Not Your Average Grandma

They Call Me BB

I had no idea how much I would love being a grandma.

I’ve always loved being a mom, I truly adored raising my kids. But I was also overwhelmed most of the time, juggling everything, running around. And even though I’m still overwhelmed and running around (some things don’t change), something shifts when I’m with my grandkids. Time slows down. I’m more present. I’m not glued to my phone. I’m just... there. And it feels amazing.

There’s nothing like seeing those little faces look up at you, smiling, giggling, running straight into your arms. It’s joy in its purest form.

What can I say? I’m hooked.

I’ve always brought my family into my world whenever I could. If I was being honored, launching a book, hosting an event, you’d better believe my husband, my father, my kids, my sister and my sister-in-law were there. And when my boys were little, I’d bring them to the office when I could (just not for full days…let’s be honest, kids are a handful).

Now, I get to do that again with my granddaughter Lily. Whenever we have a shoot, she’s a welcome visitor. I’ll confess…when she’s there, I’m not glued to the monitor checking the makeup. But that’s okay. I can always work around that.

She calls me BB. It started naturally and stuck, it’s short and sweet. And yes, it’s monogrammed on all my Alex Mill canvas bags. As for my husband, Lily decided his name is Steven Dean, which we shortened to just Dean. It’s perfect. He is the Dean of the family. He knows what’s up. He’s in charge. He always has been.

And believe it or not, I actually love changing diapers. Yes, even the poopy ones. I guess I’ve always been a nurturer. I’m less of a “get on the floor and build blocks” grandma and more of a “let’s mix makeup colors and play pretend kitchen” one. I love when she feeds me imaginary soup from her Amazon playset or when we curl up for a snack and watch her favorite show. That’s my kind of play time.

My grandson is pure sunshine. He’s obsessed with Lily, and while I can’t get him to laugh, she really has it down.

I’m also a “say yes” kind of grandma. And if the parents aren’t looking? Maybe a spoonful of ice cream for breakfast. Just what the grandma ordered.

When I go out to dinner, I always wear my charm bracelet, which is gold and inherited from my mother. Lily loves each charm, especially the baby charm with her name on it. Same with my necklace. She points to every charm and knows who’s who. I need to get another one soon.

If there’s one thing I hope I’ve passed down, it’s this. Love your family, work hard, and be kind to people. That’s it. I hope my grandkids remember how happy, warm, and safe it felt when we were around. I hope they’re proud of both sides of their heritage, Jewish and Indian, and celebrate all of it.

And I hope Lily always remembers this… I think she’s my best friend. And when I’m around, I think she feels the same.