Elena collects Schleich animals. They are cute, but not as cute in heavy swarms like we have here. Everytime she goes to her other grandparents' house, she returns with five or so new animals. Having fixated on the them by pointing out the next animals she wants in the promotional booklet (wiley Schleich), she is able to convince them, through repeated requesting, wishing, and tenacious begging to take her to the toy store to pick up the next round of creatures. This time, it was the Cetylene Ponies (Shetland Ponies). They had all except the baby. They ordered the baby. That's IT for a while though.
The horses all gallyup around and they growl-neigh at each other. They knock each other over and are really quite violent.
Recently, there was a big storm that had us driving an alternate route to town. There was a tree down on the road next to our house, Saw Mill Hill. I told my father, in a voice mail message, that he would have to come home a different way. Anyhow, a few days later, Elena chirps up from the back of the car, "Why are we going this way, Mommy?" My response was, "Why do you think, Elena?" (since we had been through taking a different route because of the fallen tree a bunch of times). She answered, "Because there is a tree down on Saw Mill Hill Rd." I laughed out loud. I think I had only told her WHERE the tree was down once. She has a mind like a steel trap.
Yesterday, we were at my grandmother's lake house. We come out of the house to hear a "Cooo Cooo" and Elena says, "Mommy, that sounds like a morning dove." And I had to agree, it most certainly was a morning dove.
Tonight, she came running over to me all excited..."Mommy, does this look like a mama kangaroo?" she blurted all excited. "Um, yeah, it looks just like a mama kangaroo." Here is a picture of what was hopping all over the desktop:
"Oh good!! I have to make her some babies!!" But of course...
She knows the difference between different breeds of animals, different plants, etc. She notices everything, this child. It's an amazing gift to see the world through the eyes of a little three-year-old observer.
