Blue's Clues and a Green Knee

Until today, I've been putting off all household chores, but even Grandma has to change the sheets, do laundry, and tidy up a bit now and then. Today was that day. I decided that I'd have to resort to a morning of videos. Clara was delighted, and chose a series of Blue's Clues, from Netflix, to watch. Even Robert seemed to be interested in them, though not as fascinated as Clara.


We all enjoyed the morning. I sat and watched cartoons with them, between my chores, and answered all of Clara's many questions: "How does he jump into the picture in the book, Grandma? Why does he always make his hands go like that when the mailman comes? What is 'paprika,' Grandma?"

Robert was easy to entertain. In addition to half-heartedly watching Blue's Clues, he also played peek-a-boo with me, following me around the house and peeking around corners.


Here's a picture of Clara to show what this land of no humidity does to a little blond girl's hair.


The drama of the day came after lunch. I put Robert down for a nap, and asked Clara to take a quiet time in her bedroom. She wanted to color, and that was fine. She took her crayons and markers and a Cat in the Hat coloring book with her. She opened her door, after a few minutes, and called out that she thought the timer wasn't going to work. I went in to check on it and reassure her, but when I got there I was so surprised. She had taken a green marker and colored a big green patch on both front and back of her hand and an even bigger patch of green all up her left leg. The green had migrated to her face and the bed sheets. It seemed so out of character for her, which is why I decided it had to be a result of separation anxiety that she must be experiencing, but unable to put into words. The guilty look on her face, when I came in and saw her art work, was priceless. I was pretty easy on her, although I did put the markers up and tell her that she'll need to use them only when I'm with her, not by herself. She puddled up and promised not to do it again, but Grandma stayed firm.

These pictures were taken about 45 minutes later, just before I put her in the bathtub to scrub off the green. Judging by that face, maybe I was a little too soft on her :-)