Memory Lane

The past two nights, after they've gotten into their pajamas but before they've gotten into bed, the bambini have watched some of the videos from the past five years that that Ted has just finished editing and putting on to DVDs.  What's interesting about observing them watching them watch themselves, is the way they talk about themselves like they are characters on TV, rather than them.  For example, Joe, watching himself mop the Raleigh House porch, or, more specifically, struggle to wring out the water from the mop to mop the Raleigh House porch, laughed at his younger self and said, "Look at him trying to mop!"  They understand it's them, but that understanding is not reflected in the language.  So it's easy to believe that they, too, can't quite believe that little boy and little girl are the same as the little boy and little girl on the couch, still little, but also, somehow, big--so big.  Such good times, then and now.