Mike Tally #4

4. Eloise does not listen to Mommy.

And apparently Mike doesn't listen to me either. The Monkey has a new fixation and it's getting into the top drawer of daddy's desk.  She is all about it.  I tell her not to get in there. I distract. Heck, I even remove her little mits from the drawer, bring her into the kitchen, put her in the highchair and feed her (covering about a total of 20 minutes) and when I put her back down after she's done, where does she go?? Immediately back to Mike's top desk drawer.  Of course.

Mike's aware of this. I've told him what she does and he's been a witness to my repeated reprimands telling her to stay away from the drawer.  And he's also seen me remove everything from the drawer because clearly, Eloise does not listen to Mommy.

Well today, Eloise went to the top desk drawer, again.  And today is the day Mike left to go out of town so apparently despite what I've told him and showed him, he put everything right back into the drawer.  I'm in the kitchen. I hear her clank clank clank with the drawer pull and I say, "Eloise, do not go into daddy's drawer." Clank, clank, clank.....then, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap (that's Eloise running)......and around the corner she comes as quick as bunny with what in her hands??  An iPod in one and a permanent black marker in the other.  I remove both and tell her she is not to be into daddy's drawer.  Tap, tap, tap, tap, back around again she goes (she literally makes a circle of our downstairs like it's a track.). Clank, clank, clank, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap round again she comes.....and what does she have in her hands this time?? 1 pen and 1 wireless mouse (for the computer).  I remove both again and just completely start laughing. She's hilarious. She clearly does not care that Mommy has caught her in the act and asked her to stop. (what seems like 7,000 times) She's actually quite proud of herself as displayed by her ear to ear grin.  Her treks around the indoor track we're sporting are fruitful. Who can blame her? And Mike clearly doesn't listen to me either because he put every single thing back into the drawer. I will say, it feels a pinch like the two are plotting and planning behind my back knowing that it's the one thing that makes me totally insane. I'm just sayin'.

So you heard it hear first. I no longer care if she goes into daddy's top desk drawer. As long as whatever she discovers doesn't hurt her, she can have at it. Go on girl, get in that drawer to your little heart's content!

Just wait until daddy gets home and discovers my new approach. Maybe he'll start listening to me. Or I can cross my fingers and hope that at least one of them will. Someday.

Mike Tally #3

One more for the Mike Tally that I just thought of....

3) She pounds down drinks.  Sippy cups aren't for sipping around here. Instead they might has well be called "gulp it down" cups. Each morning our ritual is to come down stairs, find the "kitty cat" and feed him breakfast and then while getting our breakfast ready, I give her a sippy cup of milk.  She then immediately plops herself down wherever she's playing and stops at nothing to polish off the cup.  Nothing else matters at that moment other than to suck down the sippy cup in record speed.  How is this similar to Mike?  Here's your forewarning, don't ever let him "take a sip" of your drink. You'll regret it:)

The Mike Tally

I started to discover a new list forming in the Vail household and I've decided to call it the "Mike Tally". The list so far has been made up of all sorts of things Eloise was doing or not doing, including things not all that pleasant, that Mike similarly did or didn't do as a child.  i.e. the Mike Tally. 

Example - I came home from a playdate and said, "Eloise was a complete maniac at the ice cream shop and was totally not interested in ice cream. All the other kids were sitting nicely on their mommy's laps gobbling up ice cream and Eloise was charging up and down the aisles like a wind up toy."  What does Mike say?  "I never eat ice cream and I'm sure that's where she got it from. I bet her teeth are too sensitive like mine." (which is actually what I think is going on because she won't eat anything that is too cold including milk or veggies straight from the fridge.).  There we have it - Mike Tally #1. Shall we start the list??

1) She won't eat ice cream (or anything cold).

2) She will go running (literally) into any body of water without one ounce of fear.  The Mike Legend here was told through his parents who refused to buy a house on or near the lake we grew up by for fear Mike would seriously run right into it and hurt himself.  Mike Tally #2.

So far the list is shallow but I have a sinking suspicion that it'll be growing as Eloise gets into more, her personality comes out, and she starts to get her wits about her. But you'll notice of those that are now officially on the Mike Tally list, none of these are all that great. One is more serious than the other, of course. And so far the trend appears to be innate traits - like those that just come with the complete package - i.e., not that easy to change. If there was an "Allison Tally" the list might include 1) Laughs at burps.  Yes, she and I both laugh at burps and yes, I'm sure I'll regret this someday. But this was something taught . I have a chance at "un-teaching" that one.  Running full speed into a pool because she's a water baby with no fear??  It's in the blood.  Sensitive teeth?  Again, in the blood. 

So as we get to know the Monkey more, I'll be noticing her Mike-isms and jotting them down here under the "Mike Tally" label. Stay tuned as the Monkey becomes stubborn, cynical, and has a particular hankering for beer. Ahhhhhhhhh, just kidding. But, if she's anything like her daddy, those too could be added to her Mike Tally:)

Pics for today....the Monkey has accumlated quite a few pair of sunglasses and the irony is, she refuses to wear them.  So during a recent "circus side show" meal time, I decided to whip them all out and let her try them on for size.  Here are the results.