My children are used to seeing this version of me.
But on a recent tromp through the woods near our home, I nervously handed over one of my cameras to my kids.
I could tell you about how children have a different perspective on the world, and isn't it refreshing to see the wonderment that young people experience in something as simple as blade of grass?
I could tell you that. And it would be true.
But I could also tell you that my kids were whining about it being muddy and were lobbing pinecones at each others' heads, resulting in ear-splitting screams.
And also, they felt very hungry and exceedingly thirsty. Because mom, you never, ever feed us, and we did not just eat breakfast.
And that would also be true.
I told them they could each have ten minutes with the camera, but only if they behaved themselves.
The first thing this young 'un did was take a picture of me. (Above.)
Then she said, "Cool! Mom! You have big legs!"
"Here, I want to take another picture of you!"
<Side note: Yes, she picked that outfit out for herself. Yes, she is my daughter with the turquoise and hot pink. Don't think I wouldn't wear that if they made it in my size.>
"Let me see if it turned out."
"Oh, wait. The camera is upside down."
"Look at you, mama! You have big BIG... camera!"
Let us take a moment to thank our lucky stars that she used the word camera instead of the 19 other inappropriate words she could have chosen to complete that sentence.
*****
And now it is time to play a game. Let's play a little round of,
WHO TOOK THAT PICTURE?
Mom or four year old?
If you said four year old, you grossly overestimate my four year old's camera operating skills.
<Another side note: This is the river I grew up several blocks from. There are many waterfalls and swimming holes with fast moving currents. I was here with my sisters nearly every day in the summer, swimming, unattended.
I would like the record to reflect that my mother let me swim here without lifeguard or adult supervision at age 12, and I lived to tell the tale. I jumped off all the rocks. One time I slid down a waterfall and cut up the backs of my legs.
I would also like the record to reflect that my mother will not let my nine year old play in her backyard unattended while she sits at the kitchen table, which is next to giant windows that overlook the backyard. Her backyard in a quiet, residential neighborhood.
I'll wait a moment for the record to be reflected.>
Back to the game. Mom or four year old?
I believe this is a blurry picture of the side of our dog's mouth.
If you said mom, you grossly overestimate my desire to lower myself a not inconsiderable distance in an effort to take a blurry picture of large mammal slobber.
This one's a little harder. Mom or four year old?
Props to the preschooler for noticing some of the first orange leaves in the forest.
Mom or four year old?
Also the four year old. A great example of how children's brains notice things -- like orange lichen on the side of a birch tree -- that we don't, because their brains haven't habituated the information yet. Hence, the wonderment that children often experience in the mundane.
I still got nothin' on the pinecone throwing.
Mom or four year old?
This one goes to the mama. And to the horsedog, who could have played swim-and-bring-back-the-giant-stick-because-it-is-my-biological-destiny-as-a-Labrador for sixteen hours, if allowed.
The day after her tromp through the woods with mama's camera in hand, Miss Four Year Old set off for her very first day of Montessori preschool.
This girl has more spunk and joie de vivre than anyone I've ever met. I wish I could bottle it.
She chose the dress. Don't think I wouldn't wear that if they made it in my size.
Ah, little one. How quickly you grew from this:
To this.
Cut it out, would you? It's going by too fast.
Pardon me while I daub my eyes a little. No, I'm fine. It's just allergies.
Sniffle.