Pumpkin Patch 2014

We continued our annual tradition (see 2010 pt 1 and pt 2, 2011, 2012 and 2013) of taking pumpkin patch pictures.  We went on a Friday afternoon at the pumpkin patch near my parents' house.  The lighting was perfect and we had the place almost to ourselves.  Collin was incentivized to smile by the promise of a fall festival at my parents' YMCA that evening.  All the stars should have aligned for an epic pumpkin photo, but Maya was not in the mood to sit still and smile, so the results were less than stellar.

We got a few that were decent, but I snapped hundreds of photos on my camera and most looked like this.  (It was hot outside, so while the skirt was appropriate for the weather, it made sitting on hay less than comfortable for my sensitive skinned one-year-old.)

Anything but another photo -

I'll only laugh and act happy when Collin behind me isn't cooperating, ensuring Mommy doesn't get a good photo of both of us -

Overconfident in his strength -

 This is it, the best shot of both of them (among truly hundreds of pictures taken in the forty minutes outside) -

 Kisses from a sweet big brother

 Look at this lighting, but no smiles or eye contact in my direction -

Happy that we only had a few more minutes of photos before he could change into his ninja costume for the fall festival -

Taking a break for silly faces -

 Maya saw Collin picking them up and wanted to keep up with her big brother -

Jumping off the haystack (thankfully Maya wasn't watching this move!) -

We tried a few more with Maya on my lap in the haystack - more smiles but it was hard to both make her smile and get her to look at the camera!

It was not difficult to make her smile when we gave her my sunglasses -

She loved our happy reactions -

She looks much older than her 17 months here to me -

Oh my silly toddler, we could eat her up we love her so -

And my mom got one winner shot of the three of us that made the sweat, the bribes, and the threats all worth it -