Charleigh Turns 3

Our red-headed ninja turned three. It happened so fast, but at the same time, she's had a three-year-old spirit for the longest: so articulate and communicative. So in control of her body. So deep.

She spends great quantities of time on her head and possesses an element of physical aggression and force. She's our !: the climb, the jump, the running tackle, the squeezing-fierce hug of our family. She's compact and thick, weighing more than one would guess, and it's muscle; her calves bulge. For all these reasons, she'll try gymnastics this fall, leaving dance--at least for now--to her sister.

She's always loved water and will undoubtedly swim before Clementine. She delights in being dropped in deep and kicking up to the surface.

Her physicality, however, doesn't overshadow her femininity. She demands to wear "curtsies" (skirts) and protests over shorts, pants, and oftentimes, even over dresses. She knows how she wants to look, and the more bling, lace, tulle, feathers, heels! the better.

Birthday Bling

She whips all of us in Memory, and in general I'm impressed with (and relieved by) her new-found patience for the traditional card and board games the rest of us enjoy.

She's also become more tolerant, recently, of the things Clementine loves best: animals, giant costumed things. As proof, here are some more photos from Charleigh's actual birthday:

But Charleigh is so different from Clementine in almost every respect. I mention this only because I continue to find myself surprised, sometimes. I appreciate each daughter so much, but for entirely different reasons.

This Charleigh: she's our curl and freckle, our mischievous grin. Happy third birthday, Baby. Thanks for shining on us.