Christmas Lists

Another modest list from Lee this year.  How many nine-year-olds still put candy canes and truffles on their Christmas list?   When I asked her if she didn't have enough love, she said "I can never get enough love!"

Clara, however, is another story.  Her list is 26 items long and surprisingly includes such high tech things as a phone, an iPad, a watch, and a camera.   Although, in keeping with her artsy-collector side, she also lists cool paper, an art kit, really good books, notebooks, bags, and "a box with tons of big compartments."

Inheritance

The other day Clara wanted to look at my jewelry.  Not that I have much jewelry.  When I was young my mother's jewelry box was like a treasure chest.  But, I do have a few things.

She came down a bit later, all decked out.

"Mom," she said, "I know you're going to say No if I ask if I can have this now.  So I'm wondering if maybe I could have this jewelry when you pass on?"

Ah, that's thinking ahead.

When I grow up...

Lee recently told me that when she wants to be a third-grade teacher.  I think that's actually changed now, as today she is saying she wants to be an architect.  But at the time, my reaction was "huh?"  This is a kid who never ever has wanted to go to school and has never been in third grade.  Yet somehow she thought she wanted to be a third-grade teacher.

Clara is going to have three careers.  The first is of course to be an artist.  That's been a constant.  Her next career will involve training people to do things "like sing or swim."  And the third is to be an inventor.

The Saver

Lee has already shown hers colors as a saver.  I will always remember flying somewhere with her when she was really young.  We gave her some candy for the flight, and she parceled it out so that it lasted the entire flight.  It showed incredible impulse control for someone her age.

The kids get an allowance for doing their chores (emptying the dishwasher, changing the cats' water, taking out the chicken scraps and compost, setting and clearing the table, and sorting and folding the laundry).  Every week they get $2, $1 of which goes into a "savings account" (a spreadsheet we have which gives exorbitant interest rates), $.25 of which goes into a "charity account" (which they give away at the end of each year), and $.75 of which they receive as spending money.

Lee spends her money (which she supplements with dog walking and other jobs around the neighborhood) going to the Green Grocer with Lila or buying Japanese erasers.  Yesterday she and Lila rode their bikes to Ava Marie's for ice cream.  But generally, she's not a big spender.

As a matter of fact, when Bridges gave her $.75 this week, she asked to put it into her savings account.
"I'm saving for my pick-up truck," she said.

I knew she was planning on buying a pick-up truck when she gets older so she can go camping with Lila, but I had no idea she was already saving for it!

The Fairy Who Entered the Dishwasher

Well, Clara finally lost her first tooth.  It was a long time coming, and she's definitely been a bit slower then others in this area. Luckily, it was a no drama event (and we haven't had one of those before).

"Mom, my tooth came out!"

No tears or hysterics despite a bit of blood.

I put the tooth for safekeeping on a plate on the counter so that she wouldn't lose it.  Only, about an hour later when I cleaned up after lunch I put the plate in the dishwasher and ran the dishwasher.  Gone was the first tooth.  It was one of those really proud mom moments.

Now there were tears.  No hysterics, but lots of tears.

Well, Clara wrote her tooth fairy a note explaining the situation, and Lee also wrote a note vouching for her.  Luckily, her fairy, Mystery, was quite understanding.  Not only that, but she is so small she was able to find the tooth inside the dishwasher!  Luckily for Clara her mom thought ahead and left it open overnight.

Whew!

Versa Board

I bought a used Versa Board this summer, figuring the kids would love to play on it and they could duel between the green sit-atop kayak and the Versa Board.

It's been a big hit, and Lee has especially taken to it.  She loves to go out and paddle around, and says she much prefers standing to sitting.

Sense of Smell

It's pretty clear that babies have a very refined sense of smell.  But this seems to linger on into childhood.  I don't know when it fades, but I know I cannot smell like my kids can.

They can identify which household an article of clothing belongs to by smell.  Clara tells me that my side of the bed and Bridges' side of the bed smell differently.  They react incredibly strongly to negative smells, to the point of gagging at an unpleasant smell like vomit or rotten food.

Today Clara had picked five different kinds of sunflowers and she told me that each one smelled different from the others.  Darned if I could tell.