clementine’s imagination is really ramping up

Linette and I were sitting at the table, talking after dinner, when we heard Clementine in the other room talking to our dog, Freeda. She was trying to get Freeda excited about the idea of a walk. She kept asking, “You need a walk, Freeda?” It went on and on, and grew pretty elaborate. At some point we heard her say, “We need your leash.” A few minutes later, she came out, pulling the dog along by her collar and holding a long piece of twisted blue tape with a big loop on one end. She’d made a leash out of tape, and she stood there in front of the door, trying to get it over Freeda’s head… I’m really happy to see that she’s resourceful, but I’m worried that she might be carving firearms out of soap by the time she turns three… A breakout attempt, I fear, might be on the horizon. I can smell it.

As long as I’m on the subject, I should also tell you about our car ride out to the apple orchard this afternoon. Clementine was sitting behind me, in her car seat, and she started asking for Linette or me to get her finger puppet off the floor, where she’d dropped it. Linette tried to reach it from her seat, but couldn’t get to it, so we told Clementine to be patient. A minute or so later, she’d taken off her hat, rolled it into the shape of a cellphone, and had it pressed up to the side of her head. Here’s the conversation.

Clementine: “Hello, Puppet. Where are you?”

Clementine as Finger Puppet:: “I’m in the car.”

Clementine: (super excitedly) “I’m in the car too!”

Clementine as Finger Puppet:: “I see you!”

Clementine: “I see you too, but I can’t reach you.”

Clementine as Finger Puppet:: “Goodbye.”

Clementine: “Goodbye.”