All Three (Try 3)

All righty.  This time I meant business.  I was going to get a shot of all three kiddos looking good and happy if it killed me.

I decided to do this about two hours ago.  I should have probably planned ahead more, but I like to live on the edge.  I texted a few family members and friends to see if they were available to help, as I'm single parenting this weekend due to softball reasons.  All the friends/family I texted were previously engaged.  This is to be expected.  I guess other people make plans and have lives.

I was going to do this alone.  Me and three kids.  7pm.  Matchy-type outfits.  The park.

I went in with the expectation that I could end up with hilariously terrible pictures, which would frankly be more indicative of our current chaotic life anyway.

We went to the park, unpacked, loaded kids and blankets and camera into the stroller and strolled.

Our first few attempts didn't go so well.

You see, Durham is getting a few molars in.
That and he's just never in the mood to put up with his sisters' and mother's shenanigans.  

And just when ya get Durham to cooperate, someone else melts down.  

Come on, guys!  Let's make some picture magic!  

Maybe this was a bad idea?  There seemed to be ridiculous numbers of people in the park to see me torture my children with my camera.  One even had the gall to say, "having a rough time?"  

Yeah, buddy.  But I am the master of these children and we WILL DO THIS AND HAVE FUN.  

It is at these points in my life when I come up with stupidly brilliant ideas.  I just kept thinking that it would be great if I could find a place that sells wine in portable glasses through the drive thru.  

Now I don't plan on drinking and driving.  I just need someone to pour the damn wine for me so I can start drinking immediately upon getting home.  If someone doesn't pour it for me, I'll end up changing diapers, getting jammies, washing bottles, cleaning spit up, and everything else until 11 pm when I pass out from exhaustion without my wine.  

I just need someone to pour it for me.  I only have so many hands.  

Anywho, back to the camera.  

I decided to let them run off some steam.  

This worked well until Durham ran away without coming back.  Then I had to leave Wrenn crying in the stroller to run a solid half mile to fetch him.  

And another disc-golfer made some comment for which I'm sure he'll burn in hell forever.  It was probably something he thought was cute like "got your hands full, huh?"  

Yeah, buddy.  I'LL CUT YOU IF YOU EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN.  

I may have taken that too far.  

Anywho, back to the pictures.  

After running off a little steam, we strolled safely locking the two littlest ones in the stroller.  We strolled so long that Wrenn fell asleep.  Durham started to calm down.  Things were looking up.  

It was time to pull out the camera again.  

Let's DO THIS.  

Boom.  Maybe the key was to get just individual pictures?

Boom.  Actually, Ainsley was a perfect angel the whole evening.  She's getting to be so much like me.  She loves a good picture.  She was just as fed up with her uncooperative siblings as I was.  

She kept suggesting poses and places to take pictures.  She's such a little diva.  

Wrenn was too sleepy for me to pull her out and torture her again.  

I decided that we had spent long enough in the out of doors subjecting the public to our antics.  It was time to go home and get everyone a drink.

Which did include me, as Wrenn was still sleeping in her carseat.  Thank the Lord for small favors.  

As I went through the pictures, I managed to find two that weren't terribly horrific.  They almost make the ordeal seem worth it.  

Sweet, little angels who never act up.  Ever.  Look at those SWEET KIDS.  

My babies.  

Time for another glass of wine to celebrate my triumph.