Ruby Just Because

This girl of mine? She started Pre-School last month.

In contrast to Calvin, who had to be physically pried off of me for weeks and once even puked on the pre-school steps, Ruby dashed right in, without so much as a courtesy glance behind.

She's my Fire-and-Ice Princess. There is rarely an in-between, and when there is, I fear that she's not feeling well.

Until very recently, she called these "britches"...

And these "jeans".

Cracked me up daily.

She's the very epitome of Tomboy-Chic. She wrote the book.

Homegirl stockpiles Polly Pockets and Barbies. She begs to dress Silas and for reasons unknown, he actually cooperates for her.

Ruby Girl names her baby dolls Carla, Joyce, Julie, Brenda and Donna. She's got a vintage streak that beckons her back to the 70's or 80's, and I totally dig it. One of her favorite things to play is "Baby Carla", in which she slithers around on the floor, purses her lips into a ridiculous pout and squawks and giggles while all we have to do is repeatedly call her Baby Carla in conversation.

Did I mention that she also started taking gymnastics lessons?

She's doing fantastically well now, although the first class was beyond iffy.

I sat helplessly in the balcony while she repeatedly yelled, "Teacher! Teacher! Watch me!" or "Teacher, I want to do that thing!" or "Teacher, why are thothe hoola hoopth on the wall?" She also aggressively stared down a boy who she felt was infringing upon her personal space. Then, during sprints at the end, she opted to play chase (unbeknownst to everyone else) and wound up eight lanes to the left of where she began.

She lives every moment with her full heart, this one. She licks every speck of frosting off the top.

She is classic, theatrical Girl. She cries a couple buckets of tears each day, usually after she instigates something and Calvin reciprocates. She's great at dishing it out. But the taking it part? Well, her heart doesn't work that way.

Just last week she told me for the first time, "He hurted my feelings!" And I could tell that he did. And I knew for sure that it was the first time of many for this baby of mine, who's heart has two modes: Giggly Rodeo Clown and Emotional Teenager.

Almost every day, this confection of a child tells me that she likes my shoes, or she thinks my hair is pretty, or that I am the best cooker. She notices things and she likes to make others feel good. She is helpful and snuggly and a Class A Hopper On One Foot. She routinely writes songs with just one line. She is the Reigning Queen of "Why?" She prefers water to milk and showers to a bath (as long as she's got her shower cap on). She gives the best hugs in the house (shh!). Her hair sometimes feels like it may be the death of me. She is afraid of dogs, and nothing else.

She is the pinkest, prettiest, zaniest gift of my life.