Stuff Eva does

It's been one of those weeks where Evangeline has been changing daily. These mental growth spurts just leave me reeling. They're much more emotional than physical ones. And since she's becoming even more amazingly amusing (I know you didn't believe she could!) here's a little idea of things she does from day to day. These behaviors are sometimes so short-lived that it's tragic. I don't want to forget them.

When we go on walks with Mad Max (about 10 times a day), she must hold the leash. It's not an option. And since I don't let her walk on these walks, it's her consolation prize. The great thing is that when he hits the end of the extension and tries to pull more, she's strong enough to hold onto it. Not that I trust that method when there's a car coming (he tries to run out in front of every car). So when I go on a walk with her in the Ergo on my back, and her holding the leash, I actually have my hands free even though I have a couple of little creatures for which I'm responsible. They just kind of orbit me. That means I have both hands free to scoop his poops, yay. Continuing on the walk theme...

Neighborhood dog: ruff! ruff!

Evangeline: hah! hah!

dog: ruff! ruff!

Eva: hah! hah!

...pause...

Eva: hah? hah?

Once inside the house, I leave the front door open for some fresh air.

Far-off dog: ruff!

Eva drops my hand that she'd been holding, turns toward the door: hah!

On evening walks, if it's been raining, minuscule snails go crunch-smunch underfoot with each step. It's a sad fact of life here; you can only avoid the ones that are as big as rodents. There's a cacophony of Okinawan sounds--traffic, cicadas, crickets, American and Japanese sirens, neighborhood kids on bikes, birds (whee-HEE-EE-haa-aa-a), Eva (aaa-AAA-aa-a). I realize later that she is actually copying me copying the bird.

At home, she always finds a way to amuse herself. Sometimes by clacking her teeth together, while watching me intently for a reaction. Wide open mouth--clack clack clack! Giggle--clack clack clack! Or by driving her push-cart into things, backing up, turning, and doing it again. Or taking Max's food out of his dish and feeding it to him (expressly forbidden, expressly done anyway). Or, of course, dropping food off of her tray for Max. Or randomly giving my leg a huge hug. She will also rest her head on my shoulder just for kicks, which is the sweetest thing ever.

She briefly obliged me by responding to "How big is Eva?" by throwing her hands up above her head. No more!

I can hear the beginnings of a singing voice. When she hears music and it is turned off or ends, she will often then start to "dada" in a singsong voice. She also did this after I sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" to her the other night.

When I give something to her and she's pleased with it, she gives a soft and contented "DAdadada da".

When she's chasing her yellow Anpan Man ball, she will say "Buh! Buh! Buh!"

When she's looking for attention she says "Uh-uh-ohhhh! Uh-uh-ohhh!"

Bored and out of eyesight in the car, she will open her mouth as wide as possible and pant. When I reply in like manner, she giggles. I do wonder if she picked this up from the dog.

Any food that I am eating, even if she has her own of the same thing, is greeted with the gaping maw of Eva. Even from across the room.

Anything she finds on the floor she will put on her head. Underwear, a basket, and one of my shirts all made it onto her head/neck today. Her favorite, though, is putting the shirt on her head so it covers her face and walking like a blind zombie into things, resulting in gales of her laughter. Horribly dangerous. How did I give birth to such a daredevil?