when family pictures don't include the whole family

I knew it was going to be stressful, but I didn't realize I would have a son REFUSE to get dressed the morning of family pictures. I promise I hardly bribe my kids... but in this case, on the morning of family pictures, I would give him anything he wanted just to have him cooperate. But I could tell that things weren't going to go smoothly (do family photos ever?).

We were running late so we just stuck him in the car, with only his underwear on, and prayed he would be willing to get dressed when we got there. But we arrived and realized this wasn't a battle we could win, nor try to win.

I'm not sure (although I would have like to have tried), but I think yelling "GET YOUR CLOTHES ON RIGHT NOW AND SMILE SWEETLY AND ACT LIKE YOU LOVE YOUR PARENTS! RIGHT NOW! DO IT!... pretty please?!?!" I'll buy you a donut afterwards!" would set a negative tone for family pictures. You would see the tension behind the forced smiles and the boys holding back tears.

There's several challenges to having three kids within 4 years--- family photos is one of them. But there's one thing that I forcefully have had to learn, and that is to roll with the punches. As we pulled into the parking lot to meet our sweet, patient, and luckily, very understanding friend, I explained a last minute change of plans to our family photos. We decided (okay, I decided) to boot the two older kids out of the family photos and just do pictures with Greyson. Our adorable, sweet, innocent, loving, cuddly baby boy who will wear clothes I put on him and doesn't throw tantrums or talk back to us... yet. :)

We literally left the boys in the car so Ryan, Greyson, and I could have our own little photoshoot. Just the three of us. Don't worry, we made sure to stay in eyesight of the car. We wanted to make sure the boys could see us swooning on Greyson...and for safety purposes too, I guess. We even cracked the windows for them (parenting win, am I right?).

Anyway, as frustrating as that morning was, we got some beautiful pictures of Greyson and a story  to tell the boys when they're older about why they aren't in these "family" pictures. And instead of donuts, we stopped and got breakfast tacos for Ryan and I and went home and fed oatmeal to the boys. :) I promise we are loving parents who love ALL of their children.