A Robot on Stilts.

If you have been around our oldest girl in the past week you may have heard rumblings of a robot, stilts, a wagon, and daddy.  Little sense, I know.  About a week ago, Ona woke up with the craziest tale of a big blue-eyed robot with purple arms walking on purple stilts.  She saw the robot while riding in a red wagon with Ila that mommy was pulling.  As the robot walked on stilts he morphed into daddy. 

She had had a vivid dream. 

After telling us the tale at least five times all the while mimicking walking on stilts (I didn't even know she knew what stilts were), she asked if we could make an art project of Sir Robot.  I was thinking a simple line drawing, daddy Sir Robot himself had another idea.  It has taken them a full week to collect his body parts (mainly from the recycle bin) and ensure that the final creation was in fact the robot she saw. 

 

She is very specific about what the robot says or does.  When asked if he is mad or glad, she says, "Both."

 Is he serious or funny?  Both.

This silly robot means a lot to this girl and it has come to symbolize something in our family.  We realized that although the dream Ona had was funny and outrageous and hilariously creative, it was still a dream.  She wanted to see that dream into reality in the form of an art project.  Spending a few minutes an evening converting a few discarded cereal boxes into that dream was actually something really, really big.  It showed us that it is okay to have quirky and outlandish dreams.  And what is more, it is okay to foster and pursue those dreams.

As adults, I think we sometimes forget to dream.  Sounds so philosophical, but trust me I am anything but.  I just think that reality and busyness and a whole host of other practical things get in the way of even our littlest heart desires.  This robot was a dream and is now a small part in our family's story. 

There was something entirely humbling seeing this robot come to life. 

 Too many drops of super glue and all.