Happy Boy

I often feel like Josh's family thinks Tommy is high maintenance. He often gets scared and nervous and weepy around them and I think they're generally annoyed by his lack of excitement. They totally love him and think he's adorable and shower him with kindness and love - but the crying gets old.

He genuinely loves them all. He begs to go to Grandma's house and "see bubbles!" and all the other fun things they do there. He hates to leave their house and always wants to play "Just OOOOOONE more minute." Grandma and Grandpa Reilley are always doing something fun and asking to take him along. He loves it.

But he always take a few minutes to warm up to the atmosphere. It's almost always a lot of people, all of whom want to touch and hold and tickle him. And I think that freaks him out - until he's been there for 5 minutes, then he chases them around giggling and laughing. But because of his hesitation to warm up he has a reputation for being a mama's boy (he is) and high maintenance. 

Enter family pictures. 

Throw the child in the car and drive him up the canyon in the heat and let him get out 4 times just to buckle him back in within 10 minutes and you have one weepy overheated ultra-shy baby. Stick that kid in front of a camera and tell him to smile and sit a certain way and you wind up with pictures like this.

But as soon as he didn't have to pose or smile or be on display; he, Grandpa and Cayson headed for the river to enjoy the fun part of the mountains. And you wind up with pictures like this. 

This is the boy I know and love. This is the kid I hang out with all day long and I love him dearly.

I feel like I've learned how to deal with Tommy and talk him into most things, but it requires a lot of heads up and a lot of coaxing to make it a good experience. And when you don't have time for such nonsense, the 2 year old rules the roost. 

Lucky for us our babies are cute even after tiny meltdowns. 

I really love this family. They are funny and fun and there is always someone ready to have any conversation you're looking for. 

Not a bad lookin' bunch are we? 

Plus every now and then someone mixes up who belongs with who and I wind up in an alternate universe posing with Tayler instead of my own significant other.

I heart family pictures. Fortunately for us we're doing them with my side of the family in just a couple of weeks. Maybe that time we can get all of Tommy's weepy whininess out beforehand. *sigh*