ENTHUSIASM



After the last post, I don't want a post about Greta to be a contrast. She also has a sense of compassion, especially for her older sister and because she has learned it from her older sister. But Greta's forte is really her enthusiasm. It's a joy to see the way our kids balance each other out. Sometimes, Mali's enthusiasm comes from Greta. It's contagious. I love this picture of her, because the look on her face is one we see often. I did not say, "BOO" right before taking it. I said something that made her mind start to reel, and she held this expression for awhile. She has an internal intensity that comes streaming out of her eyes. She loves with a vengeance. This intensity is also expressed in a panic when her little brother even thinks of coming close enough to destroy one of her complex creations.

One of her favorite songs lately is, "No one understands me." We've noticed she has a whole series of favorite songs with this theme. Last night I asked her if she thought that in her real life people didn't understand her. She said, "No. Except when people just speak Spanish. Then they don't understand me." After awhile, I realized that this has been an issue for her for a long time. She has had some difficulty/anxiety about interacting with her peers at times. She usually is much more comfortable with adults or older kids. At one point, I finally realized that this was a language issue. During the years when her language was developing, she had a hard time communicating with her peers. I wonder if some of that has been carried on and she still prefers to talk to people who are older than her. Maybe they understand her better.

We love you, Greta! All the hugeness of who you are.

And here's one more picture of her enthusiasm!