Dirty mouth
I am sure we all can remember our moms or grade school teachers making the awful threat to make us eat soap when we said something inappropriate. I used to take it very literally, sitting in silence, fearing the white bar and the idea of digesting such an object.
With Eli there has not ever been a need to make such a threat. But Fear Factor visited our bathroom yesterday evening. Eli discovered the dove bar for the first time. (Well, mostly because it was new and had never been there to be discovered in the first place.) I told him it was 'soap'.
Now there is a peculiar thing about Eli that must be noted before I go any further, he gets a kick out of the way words sound. I am not sure if it is the way I say them over and over that is funny or that God is answering my daily prayer of giving him a sense of humor- but either way many words, if said correctly with a certain influctuation and repeated enough times will send my kid into hysterics. The word soap was no exception to the rule. Often if the word gets him to laugh then an instant bond is made with the object the word is naming, again soap was no exception to the rule... Ok so you can probably guess where all this is going by now...
Eli was so excited about 'soap', proclaiming the word with much gusto, roaring as it echoed amidst the shower walls and slipped between his tiny fingers. Then, like an underwater sea-diver searching for sunken gold, he was fishing the soap up out of the water again all the while saying, "soap (giggle), sssoapp (laugh)...
The soap slipping and searching eventually began to get old and boring. What else could soap be useful for, he inquired? And then the lightbulb illuminated above his head. His eyes got wide and his mouth, even wider. He lifted the porcelain grace up to his lips and, yup that's right, took a chunk out of it faster than I could say, "Yucky no!" I figured this was definitely one of those lessons you had to let them learn themselves.
The point was made very clear and very quickly to Eli. Needless to say, he now has full comprehension of all soap is good for and NOT so useful. I don't think much more needs to be said about that. Although tonight in the bath we did share a good laugh over soap again and all was well, it was used as intended: as a slippery device made to search for under the water.
More than just soap is coming out of Eli's mouth these days. Eli is becoming such a big singer too- who knows where he gets that from?!? His two favorite songs are the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle little star and the best part is- they are exactly the same tune. That little fact definitely changed my life when I discovered it. So now when we are strolling or riding in the car or even just playing in his room he starts singing his melody and looks at me for accompaniment.
I was relishing in the beauty of hearing his little voice and reminiscing in the days when he was a newborn. AJ's commute was very long. On the way home, since we only had one car at the time, often we'd make this commute all together as a family. We always loved the time riding together. AJ and I prayed while Eli was in the womb that Eli'd like road trips- God definitely gave us a boy who loves hitting the pavement and seeing the sights from the rear view.
Even as an infant Eli loved to ride in the car. It was the one place that would get him so excited that he'd start to coo and talk in that way that only infants talk. I remember how excited AJ and I would get at even the smallest sound Eli'd make. We definitely drove with the radio off because we didn't want to miss a single coo or grunt. We never wanted the little sounds to stop but eventually Eli would succumb to the soothing vibrations of the motor and drift off to sleep and all would be quiet. There was a simple disappoint that would come over AJ and I- we enjoyed Eli's sounds so much that we were definitely sad when they ceased but glad He was content and resting.
It is much the same emotion now when Eli is singing his songs. I never want the sweet sounds to cease. I love hearing his voice and try to foster an environment that makes him want to exercise his pipes. I am thankful he is content and so joyful. But when he stops singing there is still the nostalgic parent disappointment that I feel- wishing I could bottle up these little sounds and keep them forever.
Oh how God must feel each time we lift our voices up to Him in adoration and song. I bet He feels the same nostalgic disappointment we parents feel each time one of His children stops singing, only stronger and purer. No matter how Eli sings his song it is still the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. I believe this is how it is with our voices to God. He loves our worship and tunes His ear to hear us loud and clear. It is a beautiful fragrant and pleasing sacrifice that rises to His throne and makes Him smile, and I bet, even like Eli does to me, makes Him laugh at some points.
"I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship You, oh my soul rejoice! Take joy my King in what you hear. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear!!!"
posted by Kellie # 10:06 PM
