I have been remiss in reporting that Eli has got an extreme case of the smittens. Yes, Emma was his first kiss, Saia his first best friend, and there was Jamie, and Ella. But nothing like this. He is, I do not exaggerate, TOTALLY in love with this girl at school named Haley (see the blonde girl at the bottom of the first picture below). Aaaah, Haley. His eyes light up, his heart jumps, and he floats on air whenever her name is spoken. It’s so damn cute. But wait – that’s not all. Haley is a twin – her sister’s name is Kyra, and he is quite keen on her as well.

Here are a few examples of the expression(s) of his obsession(s):

– At night, when I sing “Lullaby” he makes me sing: “Lullaby, Haley, …. Say goodnight, Kyra…” (also “Row row row your boat, gently down the stream, Haley Haley Haley Haley…” – next verse “Kyra, Kyra Kyra Kyra…”) – then he wiggles around wildly and buries his head in his pillow laughing.

– His favorite game at school is having Haley and Kyra chase him. He, of course, could run circles around the younger girls, so his strategy is to run super slow, looking behind him the whole way until they catch up. Then, of course, they hug and hug and hug (kissing is not allowed at school).

– The other day he was really sad. Teacher Simone asked him why, and he said it was because he wanted to sit next to Haley. She asked why and he said, “because I LOVE her!” And, she could see in his eyes that he did not tell a lie.

– We have picnics every other Friday with a bunch of other parents and their kids, who are all boys. Well last time we met, Eliot came clean with his love for Haley. So the rest of the time, as fitting for a bunch of boys, they talked about how Haley was soooo stinky, and how they were going to get her and throw dirt on her and throw her in the pool and and and… Boys!

– Eli has drawn, I kid you not, scores of drawings of and for Haley and Kyra. Below are numerous examples, but only a fraction believe me. After we put him to bed at night, he turns his light back on, gets out his art materials and makes notes for them. Then he comes out of his room with his carefully folded treasure, puts it lovingly in an envelope and there it sits until morning when we deliver it to their cubbies at school. This happens on a daily basis. I wonder at what point their parents will consider a restraining order?!

– We get two new Koi fish. What does Eli name them? Haley and Kyra! He is playing with his toy cell phone. Who is he calling? Haley! He is drawing a map of some houses. Whose house? Haley and Kyra’s. He makes his list of people to invite to his birthday party. Who is at the top of the list? Haley (Kyra is second). He’s playing with a new toy. What is its name? Haley. The list goes on and on.

– In summer at his school, kids move up to the older classrooms. On Friday when I arrived to pick him up he was bursting at the seams to show me who was a new dolphin (his class – the oldest kids) – Haley!

Okay, you get the idea. So cute!

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