Holiday photo shoot- take 1... take 2... take 3.......

O.K. people, Trying to get a decent picture of a toddler can be challenging under the best of circumstances.Taking them of a toddler with a cold and with a point and shoot camera with a delay is even worse. I won't even talk about trying to add the dogs into the picture. It has been our mission over here for the last several days to get just one good shot. I was just about ready to give up when even hours of editing and head swapping with photo shop could not produce a usable print. We decided to forgo the group shot and take individual pictures instead . That made it a little easier. After the 3rd try I think I finally got the shot. You'll have to wait to see that one though. Below I have included the "best of the worst". I know those of you with little ones will identify at the least. You should get a kick out of these.



This one above is my favorite!

Notice the pickle in the shot above. This day he would not sit still without a pickle.
I somehow thought the tie painted on his shirt and the silk scarves tied around the dogs would make these a bit more formal and sophisticated. How wrong I was. In the shot I took after this one he was picking his nose.

1st Dentist appointment

Today was Payton's first trip to the dentist. It just so happened that he was my (and my brother's) childhood dentist. I was very glad to find out that he was still practicing. They actually had to kick me out when I was 19 and did not fit in the chairs anymore.

We prepared him as much as possible and practiced saying "Ahhhhhhhh". Things go a lot smoother with Payton if he has adequate information and preparation.
I would say it went really well. I don't think you could expect any 1 year old to be thrilled with a dental exam but he did great. He got to sit in my lap while the Doc checked out his chompers. He cried but as soon as it was over he gave Dr. Doss a high five and clapped for himself. He has 6 teeth on the top and 2 teeth on the bottom. A little unusual but normal. The official report was "No cavities"! He is good about letting us brush his teeth and thinks it's really funny when we get to spit afterwards.
How do we celebrate having no cavities?...
Chocolate cupcakes of course!!! Which, by the way, Payton helped me make a few days earlier.