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When we first moved into our house four and a half years ago Claire was still pretty unsteady on her feet. She has done most of her growing up here. Things have changed a lot since September when she started school. I have missed her company, but she is really enjoying her friends and activities. I'm now that lady roaming Trader Joe's looking at other people's babies. But it's OK, this is a fun stage, too. And Claire is a really fun kid. She's easy to please and quite entertaining. She makes us the sweetest little cards and leaves them on our pillows. She always wants to share whatever she's doing or eating or thinking. She gives lots of hugs and kisses and says "I love you" and "you're the best" sincerely and regularly.
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Kindergarten is going well. I can't deny how good it felt to have one of the moms from our class tell me her son said Claire is the nicest kid in class and that she is friendly to everyone. Her teacher has said the same things. Claire is very sweet, but not a doormat. She voices her concerns, sets her boundaries, and doesn't let the little things get to her. She hates to be in trouble, but it hardly ever happens. Claire is thoughtful and observant of others' feelings - including her own. Beyond the social aspect, Claire is just about to be able to read and spells pretty well for a kindergartener.
Claire is an interesting kid. She has generous grandparents who send her dollar bills and gift cards to use as she pleases. We went to the grocery store the other day and she asked if she could bring her money to buy something. She bought a cantaloupe, a plum, and 1/4 pound of Jordan almonds that she shared with her sister. Claire loves her fruit and is quite a giver.
Claire has always been good at keeping herself busy. She loves doing crafts and demolishes the dining room table every day after school. Paper, glue, glitter, pens and crayons everywhere. She used up all our Scotch tape and would go through a ream of paper every week if we let her. Her conservation skills are still developing. There are times when I wish she'd ease up a little, but I love how she makes the most of her resources without any desire to save the good stuff for later - she just uses it all up until it's gone and loves every minute. She also likes to build forts and practice her architecture skills with blocks, legos and her playmobile stuff.
Claire makes us laugh every day. Lately, Mark is trying to get our girls interested in seeing Star Wars - they think it will be too scary (and I agree) - so he told them about Yoda and shared the famous quote "Do or do not. There is no try." Two days later I heard Claire saying it to the boy next door. A few weeks ago Audrey was talking about fashion and said "Yea, everybody wears clothes. If they didn't, what would happen?" and Claire answered, "POLICE." We were telling the girls about White House tours and Audrey wasn't so sure she'd want people walking through her house if she were president, but Claire thought it was a fine idea. "Even your bedroom?" we asked. "Well, I wouldn't let them jump on the bed or anything," she said.
The other day she asked me, "What's a handy-down?" And a few nights ago Mark tucked her in and came out of her bedroom laughing. He said she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Sometimes, I lick my knee." And my personal favorite: the night before her birthday she told me "Always call me your 5 year old, even when I'm grown up."
Claire got an amazing amount of crafting supplies for her birthday for everything from sewing to painting to making headbands. I hid a few things or it would all be gone already. Maybe the best present of all was the loose tooth Claire noticed a week later. She has been anxious to lose her baby teeth and get some cash from the tooth fairy. Maybe she will use it to buy more fruit.
We love Claire - she is a joy to be around and shares her love so freely. We're so lucky she's ours.
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