Behind the Scenes.

Sometimes in order to like my kids more, I need to get behind the camera. Sounds rough, but we're all about honesty here.
I think it has been well documented that the Lady is a tough cookie. If you missed that somewhere over the last year and a half, let me wrap it up for you by saying that she has finally started sleeping through the night as of the last two days. Yes. It's true, she is almost closer to two than one & is now a full-fledged sleeper! No more 5am bottles/sippies in her crib. And while I am pinning it all on her, some of it is my fault. But just some of it. It didn't start being my fault until she was 1 & by that point I was too tired & she was too feisty to want to duke it out. Before she was 1, she had other issues that prevented me from letting her duke it out. And trust me, I have no problem letting them duke it out between 5 & 6 months.

That being said, she is only tough when she is being tough. The other 85% of the time, she is awesome. So totally easy & awesome. But when she is tough? Man, it tries my patience.

The other night she literally walked, flopped & moaned around the house crying because I wouldn't hold her for 90 minutes. 90 whole minutes during dinner time prep she was flopping at my feet. The first 60 minutes I was the picture of patience. A soft voice. Kind words. Frankly, I was really impressed with myself.

But the last 30 minutes? I thought I was going to go absolute bonkers. Like over the top raging lunatic bonkers. And it was to the point where neither of us was going to back down.

So out to the park we went {it was finally cool enough by that time, and by cool I mean 90 degrees at 6pm} & behind my camera I got. Once I am there, I forget the moaning, the flopping & all the chaos that ensued prior & I just look at her. I see her differently through the camera. I see the wind in her hair & the light in her eyes. I see the skip in her step & the mischievousness in her grin. And I remember not only how much I love her, but how much I like her. I like being with her. I like watching her try new things & I love her wet slobbery kisses.

And that makes the 15% of tough so totally do-able.