and she wanted very much to see this Paradise, but it was very far away and the Queen had lost her singing voice so they had no way to call the dragons to take them to Paradise. The King and Queen and Eva were all sad. Then Eva remembered her diamond dragon wings. She ran to her room and found magical wings and she pinned them to her dress. At first nothing happened, but soon the sound of rushing air filled the castle. Dragons were coming! Eva asked the big dragons if they could take her and the King and Queen to the land of Paradise. The dragons agreed and soon Eva was flying high above the clouds. When they arrived, Eva visited the crystal shores and was even able to dip her toes in the beautiful blue waters. The King and Queen took her to see many of the magical creatures that lived in Paradise. She met huge caimans which smiled big toothy grins at Eva. She met griffins and even heard about a strange creature called a werecat – a dangerous but beautiful creature that existed somewhere in the realm. While the Queen stayed in the carriage, Princess Eva and King Peter searched everywhere but never found any sign of this creature. Soon enough it was time to return to leave Paradise and return to their kingdom. Eva once again called the dragons and they returned the King, Queen, and the Princess to their castle.

Eva continued her lessons and became adept at many of her duties as Princess. Sooner than anyone thought possible, Eva celebrated her first year in the Kingdom. The King and Queen threw a huge festival in her honor. Royalty came from all over the world to celebrate the Princess. Count Josh, Countess Kara, Marquess Jedidiah, Lord David and Lady Linda all traveled from the far north across fields and forests. Grand Duke Thomas and Duchess Karen once again sailed the Great Lake. Duchess Sarah, Marchioness Linnea, and Countess Alicia called their dragons to come from the East and the West. Baron Timothy and Baroness Meghan, Marquess Zach and Marchioness Kate (escorting the Prince Isaac and Prince Anders), and Duke Joshua all traveled from their nearby kingdoms. Everyone descended on the King and Queen’s castle for the big party bearing precious jewels, rare stones, meticulously crafted cloth all for the Princess. The Princess was so excited and reveled in the presence of so many noble men and women.

The King and Queen though had an even bigger gift for the Princess. The day after the festival, all of the Dukes and Duchesses, Lords and Ladies, Counts and Countesses, Marquesses and Marchionesses, Barons and Baronesses, and the King, Queen, and Princess all traveled across the Great City to Grand Cathedral. In the presence of all of the royalty and parishioners of the Grand Cathedral, the King and Queen brought the Princess before the Great God. Standing before the throne of the Great God, King Peter and Queen Elizabeth, with the support of the Marquesses Zach and Jedidiah and Marchionesses Kate and Linnea, humbled themselves and asked the Great God to bless Princess Eva. The Princess, awed by the presence of the Great God, shakily curtsied and Great God looked into Princess Eva eyes and smiled…

Here ends the first chapter of the Chronicles of Princess Eva…