The magic of Nina

There is a magic to three-year-olds,

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Something not found in other ages.

A 3-year-old is a changeling child who gets all the perks.

Old enough to climb the monkey bars, small enough to fall asleep on some one's shoulder.

Smart enough to import the bathroom stool to the kitchen so as to reach goodies on the counter,

innocent enough to get off light - or lets face it get off completely with the right smile and that glint in her eye.

Nina has a little more magic then most some days.

She is a brilliant singer, with a vibrato that she uses to great effect when she desires. In addition to a vast repertoire of toddler and primary favorites, she composes her own songs, and will even compose on demand;

"Nina will you sing me a song about ladybugs?"

"Ladybugs don't hurt you, they just will tickle you, and ladybugs are pretty...."

She has a great smile and when she wants to be funny she turns it all the way to one side and squints at you through half closed eyes.

She is all girl - with frequent applications of "chopsticks and lip glasses" (chapstick and lip gloss of course!) She looks "Ferfect, like a princess" - I didn't miss type, anyone who is anyone knows "Ferfect" is the correct way to pronounce "perfect."

Nina is a shoe fanatic. With a special fondness for high heels -of course! The ultimate in shoes of course are Tap Shoes, which in spite of being too small for Liana are still 2 sizes too big, this does not stop her from wearing them every chance she gets and they are not only a fashion statement, she will dance command as well - requiring an introduction and a round of applause every 30 seconds or so as payment.

She lays claim to any and all belongings she deems desirable, most often she firmly believes said items were given to her for Christmas by her grandma (even if said item is oh, say, her big sister's library book.)

The exception to her being girly is he hair, she does not want it done up in bows, she wants it "long" which is translated as " a swirling octopus of tendrils reaching out in to the cosmos, drawing life force from the atmosphere." her world is not happy if her hair is tamed into a clip or ponytail.

There are days when I forget to see the magic in Nina,

Days when the twins are all over me or getting themselves into dangers,

days when the big girls have homework and laundry is piled knee deep,

Days when I can't think what to make for dinner, what I needed at the store, where the important paper is, what time we need to be somewhere, etc., etc., etc.

There are too many of those days lately.

Days when Nina shows her temper, she throws tantrums and yells or cries when things are not going her way, and when I take her to time out, she will kick and scream and thrash,

But then, after sitting for a moment she will call to me;

"I sorry mommy, I said I sorry... Hold me?"

And then the magic happens, she suddenly becomes very small, so little and tiny, and she looks at me with her big eyes and I am compelled to pick up my little "Ninabirdy" and hold her close.

She folds herself into your lap when you hold her, she compacts herself into a little egg of comfort and warmth,

And the magic of Nina takes over once again.