This is my oldest daughter Monica.  The portrait was painted of off a reference photo I just happened to get moments before she jumped up and started running towards mommy.  It was just amazing to see how interested she was with that little weed.  Like it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen.  Truly a characteristic of childhood.  So caught up in the moment with the simplest of things.  I painted this picture because it really shows the essence of childhood.  Everything being a completely new experience.  Random everyday objects are shown the same awe and amazement that adults only show towards the most spendy and intricate objects.  At this moment the weed was far more precious than gold.  And I think thats what childhood is all about.  Being able to look at something for the first time in utter amazement, no matter how small and ordinary it may seem.  It is because of this quality in children that I really love painting them.  They have no preset emotions or dispositions towards the smallest, simplest and sometimes happiest, little things in life.