Did You Cuddle Me Mama?

I hate having my picture taken. I am self-critical of every photo I'm in. It doesn't help I still carry baby weight. Or should I say babies weight... I've had 5 in the last almost 11 years. Excuses, excuses, I know. I've been trying to eat healthier and exercise more. I've lost 11 lbs since January 1, but it's a slow process in the busy life of a breastfeeding, homeschooling mama of 5. So you could say, motherhood has made its mark. 

Due partly to my not liking my photo taken combined with my love of being the paparazzi of my kiddos (I don't want to miss a thing!), I'm not in a lot of their photos. It never really bothered me since I just wanted photos of my sweet babies, not ones I'm going to be critical of myself. Then...... I got schooled by a 3 year old. I was looking through Fionn's photos in the hospital where I was holding her. Ellie, age 3, came up to me and said, "Did you cuddle me Mama?" Talk about a kick in the gut. I had never thought my dislike of being in photos affected them in any way. That sweet, innocent little voice knocked me down. Hard. How could I not show her I love her by being in photos with her? She was right; there's not a lot of photos of me with them. I showed Ellie her own birth hospital pictures right then and there, but I knew that wasn't good enough. Since that day, I have been trying to be conscientious about getting in photos with the kids. 

Today, the kids played in the snow and I got down in the snow to take some photos with them all. In years past, I've just gone out to photograph them alone. Ironically, my 3 year old managed to get her head chopped out of almost every group picture! The one she is in, you can't see her face. Go figure! But it's a start. And when they look back at photos from this day they'll remember me out there with them because I'm in the photos too.