Way-O

This is a story about a boy and his Way-os. Eli's most beloved possessions are "Mama Way-o" and "Daddy Way-o." Mama Way-o is a "Hupp-a Way-o" (humpback) and Daddy Way-o is just a way-o (though some scientists call him an Orca). Our family all got to meet the way-os over the holidays, and were subjected to endless chatter about way-o's. Eli will even pretend he sees them in various places, and will randomly point in the air and should, "oh, a way-o! A biiiiiig way-o." He has screamed "Oh Way-o!" in his sleep on more than one occasion. Way-o has even become an adjective. For example, a bowling ball was a "big mama way-o ball" and he often describes bites of his food as "big way-o." In fact, I have been able to get him to eat more food by describing every. single. bite. as a big way-o or big shark bite.

The way-o's go everywhere - in the bath, to the Dr.'s office, out in the snow, to church, on walks, to dig in the dirt, and even to bed. I find them in random places in the house too.


He also likes to zoom them up really close to his face, over and over and over and... well you get it - as if he is testing out his peripheral vision!


I recently bought Eli a stuffed Orca to cuddle with, and I thought he might explode with excitement when he saw it come out of the box. The stuffed Orca has been dubbed the "BIG Daddy Way-o." He's a little more cuddly, and now sleeps with Eli every night. Eli even has the Big Daddy Way-o "fold" his fins for family prayer every night.

Eli listens to music with whale sounds in order to go to sleep at night, and his favorite movie is "Free Willy" - he likes to watch it while cuddling with one or more way-os. He also still likes the Planet Earth Documentary - Shallow Seas with the whales on it. He also has two books about whales that are pretty advanced, but he loves to hear me read all the scientific info about the whales, and look at the pictures. He can say "Huppa Way-o" (humpback), "Miggie Way-o" (minke), "Eeka" (Orca) and "No Way-o" (Narwal). He can idenfiy all the other species by pointing them out when asked, and can make the "pfffft" sound of a whale blowing water from his blow hole, as well as imitate the humpback whale song. He also knows what the dorsal fins, pectoral fins, and tail flukes are. Here is a pic of the Orca mailbox in my parents' neighborhood - which Eli had to walk to every. single. day!


Grandpa showed Eli whale and shark pictures on the computer that he Googled - so now Eli requests that activity every time he sees me at the computer.


Today we watched endless whale videos on YouTube. Here is one from Free Willey, complete with the Michael Jackson song. You gotta love it!



You gotta admit, it's pretty inspiring (even if computer generated) to see that whale go flying over the kid's head on his way to freedom. It's funny that Eli loves whales so much, because they were a passion of mine when I was in middle school. I thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist for a while - maybe he will carry on the dream. His little toddler obsession cracks me up, but I am tickled that he is so in love with one of God's most beautiful creatures. May we all have such an enthusiastic appreciation for the gift of our world!

And for fun - the gorgeous humpback whale footage from Planet Earth - fast forward to 1:20 and just watch the first couple of minutes....