She is no different seven years later, a little fey sprite who looks upon the world and its foibles with a bemused smile, interpersing her invented faery songs and woodland dances with carefully considered cross examination style questions (clearly the daughter of two lawyers). As several people have observed, she has the soul of an Edwardian lady.
Here is a little pen drawing she did for Mother's Day last year. The larger skirted lady is me and the smaller person is her.
I realise that in posting this image I am breaking one of my own Top 10 Rules of Blogging (do not imagine your own children's art is interesting to anyone else) but I think it illustrates really well the way small children view the world and their parents - as something much bigger which overshadows but nevertheless still protects them.
I have framed this drawing and I hang it in a place I walk past frequently as it reminds me of something very important, which is this:
At those times when I am being impatient or busy or irritated or distracted (which I fear is probably way too often) I need to remember that this drawing reflects the way my daughter sees me, as someone with the strength to hold her up high. And that I should always try to lift her up rather than drag her down.
The greatest challenge of all is not to taint the relationships we have with our children with our own insecurities, preconceptions and dark bruises of the past.
These are my thoughts today, as I finish planning for a little girl's Disco Pop Diva party for this weekend, complete with disco ball (provided I can install a hook in a very high ceiling without breaking a leg).
By the way - any thoughts on a glittery microphone cake? My microphones always look like icecream cones, so I am thinking instead of something square, pink and straightforward.
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