Gratitude Day #3

Today I am grateful for Ella's wonderful imagination. Yes, imagination is really important to me. :) And it makes me smile inside and out when I see Ella using her imagination.
When I had my pre-K classroom, every year I had the same quote posted somewhere in my classroom.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." ~ Albert Einstein

I also made a sign of the same quote for my niece's 1st birthday and I placed it on the easel I got her.

Today, after lunch, I was cleaning up. And Ella said, "Mommy! Ook! A mountain!" And I kept looking around the room and back at those big brown eyes staring at me with excitement. I would nod, smile and act proud and said, "Oh yes, Ella!" You can't fool this kid. Again, "No Mommy! Ook it! A mountain!" After a few times of this, I finally asked, "Ella, wear is the mountain?" And she pointed at her crust and said, "ight here, mama!" Yes, she had made a mountain from her PB&J sandwich's crust. Now THAT is what I call using your imagination! :)
Next we have a little set-up that Ella created when I wasn't looking. I happened to find it and asked her, "Oh Ella, what is this?" She told me, "Dat mama walking baby." This was the sweetest thing, especially since it's baby Jesus. :) This "stroller" is actually supposed to go on the donkey's back. Baby Jesus lays in the manger and Mary stands beside him. But Ella's imagination let her take it to the next level and Mary is taking Jesus on a walk in his stroller. :) I love it.
A few days ago I found this little fairy set up next to her table. Had to grab the camera because I love capturing Ella's little set-ups. :) Pretty good for her little age. :)
I then asked Ella, "What's this Ella? Tell mommy." And she proceeded to tell me that, "Fairy eating soup!" And I said, "OH, she must be hungry!" And Ella said, "Her hungry. Eat sushi!" Oh great.... not exactly what I was looking for, but will do. I can imagine Ella on her 1st date already- "Ummm... how about you take me to sushi!"

Looks like someone else got a little hungry for some soup and sushi, too. Yes... we are still going through that puppy "stage." Interesting.

Last week when I went to get Ella up in the morning, she was sitting, SO PROUD, next to her animals. She smiled and said, "Shhhh.... anmals (animals) tired."

Ella LOVES to feed all her toys, stuffed animals and babies. And she even makes a cute slurping sound. :) Here she is feeding, "Kobe." :(

Last but not least, and I must admit- my favorite. :) This was when Ella was only 16 months old! I made her eggs for breakfast and she picked this one off her plate, set it aside and said, "No mama." And I kept asking what she meant. I thought... oh great... now she's afraid of eggs. What next? Then she told me (honest to God), "No eat. Giraffe!" And after she said that, I could totally see how it is a giraffe! How stinkin' cute! And no, she wouldn't eat it. She didn't want to hurt that little giraffe. :)

Today I am grateful for Ella's AMAZING imagination! It's precious to me. :)