No! Don't take a photo of me!

And the inevitable has happened. Actually it happened a little over a month ago - Jimmy got upset when I pointed my camera in his face and he said "No! Don't take a photo!". It's not the first time he's told me not to take his photo, but it's becoming firmer and firmer and the response to a lack of respect of his wishes results in a rather upset, agitated, and no-longer-focused-on-the-task Jimmy.

So, we now have to ask him for permission to take his photo. He knows what happens to them, he knows we put photos up on the internet for our friends to see. He knows we do it because we think he's awesome and want to share his awesomeness as well as we can, but I think he's had enough of the near constant photos.

We have been taking a lot of photos of him since he was born, so I think it's fair enough that he wants some control over this situation. It's cool. He's exerting control where he can, and being photographed (or not) is one thing he can control. It's also not worth the effort to press him for a photo when he says "no".

It's a matter of respect and trust, and we get much nicer photos when we ask him if we can take his photo than when we try to sneakily take his photo. It's just not worth it.

This is not the reason why I've been erratic with the 52 Project posts, but it is in part the reason why I wont be continuing with it next year. There are other reasons why Jimmy will be here less and less, that have nothing to do with his interest in being photographed (or lack thereof), but I will save those reasons for another post.

38/52

a portrait of my son, once a week, every week in 2016

Jimmy: Helping to move the chickens.

We moved Pop's chicken's during the week and Jimmy helped as best he could. He has always loved being in the thick of whatever we're doing, and, if he can't be in the thick of it, he still wants to feel like he's helping out. He also had fun walking inside the chicken coop when it was on its side and we were removing the grass/wheat/sorghum roots and dirt from the base of the coop. The chicken coop was moved and the chickens were checking it out (to make sure that it was still their coop) and enjoying some chicken feed in their newly cleaned feeder, only to rush out again.

Also, his outfit reminds me of this one - he's still rocking prints-on-prints-on-prints.

Reading: Winnie-the Pooh...

When given the opportunity to purchase some books, thanks to a generous Grandma for the gift voucher and willing Granny & Pop for storing them until we returned to Australia, I bought Jimmy a copy of The Complete Winnie-the Pooh, which is two books in one: Winnie-the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. My parents have both these books, but the 1950-something editions are very well loved and I would hate to damage them, so a new edition it was.

And I have loved reading it to Jimmy! His first introduction to Winnie-the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and the others, was through an old Disney movie, which made the book approachable. He seemed to grasp the idea of chapters, although there was a lot of reading to him as he fell asleep, and was able to engage with the characters. I'm not sure if my parents read Winnie-the Pooh to me and my siblings, but the cartoon was a favourite of Asha's. It's a classic.

But do not read the last chapter of the House at Pooh Corner. DO NOT. At least, not until your child is 5 or 6 years old and understands concepts like Knights, and Kings, and Brazil. It confused Jimmy and he wanted me to stop reading the final pages, but I persisted. I had to. I was going to cry anyway, so why not finish it?

When I think of Winnie the Pooh, I think of the lovable, silly old bear, who makes up funny songs and is best friends with the timid Piglet. Pooh Bear has other friends, old and newer, and they all adore Christopher Robin. There is a naivety and simplicity and beauty to the story.

That is, until Christopher Robin starts growing up and stop "doing nothing" and all his companions, save Pooh, drift away into the Forest, after they deliver a heartbreaking note.

It's not about death, but it is because it's about an end, or the beginning of an end: the beginning of the end of a child's softness. I'm all for looking out into the world, but the gentleness of Winnie the Pooh is needed out there - perhaps that is why, of all Christopher's childhood companions, he takes the silly old bear.

After finishing the book, I cried. Jimmy didn't quite understand that why I was crying over Knights and Kings and Factors and "looking out into the world" or the Enchanted Place. But I couldn't help myself.

And while I was still recovering, I tucked my little boy in his not-so-little bed while my old bear. We disagree on the bear's name, but that's ok because that soft bear is now Jimmy's. Like Christopher Robin, I took my bear with me beyond early childhood, and as Christopher Robin promises Pooh, I will still remember my old bear when I'm 100, should I be lucky enough to reach that age. I hope Jimmy takes his "new" old bear with him as he makes the journey from the softness of early childhood and into the less soft early school years. And I hope that the softness of Winnie the Pooh, and all his friends, can continue to provide a little softness into the world.

28/52

a portrait of my son, once a week, every week in 2016

Jimmy: Three!

Yikes. My baby is a little boy. His face is changing but sometimes it takes a photo taken at just the right moment to see it. Jimmy is three years old and will tell you, if you ask him.