So Glad They Grew Up

"That is the best- to laugh with someone because you both think the same things are funny." -Gloria Vanderbilt

I can remember the stress of photo time when my children were young. Dressing them up in their perfect match-matchy outfits. Immaculately styling their hair. Bribing them with nothing short of a new pony if they would just sit still and smile for the camera. Oh, the knot that would settle in my stomach come picture time. I can remember longing for the day that they would all be teenagers and could sit still and make pleasant natural smiles for the camera.

As you can see, we've arrived. Yep, can you see them in their perfect matchy-matchy outfits and their coiffed hair? Indeed, I picked out Jonah's hoodie and bed-head for the family photo shoot, as well as the pants that are two sizes too small.

Can you see those lovely poses and photogenic faces looking at the camera? 

With not so much as a single photo-bomb during the entire experience?!

I'm so glad I'm no longer worrying about silly faces.

Or children pulling out Russian accents in the middle of their individual portraits? Yes, toddlers were so much more difficult to get to smile and look at the camera.

And our couple shots have gotten so much easier, now that we don't have little ones to keep track of. I mean, there certainly isn't said Russian accent child doing hilarious tap dances with tree branches behind the photographer causing her mother to get a bad case of the giggles.

And like I said, no photo-bombing at all, from said tap-dancing Russian impersonator.

After a flawless photo-shoot, we did get a few gems. And they're great, but not nearly as great or as telling as their predecessors. The above photos will remind me of just how much fun this batch of kiddos is and how many times I find myself squeezing my legs together, trying not to pee my pants as my kids have me full-on hyperventilating with laughter. I'm so glad they grew up and got so much more fun. Mental note, spunky toddlers turn into spunky teens, who turn into spunky adults, who become the best kind of friends. And keep you giggling for the rest of your life.