Eitan insisted we count to one hundred together today. I was all in and started counting with him. His participation was variable, but meaningful. When we got to 88 he took a deep breath and said, “you count to one hundred. I out of me breath.” And I did!
We’ve started to do more things with Eitan now that he can mask well. It’s been a harder transition for him than we anticipated. Recently, we planned a trip into Boston to visit Mrs. Mallard and a chocolate store. He really wasn’t into it. There was a good 30 minutes of screaming before we wrestled him into the car.
Fortunately, eventually, we enjoyed our trip. When we got home, Eitan found the coasters he had thrown during one of his tantrums and quietly put them away. Then he said, “sorry I didn’t want to go to the farm, mama”. It might have been the wrong story, but it was the right sentiment!
Since he was pretty small, Eitan called juice ‘jupe’. It is definitely his favorite drink, and he continues to call it jupe even though he can now pronounce the sound ‘s’. The other day he was helping me peel an orange and his finger punctured it. “Hmmmm, jupey!” was his reaction. It was great.
Eitan is playing with Dada’s wallet.
“What’s this?”
“That’s the bank card. It has our money in it.”
“I don’t see any money…”, as he flips it around to see it from all angles.
Sometimes, Eitan really surprises us. This was a chat I had during our Dada-son bonding time, aka the minutes after he had been put in his crib, aka the time he should already be sleeping.
Eitan: I want to be a grownup. Like you.
Dada: You’ll get there.
Eitan: When I’m grown up, I want to keep you forever.
Dada: Thanks, buddy. Me, too.
Eitan: And I want to keep Dodo forever.
Dada: we have to do a Covid test on you
Eitan: don’t wanna!
Mama: we have to make sure you don’t have Covid!
Eitan: I have Covid! fake cough
Eitan: “Dodo came out of my tummy”
Dada: “Is Dodo your baby?”
Eitan: “yuppie”
For Rosh Hashanah, Papa made an apple challah in the shape of a spiral. When we first saw it, Dada started saying “That looks…”. You could tell he was about to say “amazing” or “delicious”. Instead, Eitan interjected “like a poop!” We all burst out laughing, including Eitan. It kind-of did, but it was also delicious.
Dodo has become Eitan’s “little boy”. What does that entail, you ask?
Keep wild animals away.
Make sure Dodo doesn’t get hurt.
Hold Dodo’s hand so he doesn’t run away.
Eitan
After a fantastic round of T-ball, Eitan and Dada played a little catch. When Dada missed the ball, Eitan created a new game. Dada was ejected from the backyard. It was now only Eitan and the ball. Once the ball got rolling, we were treated to this little back and forth:
Eitan: Ball, stop!
Mama: Can it hear you?
Eitan: No. It doesn’t have a mouth.
Life lessons for us all.