Saturday, December 03, 2005

Rhia Alden Brown, 1 year old today


Is she cute, or what?

Okay, so Rhia is my granddaughter; when she was born one year ago today, I was in Macedonia. When Jerry applied for the Fulbright, we had no idea that Priscilla, my daughter in law, would get pregnant and have the baby while we were away. Thank goodness for e-mail and instant messenger!

I'll never forget that day one year ago; my ex-mother-in-law Jeanette e-mailed me and said, "You're a grandmother!" I was already a grandmother because I consider Jenn and Amy, Priscilla's children from her first marriage, as my grandchildren too. And then there's Victoria, my granddaughter on Jerry's side. But Rhia's my first genetically connected grandchild, so she's the first in that sense. But it shouldn't matter--kids are kids.

On so many levels, I love this pic, mostly for the obvious reason that she is cute and my grandchild, but also that this picture captures her at a time in her life when she hasn't been beaten down by the the little irritations that make us grow old and, sometimes, cynical. And look at her joy in eating her birthday cake; there's no concern about counting calories or incorporating hara hachi bu. She just dives in and smooshes it all over her face. And she stops eating when she's done, no matter how tasty that cake and ice cream might be. I hope that she never has to think consciously about natural eating.

Although Rhia's grandma ate pizza and cake tonight, she did so with that critical eye that suggests she (ME!) has much work to do yet regarding non-dieting and "natural" eating. It still feels artificial to me--it is artificial right now; I suspect natural eating will never totally feel natural to me, and I don't get any do overs. : = (

I really missed being present for Rhia's birth--I had to settle for pictures flying through cyberspace and across the Atlantic Ocean.

But I got to see her today, and I enjoyed every minute, playing with her.

Wow!

Jennifer Semple Siegel ; = )

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