Amy and Sarah

While Ellis was here, the boys had this game they played after dinner. It was weird, but it was quiet and not messy and allowed us to get the kitchen cleaned up so we didn't interfere. I had a bin of mixed nuts still in the shell set out on a table as a kind of seasonal decoration, but also because Orrin likes to snack on walnuts and pecans and filberts.
Anyway, after dinner Silas and Ellis would grab a peanut in each hand and run over to the wooden surround of the fireplace in the kitchen. Then they would rub the peanut all over the surface as though they were coloring, or making some kind of hand rubbed finish on the wood. They both thought this was absolutely hilarious and would keep at it for 20 minutes or so. Perhaps the weirdest part of this is that Silas would call Ellis Amy during this little project. That is the only time he would refer to Ellis by this name. What's the significance? I don't know!
He does know a little girl at playgroup named Amy, but he doesn't see her that often, or anything. And as far as I know, he didn't learn this peanut rubbing game from her. So, it's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
The evening I was in the hospital with Emmet, Rachel and Mom decided to give Silas his own pseudonym; Sarah. And Rachel and Grandma took on the names Richard and Gary. Apparently, Mom was dubbed under protest, "I don't like the name Gary." I suggested Grant when I heard about it, but it was too late, she was already known as Gary.
Silas still sometimes like to referred to as Sarah. I think there must have been a game where he was dropping his silverware at dinner and Mom would say "Oh Sarah!" and pick it up for him. He still wants to play this game, much to my chagrin.