“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.”
—Alex Haley
"It is as grandmothers that our mothers [and wives] come into the fullness of their grace.”
—Christopher Morley
We have all heard the phrase: “A picture is worth a thousand words,” meaning a picture or image may convey an idea more quickly and effectively than the written word.
So when our grandaughter Lyla who stayed with us one weekend flipped a “flashcard,” of an elephant in front of the jade elephant I bought from a street sculptor
and had shipped from Agra, India—home of the Taj Mahal, in 1993—I was amused and duly impressed. This precious memory will forever be etched in my mind.
But, I can’t take the credit. It is my dearest wife Cecile (Nonnie), a former elementary school teacher from Chicago who has the patience of a saint, who uses flashcards with vibrant images to stimulate visual learning while babysitting Lyla who is now 15 months old, not to mention providing her with a growing library of children’s books chosen with love that absolutely tickles her fancy. While not speaking yet, Lyla knows how to make her voice and preferences known by finger-pointing, shaking her head no, or a soft martial arts type movement of her hand and wrist against yours, letting you know she prefers another book, and even making Mmmmm sounds to let you know she likes the taste of her food and can’t get enough of it, or it’s not coming quick enough. She lets us know when she wants to hold her own spoon and feed herself. Her palette has expanded to boiled cut up chicken, mango, carrots, squash, avocado, rice, pastina, and boy does she love her plain yogurt. She also likes to stand up and empty her overnight bag when she stays with us, one piece of clothing at a time onto the floor, then proceeds to try to put them on. I guess you can tell we are retired grandparents…actively retired that is:-)
The following images were taken at our home, our daughter Michelle and Kyle’s home, at Red Morton Community Park in Redwood City, Vasona Lake Park for Lyla's first carousel ride on the 100-year-old W.E. "Bill Mason" Carousel, on the red fire truck, and at Effie’s restaurant, our favorite place for brunch.
I remember as if it was just yesterday, after Lyla was born, and swaddled in a blanket of orange elephants, when someone said to me, as good as you feel now, it gets better,
and we are happy to report that it does.
