The Family That Plays Together
This may be my new favorite photo – and that’s saying something. Noah and I were having a very intense conversation about something, neither of us can remember what exactly. He’s got the hand gestures for emphasis down pat.
These pics were from my last trip to Amsterdam, where I made a quick stop to see my niece and nephew. Like little nestlings chirping upon the arrival of a caretaker, they cried ‘Unca Unca Unca’ when I appeared at the door.
I like it – ‘Unca’ is sort of a feminization of ‘Uncle’ – and, let’s just face it, I’m nothing if not a feminization of ‘Uncle’.
Oddly enough, instead of me providing safety and stability for them, these children have done that in their own way for me. When I visit Emi and Noah, I feel the safety and innocence of childhood, a protection-by-proxy that comes from being in their little world.
I didn’t think there would come a day when a child – much less two – could find their way into my heart so quickly and so irrevocably, but here they are, and here they’ll stay.
It’s hard to believe, but in a little over a month they will turn two – and then, or so I’m told – the fun will really begin.
