It is true that I spend just about every waking moment in the presence of my darling two year old daughter. And even though this is a fact, I don't always see her. I acknowledge her rude-sounding demands for cheese and juice. I scold her for putting the cat in a headlock and for scribbling all over my bedsheets with a permanent orange marker. I scoop her into my arms when things have not gone her way and she collapses in a puddle on the kitchen floor, but I do not, in fact, always see her.
And so today, after multiple attention-seeking, naughty behaviors had irritated me to my core, I looked and found a little person who needed to be seen. I also found a little person who has suddenly developed a very vivid imagination, and this little person was a rather wonderful companion for the afternoon.
This afternoon I spent a bit of time looking out the window at reindeer. At first I strained my eyes searching for the actual deer that often trot through our woods, and I could not see them, but Lili insisted, stabbing her impatient index finger at the glass, "A REINDEER!! A REINDEER!! It's RIGHT THERE!" I re-focused, and immediately saw that proud creature pawing at the snowy ground. Wow. I was in awe.
Next we fed pretzels and bananas to a small dinosaur and convinced him that it was a good idea to share his snacks and toys. Then we read and discussed several Charlie and Lola books, played catch with a wadded up Kleenex, and rubbed our heads together as we giggled. And then the most amazing thing of all happened. I saw her. I saw my daughter. I became conscious of the little girl who is making sense of the world around her and creating even better imaginary worlds in her beautiful little brain. And I felt moved to say, "Wow! I really love you, Tyrone!" since that was the name she insisted upon being called at that moment, "And," I added, "I love the person you are becoming."
So I am grateful that I was able to stop for while today and witness my youngest daughter becoming the next version of herself. I am glad that I was able to spend some time in her world, which is much more colorful and playful than mine.
This afternoon I spent a bit of time looking out the window at reindeer. At first I strained my eyes searching for the actual deer that often trot through our woods, and I could not see them, but Lili insisted, stabbing her impatient index finger at the glass, "A REINDEER!! A REINDEER!! It's RIGHT THERE!" I re-focused, and immediately saw that proud creature pawing at the snowy ground. Wow. I was in awe.
Next we fed pretzels and bananas to a small dinosaur and convinced him that it was a good idea to share his snacks and toys. Then we read and discussed several Charlie and Lola books, played catch with a wadded up Kleenex, and rubbed our heads together as we giggled. And then the most amazing thing of all happened. I saw her. I saw my daughter. I became conscious of the little girl who is making sense of the world around her and creating even better imaginary worlds in her beautiful little brain. And I felt moved to say, "Wow! I really love you, Tyrone!" since that was the name she insisted upon being called at that moment, "And," I added, "I love the person you are becoming."
So I am grateful that I was able to stop for while today and witness my youngest daughter becoming the next version of herself. I am glad that I was able to spend some time in her world, which is much more colorful and playful than mine.
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