Fave Games of Late

So Eva's got quite the imagination, as you may know. Two of her favorite games lately reflect this - and they crack me up, so I want to remember them here. :)

The first game is a copying game of sorts - she usually starts by positioning her hands in some funny shape, or holding them like she is praying, and then turns to me or Peter and says, "Do this, do this!" After we mimic her, she changes her expression, moves her hands around, and then says, "ok, ok, ok, now do THIS!" It usually involves clapping, looking out windows in the car, holding onto ears/knees/cheeks, and other various motions she can come up with and make us follow. She inevitably is struck with glee at some point during the game and laughs her head off that we are following her - which, really, is a valid point. We DO look pretty silly. :)

The second game is an outgrowth of normal pretend play with her dolls/toys/utensils/anything she decides to pretend with. (At breakfast the small and large *fork* were a mommy and a baby.) The dolls/forks/whatever almost always want to go to sleep, they get tired, they snore, and then the wake up! Which always seems magical to Eva! Then, the pretend characters usually want to "go off somewhere," are often "busy," or are going to find "friends to play together with." It's a whole intricate plot line, seriously. The frequently with which Eva starts these relational, creative and funny little games astounds me though; she does them probably 50 times a day, by herself and with others, at home and at church/nursery/friend's houses, and never seems to tire of them. I think she is replaying interactions and feelings she is living in her own little way, and its fascinating for me to see how her mind and heart applies that growing wisdom to, say, her fork.

Also, a recent favorite to animate with these storylines - our "matching" freckles. Both Eva and I have a freckle on the top of our left hand and she never tires of having them talk to each other, kiss each other, play with each other, and "go off to sleep" together. :) Just glancing at that little freckle on my hand now makes me smile.

If the rash persists....

We made a visit to our pediatrician's office this morning to double check a growing rash on Eva's right leg. She got several normal-looking bug bites after our last week up in WI - a trip that was (of course),full of fun time in the woods, on country roads/trails, in the lake, etc. etc. Then the last few days, two of her bites started to look - funny. A red rash was spreading around each bite site, and then there was white area inside the red rash area. After 2 days of the red area growing, the whole rash/bite area faded; but it definitely still resembled a bulls-eye - the tell-tale worry marker for potential Lyme disease infection.

Cue momma and girl trekking to the doctor's office this morning, where we promptly received a two-week antibiotic prescription, a sticker for her great behavior, and the attention of several nurses who had never seen lyme disease before and wanted to see what the doctor on call called a "textbook case." Fun morning stop on the way to Eva's friend's house!

Eva is feeling fine, btw; she likes how the amoxicillin tastes and is already showing people her cool bug bite. I told her that usually bug bites don't hurt at all, but sometimes we might need medicine for them. Then she replied, "Ok, I get all better; I go to Leah's house now and play?" :) Obviously she is no worse for the wear.

Here is a (blurry) look at the tell-tale bulls-eye bite; today the doctor said there is no way to know for sure if it IS Lyme disease, but since it's a textbook case-looking rash, he wants to treat it so that in two weeks if it is anything serious, it will be out of her system. We never did see an actual tick or it's head or anything. But I am glad that whatever it was, it will not have the chance to continue to bother Eva. Whew! I am one thankful momma.

Favorite Books

Eva is voraciously reading/having us read her fave stories over and over lately. Several of the repeats are gifts from others and many are often requested several times in one sitting, both at bedtime and naptime! So before I forget, here is what our "on her way to 2-1/2" year old loves to read lately:

Daddy Loves His Little Girl, by John Carter Cash
Because I Love You This Much (Polar Bear kiss one)
Momma, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure
Waiting for Wings, Elhart
Market Day, Elhart
My First Colors (flap book)
The Best Christmas Tree Ever, Tonka Truck book
Eva's One Year Old Book (from Alicia and Dave)
Good Night Gorilla
If You Give a Pig a Pancake

Cabin Quotes

We just got back into town after a long week traveling to MN, then WI, then MN again, and then back to Chicago. Whew! Eva traveled fairly well, slept amazingly great at every new place, and the weather mostly cooperated (aside from a near-tornado billowing through sleepy Cumberland, WI, where we were staying!) Today has already been consumed with unpacking, cleaning, making grocery plans and babysitter/work plans for the week; and it's only 9am! But we all got a great break this past week and I feel refreshed and re-focused for our dive back into summer!

There are a slew of great photos coming soon... but before I forget, here are a few of my favorite memories from this past week in the form of Eva quoteables.

"Hi Bo! I like your dress!"
To Tim, as he picked her up for a hug, while he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts:

"Want to play me? Want to go with me?"
To everyone, all day, most days.

"I hear a frog! I hear it! I hear it! Shhh. Quiet."
Said while running toward the lake shore, with her hands on her face to help her 'be quiet' to find the frog.

"Awwww. Hi kitty! Awwww. She's coot! She's coot! Awwww. Come here Meow, Meow. Come here. Up the stairs with me Meow, Meow."
Said while playing with a stray kitty Peter found and brought home; Eva named her Meow Meow and spent quite a while walking up and down the front stairs with her, clapping and explaining how cute she was.

"Good job Megs! Good job fishin'."
Said to the fishing queen, after she caught a crappie.

"I will miss you! But I will see you again soon. You come again? You come play me again?"
Said to Grammy and Gramps as we were leaving.