Grandma's Whimsical Photos of Baby Go Viral

Photo by Susan Pierce Grossman

Babies in flower pots with palms resting on their sleepy faces — newborn photography is the cutest. A grandma from Long Island, NY has joined the ranks of baby shutterbugs by way of a special project for her daughter, also a mom.

When Nadene Grossman Orr, 45, from Key West, Florida, told her mother, Susan Pierce Grossman, 67, that she was pregnant, it was an emotional moment for both mom and daughter. “I made her wait a long time!” Grossman Orr told Yahoo Parenting.

When Baby Meredith was born in June, Pierce Grossman, a retired art teacher of 30 years, became a first-time grandma and her new role gave her an opportunity to play photographer.

Photo by Susan Pierce Grossman

During one visit with her new granddaughter, Pierce Grossman got straight to work shooting the infant but the first takes weren’t a success. The baby was posed with pearls and flowers, which wasn’t exactly Grossman Orr’s style. “My mom was really disappointed that I didn’t love them, but then she got more creative!” she says.

Pierce Grossman decided to style her granddaughter in themes from classical children’s stories such as Thumbelina, Sesame Street, The Nutcracker, and The Wizard of Oz.

“I love Dorothy the best because as a child I think I sang Over The Rainbow non-stop after seeing that movie,” says Grossman Orr. “Mom read to my sister and me a great deal and it encouraged a lot of imagination and creativity during my childhood. I think about this a lot now, as a mom, when I see kids tuned out on iPads. I’m so grateful that I grew up in a creative environment.”

Photo by Susan Pierce Grossman

Grossman Pierce took tons of pictures of her two daughters growing up, but nothing as magical as what she did for her beloved, “one-and-only” granddaughter, Meredith, whom she refers to as “Meri.”

She’s taken 12 sets of themed photos and has another 12 planned out and is currently searching for costumes and props.

“This is a special project she started up just for Meredith and to make us all smile lots!” says Grossman Orr. ”She keeps the ideas a surprise, so even I don’t know what’s coming up next!”