The Armstrongs, 2011
Sunday afternoon after Marlo's nap we all got a little dressed up so that Cami could take our family portrait. And let me just take a moment here to express an opinion: I cannot wait for Marlo to be done with naps. (covers ears because of the deafening gasps, ducks head because tomatoes tend to stain)
When Leta finally grew out of her nap I thought we would all die. Life was going to be miserable and we might as well just throw up our hands, lie on the ground, and wait for the bugs to feast on our decaying corpses. You know, optimistic. Anticipatory!
Turns out life got so much better. We no longer had to plan our entire life around that nap, that scheming dictator, that bitter ex who stalks you on Facebook. Because when Leta needed a nap and didn't take one, OH HOLY HELL, there was no talking her off of that ledge, she was going to jump and it would be the most dramatic jump in cinematic history.
Without that nap we could leave the house for hours and hours. We didn't have to worry about loud noises waking her up. AND! She was old enough that on the days when we really needed a break, a break that her nap would have given us, she could entertain herself. We just had to make sure the pipes and bongs were stashed in the cabinet above the refrigerator.
What. Where do you stash your bong?
Marlo is exactly like Leta in that she really needs to nap. Except when she misses a nap her phenomenal breakdown is a bit delayed. She'll be fine for the rest of that day. It's the following day that we brace for The Blanket Wars: wherein Marlo is so miserable that she just wants to lie on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her, except she can't get the blanket on her body the right way. In fact, THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY, trust me, we've tried every single way, so instead of just accepting that the blanket wrapping technique is CLOSE ENOUGH, she lies on the floor, kicks her feet, and reminds us why we decided to pay for that vasectomy.
ANYWAY, the rest of us got showered and dressed while Marlo napped, and then when she woke up I told Cami, look, we've got a limited amount of time with this kid. She's that bus in that movie where if it stops it blows up. Good luck getting us all in one shot. No pressure! Remember! These are going in your portfolio!
You guys, that woman can wield a camera.
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FM Living
Daddy Scratches said:
Great shots. Nicely done.
And I hear you about the nap thing. On the one hand: "Oy vey with the nap already!" and "Oy vey with the no-nap meltdown already!"
On the other hand: "Dear God, is it nap time yet? I need some grown-up time! This booze ain't gonna just drink itself, you know!"
What, just me?
08.16.11 - 01:14 PM / 1msjessms said:
Awesome photog job, Cami! ...are you available for weddings? LOL
08.16.11 - 01:16 PM / 2Steph at UM said:
Leta is looking so grown up! And Marlo is a doll. I need to do some updated family portraits...
08.16.11 - 01:18 PM / 3RuthWells said:
That woman's a genius. (Gorgeous shots, and do Marlo's shoes come in a size 7 women's?)
08.16.11 - 01:20 PM / 4luv and kiwi said:
♥
She really captured some great personality in those!
08.16.11 - 01:24 PM / 5Bratfink said:
Those are fucking AWESOME!
08.16.11 - 01:31 PM / 6kristanhoffman said:
So lovely!! The ones of the kids are especially cute -- which is really a compliment to you and Jon since you made those things anyway, right? -- and I love the two whole-family ones.
08.16.11 - 01:31 PM / 7Indigo said:
Heather, you look great in the one where Marlo is making a ridiculous face, and I don't just mean you look great by comparison. Though, technically, that is also true...?
08.16.11 - 01:33 PM / 8Laura Mauk said:
alright. i love that you guys don't have matching/coordinated outfits. i love that you're not smiling in all them. i love the girls' shoes and goofiness. really, really authentic and beautiful. I hope Cami has room for a new career in her life. geez.
08.16.11 - 01:35 PM / 9Regency Romantic said:
Gorgeous girls! (And you and Jon clean up OK, too!)
08.16.11 - 01:39 PM / 10Mme Wong said:
WOW! Great shots, and your girls are BEAUTIFUL! I really love the picture of Jon holding Marlo by the ankles. This is also what we do with two year-olds in our house.
08.16.11 - 01:42 PM / 11preppypitbull said:
Love love love the pictures. My daughter still takes two naps, and god help you if you are the one to wake her up before she's good and ready. At 16 months she isn't anywhere close to going down to 1 nap...so it makes activities pretty tricky, but we're pushing through. Back to the pictures though, they are great and really capture everyones personality. My favorite is definitely Marlo upside down being held by Jon. That is a favorite position of our daughter too :)
08.16.11 - 01:49 PM / 12skradei said:
I adore the one of you and the girls sitting together. Marlo is so TWO in that photo! That's exactly the kind of thing my boy (also two) would do. A portrait that captures real life. Perfect.
08.16.11 - 01:55 PM / 13Susanlee178 said:
These are amazing! Leta's legs just scream "ballerina!!" Also, Baby Rambo has never looked cuter!
08.16.11 - 01:55 PM / 14Daisee said:
Heather, Marlo looks so much like you & Leta like Jon - Great shots of a beautiful family!
08.16.11 - 02:00 PM / 15jenwilson said:
Wowza. Beautiful photos, beautiful family.
08.16.11 - 02:00 PM / 16jan001 said:
GREAT pictures! Love the "What?" look on Jon's face in the one where he's holding Marlo by the ankles, and I LOVE that you can see how she's laughing in that same picture, even upside down.
I've been following you/r family since Leta was, as we say in the south, tee-tiny, and it's amazing to see how grown-up she's looking.
Cami is awesome! Then again, she did have remarkably stellar subjects, but awesome nevertheless!
08.16.11 - 02:02 PM / 17Amber_D said:
Heather, your family is beautiful! Really and truly.
I have to ask, where are Marlo's shoes from? I love them!
08.16.11 - 02:08 PM / 18xmyrin said:
Leta looks so beautiful!! I can't get over it. She's growing into such a pretty girl. What wonderful pictures, great job Cami!
08.16.11 - 02:09 PM / 19jessiCat said:
I love these! You have a beautiful, hilarious family. :)
08.16.11 - 02:18 PM / 20freakydeak said:
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!
Like Mr. Rogers said, "won't you be my neighbor"!!
08.16.11 - 02:36 PM / 21spedrson said:
I'm with you and Daddy Scratches on the napping thing especially because he uses one of my favorite yiddish terms. "Oy Vey!" Indeed!
We have an 8yo and a 4yo. The 4yo still naps. Today we went on a very fun outing - butterfly exhibit, carousel, mini train ride. I thought it would be nice if she didn't still need a nap and we could stay longer. But, oh NO! By the time we got home (1:30) she was asking me to pull up her underwear after using the potty because she was just too tired. She literally crashed into bed. I crashed too after plunking my 8yo in front of the TV. Hey, don't judge! We spent 4 hours outside and he got lots of exercise. Instead of riding the carousel (because he's too cool for that) he decided to race it. So, while we rode he ran around in circles nonstop until the ride was over. Pretty impressive if you ask me!
08.16.11 - 02:42 PM / 22amandancer05 said:
I like a little something about each one, but the last one if my favorite.
But boy oh boy are Leta's feet big. I believe your dear girl is headed for a growth spurt of epic proportions. I also echo the ballerina comment.
08.16.11 - 02:45 PM / 23kate_lucy said:
There's so much soul in these photos! How wonderful that Cami was able to capture a bit of your family's essence. How lucky she is that you are helping to nurture and showcase her talents!
08.16.11 - 03:08 PM / 24mhsqrd said:
these are great!
08.16.11 - 03:09 PM / 25hmccreary said:
These are fantastic! Cami did great job. They show such personality which I love!
And I so feel you on the naps. My daughter Layla is a tad older than Marlo and YES! everything revolves around that damn nap. If we decide we need to ignore the nap to do something, we always regret it. Of course when we're home it's all, "Is it nap time yet!?".
08.16.11 - 03:22 PM / 26smithie1996 said:
I just had to go lie down on the floor and die over the awesomeness of these photos. And the girls' shoes. I need both pairs in my size.
08.16.11 - 03:26 PM / 27TxSuzyQ said:
She really did get some great shots, but too much yellow skin. This is like the invasion of The Yellow Skin Tribe!!!
08.16.11 - 03:57 PM / 28karen ethier said:
Great shots. Looks like you all had fun. I've been wondering lately, though, if it's just my computer but your photos of late have looked as though you are shooting on the wrong light setting. I was in the photo field for 18 years back when film was the norm and when I look at your pictures the blacks are not black - they are blue and there is also a yellow-y look to them. This usually indicated that wrong light setting on digital cameras.
08.16.11 - 04:18 PM / 29Anu said:
Love, love love the pics! You guys look great! You are a beautiful family.
08.16.11 - 04:44 PM / 30