We went to the Friday play date at the park for Gianna's play group. I spent my time watching Gianna pull up on various things and stand. And then occasionally I would panic, thinking, "Oh! I have another child! Where is he?" I would scan the park worriedly until I found him, climbing the play structure or sitting in the sandbox playing "construction" with some other kids. That's about it. Here are some snaps of the standing baby:
On Tuesday, I took the babies to get photos taken at a studio. I want this to be an annual thing. It is mainly for me. I love the professional shots of all of us from last year. Looking at the photos from last year, I am reminded of how tiny and perfect Gianna was, how newly-2-year-old Bode had the most innocent, adorable outlook on everything, and how Priscilla (and Kelly) is a part of this family. At this photo session on Tuesday, I had the babies in coordinating outfits. I didn't want matchy-matchy, but as you know, in a nice photo, coordinating colors and some pattern make for a nice photo. The outfits looked good. But the babies were not working well together. This is normal. They are two individuals wanting to do two different things. Asking them to sit still and smile in the same direction is asking a lot, especially in a studio with a lot of fun props to explore. The photographer was great. He was fun and played with them, all the while trying his hardest to get a decent shot. Boy, he worked hard. I was exhausted just watching him work. I even briefly thought that maybe his job was harder than mine (that is, until I tried to put two cranky babies down for a nap after the photo shoot). I left the photographer's feeling discouraged and frustrated about the outcome of the photo shoot. I just hope that there is one good shot of the babies together. I have been thinking/wishing/hoping for this one good photo ever since Tuesday.
But then last night, I had another thought. I take a lot of shots of the babies every day: the mundane, the silly, the dirty, the crying, on and on. I take photos of our life. Sometimes the babies' clothes are dirty or covered in dog hair. Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) there is a laundry basket of dirty (or clean) laundry in the background. The toys in the play area are scattered all around and there's no organization to them, despite shelving and baskets. The windows are dirty and smeared with handprints. Gianna has hair that is wild and Bode might have peanut butter on his chin. Maybe the dog is eating something off of the high chair or the floor (or maybe Gianna is eating something off the floor). I don't edit (unless it is me in pjs). I want these things posted and remembered. Because this is our life right now. Years from now, Bode and Gianna will look at these photos. And I'm betting that they don't want to see the canned studio shots. They will want to look back on the messy, ordinary (and fun) times they had together.
But then last night, I had another thought. I take a lot of shots of the babies every day: the mundane, the silly, the dirty, the crying, on and on. I take photos of our life. Sometimes the babies' clothes are dirty or covered in dog hair. Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) there is a laundry basket of dirty (or clean) laundry in the background. The toys in the play area are scattered all around and there's no organization to them, despite shelving and baskets. The windows are dirty and smeared with handprints. Gianna has hair that is wild and Bode might have peanut butter on his chin. Maybe the dog is eating something off of the high chair or the floor (or maybe Gianna is eating something off the floor). I don't edit (unless it is me in pjs). I want these things posted and remembered. Because this is our life right now. Years from now, Bode and Gianna will look at these photos. And I'm betting that they don't want to see the canned studio shots. They will want to look back on the messy, ordinary (and fun) times they had together.
xo
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