One thing I love to observe in my daughter is her blooming and blossoming imagination. Where did she get it? I wonder. Who taught her to pretend things?
When she was quite young–maybe a year or year and a half–she was eating Cheerios while listening to me read a story about dogs. And she took the Cheerio in her fingers and “fed” it to the dogs on the page! She still likes feeding her toys–as in the photo above–whether it’s a doll or a little stuffed horse.
Her dolls, on occasion, take baths with her, go to bed with her–lying sweetly beneath their very own blanket–and listen to stories with her, their heads turned just right to see the pictures. Sometimes she pulls off a doll’s leggings and places it on the potty chair and then lifts it up again and reaches for toilet paper to wipe its bare plastic bottom.
And whenever I let her sit on the cupboard beside the kitchen sink to watch me prepare food or wash dishes, I can expect that my little clock with two birds perched up on top will be turned to face away from us, ostensibly so the birds can “see” out the window.
I love this thing that God gives children: imagination. I can notice it, enjoy it, nurture it, but like so many of God’s gifts, I cannot give it. I only watch and thank him.
I’m glad you notice how Annalise is developing. My mother a career girl never played with me. I would be told to go play with my dolls. More or less to get out of her “hair” as she was so busy with a 9-5 job so I had a baby sitter when she was at the office and my dad worked every day. The baby sitter was on our phone all day or laid in my parents bed with a migraine headache. I took care of the babysitter and brought her a cold wash cloth for her head. Never did the baby sitter, an elderly lady play with me or take me outside to a neighborhood park. We could have walked to the Milwaukee county zoo that had free admission. When my mother was home she had housework of cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing. She was really to busy to notice me and take take out during the day. I didn’t know there was anything better and it didn’t bother me. I thought that was what was expected of children. I was bored and my days were long. One day I went for a walk at about age 4 and got lost and maybe was 1 mile from home. I saw that I was in front of the Milwaukee county zoo and free admission. So a walked a little bit behind a family with children. I was probably gone a long time. My babysitter called the police as she thought I was kidnapped. I knew I lived on 24th street. I saw the zoo was on 43rd street. So I started walking down the street and when I got to 24th street things looked familiar and I turned left and went up 24th street until I was home.
I only went out to play. I new there was a park 4 blocks away but went the wrong direction and I found this wonderful zoo. The babysitter should have been watching me not laying in bed with a headache. It was different for my children as I was home for them and we went on adventures in the house and out of the house. So happy that you notice as these wonderful things about Annalise.
Wow Susan, what a very self sufficient and smart child you were. I suppose one benefit of letting children on their own is they learn to think for themselves…but that’s so much better if it can be balanced with the heart knowledge they are loved and cared for. I do love observing Annalise but I also am often busy with writing or housework, and your story reminded me yesterday that taking time out just for her is important. Thank you. ❤️
Lucinda, Your daughter is blessed with an observant and attentive mama.
Sorry, Susan, about your lonely childhood. But I’m so glad you had the resources and time to stay home with your children and invest in their lives and future.
Linda Rose
Thank you, Linda.