an insider

My daughter makes pictures of her children. She is an "insider" in every sense of the word. Abbie is profoundly connected (as most mothers are) to every breathe her children take, every sound they make, every gesture, every pain, every smile, every word -  even the ones no one else can understand. She's a 24/7 hands-on mom who shares with them the beauty, magic and wonder of the world around them. Abbie and her hubbie Sam answer every question (including those they have to look up), read endless piles of books to them, encourage them to fully explore their environments on their own terms, sing songs, draw pictures and tell stories. These parents never resort to TV (except for a vintage episode of Mister Rogers every now and then on the computer - they don't have a TV set) and work hard to empower both kids, Henry and Clara, with the knowledge that they can do and be whatever they want (real or made-up). Abbie and Sam are the most patient, encouraging, creative, nurturing and positive parents I've ever known. They make everything interesting and fun.

As a result, my grandchildren Henry (3 1/2) and Clara (1) are free spirits who are curious about every thing, every animal and every person they encounter. Their days are filled with imaginative play. Often Henry is not Henry at all, but a fire ant or an airplane or a carpenter. Cushions are dragged down from sofas for the construction of space ships. Cardboard boxes become airport hangars or train station roundhouses. Paint is dripped onto the floor while masterpieces are created. Chalk drawings decorate the planks on the wooden fence in the backyard. Flour is splayed across the kitchen floor when the kids want to help with the baking. Their little bodies are caked with dirt and mud after they've helped in the garden.

I love these children, and I love the photographs their mom makes of them. Abbie sweetly shares her photos with Zayde (Eddie) and me on a regular basis; we're very lucky!

These landed in our inbox this past week. Now that Clara is upright most of the time, Henry has discovered he has quite an adoring little playmate. And how cool it is for my photographer-daughter to have these scenes unfold in her own "backyard" day after day after day.