Happy

Dutch is happy. Both Cook and I have remarked on it lately. She throws many tantrums and sulks, and she's got plenty of mean in her, but she also has this surprisingly cheerful and open approach to her life that's delightful to see. She dives into her academic and social activities with tremendous gusto and pleasure. Things have gone smoothly for her this year, for the most part, so she's building confidence in her own competence, and she's excited about every new challenge. Also, she's loud. Really, really loud. She's developed this loud, ridiculously over the top laugh - "HAr HAr HAr!" and everything she says is at top volume. This is consistent with the sheer enormity of everything about the kid, from her tangled mass of hair down to her tremendous feet. There's just a lot of Dutch, and it's right THERE, in your face, talking really loudly, asking you questions, listening  to every single thing you say except if it means her having to do anything, telling you terrible jokes, repeating the terrible jokes, singing, LAUGHING REALLY LOUDLY, shrieking with exaggerated delight or dismay, wailing in despair, galumphing around like a baby elephant or possibly a wolfhound, etc.

I find it all a little overwhelming and of course it frequently drives me crazy. But I am also so happy to see her so happy. I hope that she holds on to this at least a little bit for all her life, her goofy, galumphing, haw-hawing spirit.*

*I used to worry that Dutch would be a popular girl, and mean to other kids, in her middle school years. Now I feel some comfort in the thought that she increasingly looks likely to be a band dork, or something else along those lines. She has recently rededicated her future career plans to acting, so maybe a theater dork.