That's My Girl

I like to blame it on pregnancy, but if I'm being honest I know that it's really just my impatient self. Whatever the cause, I have been particularly short-tempered and even exasperated with Clare lately. As marvelous as our California excursions always are, the exhaustion of the time change and keeping up with the cousins often interferes with who I prefer to think of as the "regular" Clare. The one I know to be sweet, thoughtful, and obedient, not to mention carefree and happy.

Since we returned from California, Clare has been on a reading frenzy. She had little time to read on that trip, so it appears that she is making up for it. She whipped through quite a few books during our week at home, which I attributed to needing some time to rest. However, since we arrived in Buffalo she has been on a literary tear. She decided within about an hour of depositing her suitcase in "her" room here at Grandma and Grandpa's house that she would read through all of Aunt Karen's old American Girl books, in order. (These books are housed on a shelf in the room set aside for Clare during her visits.) We have now been in Buffalo approximately 48 hours, and she is on her seventh book. Just to clarify, these are chapter books of more than 50 pages each. Best of all, whenever she emerges from these reading jaunts, she is my Regular Clare.

This morning, while Danny and Donna went on a bug expedition of some sort at a local natural preserve, Clare and I decided to take our books and walk to Tim Horton's, a local coffee/donut shop. It was so delightful. We chatted amiably throughout the walk, mostly about the American Girls. Clare has a lot of questions about their individual chronologies and where they fit in with each other. We then sat and read peacefully. I was immersed in a novel wherein, right now, the character is visiting Italy. Something about the story makes me ache to travel abroad, and as I was reading I really felt as though I were in Venice. Clare drew me out of my reverie with a question about Pioneer America, and from the question it was clear that while I was visiting Italy, she was on a historical trek through the Midwest. How wonderful that we can travel together in this way.