For those of you that don't know the story, when Spencer was a tiny baby (3.5 months old) I would get really bored with him at home. We couldn't go anywhere because he was still crying during nearly every single waking moment, plus we lived in Maricopa and there was nothing to do there anyway. Michael was gone for 13+ hours everyday (10- hour work day and 1.5 hour commute each way) so sometimes I would do random photo shoots with Spencer to pass the time. That year, five days before Christmas I put him in a little froggy sleeper and sat him on a blanket that had been a wedding gift, between a Santa and a bear and took his picture. Then the next year I remembered that I had done that on the 20th the year before, so I did it again. And it became a thing.
I almost freaked out and cancelled our whole trip to Flagstaff when I realized we were going to be gone on the 20th this year. Then I remembered that I could take the blanket and the stuffed animals with us and do this photo shoot nearly anywhere. Panic over.
Then, our camera broke, for the 3rd time in 3 weeks at the very end of the workshop tour. It just freezes in the on position and won't do anything.
Panic back.
I reminded myself that I have a pretty decent camera on my phone.
Panic over.
I set up the shoot. All seemed well.
I took the pictures. I took a lot of pictures, but you really don't need to see all of them. They looked fine on my phone, but once they were on the computer they looked dark and blurry. I even tried editing them and messing with the light, but it didn't help at all.
Panic back.
We'll get back to the panic that is back in a moment. For now, let's finish the 20th.
We had happy hour and dinner at my aunt and uncle's house.
Then we went back to Little America (where you leave from to go to Santa's Workshop) to walk around and look at their Christmas light display.
We saw a family doing a selfie with lights in the background and we were jealous. We wanted a cool family selfie. But apparently we suck at it.
This, while not a selfie, was more successful.
Nope. Not so much.
OK. That's better.
So, we came home on the 21st and I downloaded 47.8 million pictures from the weekend. It wasn't until I saw the pictures from the 20th on the computer that I really panicked because they were awful and I went back and forth on forcing myself to use them because they were legitimately from the 20th, or taking new pictures that would be better but were taken on the 21st and were, in fact, a lie. I have never missed the 20th in 7 years so this feels like dark and dangerous territory. If I allow a 21st to sneak in here, what's going to stop me from taking this picture on Valentine's Day in 9 years?
While I was having an actual existential crisis about the whole thing Michael told me I was an idiot and to just re-do the pictures because nobody really cares anyway. Sometimes that's all that I need.
So, I give you, the 20th pictures from the 21st, but after this year we will all pretend they are from the 20th and forget that this unpleasantness ever happened.
And now, a chronological flashback.
Spencer first.
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
And now Elliott.
2011 (he was 4! days old)
2012
2013
2014
And now, side by side comparisons from their birth year to this year.
See, I used some flashy trickery and you've already forgotten about my deception.
2 comments:
Haha! We are still "twins." I so remember those "bored at home alone with baby all day" days with Evan. Part of those days were actually spent in an extended stay hotel when we were in transition moving here to Charlotte the summer of 2007. It was super hot outside, and there was little entertainment in that hotel room. I did try some awesome/weird photo shoots that year. I actually did even more "weird" photo shoots with Brody because I took his pictures weekly in different outfits his first year. I love his first year weekly pictures. I love all the poses of your boys through the years with the holiday stuffed animals. Your kids were so much smaller than mine their first Christmases...may be one of our few differences. :-) Part of me wants a baby closer to Christmas so they are small enough to do some of those first Christmas baby photo shoots like one inside their stocking, etc. Of course, I'm not sure that is going to happen now.
Those trees are just ridiculously gorgeous. I can't get over them.
I'm really, really happy that my shortcomings have helped you through this painful 20th experience. I say we get a pat on the back for even attempting the ridiculous things that we do. :)
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