It skips a generation...

WAAAAAY up there on the right, C is at the top of the route. Over on the left, her friend other C is nearly there (they weren't racing, he would like me to point out - they started their routes at different times). The coolest part is that C's friend R is belaying her.

C's little bro, R, climbed like he'd been doing it his whole life and A used her trademark tenacity to overcome some initial nervousness and tackle the ABC route. It was especially heartwarming to see C belaying her brother and sister and giving them great advice and encouragement as they went.

I was quite happy on the ground during her climbing-gym birthday party. I'm fearless in many (generally invisible) ways. Heights turn my stomach, weaken my knees, and send my sweat glands into overtime. To be fair, I should mention that K is no heights wimp but I'm not sure his bravery DNA is powerful enough to cancel out the chicken shit allele that I carry with such oomph.

C had 5 good friends at her party. It was great to see all these pre-teen kids share in the fun, encourage each other, and generally behave well beyond anything I would have expected given the dizzying hormone shifts they're being dealt these days.

Also, have I ever mentioned just how great it is to farm-out the birthday party experience? Although two of her friends came back to the house to watch movies after climbing and ice cream, they were so bone-tired that I hardly noticed they were here.

I'm sure I'll be posting some kind of sappy salute to C tomorrow (her real birthday) but I couldn't wait to sing the praises of the climbing party.