From The Normans: Clara

Our friend Clara is a gifted musician. She writes her own music, teaches kids to play guitar and drums and piano, and has a fantastically awesome children's CD, which we own. And which I finally dug out of a box in the office a few months ago, and put in to Dexter's CD player.

I used to just play the radio when Dex played in his room. The local country music station from Havre de Grace. Which John hates, and he wonders why we can't find another radio station to listen to.

But then I put in Clara. And I didn't think Dex was really paying very much attention to the CD. It's not like he was singing along or anything. But after a few days of Clara I turned on just the radio. And Dex vehemently shook his head NO. NO radio. Clara? I asked him. YES. OK, then. Clara it is.

Now green light (play time in his room) and Clara go hand in hand. He calls it "go ight, air-ah."

And he still doesn't sing along, or dance or anything. But I know he's listening. I know when Clara is playing the "Slow, Fast, Stop" song because Dex will randomly shout out "GO ight!" and "dae-dow ight!" I know when Clara is singing "Apples and Bananas" because Dex will start saying "MMMMMMMMMM." I know when she is singing "There was a teacher had a dog, and Samson was his name-ooo" because Dex will randomly start saying "N" and "O." I know when "Ring Around a Rosie" is on as Dex will shout out "DOWN!" and "UP!" And I know when I am dancing to the "Clippity Cloppity" song because Dexter and John both look at me like I have completely and totally lost my freaking mind.

So, yeah. Clara. We dig her. You can hear a few of her songs here.

And speaking of Clara, she's married to one of my very favorite people of all time - Cristin, my college room mate. Cristin is filled with awesome in her own right, and was recently nominated for an award in Marin County, CA. You can see the write-up here.

Miss these two. Wish they didn't live so far away. I so want Dex to meet "air-ah" in person. It may just blow his little mind.