All about Claire

Here are just some quick anticdotes from the past few days:


*I came home from a solo run to the store and was greeted by a mournful Claire who promptly announced, "Daddy spank me long time." I asked her what happened, and she just repeated, with her little frownie face, "Daddy spank me long time." Turns out that she had deserved a good walloping, but really only recieved a quick swat on her diapered behind. (The fact that she, who is almost potty-trainined, was diapered should give you a clue as to her transgression.) But she clearly felt wronged and would randomly repeat throughout the day, "Daddy spank me long time." Later on, when Chris had to reprimand Katie for hitting, Claire (clearly not intimidated by the earlier incident) ran up to Chris and yelled, "You hit me! Right here!"

*After a particularly harrowing mass, we were discussing whether the kids had forfitted our usual Dunkin' Donuts trip. We decided to go ahead and get the donuts, since the real culprit had been Claire, and the other girls had really just been reacting to her. Claire, however, felt differently I guess as she declared from the middle seat, "I did good job today, I pray to God!"

*At my gym, they leave out a bowl of dum-dums for the kids to have as they leave. This is Tradition (capital T!). Claire has been in the habit of sharing hers with Abbie in the car, and Abbie now squeals and bounces the moment I approach the "lollipop office" because she knows what is coming. I have to walk across the entire gym to get to there, and she is agitated the entire time in anticipation. All because she gets a few licks of Claire's lollipop. :)

*Last night was a rough, rough night with Abbie who woke up at 2:30 and then refused to go back to sleep. I lost track of time, but Chris remembered seeing the clock hit 4am before he finally just tuned her out and fell back asleep. So I tried to doze while the smaller girls were napping (Katie and Beth have "quiet time" with a movie and a room full of their best toys in the basement.) I woke up to the sensation of sticky little fingers smoothing my hair down, and a Care Bear snuggled in my arms. Claire bent down and kissed me on the forehead before proceeding to join her sisters in the basement. Yes, she did not take much of a nap, but yes I let that sweet thing go on down.