Life with Us: PLEASE LOOK at the camera, put your hands down...

Since we just recently celebrated birthdays I thought it was a good time to update the wallet pics and get the grandparents some new ones as well. ( Is it bad to tell you that the pic I have of R and A in my wallet was from 2 years ago...oops!). I decided, for 2 reasons, that I would try and take the pics in our backyard vs. at the mall. #1 reason- Ellie is 1 year old and in our house that means CLINGY!!!!!!! She has hit the MOMMA stage and therefore no one can hold(and she doesn't like me putting her down- too bad!) her unless mommy is completely out of sight/sound and even then your take your chances. But if she is with me than she will smile, talk, giggle and interact with you, just don't EVEN make any attempts to take her away or you will be told in 1 year old language, "Hands off DUDE!" #2 I am cheap.

Ellie was first to be forced to smile, and pretend to be happy and yah, it didn't go so well. But I grabbed this one and for now that will have to suffice. And, well, trying to get all 3 of them together....you can only imagine. One doesn't want to discipline their children over smiling at the camera, or raise their voice and just incase you are going there....no, I didn't but that doesn't mean I didn't feel like it. It would have been quite funny to hear the nearby squirrel give account to the photo session as he probably would sound like a broken record as he repeated what he heard, "Ashlyn, LOOK into the camera, please, over here, smile, no not fake smile, happy smile, Rayah, Ashlyn, over here please, stop looking at Ellie just look into the camera, pretend we are going to Disneyland, Ellie- peek a boo Ellie, no not you Ashlyn, stop looking at Ellie and stop touching her, just LOOK into the camera and on, and on, and on, and on...."

So that is why people hire professionals and
that is why my good friend only takes pics of adults.....