Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Order of Ethan

You might have heard me talk about how obsessed Ethan is with order. Everything must always be the same. From the side of the bed Mommy and Daddy are on when it is time to say goodnight, to the square on the carpet you must sit on while playing "Jumps." Here is a nightly example:

While reading stories with Mommy (not Daddy) Ethan stands behind the footstool in his room, snack in front of him in a purple bowl, milk next to that, Blue Dog next to that, his blanket on Mommy's lap.

Step 1: Ethan opens book
Step 2: Ethan turns the first page.
Step 3: Mommy reads the title page (no skipping this) and Ethan recites the illustrator by memory--seriously.
Step 4: Mommy says, "page please" to indicate it is time for Ethan to come and turn the page (Mommy is not allowed, but she sometimes can sneak one in when his back is turned, depending on how well he knows the book).
Step 5: Ethan takes a bite of snack, a sip of milk, and rubs Blue Dog's tail between his thumb and forefinger (sometimes an ear is substitued)--IN THAT ORDER.
Step 6: Ethan comes over to Mommy and turns the page.
Step 7: Ethan returns to his original spot by the footstool.

Repeat above steps for each page of book, for 4 books nightly.

Luckily he does not seem to require this regimen from babysitters. Can you imagine the detailed notes we'd have to leave?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Please don't take this the wrong way, because I too have been there. But Ethan is DEFINTELY your first child! :) The quirks are cute or at least tollerated for the first. For the 2nd, it's like, "You better conform kid if you're going to survive in this household!"