Disclaimer to all grandparents, other family members, and people who did not make the list: Yes, she talks about YOU, too. But most of the time it is when we ask her about you or we are talking about you or we're on the phone with you or when she sees your picture.
These people pop into her head all by themselves.
Gary:
“Hey, Gary!”
“Bye, Gary!”
“Night Night, Gary!”
Theory/Analysis: She has been talking to Gary (our across the street neighbor) through the front glass doors since we moved in. The first time, he was actually outside. Now, she talks to his house. I think he somehow reminds her of Bebo (Jimmy), and she LOVES her some Bebo. Last night she was singing happy birthday to Gary and “bye-byeing” to him from the window, so Ken took her over there in her pajamas and knocked on the door. Gary answered (in his pajamas) and she clammed up. Wouldn’t say a word until she got back in the house. Then a very quiet, “night night Gary.”
Deana:
“Hey, Mina!”
“Bye, Mina!”
Theory/Analysis: Deana is Gary’s wife. She’s actually the one who talks more to Day than Gary. But Day has been too shy to say her name until recently. Deana came over and invited us inside to see her house last week. She had a little bitty rocking chair, a furry cat, and a pig statue. Now, Deana is on the radar.
Baby Nora:
“Hey, Baby Nora!”
“That’s Nora.”
Theory/Analysis: Baby Nora is Erin and Matt Molina’s 3 month old baby girl. Day saw her in the hospital under the blue light when she was born with her “shades” on and this seemed to make a big impression. She has been around her a handful of other times, and most of the times have included Erin bouncing a tightly swaddled Nora. Day made this connection apparently, because now when we bounce her babies, they are Baby Nora. We went to see Karen’s new babies on Monday and there was a newborn under the blue light in the nursery. Guess who Day said it was… Baby Nora. She talks about Nora in the car a lot.
Eli:
“Hey, Eli!”
“That’s Eli.”
Theory/Analysis: It is yet to be determined whether Day is referring to her baby cousin Eli or to her friend at school Eli. All babies used to be Eli. But then she called Savannah (Phadra’s daughter who is only 6 months younger than Day and therefore not necessarily a baby) Eli for the whole beach trip this summer. Now, since most babies are Baby Nora and she is still talking about Eli, I think maybe it's her friend at school that she's talking about. They do hug each other in the mornings. And when I come to pick up Day, Eli runs to me yelling DAAAY and gives me a hug. Again, she talks about him in the car. Maybe she’s daydreaming about what toys they’ll play with at school that day.
Eddie:
“Hey, Eddie!”
“Bye Bye, Eddie!”
Theory/Analysis: Eddie basically lives in our kitchen. He’s been doing a lot of the remodeling, and so he gets there around 7 AM just in time to talk to Day about her pancakes, her app-a-juice, etc. She is intrigued by him and all the tools that he carries. He’s really sweet to her and honestly a big help to me in the mornings because I put the baby gate up and she watches him like a hawk. I get a lot done. Then when it’s time to go, I have to drag her away and she yells “Bye Bye, Eddie!” In fact, even at night (when Eddie is probably at home in his own kitchen) she looks around for him and talks about Eddie and his "hammah".
(I hope to post photos of our new kitchen VERY soon. Don’t want to jinx anything with an expected finish date, though.)
Caston:
Caston’s name is in a lot of sentences at our house. It’s not just “Hey, Bye, Night Night, etc”. And Caston’s name is ALWAYS said with a huge smile. I have honestly never witnessed such true adoration. She talks about him when she eats, before she goes to bed, when we get to school, when we read books, at all times. Yesterday, she stopped at his door at school instead of hers, so I called him over so she could hug him. She doesn’t seem to notice that he does not return the full measure of her enthusiasm.
One day at lunch I dropped by to spy (it was her first week in a new room – give me a break) and her class and Caston’s were in the playroom watching a Barney video. Well, all but Day and Caston. While everyone else was zoned in on the TV, they were turned around backwards poking each other. As I walked by I heard one of the teachers say, “Caston! Get your hands off Day!” and I watched Day smile and kinda push on him a little. A love press, no doubt.
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| big kids' table at Jason and Lucy's |
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| snacking at the sprayground |
