Christmas Photos

Little video of our experience with the photo session

I'm trying a little something different, and I'm not sure how I'm going to like it.  We'll see.  I usually have so many pictures I want to include on this page, and not a whole lot to say that's not just meaningless banter, ranting, and babbling (see, there I go), that I end up having a long line of pictures and a short blurb.  Not quite in sync.  So, this is my new-style, for-the-moment update.

So, from the pictures below, you can see that we've done our Christmas pictures a little early.  Our great friends, Brooke and Wally, along with their triplets and older daughter met us at a local mall to get a really fun group shot of all of the little ones. 

We called ahead of time to the photo place to warn them, oh, I mean, advise them that they would have EIGHT small children to coordinate into a quick and painful photo shoot.  Nothing prepared them for the wagon-train of preschool madness that rolled in.  Eight children dressed in red plaid pajamas.  Jaws dropped, eyes widened, panic ensued,  ladies and children ran screaming.  Okay, well maybe not the last one.  But, it was quite a sight.

Heading in for our Christmas photo.	Ready for the stares?

The photos went surprisingly well, all things considered.  I had brought presents to slap down in front of their faces and candy canes to keep them busy.  They were still just long enough. 

The sweet taste of success! .

One thing I learned from this past 2 years of photo experience (and this one especially) with young multiples is that success and excellence in professional portrait-taking are measured on a different scale than that of the standard nuclear family.  We watched "mom, dad and their 2.5 children" spend 30-45 minutes fussing over "the perfect smile" for little Jennie and Tommy, posing and posing again and again, hoping for true success and excellence.  For us, the perspective was just slightly different.

1.  Success is getting all kids in the same picture.
2.  Success and satisfaction is getting all kids in the same picture, facing the same direction.
3.  Outstanding success and praise to the Almighty can only come from all kids in the same picture, facing the same direction, and smiling. 

Well, we didn't achieve #3, but let's give praise anyway.  I love that picture!  We have others, and because it's not Christmas, I won't share them just yet, but I was so thrilled about this one that I had to share.

When we were done and waiting for our photos, we took all down to the food court.  Eight little ones in the mall food court.  If there were ever a justifiable time for people to point, stare, rubber-neck and jaw drop, that was it.  It was interesting watching people try to figure out the family dynamic.  We had a great time and everyone was very well-behaved.  Success!!!

So, my granddaughter is growing up so quickly and I can only imagine how big she'll be the next time I get my hands on her.  Kristi took her to get her ears pierced today.  And this past week, Camryn sampled her first real food.  Here are two cute shots of that sweet-natured little doll.

Last but not least, here's a cute one of the girls, who will turn practically anything into a hat.  Max knew they were onto something and went to find his.  By then, the moment was gone.  Who knew Happy Meal boxes could be so fashionable!