Running Head: THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

The Life and Development of Alison Capri:

A Short Biography from Birth to High School Graduation
Jessica J. Maple
Salt Lake Community College

THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

January 1989, One Year before My Birth

Over the years, many theorists and developmentalists have tried to explain the growth
and development of human beings. Looking back on my life, I realize that my personal
experiences are quite similar to many other women. Of course, these experiences can change
depending on the Nature and Nurture of each child's upbringing, making myself quite similar
physiologically to other human beings, while at the same time, mentally different. Nature comes
from our traits that we inherit genetically while Nurture involves the environment and the
surroundings that we grow up in (Berger, 2014, p. 5).The Nature versus Nurture argument has
been around for many years as developmentalists tried to determine which one, Nature or
Nurture, was more prominent in influencing our personalities. The developmentalists finally
found out that our personalities are determined more by how much, we have of both Nature
and Nurture and not which, one, Nature or Nurture, is more prominent (Berger, 2014, pp.).
The Nature-Nurture Controversy was not the only push to figure how we, as human
beings, develop and form both mentally and physically. Many theorists like Sigmund Freud
(1856-1939), Erik Erikson (1902-1994), and Jean Piaget (1896-1980) were the basis of the
knowledge that we currently have. Thanks to the Scientific Method, some ideas discovered by
these theorists were thrown out, but many ideas are still used today because they are proven to be
true and factual (Berger, 2014, pp.-29, 33).
April 1989, Nine Months before My Birth
Normal conception has brought this pregnancy to both my parents. My parents married
each other a year and half ago making my Moms and Dads current age 29 and 37, respectively.
My Mom and Dad are part of the Military and make decent money, putting them in the middle

THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

class, as a Navy Nurse and a Navy Pilot. They both reside in Denver, Colorado, and are of the
same ethnicity, Caucasian. Social support is not local but many friends and family members are a
simple phone call away. My mom has always been very health conscious, and since she is a
Nurse, she knows important things to stay away from, like wine, and what is important to do
throughout the entire pregnancy, like getting as much sleep as possible, eating healthy, and taking
her prenatal vitamins (Berger, 2014, pp.).
Over the next nine months, the process of development will happen in three main stages;
the germinal stage, first and second week of pregnancy; the embryonic stage, third through
eighth week of pregnancy; and the fetal stage, ninth week through birth. During the Germinal
Stage, cells start to divide, replicate, and soon will become two larger masses that create the
placenta and the embryo (Berger, 2014, p. 59). During the Embryonic Stage, vital organs and
body parts will start to form including the brain, spinal column, arms, and hands. During this
stage I, the embryo, weighs about 1/13th of an ounce and measures roughly 1 inch long (Berger,
2014, p. 59). The last stage, Fetal Stage, is when I start to grow in size and all of my bodily
structures start to mature and finalize, including the brain, which is a necessity if I am ever going
to survive outside the womb (Berger, 2014, pp.).
Once I, the fetus, made it to 38 weeks, full term, my moms body will start to receive
high amounts of oxytocin, a hormone, triggering contractions (Berger, 2014, p. 61). Once the
contractions became close together, my Mom and Dad rushed towards the Naval Hospital,
where, after a while, the contractions were continuing, but were not enough to deliver me. This
pushed the Doctors to think that medical assistance, by way of a cesarean section, would be the
best option for my Mom and me, the fetus (Berger, 2014, p. 64). I was welcomed into the world

THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

as a healthy baby girl, on January 20th, 1990 weighing six pounds and six ounces, with no
chromosomal or gene abnormalities.
January 1990, My First Two Years
My parents named me Alison Capri, Ali for short. I am the first child that my biological
parents have had, placing me number one in birth order. As soon as I was born, the nurses
completed the Apgar Scale, a newborn health assessment, to verify that all of my organs were
healthy and working properly. I scored a seven which meant that I was quite healthy and that
there were no immediate dangers to my health (Berger, 2014, pp.-63). As soon as the cesarean
incision healed, my Mom and Dad were able to take me to our home.
During the next two years, a lot of growing and learning will happen. At birth, my brain
contained more than 100 billion neurons and over the months and years ahead, my brain will
begin pruning, or fine tuning, to eliminate the various connections that will no longer be needed
(Berger, 2014, pp.). I also sleep about fifteen to seventeen hours a day (Berger, 2014, pp.) and
consume breast milk on a regular basis (Berger, 2014, pp. 109). By the fourth week, I started to
develop my smile and I became more curious regarding the sights, smells, and sounds that were
around me (Berger, 2014, p. 132). By the third month, my gross motor skills began to improve
and I was able hold my head steady above my neck while sitting up (Berger, 2014, p. 104). My
fine motor skills are also improving, as I am able to reach and to touch many of my colorful toys
(Berger, 2014, p. 105). My smile is also able to grow into a laugh as soon as a silly face or a
certain sound comes into my sight (Berger, 2014, p. 132). By the sixth month, I develop
observations for rhythms of speech and I can recognize words without knowing or understanding
what the words actually mean (Berger, 2014, p. 101). Anger has also become a new emotion that
is expressed often when I am frustrated that I cannot move around (Berger, 2014, p. 133).

THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

After the first year, I become to realize that there are many things to discover and to do
pushing myself to stand on my own and to try to walk every day (Berger, 2014, p. 104). My
fingers are becoming easier to control, allowing me the ability to pick up tiny items, like food,
and feed myself. I am also mumbling a few easy words, like momma and dada, consistently
throughout the day (Berger, 2014, p. 105). By the second year, my personality is really starting to
arrive as I walk backwards, run, and jump every chance I get (Berger, 2014, p. 104). I still get
tempted to pull on my moms earrings quite often, but then realize that I should not be doing that
anymore (Berger, 2014, p. 105). I can even speak in sentences compiled of two or more words
and I am learning new vocabulary everyday (Berger, 2014, p. 122). I have many emotions that
are developing and escalating making myself more aware, but also more shameful and
embarrassed when I make a mistake or get into trouble (Berger, 2014, p. 134-135). These two
years are a whirlwind of excitement, with many changes happening, allowing me to become
more aware of my environment and less dependent on my parents.
January 1992, Ages Two to Six
Early childhood has involved many changes, both good and bad. My Dad has left both
Mom and I and I recently moved to a new State. To bring some happiness into my life, my Mom
decided to sign me up for dance classes where I can test my balancing and twirling skills. It is
amazing to see how much my body has changed from when I started to walk around the house to
now, where I do anything and everything to be active. As matter a fact, I have slimmed down
quite a lot and my baby fat is slowly turning into muscle (Berger, 2014, p. 168). Other activities
that I love to do include coloring, drawing and writing, which are all great examples of fine
motor skills (Berger, 2014, p. 170). At this time, my brain is developing by bridging the gap

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between my right and left hemisphere with the Corpus Callosum (Berger, 2014, p. 179) affecting
the array of emotions that I now feel (Berger, 2014, p. 181).
Ever since my Mom and I moved, it has been hard for me to make new friends and my
Mom seems sadder to me (Berger, 2014, p. 207-209). My Mom has always used an authoritative
parenting style and with my Dad gone, she seems to embrace the style more drastically (Berger,
2014, p. 217). I am so lucky to have my Mom with me and I certainly do not know what I would
do without her.
January 1996, Ages Six to Eleven
I am beginning to take care of myself now more than ever, even though I miss having my
Mom dress me and brush my teeth. My sense of style and personality are showing now as well,
hence my awesome color coordination within my outfits. My muscles are becoming stronger;
meaning I will be able to wear point shoes sooner rather than later (Berger, 2014, p. 244). Ballet
is probably my favorite activity to do and I take it very seriously, attending all of my dance
lessons five times a week.
Moving to a new State, for the first time, has been wonderful. My Mom met a new man
six months ago and they both just told me that I would be the flower girl in their upcoming
wedding. Now, I do not remember my biological father and I am so happy to have my new Dad,
especially when he plays dress up and collects snails with me. Even better, my Mom, Dad and I
are going to dress up in fifty's costumes this Halloween. I am receiving all the love and attention
that I need to help smooth over any disruptions from this previous move and other changes that
have been happening (Berger, 2014, p. 293). For some reason, having friends that accept me is

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very important and I have been making new friends left and right, which is good because making
friends in a new school is always taxing (Berger, 2014, p. 304).
January 2001, Ages Eleven to Eighteen
This has been the hardest stage of them all especially when, at twelve years old, my first
period, menarche, started. Unlike many other sixth grade girls, I was lucky to be prepared with
what to expect during puberty but unfortunately, my period started at school and I had to go to
the nurses office and ask for a sanitary napkin (Berger, 2014, p. 319-320). I am also interested in
boys and, all of a sudden, I could not wait for my first dance. With all of my hormones coursing
through my body, I was boy obsessed well through high school graduation (Berger, 2014, p. 320321, 327).
My circadian rhythms have also been a little off lately. For some reason, I cannot fall
asleep until one or two in the morning and sleep until my alarm goes off for school the next day.
My trouble falling asleep must come from the excess of hormones coursing through my body
(Berger, 2014, p. 322). I seem to be arguing with my Mom constantly and I think that has a lot to
do with the lack of sleep, stress from classes, hormones, and simply all the pressure that comes
with preparing for college (Berger, 2014, p. 347).
The future can be quite stressful and it is amazing to think of where I stand now,
graduating from High School, and where I will be in the future. I can only hope that my Mom
and Dad are proud of what I have done with my life. My Mom use to say a Les Brown quote to
me, Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. and that is exactly what
I plan to do.

THE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALISON CAPRI

Reference Page
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter One: The Nature-Nurture Controversy. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 5). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter One: Theories of Human Development. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 24-29). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter One: Using the Scientific Method. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 33). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: Embryo: From the Third Through the Eighth Week.
Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p. 59). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: Fetus: From Ninth Week Until Birth. Invitation to The Life
Span (Second ed., p. 60). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: Finally, a Baby. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p.
61). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: The Newborns First Minutes. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 62-63). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: Medical Assistance at Birth. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 64). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Two: How much is Too Much. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 75). New York, NY: Worth.

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Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Three: Experiences and Pruning. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 96). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Three: Sleep. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p. 98). New
York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Three: Perceiving and Moving. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 101-105). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Three: Nutrition, Breast is Best. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 109). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Three: At About this Time. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed.,
p. 122). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Four: Emotional Development. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 132-135). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Five: Growth Patterns. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p.
168). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Five: Improved Motor Skills. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 170). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Five: Connecting Hemispheres. Invitation to The Life Span
(Second ed., p. 179). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Five: Emotions and the Brain. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 181). New York, NY: Worth.

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10

Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Six: Emotional Development. Invitation to The Life Span (Second
ed., p. 207-209). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Six: Baumrinds Three Styles of Caregiving. Invitation to The Life
Span (Second ed., p. 217). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Seven: Slower Growth, Greater Strength. Invitation to The Life
Span (Second ed., p. 244). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Eight: Military Families. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed.,
p. 293). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Eight: The Peer Group. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p.
304). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Nine: Puberty. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed., p. 319-321,
327). New York, NY: Worth.
Berger, K. S. (2014). Chapter Nine: Choosing Vocations. Invitation to The Life Span (Second ed.,
p. 347). New York, NY: Worth.

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11

Reflection
After doing my first Person Paper, I am able to dive into the reasoning and logic behind
how everyone around me, including myself, develops both physically and mentally. The many
stages of growth and development are fascinating and this course has helped me grow as a
student as well as an individual. I find myself, throughout my daily life, thinking and
understanding why the child in the supermarket is having a temper tantrum. More personally, I
am able to look at my little brother, freshmen in High School, and understand what he is going
through and why he is changing tremendously on a daily basis.
The best thing about completing the Person Paper is that I am able to sum together the
growth and development of one single fictional character, allowing me to think and discover this
whole course all over again in a few pages. This class will not only be the basis of my
understanding of life, but also the basis of my second degree and my professional career in
Nursing. I only hope to expand on my current knowledge by combining the physiology, anatomy,
and psychology associated with development throughout the years. I thoroughly enjoyed writing
this paper, and I cannot wait to see where this class takes me.