Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Changes

Sometimes, watching my girls, I'm astounded at how grown-up they are. They look exactly the same for what seems like months on end, and then one morning when they drag their sleepy selves to the breakfast table, they've changed. Subtly, but unmistakeably. One or the other looks older somehow, more mature. Losing the roundness of the little girl faces, the excitement of the little girl voices, and gaining the height, the stretch, the angularity of older girls, the ennui and disdain for things, like Dora, that once they adored.

I get glimpses, flashes, of the teenagers and women they'll become -- Rachel sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, twirling her hair while she finalizes details for a playdate with her friend Kate over the phone, saying "Yes, that works" to Kate's suggestions. Leah and her friends Alice and Ellie breaking character in their make-believe game to gossip about a classmate in trouble for flipping off a teacher. I have no trouble imagining these three in the future sitting around a pub table with beer or wine in front of them, bending their heads together and laughing in the same way that they're now doing over strawberry-kiwi Fruitopia and chips.

But some things don't entirely change. Some things still echo the past and bring to mind the little girls they once were, though those things are fleeting and don't happen often.

Leah was watching TV the other day in a pose I remember from the past. I snapped a picture:


And then I went to the photo albums. The year that Rachel was born, Leah was two, nearly three, by the time Rae arrived. She liked to watch TV on the floor. I opened the album and took out the remembered photo, and snapped a picture of it:


It's nice to know that some things haven't changed.

20 comments:

  1. My back hurts just looking at her!

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  2. Fantastic, love the compare and contrast!

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  3. what a great picture find, that's fantastic!
    umm, is it wrong that i want to lick your orange walls?

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  4. Oh my gosh, that is soo sweet. I know what you mean about the subtle changes. E was caught wearing eye liner to school one day, and on the same day I watched her coloring like a little girl.

    You won my contest! Send me your address via email so I can mail you your prizes.

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  5. Oh Allison, what a perfect capture!!! Such a great comparison, and good for you for catching it!

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  6. Great pictures! love 'em...

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  7. I was just looking at Logan yesterday and thinking the same thing. Where did that little boy look go?

    Leah is too funny!

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  8. My son used to fall asleep in exactly that pose! Now he is so big he takes up the entire living room floor as he lies playing "Quantum of Solace" on the Wii.

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  9. Adorable. And my living room walls are the same colour orange!

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  10. That's amazing! but it looks painful...
    Gotta say - I'm feeling some of the same sentiments. I have 3 girls, one of which is already in her teens and I'm seeing now what I had pictured so many years ago.
    It's the same with the other two, you can really see their true personality and character shine through on some days. As much as I want them to stay as they are, I look forward to seeing who they become.

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  11. Hah! I used to sleep like that, with my bum up in the air. My parents were kind not to drag those pictures out on my wedding day ;)

    I had the privilege of watching my younger brother and sister grow up with their friends from school. It's so amazing how they all changed and yet all stayed the same in so many ways. They're mostly a tight knit little group still. I love it.

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  12. I was looking at The Boy thinking the same thing today. Then I noticed that his not-so little feet were crossed. First time I saw him like that, it was on ultrasound.

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  13. So funny! How on earth can that be comfortable??

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  14. Great picture find Alison. I also get nostalgic about my little girls getting bigger. I told Annika she could have a cookie last night and her response was "Rock and Roll, Mom". HUH?

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  15. Anonymous4:39 PM

    I think it's cool how your your big-assed TV turned into a little portable with rabbit ears over the years.

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  16. Looking at those pictures makes me wonder if you still sleep like that and bang your head on the headboard constantly. If so, things just don't change :o) Your Mother

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  17. oh wow. I love posts like this!

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  18. Hi,me again. Sorry to have to write this on your comments.
    I still don't have your email or mailing address.Maybe it was sent to the wrong email?
    My email is emmaline982000@yahoo.com

    Thanks!

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  19. Awwww, what a great post! I LOVE the comparison!

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  20. that's adorable.

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