First: Every time you say "She's almost three," I have to sit back and remember, "Oh, that's right, she's only almost three."

Every time you say this, I'm surprised, because from everything I've heard or seen about the school you taught at, I'd expect Alex to fit in as a fairly typical kid. I mean, I don't think she's average, but I think she's not that unusual for the child of well-educated, upper middle class, progressive parents. No?