Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Then and Now

The top picture was taken then, November 16, 2007 it was Ally's 1st birthday and she was wearing her party dress!
The next photo was taken now, on November 10, 2008. The dress still fits, but look how much she has grown and how much she has changed.


I love this dress, and so of course I've saved it, and I hope one day we can pass it along to someone who will treasure it and enjoy it as much as we have. But these pictures are more than the dress.
I've struggled with whether or not to post this, but since this is supposed to be about Ally's life and our way or documenting it, I think this is important. Ally is small, tiny, petite, little - you pick the word, they all fit. As she gets older and all of her friends continue to get bigger I've been noticing more and more how small she is in comparison. We go to the park and I see all the younger children and they are so much bigger than her - but it is amazing to see her so competent on equipment and see bigger kids unable to do so much. They are bigger, but younger. She is small. But only her size, her voice is big, her personality is huge and her smile and laughter are contagious. But the thing is I am not small, no one in my family is small, and so I worry (even though the doctor says not to worry, I still do). I have no experience with being a small person. My entire teenage and adult life I've been large, larger than I should be, and its frankly a bit scary to be raising a small person. I know that I need to not worry and not fret and not focus on size, but despite my efforts I still do. I worry she needs to eat more, I worry she'll get picked on. I think you get the idea...I worry.
So the pictures above are great comfort to me, they show me in picture (full color) how much Ally has grown physically in the past year. Yes she is still petite, but the dress is now a tunic and what was long sleeves are now 3/4 length and the pictures help me remember that Ally is the perfect size for Ally. I'm her mommy and I need to accept that.

3 comments:

Gwen, Jenny, & Mia said...

Please don't worry! Ally is perfect and I know she will be just the perfect size whatever that is. I was always tall, had to be in the back in school concerts and things. When I was in cheerleading (don't judge I was 10) I had to have the biggest outfit and it was still too small. I am now "normal" size 5 foot 8 inches. I have friends who have very petite girls and they are both great, very athletic, and beautiful!

Ally is adorable and please don't worry!

Mama Bear said...

Ahhh, that was so sweet, loved seeing the pictures. She is truly soooo beautiful.

Iris said...

Great, GREAT post. Love the photos that show how much she has grown. I feel exactly the same about my peanut. Everyone in my (bio) family is tall. My girl is so petite. Seeing her next to the Gigantor babies/toddlers who are younger than her, so much bigger, clumsier and chubbier, is so strange. I wonder what goes on her head too. There is an 8 or 9 month old in her day care that weighs more than she does as a 2.2 year old - that is one huge baby! In my better moments, I describe my daughter as "small but mighty." This is an interesting topic for adoptive parents. Thanks for sharing your perspective and struggles.

Lyn (Irismama)

P.S. Your Ally is a beautiful girl.