It's Hereditary

Lots of people have "SD Card Disease."

They let their pictures pile up on the flash cards on their cameras to the point where they get so full that you have to stop mid-pose when they realize, "OH NO! My card is full...Hang on! Hold that smile while I erase some pictures from 5 months ago so I can capture this moment right now!"

I don't have that disease.

I can't stand having pictures on my sd card from even last week. I put pictures on my computer pretty regularly. Or if I don't do it, then I just delete them...assuming that I didn't need them anyway.

That's kind of how my life is really. You will never. EVER. see me on that Hoarders show. Sometimes when I need a little "pick-me-up" I just go throw something away and it makes me feel all better. Getting rid of stuff is therapeutic for me.

This afternoon was no different for me.

I emptied off my SD card from the past few days.

I moved them from the camera to the computer. Then therapeutically, pushed the delete button on my camera. That little button is like medicine for my soul. Purging what's not needed anymore.

There are always lots and lots of pictures of the kids. Occasionally a few of cousins. Grandparents. Sometimes Brandon.
But never me. As a mommy, I'm coming to grips with never being remembered in photo albums. I think it's a duty as a mommy to be the permanent fixture behind the camera.

Brandon took the kids yesterday to get a bunch of pumpkins for this pumpkin carving thing we're attempting. (more to come on that)
While they were at the pumpkin place, he took the token Fall-ish Hay and Pumpkin pictures.
He did pretty good. As well as you can do with a 3 and 1 year old.

The process of getting those pictures is tough though.

"Smile!"
"No look at the camera and smile!"
"Say cheese!"
"Say cheese and look at the camera, Eden!"


"No look HERE, Salem."
"Now smile, please, Eden."
"No a real smile, please."
"Salem, this way buddy! Smiiiiiiiiiile!"


"Look here, please."
"Salem, where's the camera?!"
"Smiiiiile...."
"Eden, look here!"


"Salem! yoo-hoo!!"
"Eden, look at the camera!"
"Over here! Smile!!"
"Ok Eden. He's crying now. Get off your brother!"



and then eventually you just don't care anymore and either take their picture anyway, or give up altogether.

That's probably the way all kid's pictures look.
Half-smiles.
Staring at birds in the distance.
Grumpy from saying "cchhheeeeeeeeeeese" too long.

I guess it's too much to ask for a 3 year old and 1 year old to both be looking at the camera AT THE SAME TIME and both with pretty, plastered, smily faces on so we can remember them in photo albums for years to come.

And then that's when I saw it.

The ONE picture on the SD Card with me finally in it.



I guess it's too much to ask for a 27 year old to be smiling normally and looking at the camera.
I'm afraid that's the way most of my pictures look.

It all makes sense now.

No wonder my children find it hard to make normal smiles when the camera comes out.

It's in their genes.