Christmas pictures

matt and i recently reupholstered this chair for the play room.

i love it!

i had a brilliant idea to take a quick picture of the boys in it for Christmas cards.

nothing fancy.

i just needed them to be next to each other, both look at me,

and if we were lucky,

maybe a smile :)

 

whatever.

what was i thinking?

whenever i dress them in these red pants, matt says, "i am so glad that you got them red pants because they are little devils."

we love our little devils.

i just don't love trying to take posed pictures of them.

this is how it went.

 

 

a very short moment of serenity...treasure it.

 

and they're off....

wait!!! i didn't get a picture of both of you looking at me!

 

maybe i can get a picture of both of them on the slide.

 

nope.

a favorite moment...

jake being "dead" or "asleep" or something and refusing to move.

"sam, why can't you smile like this when you are next to your brother?"

sam landing on the body at the bottom of the slide.

not a great place to be "asleep."

 

me:  "jake please hold sam on your lap for just a second."

jake heard:  "squeeze sam really tight until he is really mad."

 

when sam got away, it was straight back to the relative safety of the slide.

 

do you see a little mischievious smirk as if jake is somewhat enjoying this?

i sure wasn't.

 

another attempt.

 

once more the "hug" (translation - squeeze).

 

sam is thinking "how and when can i get away?"

 

jake's patience has worn thin so he decides to hide.

do you see jake's red face and sweaty hair?

yep. that is from running around.

 

do you see the look on jake's face?

that is from his mom trying to persuade him to smile, with an angry tone and at a very high volume.

 

jake is not exactly happy with me,

but i refuse to give up.

jake becoming very exasperated.

 

jake's thoughts: "okay crazy lady.  you want me to smile. i will give you a smile.  how do you like this????"

 

"and this????  i'm still smiling, crazy lady."

 

and i give up!