31 for 21: Pizza Friday and Puppies

Elise loves Pizza.  Perhaps with a passion that most people cannot comprehend.

She wants it for any celebration for the rest of forever. 

Whenever I asked what people wanted to eat, it was always pizza.  If the answer was "no", it was followed by massive weeping and huge depression.

About this time last year, I discovered that if there was anything Elise liked more, it was expectations.  She loves a constant schedule.  I think this is a primary reason she likes school.  I am not a schedule person.  It does not make me happy.

BUT I don't like constant sadness, either.  So we implemented Pizza Friday.  She had a constant expectation that she would indeed get pizza, without fail on Friday, but tonight is not Friday.  She could make peace with that, Friday nights became no-brainers, and the rest of the kids thought this was marvelous.

It has encouraged us all to enable more routine, and it has made it our lives much nicer...I have even bought a planner.  *gasp*

 

 

 

Today, October the 3rd, 2014, marks another shocking milestone.

 

Today I was able to march into a regular store, with no list or angst, and purchase Elise's birthday presents.  And I know, with no reservations, that she will love them.  And play with them.

 

This may be a weird piece of information, but Elise doesn't really play with toys.  She likes toys, but has very few that she interacts with and takes pleasure form.  About once a year, she figures out some aspect of "play" and life improves drastically. 

 

She is turning 12 at the end of this month, and what has she been pining for?  A Nerf Crossbow.  For about 6 months.  I cannot wait to present it to her.

 

I also found this blast from my past, Puppy Surprise:

It is a pregnant puppy.  You open its Velcro tummy, and get a secret number of puppies out.  It's a little freaky, but for someone who is obsessed with matching and family, it's going to blow her mind.  And its name is Popcorn.  Another one of her favorite things.

I'll post pix of her receiving them, but for once, I am really, REALLY excited to see her reaction!  :)

As always, her birthday reminds me where she is not, compared to her peers, but, every single year, we can look back and see some major strides in some aspect of her development.  And we quite honestly party!

This year, we are PLAYING!!!