"I'm so glad I have a tummy." I told Lily today.
Why did I say this?
Lily made her first drawing of me with a body.
When I look at the journals I kept as a little girl they are filled with bodyless faces. Octopus-like beings with arms and legs coming out of their heads.
Lily too has countless papers like these....filled with all her loved ones. I knew from my journals that the day would come when she would cross over to the world of torsos thus beginning her changing view of reality.
They say children go through stages. First there's the scribbling stage....pretty self explanatory.
Then the preschematic stage. This is when their first conscious creation of form occurs around age three and provides a tangible record of the child's thinking process. The first representational attempt is a person, usually with circle for head and two vertical lines for legs. Later other forms develop....like the body!
Later there's the schematic stage around age 7-9 in which everything now sits on a baseline and objects have spacial relationship. And then the realism stage in which legs overlap...the list goes on.
I've found it's actually bittersweet.
What will Lily's journals look like when she's 6? If she's like me they will be filled with pages upon pages of her likes. An entire book filled with 3 word sentences. "I like strawberries." "I like apples." "I like jumping." There weren't a lot of things I disliked at 6.
What will her journals look like when she's 9? Will they have poems about the wind and growing old?
What about when she's 14 and embarrassed to be seen with her mother? Will they be filled with angsty verses about her woeful childhood?
It's all just blank pages waiting to be filled. But for now, I'm happy with my new tummy.
I'm so glad I have a tummy!
Tuesday, May 12
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4 comments:
That's adorable! My oldest daughter used to draw everything with spiny ghost legs. They had tummies, but the legs went down to the ground, hit a 90 degree angle, and drifted off behind. I thought they were so creepy and cool- kid pictures are amazing!
I'm sorry to contact you through your other blog, but I was the winner of the Swanki Hats and can't seem to find how to claim my winnings. You can email me at lora@ianstrawn.com THANKS!
Maybe you already know about this place, but I wanted to share in case you didn't. The Fractured Prune just opened at the corner of Queen and Walnut in the city. They used to be in E-town, and we would drive out occasionally, but now they are so close to us! I don't know how close you are to the city, but they have awesome donuts there!! They make them fresh when you order them so they are still hot when you eat them. Just wanted to share:) Shawna
Hi Kathleen! I just love your blog and all your sweet sewing creations. I am also a big fan of your/(your husbands?) photography. I am looking to upgrade some of my equiptment and am wondering what camera body and lens you use for the majority of your pictures? Also, do you have a preferred on-line site for buying your photo equiptment? I know you are a busy lady but any info you could provide would be appreciated! :) Thanks!
Kim
kimberlyrehl@gmail.com
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