Family pictures!

 We went to portrait innovations yesterday, and I was a little bit nervous about how it would go.  Caleb is REALLLLY bad at taking pictures (kind of like his mother....) and so getting him to say "cheese" is a bad idea because it turns into a veeerrrrryy dorky, fake, squinty eyed smile (although I generally never have the squinty eye problem....).  The key is to get him to laugh... and then close his mouth and smile....  Oh, and get him to do that for a strange woman, in a strange place, standing in the exact position she put him in. I believe the words "Cross your legs. Put your arm here" "Ooop! Cross your legs!" "Ooops! Put your arm here" etc. was said over and over and over and over and over again.   UM... kind of overwhelming for an ALMOST three year old. ....and maybe more overhwhelming for his mother. (By the way, he turns three next Wednesday. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.)  So, I promised him he could watch Mickey Mouse (which turned into cookie monster) if he obeyed nice and smiled.  I generally stay away from bribery, but when something is new/different/possibly scary, I try to extend some grace.  Back to pictures...  we had to have Grace sitting still and smiling too.  Another thing, Grace (OF COURSE) woke up with this beautiful little red rash on her cheek.  Doesn't it just figure? The night before Ben asked what I wanted him to pray for, and I said that pictures wouldn't be horrible and we'd get some nice smiles, and that Caleb would be able to obey.  (Caleb was HORRIBLE last time we tried to have pictures taken... I think that's why I was on edge.)  Anyway, prayers were answered.  Enjoy the pictures!  OH, and my parents came along to get some Grandparent pictures too.

 

 

I'm SOOOOO pleased with how they turned out!  I think Caleb looks super grown up.... and Grace looks like she has crazy hair.  Oh wait, she does ;)

Oh, and BIG NEWS.  I think Caleb is potty trained.... or at least really really really close.  It's like the happiest time of my life.  The only horrible part is that I have to do it all over again with Grace....

-Melanie