imitation

Ellie has been learning for about a month now how to play peek-a-boo herself, by holding up the blanket in front of her face. It seems that Daddy has taught Ellie how to clap now! She has been imitating him by banging her hands together... it's the cutest thing. Seeing her being able to physically imitate us now feels like a whole new stage. It's also bringing into focus for me the fact that she is absorbing the world like a sponge. My mom always used to say "Monkey see, monkey do." Ellie will soon imitate everything she sees, and it's up to us to help her evaluate and interpret what she sees, as much as we have the power to do so.

I've always been a verbally and symbolically-oriented person, and I find myself excited for the time when Ellie can talk. When I think about it, what I'm really looking forward to is the time when she can reason. I dream about conversing with her about the way the world works, about Jesus and the Bible, and about what things that happen in her young life mean. It's going to be a while. I realize that I'm already conversing with her nonverbally, and I just pray that what's coming across is right and good. Watching her imitate her dad as best she can is heartwarming for me - and it reminds me to trust our family to God even more. Only He sees everything, every stimulus that goes into her little mind - how it all bounces around in there, and what will result from it. I'm so glad He knows her, and us, so perfectly. It's quite a relief for her mom.