The Girl and Her DS

It’s a gross example of commercialism, perhaps. But, here’s a shot of the Girl and her DS, taken outside of her mum’s house. The game? My Little Pony.

She doesn’t have a lot of electronic games. But, this is one, and one that demonstrates a balance on the Princess/Tomboy scale.

One thing that I’ve noticed that she does is that she doesn’t just play the game; she talks to the creatures on screen. This takes the interactive part of the game to another level. It seems that the Girl is creating something of a meta-narrative as the game progresses.

The imagination will not be repressed!

The Girl and Babies

The Girl, aged 3, and taken on a farm in South Surrey. It was a photo shoot for her third birthday.

It was announced recently, that Pinky, who is the Girl’s mechanical toy Guinea Pig (and twin to another toy Guinea Pig, Purpley), is “going to have a baby”.

The Girl has a grip on the basic mechanics of how babies are made, with a few of the details missing. For instance, she has an impression that there is a baby inside every girl, just waiting to be born. We’re still talking about it.

But, she knows where she came from. Recently, I recounted some of the key events of her birth. I told her about taking her mum to the hospital. And I told her about the labour, from my perspective anyway. She asked if it hurt. And I said it did.

But, I told her about when she was born, and about my being the second person to hold her (counting the OB). I told her about seeing her turn from a greyish, to a vital pink as her heart began to pump life around her little body, without the help of the placenta. I told her about her little hands curling around my thumbs, and the absolute joy I felt because of her very existence.

“When I grow up, I’m going to have a baby, too.”

I’m not quite sure where this comes from, and it is rearing its head quite a bit lately. It doesn’t worry me. I have always positioned the whole thing to her as “IF YOU DECIDE to have a baby …” when she’s asked about the role of parenthood. I think she’s just curious about it.

But, the thing is this: IF she does decide to become a mum, I think (and it’s early days yet, I know…) she’ll make a good one. She’s got something of a nurturing spirit, even toward me, her father. And she’s encouraging, positive, and quick to celebrate the victories of others.

My preference for her of course is to become the person she needs to be, children or not. Because it seems to me that that’s what bolsters the best parents – those who have garnered enough experience to know that there is more to their existence than seeing to the existence of another.

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

What’s a good name for a newborn mechanical toy Guinea Pig?

The Girl and the Knock-Knock Joke

photo: lippert61

Me: Knock, knock

The Girl: Who’s there?

Me: Banana.

The Girl: Banana who?

Me: Knock, knock

The Girl: Who’s there?

Me: Banana.

The Girl: Banana who?

Me: Knock, knock

The Girl: Who’s there?

Me: Orange.

The Girl: Orange who?

Me: Orange you glad I didn’t say ‘banana’?

(waits for laugh, in vain)

The Girl: Let me tell one.

Me: OK, go.

The Girl: Knock, knock

Me: Who’s there?

The Girl: Banana.

Me: Banana who?

The Girl: Knock, knock

Me: Who’s there?

The Girl: Banana.

Me: Banana who?

The Girl: Knock, knock.

Me: Who’s there?

The Girl: Banana in his underwear!

Me: You’re supposed to say ‘orange’.

The Girl: (giggles)

Me: You just like to say the word “underwear”, don’t you?

The Girl: (giggles harder) …

The Girl and Modesty

Last week, I took the week off to spend with The Girl. Her daycare provider went on holiday, so I was it for the week. It was great! We spent a whole chunk of time together, the Girl and I.

A big part of that involved going to the pool near where I live, which has been a pretty standard activity in the summertime. By now, the Girl is an enthusiastic swimmer, although her chops in the water are still developing. So, we went to the pool wearing our bathing suits. The Girl wore a summer dress over hers.

When we were done playing ‘shark and whale’ in the pool (consisting mostly of thrashing about, with me as the whale, and the Girl playing the role of the shark …), we struck off for home. The Girl’s suit was obviously wet. And since she hates wearing wet clothes, I thought putting on her summer dress again over it wouldn’t be prudent. So, I wrapped her up in her towel instead.

Was I ever wrong!

As we walked, she got more and more upset about walking home just wearing her bathing suit and wrapped in a towel. Soon, she was crying, demanding that I put on her summer dress over her suit. She was shy about being seen outside the pool without her regular clothes. I obviously complied. But, this is a very new development that I did not expect.

I’ve found that at this age, the feelings like this that are experienced so acutely cannot be rationalized. So, I can’t really ask her why she should feel shy, or have a sense of modesty to that degree. To me, wandering the streets after a swim at the public pool was all a part of summer. But in her case, I do wonder if her being aware of her femininity is coming on early, that she is aware, perhaps more hyper aware than a boy would be, of being observed.

I suspect that I will be confronted by things like this more and more, and the learning curve will be steep. The different ways of perceiving and being perceived as that pertains to gender is a tricky business for a father with regard to his daughter at the best of times, I guess. I just didn’t think it would happen for us so soon!

I am reminded too, of course, that as I write about the Girl’s life here on this blog, I must think about what she would be comfortable with me revealing about her. I must remember that her personal space and her appearance, is her right, and not mine. I must be careful, and respectful, of what I share about her to the world, or at least to the portion of it that finds her here.