. . . just like Clifford!

Last Thursday, we went on a ferry ride from Coronado to downtown and back with Eliza's field trip group. We were late, and Eliza bawled about losing her shoe on the pier (we found it upon returning), but overall she enjoyed the novelty. She was disappointed that there were no fairies on the ferry though.

That evening, she drew a picture of a boat, naming the figures she'd scribbled: "Ben and Hannah and Noah and Olivet." I think that is the first time she has drawn a person outside our little family.

On the drive home, she was rattling on excitedly about the park, her friends, the ferry, and the pier.

E: It was just like Clifford!
me: Eh?
E: Just like Clifford! Emily Elizabeth and Clifford met friends on the pier. Just like me!

That reminded me of a comment she made a month ago. We were reading Robert Sabuda's pop-up Alice in Wonderland, which has one spread showing Alice growing so large she bursts out of the house.

"That's just like Clifford! He got so big then they moved to the island. Alice goes to the island, too?"

Indeed.

I laughed, surprised and delighted that she would make such a connection, but also a bit mortified that it was to a TV show. Her viewing is now down to a maximum half hour a day with a movie once or twice a month with me - usually a classic musical because that's the only thing we both find interesting.

Clang clang clang went the trolley,
Ding ding ding went the bell,
Zing zing zing went my heart strings,
From the moment I saw him I fell!

(Yes, I really do burst out into song at home.)

On a completely unrelated note, gut yontif to those who celebrate Pesach this week. Hell hath no fury like a bread-deprived vegan. :)

story time with Miss Elaine

Elaine (of wannabe hippie) mentioned she was hosting story time for the first time today at Java Mama Cafe. I'd never been, but I thought it worth a trip to check out.

Unfortunately, we had a hard time finding it and arrived late, missing most of story time. Eliza was overwhelmed by the new situation and froze up, but the other kids were really into it. I wish I could summon up as much enthusiasm as Elaine having read The Napping House a zillion times.


Afterward, Eliza had fun playing in the supervised play area for awhile until she announced she was hungry. Outside food is not allowed, and the only thing on the menu we could eat was a PBJ (I'm reluctant to pay for something I can slap together in 5 seconds at home).

Eliza happily agreed to go to a restaurant, so we stopped off at Sipz Fusion Cafe on the way home where we shared orange "chicken" and pad Thai. I ordered a Thai iced tea because I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't drink this peach-jasmine drink I'd ordered at Java Mama because I thought it was an iced tea, and it turned out to be a milk shake. (I told the guy at the counter to give it away since I didn't want it to go to waste.) He offered to remake it with water but said he didn't know if the peach mix had dairy. I thought to myself, "you could look on the label, or show it to me," but I'm not a complainer and don't like to trouble people, so I reassured him it was alright - after all, the fault was mine for assuming.

Eliza was well-behaved at lunch and eagerly devoured the pad Thai. Good restaurant behavior is one of Eliza's few easy traits (although it wasn't always that way). I dare say, she behaves a good deal better in restaurants than she does at home, being a diva of a food critic, flinging what she doesn't like - a habit that infuriates her father more than any other.

Afterward, I asked Eliza if she'd like to go pick up our fruit order or if she'd like to go home, knowing what her answer would be, but I asked because I figured we'd be out of there in under an hour and only live a couple miles away. However, I didn't count on getting horribly lost in my own neighborhood. And here I was just talking with Jenny (of wildwood cottage) yesterday about my geeky love of geography - shame on me. After driving around for a half hour, hoping I'd happen upon the street, I told Eliza I was sorry but that we had to go home because I was lost. "No, no, no, no, no!!! I need to pick up the fwuit!!!" she yelled and started bawling. It figures that the one page our local Thomas Guide is missing is the one I needed. Then I had another thought. I pulled over to check whether my cell phone had a mapping program on its web function. I had to agree to be charged $4, which may have been worth it to avoid a meltdown.

I didn't have any luck getting Eliza out of Lorien's (of wilson silverleaf) after an hour, then two hours. I became more anxious as the afternoon wore on, knowing we were all in for a heap of trouble and tantrums if Eliza didn't get her nap. Fortunately, she did go down for a nap just after 4, which is highly unusual, so I thank my lucky stars.

Someone just woke up and is playing the obnoxious demo track on the piano keyboard next to me. I hope she'll want to go downstairs so we can listen to decent music instead. :)

(My apologies for the photo quality - that's the best I can do with a half-broken camera and dim lighting.)

Lavender Fields

C: Let me get this straight . . . we're driving two hours round-trip to see what . . . ?
me: Flowers.
C: Exactly my point.

By the time we hit the winding dirt roads that did a number on our little car's suspension, Chris was already wishing I'd never had the idea to go to Lavender Fields for its annual festival. It wasn't much of a festival, to be honest, but it sure was a beautiful farm.

I'd heard to expect bees in the spring, but I was surprised there were still so many being nearly July. There were thousands of bees buzzing everywhere. It's a good thing I'm only squeamish about creepy-crawlies, not flying insects. Eliza didn't bat an eyelash.

Eliza wasn't interested in the cooking demonstration, but she did take a shine to the little fountain. She insisted on plugging the water duct with her finger, which didn't stop her from complaining about getting wet. Still, she was having fun, so we just sat back and let her hang around the fountain for a half hour.

Soon Eliza's attention turned to the llamas over the fence from a neighboring ranch. She kept calling over to the llamas, but when they wouldn't come over, she decided that she needed to hop the fence to join them. (Her father pulled her down after I snapped a photo of her mischief.)

Eventually, she started to run out of patience, so after grabbing a couple things from the gift shop, we headed back home. I don't think I'll go back again while Eliza is so young, as it was a long way to go for something she didn't much appreciate, but I was happy to visit.