Yesterday Dave and Andrew sat on the couch with goofy grins on their faces. They were watching animated, silent films from the 1920's. They were watching characters Disney developed before he created Mickey Mouse (anyone heard of Oswald?) Special note to Melissa: if you click on the word 'Oswald' a page will open up about him...you know, if you wanted... ;)
Anyway, as I was puttering around working on this and that, I would hear from the couch the very best sound of all. Andrew laughing. Not his I'm Up To No Good laugh, or his I Am Feeling Nervous laugh or even his I Really Need A Nap laugh. This is was his This Is The Funniest Thing I Have Ever Seen laugh. And that laugh is my favorite. It just bubbles up and spills out of him and the room itself seems to twinkle. Though that might be something only his mom would notice.
Dave has been watching Silent Movies since he was a teenager. It was his love of silent film that inspired him to be the president and founder of the Humor Club in his high school. They inspired him to make his own silent film in college. They inspired his career.
And now he shows them to Andrew.
It's hard to tell if Andrew likes silent film because his dad does, or because of something else. Andrew's strength has never been language. He was not only late to speak, he was late even understanding words. His favorite character in the Charlie Brown specials is Snoopy, the only one that doesn't talk. He can't sit through an episode of Thomas even though he plays with his trains everyday. If there are too many words to follow, he tunes it out. Andrew prefers and understands visual communication, visual humor, and learning visually.
So this just has me wondering. Is this from watching us and seeing how we go about this life thing? Lots of doing. Lots to watch. But not a lot of chatter? Or is this from his makeup? His DNA? Are these traits inherited from Dave? Or, is it something else?
I don't find these questions pressing or even answerable, just interesting. It's interesting to see little people emerge and begin to do the things you do. I don't think I'll ever get tired of that. And I'm sure as we get to know our kids more and as we get to know ourselves more, that these questions will continue and change and develop.
And honestly, I can't wait.
Today I made the front and back cover for my December Daily album. I did this project last year and I really enjoyed it. So, here I go again.
4 comments:
robyn, I LOVE your blog. It always puts a smile on my face.
I also thinks it so fun to discover who children are as they grow. Just remarkable...
This would probably explain why Andrew's younger by 9 mos. cousin Alex has been talking like a 5 year old for a year. He lives w/ a very verbal Dad!
Aha, the old nature v nurture debate! It is fascinating to watch children develop and also to see how siblings, treated exactly the same and taught the same, turn out totally different.
Have you heard of VARK? It's used in schools over here to see how children learn best, Visual, Aural etc. I took the questionairre and it is scarily accurate!
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