"i climb"

(therefore i am). "I climb" is Alexa's new mantra. She'll climb anything: a tricycle, the ladder, into her crib, the stairs, on top of Mom or Dad. And always, when she reaches whichever peak she sets out to conquer, she declares, "I climb!" Sometimes this is said defiantly, like after she has climbed up on the windowsill or the top of the picnic table. Of course, she is foiled in many of her attempts, and to those who try to impede her progress, she responds with kicking, shouts of "No no no no no!" and loud wailing. She is intensely headstrong, and incredibly determined, and I sometimes try to see into the future and imagine Alexa as a teenager. The battles that will surely ensue! But, I remind myself, she will undoubtedly stand up for herself, and her strength, if properly nurtured, could be her greatest attribute. So, hail to thee, my blithe little spirit!