Confessions

Okay.

Ellie and Andrew are down for a nap - so I have to confess my grandmother indulgences.  I played the role.  But good grief - it could have been so much worse.

Ellie was a trooper.  All that she asked for before we went in to Wal-Mart was some "gum".  I told her right away, "Yes", I could get her gum. I mean - think about it - it's spring break - she has a few days with "NEAR" (that's my name).  One would expect a bit of a treat from the grandmother.  Andrew's with us, too. 

You, the reader, would have to understand how God chose, fore-ordained, to create, to "hardwire" Ellie - it can be a challenge to those whom He also fore-ordained to be her caregivers - well - those biologically related to her.  She's precious, but even Ellie often appears frustrated with her own strong will.  Ann has persevered in teaching her the same obedience and boundaries as Luke and now Andrew - I think that Ellie really really wants this strong will of hers not to get the best of the situation - but yet - it's so strong.  It often does send her into some of the most impossible tyrades with very unpleasant consequences.

I have to say that Andrew, also, was a trooper.  I strapped him into the buggy and he never once pitched a fit to get out.  He was entertained to go rolling through Wal-Mart in the grocery cart.

That doesn't always happen.  He is majorly a "hold me" baby.  To the max.  Whoa. 13 months now.  Fortunately he is not as large a child as Luke was at 13 months.

So - Andrew and Ellie - doing great!

We found ourselves looking for some toiletries and Ellie spotted a cute package of hair accessories - $3.50.  She said, "Look, Near, we could get those and I could fix your hair with them!"  They were pink and purple and really looked like they would suit Ellie's style more than mine - but heck - I heard her say she would fix my hair.  She knows I'm a sucker for that - I love to play hair dresser and she does my hair.  We all love it.  Who doesn't love that?  Ann loves it, Sarah loves it, we all love it.

I put the package in the cart and told her that if we spotted anything else she wanted - that we'd have to put the hair accessories back.  Translation to Ellie - "I have the option of picking out something else".  She said in a very grownup manner that, yeah, if she saw something else, we'd just put back the hair pieces.

She never wanted to "trade out" - but - we did manage to go home with a Dora Plastic Place Mat and some boy placemat for Luke.  I don't even know the Character.  I thought I was done with child plastic place mats - but they were only $2.00 each.  Ellie is genuinely excited about showing Luke his placemat.  She is confident he will LOVE it!

That is absolutely all that Ellie asked for - she hinted - and suggested - which made me sad - because of course I wanted to get her everything that appealed to her - but she never pushed for anything else.  What helped was reminding her of her birthday in April and maybe we would remember those items for her birthday.

I, on my own, did slip some fresh art supplies into my cart, without her seeing me.  Which I could NOT believe she didn't see.  She is one sharp cookie!  But she was doing her own looking and wasn't watching what I was doing.  I got her a pad of white art paper and some washable glittery pastelly marker things that end up 3-D on the paper.  And some fresh crayons that twist, therefore stay "sharp".  She is such a little artist - and being here with Sarah doing her work - well - Ellie wants to be in on it - and all my supplies for her are stale.

Tonight we are going to Buena Vista - where we will all love the cheese dip - I love it and the guacamole.  I'll take something for Andrew to be filled up with.  Big night with the Grandparents/Grandchildren/ & Auntie.

(Ellie did remember the gum at checkout - at the last minute)