Seeing three in a new way

Sometimes you see people in situations or places in their lives and your view of them changes. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. For whatever reason, that specific snapshot of time takes on a greater significance than all the other ordinary hours and days you might share.

Alivia's turning three was one of those view-changing moments for me. If it was possible, I saw her more beautiful than ever before, more "grown up" in every sense of the words and fell more deeply in love with her.

I saw her genuinely appreciative of the gifts mounded upon her; the perfect balance of timid and social as the center of attention; and compassionate years and years beyond the three she has under her belt.

Her intelligence is above average, her interests are diverse, her passion is contagious. She's the common link between the didgeridoo, turtle puppet and Little Hoot book ... all gifts she loves. A connoisseur of things beyond faddy character toys and plastic gadgets. Actually, a bit sophisticated for her age.

Yet, she's still three and was a bit unsure of actually cutting into the turtle birthday cake. Can't we keep it?, she wondered.

My glimpse of her in the birthday light was a new perspective on how big she's gotten, how special she is and what a gift we were given three years ago.