Green-Clad Kids for St. Patrick's Day 2015

I was at lunch with one of my co-workers from Boston the first week of March, and he mentioned that he'd be receiving the annual installment of my kids in green soon.  I thought it was so cute that he had remembered - it hadn't crossed my mind yet.  Ever since Collin was two months old, I pretty much only send my work team one picture a year of my kids (though my office is covered in photos), every year on March 17th.

So the night before St. Patrick's Day, I got the kids in their green gear and headed to the backyard to take a photo or two.  It was an ordeal!

Maya was ready to ham it up for the camera in this cute skirt and bow my friend Kelly made - 

 

After putting them together in a chair, I was pretty sure I got the winner picture.  But when I looked down to check the photo, I realize my camera setting was in black and white.  Two smiles but no green - mom fail!

Switched to color but still didn't realize that I needed to wipe the outer lens, so every picture I took was blurry, despite the fact that again, two smiles and eyes looking in the direction of the camera -  

Cuddles and smiles - they're happy until someone goes overboard with the hugs and the mood shifts dramatically on a dime!  But oh they love each other.  Tonight my cousin Daniel and Aunt Debbie came to visit.  Collin talked Daniel into tumbling and wrestling, and Maya was distraught.  She didn't understand they were playing, and we had to pause the wrestling to get her out of the room where she was whimpering for Collin.  And then when they started back up again, she couldn't finish her book until she checked on Collin.

My jumping, 1/8th Irish son -

This girl loves her dolls.  Her babies go everywhere - on the trampoline, on the swing, and in the stroller or grocery cart throughout the backyard.

So far she has a few new baby dolls, but the ones she gravitates to the most were ones I had as a child.

I finally cleaned the camera lens and attempted a shot of the two of them.  By this time in the afternoon, they were over posing for pictures.  

With the promise of gummy bears, Collin smiled.

When I dressed Maya in her shamrock skirt, I put her diaper on too loose.  She tugged on it and it came off.  I wasn't too worried since we were outside, and initially I thought I'd only be taking pictures for a minute or two.  Well of course she pooped.  And Fergie rolled in it.  And in cleaning off Fergie, I got some on my pant leg.  And at one point I may have muttered to Collin, "ignore the poop, just be a big boy and smile at the camera!"  It was a glamorous night!

The next morning, a leprechaun visited Collin's school, leaving footprints in the doorway -

And that night, my kids struck gold, as B joined us for dinner, venturing into the kids' play house, bringing homemade cookies, and allowing us to enjoy her company on the back porch as we ate supper.