Life is just one big photo opportunity

Last year, Andy and I went out to a local orchard to pick our own apples. We were about 12 weeks pregnant and had so much fun taking the belly apple picking. We talked about how we could imagine how the next year would go, how much fun it would be to take the babies. I remember riding on the wagon and trying to imagine us tromping through the orchard with a double stroller. We figured we would have the grandparents with us, and I envisioned our little ones bundled up in their warm clothes and that was just the first of many "just picture this next year" kind of moments.

So a couple of weeks ago, we went. We set off on Saturday, met the grandparents for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. . .and had to go home because it started to rain. We tried again the next day, and it was a beautiful day. Beautiful day, but filled with problem after problem. First of all, the beautiful orchard we had gone to last year wasn't being picked the weekend we went. We had to get back in the car, drive to another orchard. It took us several tries to find the right one. We had taken the babies in the front carriers so picture taking was awkward. The apples didn't look good, the trees were overpicked . . .you get the point. Ben got hungry, and I ended up back in the car, nursing him in the parking lot while everyone else picked apples. The light was awful for picture taking anyway, and I ended up being frustrated and disappointed. I had such high hopes, and if nothing else, I just wanted to pick some nice apples and get some good pictures.

Well, we got these. Bad light, bad angles, and a family shot where Maggie was facing the wrong way. Sitting in the car with Ben, I was overlooking the pumpkin field. It also looked kind of sad, and we didn't really want to get a pumpkin. I was watching the light though, and picturing how cute the babies would look with pumpkins. So, disappointed with our apple picking pictures, I dragged everyone out into the pumpkin field.

And got this. So I guess our trip to the apple orchard had at least one redeeming outcome. Who cares that we weren't there for the pumpkins?

Last weekend we had the babies' baptism at my grandmother's church. Everything was very nice, the babies cooperated beautifully (other than Ben spitting up as soon as his bib was off and about 6 more times afterward) and I was so excited to see the pictures after watching the cutest moments from up front. Ben gazing up at Rev. Paul while he said prayers over him, Maggie giving him a somewhat disgruntled look when he sprinkled the water on her head. I hadn't given my camera to anyone because my Dad was taking pictures. And many of our moments were blurry. And I try not to be disappointed when that happens. Just because I am picky about my pictures, and very careful about taking them, I know that I can't trust everyone else to take pictures like I do. That was one of the hardest things about my wedding, and about the day the twins were born. I was relying on someone else to take the pictures. It made me think. When did life become a photo shoot? When did it become so important for me not to just get pictures, but to get good pictures, perfect pictures, pictures that are worthy of the best mommy photo buffs?

Because sometimes I catch moments like this. My son, the ladies man. Maggie was a very solemn model in her baptism dress. I think she looks a little like a cranky old lady in this one. A rare shot of two big wide smiles. And of course, a little brotherly/sisterly love. "MOM, he hit me!"Who, this guy? Hello gorgeous. This weekend we actually went to pick out our pumpkins. It was a busy day, since it was it was also the babies 6 month birthday! We had scheduled pictures at JCPenney in the morning that went pretty well, and then hit a farm nearby that has a pumpkin festival. There were at least three other families in the middle of the pumpkins staging photos. It made me laugh just a little. Photo opportunities. I think babies with pumpkins are a must have shot that just screams Octorber. Of course, we had to get not only pumpkins, but good pictures too.

I absolutely love this photo of Ben. I think it is just a beautiful head shot of my handsome boy. Model anyone? I've been meaning to enter them into something!My favorite of Maggie. I wish the lighting was better. I know that her face should be lit up more, the shadow on the left is a blemish on the photo, and if I was more of a Photoshop user, I could probably figure out how to make this photo perfect. But I'm not a photo shop guru, and for that face, I'll sacrifice some picture quality. "MOM, she's touching me!"I was talking with someone last week about how I have my own black backdrop that I justified to Andy by talking about all the ways we would be able to use it to take photos of the babies. I thought it would be great for our monthly photos. And here's the first one where we remembered to use it!

I can't believe I have six month olds. I can't believe they are half a year old, that I have had so much time to be their mommy. I can't believe that six month postpartum I am still wearing maternity clothes. But that's another blog post all together. This was the first month where we were almost sitting up, so we tried to just support them with boppies under the backdrop, in case anyone tumbled over. What happened turned into some of the cutest pictures I think we have. Murphy joined us mid shoot, and Ben was pretty excited to see his kitty. Touchdown!

And life moves on. I will be our family historian and photographer. No big moment will be missed. But as I was getting this post done tonight, I was thinking of all the mental pictures that I don't grab the camera for. Ben, rolling up onto his side to snuggle with Mama at bedtime. Maggie, snuggling on my shoulder fighting sleep. Me, pumping once again to give these babies milk. Moments of our lives that I want to remember forever, but moments that will surely fade away. I can always look back at photos, blurry, badly lit or perfect. But I wish I could remember, to take a mental picture, to catalog every moment of my children's lives.

6 months. Wow.