Hipster in Disguise

Well, it's been a while. 

Last night, in the bathroom, getting ready for bed... this song/rap/poem/spoken word came forth.
Claire is now  9 1/2, and knows about such things.  With her permission, I wrote it down for posterity. 


It's one in the mornin' and I'm ridin' in my limo...
all of a sudden it gets real bright
and the shades come down, come down, come down
and the shades come down.

You pull the shades down
and they say you're a Gangsta
but you're really just a a Hipster
in disguise.

You get to the party and everything's dark, but
it gets bright when you walk in the door.
You say to the other guys,
"Hey, whatcha doin'?"


They say,
"You shine brighter than a ruby."

And you say,
"I shine like an eagle and I soar like the light."

Word.

Seriously, the part about "they say you're a gansta but you're really just a hipster in disguise"--- love it.

Dicey

A few years ago I brought home an airport-giftstore-type present for Claire- glow in the dark dice from Vegas. Yesterday was one of those days where the magical dice resurfaced. Claire used them as a prop for an impromptu performance. I asked her to write it down for me after she performed it. I'll type it as she wrote it.


"Many years ago there lived something quite a sight.
They only sold one copy. And it wasn't a fright.
No matter who you are,
who I am,
it's the glowing dice of Bethlaham! (raise die up to sky and look at it).

Substitute green glowing dice for Samba, and you've got the Circle of Life scene from Lion King. 

Me: This cracks me up.

Claire: Me too! I was going to say "it's the glowing dice of the witch's ham", but that wouldn't have made any sense.  ha!

 
She proceeds to crack herself up to the point of rolling on the floor.

HOPE

Claire and I were outside with sidewalk chalk. We started making words and coloring them in. Claire was in charge of thinking of the words, i was in charge of making bubble letters. I know, I'm very talented. Anyway...

We did Friend, Peace, Love, Happy, (and I suggested Play Outside- sorry, I had to).  and we talked about others we want to do next like Create or Believe - Claire thought of those. And then...

Claire: We haven't done my favorite word! Hope!

Betsy: Tell me why that's your favorite word.

Claire: Well, FIRST of all... I just like how it sounds in my mouth. Huh ohhhh Puh. Say it. See? It just sounds good. I like it. I like how it looks when you write it down, too.  And I like what it means. I like when you have a big hope or when someone has hope that something good is going to happen or whatever. I just like the word Hope a lot.

Betsy: Me, too.

A Complicated Wish

Claire: I am going wish for a horse. Not a real horse, well sorta. It's like this rocking horse I have but it's bigger and I'm going to buy a real saddle. I googled it, and what did you call them? Western? Yeah, well those are $1,000 so.. Anyway, it'll move and walk. Not dead, but like a dead horse, but not. Just a big stuffed fake one, but not little and doesn't rock it really walks. I'll just say, 'hey mom, i'm gonna go ride my horse," and i'll just go hop on it and walk around the block.  Here, I'll draw a picture.

Claire: See? I made a key.

Betsy: Oh yes, awesome.  Now I can tell what means what. Hmmm. I like it.
[editor note:  the key shows  = saddle, = to make go, and =dose what I want]

Claire: Can i have one? I mean do they have them?

Betsy: Yeah, um, that's the problem. I don't think they've been invented yet. Sorry.

Claire: Ok, fine. I'll just wish for a man who can make whatever I want!  I'll draw that for you, too. Hold on.

Betsy: ah... another key.

Claire: yup. Look-  the tall guy is the one who "can make everything".

Betsy: And the black hats connected says "hat that can make him read your mind." Nice, so you don't even have to tell him, he just knows. I like it.

Claire: the person in red is "you" or me.   And I just put that star there to mean "he makes what you want." so the star is whatever you want it to be.

Betsy: I think we better save this picture for a long long time.

Prayer / Lawyer

Me:  Claire, you know, if you want, you could say a prayer before bedtime some nights. You could say, "God Bless..." and then name mommy, daddy, Matt and other members of our family...

Claire: OKAY!  God please bless Mommy, Daddy, Matt, Nana, Granddaddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Betsy, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Trip, Aunt Ashley, Zach, Katie and Alex. Thank you and  I rest my case!

Me: (laughing)  Um, most people say "Amen" at the end.

Claire:  Okay. I rest my case. Amen!

Me over-explaining things. Again. Claire simplifying things. Again.

Driving back from Mpls to St. Paul yesterday we came to a stop at a busy intersection; and over to the left, near an overpass for the highway I spotted a parked police car.

Me:  Hey Claire. See that police car parked there? I'll bet that police officer is trying to get people to slow down and go the speed limit. Sometimes they'll hide like that, park their car just so, and point a radar detector at the cars as they go by. The radar detector can tell exactly how fast you're going, and then the police officer can turn on the car's lights, speed up and pull the person over to let them know they're going too fast. Sometimes you get a ticket. See how those people are slowing down? This is a busy area and he or she wants to be sure we're safe and...

Claire:  Maybe, I guess. Or maybe he just pulled over to have an early dinner break.

Organized Courage

Found this note this morning, folded neatly in the cup holder in the van just before Claire hopped out of the car for school.  

Me: What's this? 

Claire:  "Oh, it's just my checklist for gymnastics so I don't forget anything."  

She hops out of the car and skips up the steps to school as I read the list.

#5 makes me smile at her courage and self-encouragement... and it makes my heart sink.  Hmm, she has never mentioned being scared, but maybe this is what's behind her statements like "I hate the balance beam! It's stupid."   

This list might come in handy for challenges down the road. I'll keep it in a safe place. Someday she'll be getting ready to go to high school,  and I can take this list out for her (and, for, well...who are we kidding...ME.)