First, I am incredibly amused that one of Evie's favored activities is going to the mall. She loves shopping, and she especially loves shopping at the Wolfchase mall where the highlights for her include riding on the train, the carousel, the $1 boat/train/airplane thing that basically acts as a motorized merry-go-round, and going to the Disney store. This week she asked me to take her to the mall, so I did, and we went on a new adventure: bungee cord trampolining. She was hooked up to bungee cords and then bounced off of a trampoline so she got LOTS of air time. She had a blast.
Getting set up
High flying
Obligatory carousel ride
Language funny: Evie also asked me while we were at the mall if we could get a cake pop from "Starbuckets".
Evie asked me at some point this week, "Why we should not kiss on lips?" As I was explaining germ theory to her as best as possible, she said, "So, if Grandma Jeanne have a baby in her tummy, you should not kiss her." I'm not sure how that all fit together... But I thought it was hilarious.
We left Thursday to head to the beach. Grandma Jeanne rode with my parents and Seth and Evie and I rode in our car. We had dinner together in Meridian, MS, where Evie had us all in stitches. She was wanting to play doctor, and she wanted me to be the doctor and her to be the patient. I asked her, "What seems to be the problem, patient?" She said, "I have a problem when I breathe." I asked, "What does it feel like you breathe?" She said, "It feels like boogers." I was not expecting that at all and couldn't stop laughing to continue my examination.
We made it to Saraland, AL and stopped for the night and watched a lot of the Olympics while we were working on falling asleep. Evie got really into the swimming. She kept asking who it was we wanted to win and we always used the commentator's yellow circles on the screen around whomever was the American (usually Michael Phelps) to point out to her who it was we were rooting for. The next morning at breakfast, she wanted to play pretend that she was the Olympic swimmer. She said to me, "You can be the caller, I can be the winner, and (pointing to my parents and Grandma Jeanne) you three can be the losers." So funny! Then she told me "You can make the circle on me." So I guess the "caller" was her word for the commentator.
Another language funny: She informed Seth when he was trying to help her get out of the car, "I can buckle myself un." Maybe a touch of German grammar there.
As we were leaving the hotel Friday morning to finish our drive to Perdido Key, Evie got very upset with me and as I was brushing her hair, she said, "Leave me alone, you silly old woman." It was one of those moments where you know you can't laugh, but it's really so funny. I told her I was only 34 and she's not allowed to call me old yet.
We arrived in Perdido Key around noon and waited for the rest of the group to get to the restaurant where we had decided to eat lunch. When everyone got there, the kids immediately fell into playing with each other. We had Zach who is 14; Aiden, 10; Addie, 8; Lydia, 6; and Will, 5; and Evie, 4. The kids all got along so well the whole trip and I was especially impressed with Zach who took to caring for Evie, carrying her places, playing with her in the pool, helping her reach things and get in the ocean... I couldn't get over how this 14 year old young man was so kind, caring, friendly. Evie seemed to always want to be with Zach and I was so impressed that he never turned her away. He's such a good kid.
We checked into the condos Friday afternoon and then headed to the ocean before dinner. Pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday were devoted to playing in the waves or in the pool, eating delicious food, playing board games when it got rainy or too sunny, and watching the Olympics. Monday we more or less stayed inside and let the kids have a good time playing indoors while we cleaned up, packed up, and loaded up the cars. It was a truly wonderful trip. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family.
The view from the condos
Dinner Saturday night, Evie passed out from so much fun. She did the same the last time we ate at the Jellyfish, 2 years ago.
Uncle Ryan carried her back across the street and she didn't open her eyes the whole time
Evie, Lydia, and Addie
Sand village
Will and Evie
Evie and Grandma Jeanne
Selfies with Granna!
Prepping for sand castle building
Will is helping me bury her in the sand and turn her into a mermaid
Addie and Evie
Evie and Zach <3 p="">
Lydia and Evie eating shrimp
Addie, Evie, and Will, chilling in the condo on Monday
She fell asleep on the drive home, listening to "Hungry Like the Wolf" on repeat.
I have to brag on my kid's emotional intelligence. On Monday, Evie, Addie, and Will were attempting to play pretend together and it wasn't going as well as we would have liked. Will wanted to be an animal that didn't really fit into their game well, and Addie didn't want him to play that way. We talked about compromise and letting him be what he wanted to be and finding a way to incorporate it even if it didn't really make sense so Addie figured out that Will could be their pet. But then there was a disagreement over where will could be physically in relation to Addie and Evie and Addie was yelling at Will and Will was starting to get upset back. Evie said to Addie, trying to convince her to let Will play where they were playing, "Addie, he's our pet, and if you talk to him he'll be upset. And he's ours." I was so proud of her for being inclusive. I know siblings get tired of being together and I know the age difference and different interests makes it hard for Addie and Will to play together some times. I was glad that Evie was trying to bridge everything together and reminding them that not upsetting our family is more important than whether things make sense in a game or not. She can be wise beyond her years, my little girl.
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