where are we going? to the beach!

Another blast from the past...in my attempts to catch up with the neglect the blog suffered over the summer, here is another post that I never finished.  From June.  Sweet.

Over Father's Day weekend, we took our first trip of the summer to the beach.  We weren't sure if Aaron would remember the beach from last year's trip to NC.  We also weren't sure how well he'd like it, since he's grown a bit...fussier...in the past year.


As you'll see from the photos, he liked the sand (surprisingly) but he was NOT a fan of the water.  Unsurprising is the face that Phoebe felt exactly opposite.  Those two do their best to be completely contrary to one another at all times.  Yin and yang, right?

 Sat right down, ready to play.

Then Daddy had the audacity to go in the water.

You really should click on these to make them bigger so you can get the full effect of his pouty face.

I like all the people in the background staring at him in this one.  He was for real SOBBING.  And I was taking his picture.  Maybe they were concerned...for good reason.  

Once we assured him that he did NOT have to go in the water, all was well again.

Back to building sandcastles.

Sorry, the photos aren't the best.  My camera battery died after this point...but you get the picture.  He doesn't like swimming in the ocean.  Specifically, just the ocean.  We found out later in the summer that LOVED swimming in the pool so it's definitely the ocean.  Maybe it's the waves?  The vastness?  The thought of sharks?  You know, I really can't blame him.  In fact, I think he's pretty wise.  But I was a weird kid too, so you know, takes one to know one.

it's that time of year...

Ahhh, the holiday season.  I have such fond memories of this time of year as a child.  My birthday, Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas were all rolled up into one lovely month of family, friends, food and presents.  I am so excited that Aaron is starting to get to an age where he can get excited about all the hubbub and festivities.

A key part of the holidays, for our family, was our holiday picture.  My dear father, the avid photographer, would assign a day (usually somewhere around Thanksgiving), have my mom get Josh and I all gussied up, and then pose us for what seemed like an interminable number of photos.  Remember, this was back in the days of film and manual photo settings, so getting the perfect shot wasn't always easy.  Of course, even with digital cameras, unwilling subjects still exist.  But I digress.

Anyway, we'd get the several rolls developed and pore through the shots, looking for the perfect picture.  Undoubtedly, every year, there were many, many, many unusable options for one reason or another...tears glistening in eyes from a recent meltdown, unsmiling teenagers, awkward poses, loss of focus.  Oh the joy of the season was definitely upon us.  After we'd select the ONE, we'd take it down the drugstore and get it made into some ridiculous number of holiday cards (my poor mother would address and write a note on each of the 200 some cards) and send them on their way, carrying news of our family and holiday wishes.


As much as my brother and I complained about these special "moments" (some of us more so than others ahem...Joshua...ahem**), there were so many long distance friends and family that cherished these photo cards as one of the only means for keeping up with our lives.  Throughout the years, I've had several of my parents' friends say that they've kept their card from every single year - starting with my parents wedding card - and that they knew their holiday season truly started when they received that card.  Despite awkward teenage years and forced smiles, these cards were bigger than us.


And so, with that in mind, I've been unscrupulously subjecting my own son to the joy of Christmas card photos.  Even in this day and age of Facebook, blogs and email, when most anyone anywhere in the world can catch a quick glimpse of his cute little face while he grows, I think the photo Christmas cards are still such a sweet way to send holiday greetings.


We'll see if Aaron shares my sentiments when he sees these photos at age thirteen.  Ha!

Christmas 2008

You may remember 2008 as the year of the Happiest Elf.

My heart just melted.

 Then,

Christmas 2009

When we played our little Reindeer games.

Safety in numbers...

Christmas 2010

????

As you can see, I haven't taken my pictures for this year's Christmas card yet, but you can bet I'm already thinking about how to eek out one last year of adorableness before the kid can really resist me.  (Good thing I'll have a new victim baby next year.)  

While I ponder my prop options, I've also been looking into which cards I'd like to choose as a background for these (now) iconic photos.  As you can see below, we've come a VERY long way from the old CVS standards of a white background with a photo icon and some text.


Here are some of my favorites from Shutterfly.* 

Faith Hope Family Card

 I just love the sentiment of this card.  It's definitely my first choice, although it would require getting several quality photos which is HARD WORK with a two year old.

O Holy Night Card

 If we're only able to score ONE quality photo of Aaron, I would go with this card because I really like the simplicity and message.  But I think it'd have to be a really killer picture to make this one work. 

Mod Ornaments Card

 Another option if there is only one good picture but it's a bit more playful and whimsical.  So really, it depends on whether I can convince Aaron to wear some ridiculous Christmas-themed head gear again.  Cross your fingers!

Merry Plaid Card

Finally, a plaid option.  Because it's Isaac's favorite color.  And I love him.  And he helps me, even though he doesn't agree 100% with torturing our son and making public documentation of it.  So, in his honor, I'll consider it.

So, it's that time of year again!  I can't wait to get started!




*In the interest of full disclosure, I am writing this post as a promotion from Shutterfly to receive 50 free Christmas cards in return.  But I really do like these cards, and while I haven't purchased their Christmas card photos before, I have used Shutterfly to print our photos and make calendars before with great results.  If you have a blog and you are interested in the promotion, go to http://bit.ly/sfly2010 to get your free photo cards!

**While I have your attention, I would also like to fully disclose the fact that instead of an age limit for participation in these photos (which Joshua so desperately tried to enact), my mom promised that once Josh had his own child, he could use that child to replace himself in our family holiday card photos.  As we learned last year, she lied.  But Josh, doesn't this make you see how VITAL your presence in our family photo is?  It's a TRADITION.  Right?

As a desperate means of playing catch up, this post will be pretty picture heavy, to carry you through our September/October activities. 

We had a busy beginning of September, with Aaron's birthday and then our trip to Chicago for Amanda's wedding.  We knew we'd have a small bit of time at the end of September and into October before things got crazy again with our planned trip to CA, Thanksgiving, Christmas and then the baby's arrival.  So we really wanted to spend our free time in October doing "fall" things as a family.  Which obviously means pumpkins.

There is an orchard pretty close to our new house that has a pumpkin patch.  But having grown up going to Linvilla Orchards, this orchard is a wee bit lame-o.  We went anyway, one Friday afternoon, for the fun of it (and the apple cider donuts).  Here's the photographic proof.

 Oooh, dis one heaby Mommy.

 Clapping for himself.

 Posing with the pumpkins.  What a hambone.

Mommy, I got dis one fo you.

 He didn't really love being placed IN the pumpkin pile.  As you'll see from our later trip to Linvilla, when he liked it even less.  At least here, his terror is being masked by a grimace, which can be mistaken for a funny toddler smile.

 Yeah, less convincing here.

Careful placement among the pumpkins is key to Aaron's cooperation.

 He liked this one.

 He IS the apple of our eye.  

 He thought this was so funny.

 He saw some kids throwing a football and thought it was so funny.  His laugh is contagious.

Again, not flattering, but I'm trying to include more pics of Aaron and I - since they seem to be a bit rare.  I'm usually behind the camera...but it's nice to remember that I was there!

 Finally...a somewhat nice one.  Looking at the camera is no longer a requirement for a "good" picture with this guy.

 I love these guys.

 Oh hey, Mommy.  It's a giant pumpkin.

 He just GRABBED one and bit it.  Of course, if you slice one and put it on his plate, no dice, but sure, this giant pile of apples looks just delicious.

 Hee hee, oops!

 He just kept picking out apples and dropping them in our bucket.  He apparently has an eye for good apples.  

Almost as good as real apple picking, huh?

 What dis, Mommy?

 Two pumpkins?  And then he started petitioning for three...four...five.  The kid's a bargainer.

In early October, we went out to dinner for my mom's birthday.  In my never ending quest (okay, it ended a few weeks after this) to get a quality pic of Tutu with her grandkids, we tried for a few family photos outside after dinner.

 Tutu and Aaron are having a FAB time.  Phoebe...less thrilled.

 Not gonna lie, Tutu doesn't always help my plight.

 Every party has a pooper...and these three take turns.  This was considered the "win" for the evening. 

 Cute family, poor background.

 The Three Browns.

 Major progress in Phoebe & Aaron's relationship.

 But still, she's denied.  Keep on trying, girlfriend.  One of these days...

 

Oh, look!  A bird-day cake.

 Thrilled.  Obviously.

 Phoebe can't figure out why Aaron's crying.  It's CAKE, man!

 Did I mention that in addition to crying while we sing, he also refuses to EAT the cake?  WEIRD.

 A final attempt at a cousin picture.  Fail.

A few weeks later, we met Tutu and Phoebe at Linvilla Orchards on a Friday afternoon (in attempts to beat the massive crowds).  We've taken Aaron to Linvilla every fall since he was an itty bitty baby.  I'm glad we continued the tradition.  Linvilla has gotten even better since we were there last year!

For your reference,

 Aaron at Linvilla - October 2008 (1 month)

Aaron at Linvilla - October 2009 (13 months)

Aaron at Linvilla - October 2010 (25 months)

And a few (understatement) more photos from our trip to Linvilla.

He's a crazy pants.

 Cheese, Mommy.

 He just realized the chair rocked.  Hilarious.

 I honestly can't get enough pics of these two walking together.  You probably noticed.  I'm a sucker for a metaphorical picture.  And they really are best buddies.

 Linvilla, all spruced up.  Very nice.

 Picking out a pumpkin.

 Phoebe arrives.  

 She was ready for some serious photo ops.  I love this smile!

 These next few are too funny.  As I mentioned in the photos from Highland Orchards, Aaron doesn't like feeling unstable, so how he is placed in the pumpkins is kind of key to his enjoyment.  Obviously, we missed the mark here and he decided he HATED sitting in a pile of pumpkins.  His younger cousin, clearly, could not understand what his beef was.  Her face is priceless.

 He couldn't calm down.

 So, being the kind and understanding Mommy that I am, I took his picture.

 Over and over again.  But no smiles.  Moving on...

 Oh look!  Letters!  Cheered him right up.

 He was much more amenable to photos on the GROUND.

 Terra firma.

 Photography tip : if I had crouched down to eye level with these kids, this photo would be infinitely cuter.  But alas.

 Back to the letters.  Phoebe's such a good sport.

 Daddy and Aaron with the GIANT pumpkins.

 Phoebe escaped into the giant pumpkins and Tutu had to chase her to keep her from crushing them.  Whoops.

 Aaron's pretty convinced he can lift giant pumpkins.

Too heaby Mommy!

 Studmuffin!

 Photos in front of the pumpkins counts right?

 Enter the Phoebe in my continued quest for a quality cousin picture.  You can probably guess how this worked out.

 Oh cute.  Minus Aaron picking his nose.  Not so cute.  True to life, but not cute.

 We lost Phoebe and Aaron's still in pickin' mode.

 Oh wait, now he's handsome.  (That's his handsome face...it makes a regular appearance around these parts.)

 Bein hansom.

 Bein crazy.

 Bein my little love bug.

 I kind of love him.

 My brother's vote for the family Christmas photo.  It is pretty priceless.

 Aaron LOVED the animals at Linvilla.

 Checking out the ducks.

 And finally, a family photo.  It's okay if you are thinking, "Holy belly Batman!"  I thought that when I saw these pics too.  I'm having a baby soon!  Whoa.

So, in a nutshell, that's our fall-themed adventures.  We had a good time, although it went quickly.  Fall is my favorite season, so I was very grateful we got a chance to slow down and enjoy some of the fun.  As we're SPEEDING towards the holidays, it's nice to remember that we had a few quiet moments before the rush.  Oh, and did I mention, I love these guys?