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when pearl was born four years ago, i thought, "ok! here is a little girl who is going to be just like me! i can do this!" because, not to brag, but i was the perfect child. other children might be beautiful or brilliant or really fun, but i was just plain good. my mother will corroborate this. i was painfully shy and the thought of doing something wrong or getting yelled at pained me. i tried my darndest not to do anything wrong. maybe this is why i'm a little screwed up today. but this is not about me, this is about pearl. pearl is the polar opposite of me.

when pearl gets mad at me, she screams, "i'm not going to be your daughter anymore!" when people pay her attention, she writhes and wriggles and floats around to get even more attention. and then in minutes she will be sitting in their lap, perhaps stroking their cheeks. perfect stranger? it mattereth not. pearl cannot pass a dandelion without picking it for me. except when she's mad at me and screams, "i'm not picking you flowers anymore!" pearl loves to talk. she  maintains her brooklyn accent and can't say Rs. she has the most beautiful golden ringlets which she is dying to cut. her skin is impossibly soft and still smells baby sweet. pearl will not pass up the opportunity to tell you she tooted. she is smart as a whip and learning how to read. she gives the best hugs in the world. when she was two-ish, she used to freak us out by looking us in the eye and saying things like, "mom, look, i'm reading books with your husband." it was very sinister. pearl is really into animals and loving the life out of them. she reminds me often that we are "sisters." she adores her brother even though he sometimes won't give her the time of day. in short, pearl is perfect.