Introvert / Extrovert

It has been apparent to me for a while that Lee is an introvert while Clara is an extrovert.  Sometimes, however, this is driven home loud and clear, like today when I picked them up from the Harris Center Camp.  The camp was from 9 am-3 pm, so it was a rather long day.  Lee had been before; Clara had not.  Lee is older; Clara younger.  If anyone should have been tired when I showed up, you'd think it would have been Clara.

But Clara comes out to greet me, jumping and dancing, talking a mile a minute, and all jazzed up.  Lee is somber, and looks a bit shell-shocked.  When I ask her what's wrong (because she's so obviously non-talkative), she says "I'm just tired, Mom."  She's quiet on the ride home, and instead of playing with Lila afterwards (which normally trumps all else), she comes inside and spends an hour having a snack and reading.  Clara, on the other hand, throws her stuff inside the door and runs outside to play with Griffin.

An hour later, Lee is recharged and back to herself.  Clara is still going strong, but I know she'll fall asleep in two minutes when she goes to bed tonight.  

How can they be so different?

Clara at 6 1/2

A Sprained Ankle as Vector for the Plague

Clara sprained her ankle the other day.  She was running down the cow path (or the Bovine Trail, as Kim fancily refers to it) and fell.  It seemed somewhat serious, so Bridges carried her all the way home, and Lynne (our local retired pediatrician) checked it out.  Just a sprain, but we had to be cautious in case of a fracture on the growth plate, and we should keep her off it the rest of the day.  Yeah, right.

It happened to be the day of Patricia's memorial service, which was followed by a big picnic at the neighborhood.  Lots of kids running around, and no chance of keeping Clara off that ankle.  Of course, when she was happily running on it several hours later we just assumed she was fine and let it go.

But Lee, whom we've often called Calamity Jane because of her propensity to flock to even the most minor disaster and blow it all out of proportion, couldn't give up on the idea of the sprained ankle.  She kept chastising Clara, telling her not to walk on it.  By the next morning, Clara had gotten pretty fed up with this, and ran to us, screaming "Lee says I shouldn't walk on my ankle because I'm going to grow funny or get the plague!"

We just laughed.

The Timex - Good or Bad?

Lee has been, let's say, just a wee bit obsessed with time the last few months.  This seems to correspond with some anxiety related to being late.

We decided to buy her a Timex digital watch for her birthday.  I thought that at least she would stop asking me what time it was every few minutes.  Well, that part of it worked.  Only she then proceeded to report the time and duration of every inconsequential event throughout the day.  About halfway through her birthday I said "I'm not sure this watch was a good idea, Lee.  You're driving me crazy!"

Generally, though, it seems comforting to her.  She wears it constantly, and I'm happy to have her around because it's almost as good as wearing a watch myself (since I rarely keep to my vow of carrying my new iPhone with me at all times).

I was joking with Clive (whose mother Pamela, suffering from dementia, is obsessed with time) that we could just put her and Lee in a room together and they'd be perfectly content.  Pamela could ask Lee every two minutes all day long what time it is, and Lee could tell her to the nearest second.

The Enormous Orange Ottoman

This has been one of the best pieces of furniture.  It's often been a fort, a hiding place, a reading spot, and now, a place to capture a kitty.

Underground Adventure

It's funny how things you do with the kids show up later on in their stories or artwork.  When we were in Chicago at the Field Musuem, we went on an Underground Adventure where we were shrunk down to the size of a bug and proceeded to explore the world below.

Last week Lee wrote this thank-you note.  I just love the picture!

1776

The girls were in a fantastic production of 1776, put on by the Junior Minstrels, last weekend.  We had a lot of fun over the six weeks or so, working on scripts and songs together and watching the movie version from the 70's.  I also had surprise billing as "Assistant Director", although all I think I did was help run lines with the kids and offer some suggestions.

Lee had wanted a small part, but was given Benjamin Franklin, which was the biggest role besides John Adams.  She had to memorize an awful lot of long lines, and she had major parts in two songs.  She did a great job and really seemed to enjoy it, although when I asked her, she said she wants a small part next year because she doesn't like people looking at her all the time.  I told that to Jody and she laughed and said "Well, you could never tell.  She has 'it'!"  I think in theater-speak (I have learned all sorts of terms like "cheating out" and "blocking") that means she could be good. 

Clara played Lewis Morris, who repeatedly says "Mr. Secretary, New York abstains courteously." whenever a vote is called.  That is until the end, after his estate is attacked by the British and he says "To hell with New York!  I'll sign anyway!"  She loved it, but had a hard time keeping a smile off her face because she was just so proud of herself.  She actually had a few long lines with huge words, and after she said them everyone clapped because it's just so funny to see such big words coming out of such a cute little person.  

Lots of family came to see the show and that was much appreciated.  Even Liam, at fifteen years old, seemed to enjoy it.