does everyone see?

'prise!
Originally uploaded by kim.mama

does everyone see her like i do? i wonder. can strangers on the street see the exuberant spirit inside her? the wild, funny, generous little heart that beats so quickly inside her chest? i feel like no one could ever know her like i do. the pure joy inside her. the pure love inside her. could anyone ever delight as much as i do at the peculiar shape of her mouth when she smiles? when she laughs? does anyone marvel at the way her innocent mind works? i don't think so. i feel like a genius because i see it and no one else does. people may admire her and compliment her and appreciate her sweetness. but i am lucky enough to really know her. to know a girl child who is perfect in every way. who grows by leaps and bounds. who laughs with abandon and makes me laugh from my deepest being. the one person i'd rather be with than any other. my daughter.

ella LOVES skating.

four years old is a whole new world. ella has sprouted an inch, a clothes size, and an attitude. hooo, the attitude. it's TFO after TFO around here.

but also with the adorable. her love of skating. i've never seen her love anything so instantly and with such abandon since, well, the wiggles. the first time she skated she was cruising around the rink singing to herself "i'm 'kating... i'm 'kating." a couple of days ago on her new skates (non-rentals) she would spontaneously shout "woohoo!" just from the pure joy of skating.

also - "i teached myself it." this may as well be her catch phrase. everything now is "mom, you want to see my new twick?" and when i ask where she learned that the reply is inevitably "i teached myself to do that twick since i'm four now. i can do so many things now that i'm four."