Ross.

Every now and then, I start feeling like I don't have enough 'portraits' of my kids.  It's not that I'm lacking photos of my kids (I'm certainly not.) It's just that most of what I take are candids rather than portraits. 

So I took portraits of all of the kids this weekend and it was painful.

Not one of them was willing to give me five minutes without a bunch of whining and griping..

Ross was the last one to have his pictures taken and by the time I got to him, my patience had already been spent.  So when he commented about how he had 'Better not get his sweatshirt dirty', I went off...ranting & raving about how I do so much for all of my kids and was it really that much to ask each one of them to give me five minutes of their time without complaining?  And about how Cali didn't complain when I took her senior pictures and Dylan didn't complain when I took his senior pictures either.  But each and every one of my kids had to complain.  Coley had to complain because he wanted to go back inside and read Harry Potter, Courtney complained because it hurt her neck too much to look at the camera, Ross complained because the ground was too wet and Annie didn't really complain - she just refused to look at the camera and made me chase her all around the yard because she wouldn't sit still (as usual.)  And then I continued on about how I'm just a mom who happens to love photography and it really hurt my feelings that my kids weren't willing to do that for me every once in a while and that...

It was about that time that Ross referred to me as Oscar the Grouch.

 

But alas, I have a few new portraits of my kids even if the memories that go along with them aren't all that memorable.

And a funny story about Ross that I've been wanting to post...

A few weeks ago I came home from a Zumba class that I had signed up for and was showing Ross some of my new 'Zumba moves'.  One of my new, un-perfected moves was the 'shimmy'.  You know what I'm talking about...where you attempt to hold your body still while shaking your shoulders back and forth until everything else starts shaking too.

Mid-shimmy, Ross looked at me straight-faced and said, "Add that to the list of things you should never see your mother do."

Really busy with my current online class that is wrapping up so my blogging will be short this week - but I'll post the pictures of the other kids over the next few days.  Still have to try find a way to sucker Annie into at least one shot with her looking at the camera though.

Comments

[amy]

LOVE love love Ross' comment. And sharing your "pain" about the photos--yesterday I took the kids to a Christmas tree farm to try to get a photo for Gamma's (Grandma) Christmas card. I don't know who complained more, the kids or the husband, though. (No, he wasn't even in the pictures, and I did ask him to stay home!) But add on top of that, when I got home and looked at pictures on camera, I think all were about one f-stop overexposed and didn't seem totally crisp/clear, so I wished I was you [Karen Russell] and knew I needed to review my class binder!

[kelli]

I had the exact same conversation with my family last weekend. It resulted in a trip to the park and a whole lot of pictures. But the trip there was a grumpy one. And I kept thinking about how you mentioned that in class and I had to lighten up the mood a bit so I bribed them all with lunch at the mall. It helped, I got some great pictures.

[Lisa Hall]

Karen i just think that is the way it goes yep said the same to my girls now one of them is a professional photographer.
ya karma right back at her.
You are always so hard on your self.
your a good mama and a great woman.
can't wait to see the rest of the kids.
Miss ya
Lisa Hall

[Sophie]

I can sympathize with Ross on the shimmy thing >.<

Lovely picture you've taken of him there (:

[Nicole Kberg]

Um, how much do you LOVE Zumba?! I {heart} Zumba & take a class once a week...I wish it was offered more frequently!

[DonnaG]

I just love your blog - the pictures AND your writing. Those kids! Sometimes Moms need to rant at them - they'll live. It's funny - when I'm taking pictures everybody moans too. Then when I break out the scrapbooks, everybody loves to look at them and remember what was going on at the time. Seems like the drudgery falls from the actual picture taking and all the goodness stays. At least that's what I tell myself when someone groans loudly as I say for the 50th time, "just one more!"

[Jennifer M.]

That is the best quote ever. :)

[catharine]

I laughed out loud about what Ross said, that is toooo funny...No matter what pictures you take, they're always inspirational to me and beautiful..I love your style.

Catharine

[sarah]

hilarious comment about the shimmy by ross!! :)
i've been taking zumba 2x a week for about 10 months...
and i'm JUST now perfecting my shimmy ;)

[gina f.]

you crack me up! Great picture of Ross!

[shutterbug8162]

Have you ever tried using a remote to capture Annie looking at the camera? I just got one and can't wait to try it out at my baby shower on Sunday. The family kiddies will be a lot of fun to practice on. If they don't think I am using the camera they might be more relaxed and snap with the remote when I see them looking towards it. At least it sounds good in theory!

[cindy johnston]

Well...the photo you took of Ross is awesome Karen! wowsers! And his comment made me LOL! I love your blog! :D cant wait to see pics of your other kiddos!

[allison Gottlieb]

so feeling your pain on trying to take portraits. but hearing you talk about it makes me feel a teensy bit better.

[Lynn]

Great shot of Ross! I was just thinking I don't take nearly enough of the everyday stuff! Thanks for the inspiration!

[Kim P]

Thanks for the Monday morning laugh (not about the complainers...just the comment from Ross). And now that I know Zumba classes include learning how to do a proper shimmy, I won't ever be enrolling in a Zumba class. You've just saved me from some embarrassing moments. Can't wait to see the other pictures! Have a great week.

[Huyen]

Sorry but I refuse to do the "shimmy" in Turbo Kick Boxing class that my teacher loves to do. It's something I don't need to see myself do with all the mirrors around me. You are a brave woman.

[JaYne]

I would sooo shimmy! and my sons would probably have the same reaction!

[Susan Helms]

I know exactly how you feel about taking pictures of your kids. Several months ago when my oldest daughter, who is 5, began to whine about pictures, I told her that she would only be 5 once and I would like to take pictures so that we could remember it. I began to cry like a mad woman....I try to remember that they don't understand where I am coming from as a mother (who is obssessed with photography.

[Kim Bolyard]

this sounds like my kids....I take photos of all their friends for SR shoots and family shoots...but they can never make it easy on me when I want to take photos of them.

I feel your pain...
Kim

[Nancy Wyatt]

Loved the post! I don't have kids so my hubby is my victim and boy does he put up a fight! And love, love the picture of Ross! Hugs from Conroe, TX!

[Janna]

Your kids sound like my kids. My 2 1/2 year old consistently says, "No! Don't take my picture!" with his hand up like a police officer directing traffic to stop. He does it almost every single time he sees the camera lens point his direction. Try bribing Annie with something...chocolate or lollipops work at my house every time. Or a dollar or two. Good luck!

[Dawn]

HYSTERICAL!!!

[Melissa Mann]

That story is just great! I love his comment about the shimmy!

[KateinCleveland]

Really great picture of Ross. What a nice looking kid! And, i loved his Zumba comment. I have two nephews a little older them him and get that kind of stuff from them all the time! LOL! You made me smile today!

[Gena - MI]

Since my kids were little, I have bribed them with ice cream for a photo shoot. :) They are now 22, 18 and 16 AND I still bribe them!