Ten

Newborn Clare.

Clare at 5.

Clare at 10!

                                        

Ten. Clare is ten. How has a decade gone by? I remember when Clare was a baby, and I couldn't even begin to imagine what she would be like at one, much less ten. And now, now I can all too clearly imagine what she will be like at 13.

Clare certainly knows her own mind, and isn't afraid to speak it. I admire that about her, even when it is driving me crazy. She is courageous, too, willing to do things I never would have done at her age. (Like go to a sleepaway girl scout camp where she knows no one for six nights. She knows she is good at making friends, so has no qualms at all about doing this.) Ben described her recently as being an unholy combination of Ben himself, my dad, and Ben's grandma Connie. She really is. 

Fourth grade has been a strange year, but since she returned to school in February she has been thriving. Her best subjects are reading and math. She has started enjoying writing more than she used to, and is currently writing a mystery novel set in early 1800s England (inspired by Pride and Prejudice), Harry Potter fan fiction (the first book told from Hermione's point of view) and spooky stories (no idea what these are about, other than the spookiness). She has fun with her friends at recess and is looking forward to dissecting frogs before the end of the year.

Speaking of Harry Potter, she is still obsessed with the series. I ended up letting her read the whole thing last summer because, you know, Covid, and she has since read it many more times. We laugh because whenever she takes an online "Find your Harry Potter House" quiz she ends up in Slytherin. (That's the house all of the bad guys are in for the uninitiated.) It actually fits her in some ways, but she is not an evil person like many of the Slytherins in the book. She is very kind in many ways, looking out for her cousins when she is with them, helping me around the house when she sees I need it, and occasionally making me breakfast in bed. She also really loves her friends.

She made a new group of friends since coming back to school, and I hear a lot about Mika, Yasmine, Luisa and Juliette. Her best friend, Natalie, has been in virtual learning, but Clare got to see her again a few weekends ago and she was just thrilled. Hopefully they will be spending some time together this summer. She is also excited to spend time this summer with her "Twig" friends: James, Simon, Nora, Henry, Brendon, Rowan, Finn, and Benjamin.

She is playing soccer again, and loving it. We discovered that a few of the girls on her team live about a block away from us, so hopefully she can see them this summer. Also, her other best friend Amelia is on her team, which Clare is excited about because Amelia switched schools so Clare doesn't see her as much.

She also participated in Girl Scouts this year. It was all virtual, but she enjoyed it. She hasn't enjoyed virtual piano quite as much, but she is sticking with it and hopefully we can soon go back to her former teacher.

Some current favorites, besides the aforementioned Harry Potter: Minecraft, Roblox, Legoes, riding her bike (especially when I let her ride to our local candy store), reading in general, going to the library, drawing, painting her nails (and setting up a surprisingly relaxing spa for me), "The Babysitters Club" (both graphic novels and the Netflix series), visiting the Cuckoo House, camping, hiking and listening to and watching "Hamilton".

Some dislikes: Loud noises (not sure she will ever grow out of this), sunscreen, being too hot, practicing the piano, having to work on spelling at school, bugs, cleaning her room. 

I love when Clare and I get some one on one time, because she is such an interesting person to talk to. We are going to have a night alone next weekend and I am really looking forward to it.

I feel like there is stuff I am missing and so much more I could say, but I'll end with a big Happy Birthday to my favorite girl. I can't believe you are ten!