Saved By The Ritz.... Again!

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring. ~Bern Williams

Last week Jake and Lilly spent a whole day playing at Grammy and Pop's house. They were not so sure what to think of the hundreds of tall, blue flowers that covered most of the front yard. Armed with a camera of our own and a whole lot of optimism, Grammy and I set out to take the perfect photo of these two toddlers who were not at all thrilled about the idea of actually getting close to these beautiful Spring surprises that pop up every March.


We were not a bit surprised that Lilly was the first to make her way through the bluebonnets, while Jake hung back, patiently assessing the situation before joining her.

Careful not to crush any of the flowers, she lifted her legs way up in the air as she made her way through the yard.

Lilly will always find time for her animal friends. Blue and Sadie had so much fun watching Jake and Lilly's reactions in the bluebonnets. And Jake and Lilly loved watching the two dogs run and play with each other.

This is one of my favorite shots of Lilly, mostly because of her adorable yet unruly hair blowing every which way. The longer it grows, the curlier it seems to be. As cute and precious as it is, her hair definitely has a mind of its own.
Just like her.
After our continuous coaxing got us nowhere with Jake, we resorted to picking him up and plopping him right in the middle of the bluebonnets! We got hundreds of photos of him, because he stayed in the same spot we left him for a good ten minutes before working up the courage to venture off on his own.

Clarification: When I say "we got hundreds of photos," I mean ones just like this, which clearly demonstrate his disapproval.
Needless to say, he was not very happy with either one of us. I can just hear him saying, "Mom, I can't believe you made me wear this pink shirt and now you expect me to stand here surrounded by flowers with a smile on my face. Does Dad know about this? I'm sure he would not approve!"
But after a while, Jake finally gave in to his curiosity and decided to investigate the bluebonnets...

...and forgot about the fact that I dressed him in pink and abandoned him in a patch of girly flowers.

He was not the only one who wore a frown, though. Lilly was having too much fun mowing over the bluebonnets with the little green tractor and chasing the dogs across the yard. When I suggested sitting next to her brother to pose for a picture, this was the look I received.

Determined to capture the beauty of Spring, and two little ones with plans of their own, I did what every mother does. I pulled out the crackers.

And just like that, they sat side by side in their carefully-picked-out-coordinating outfits and their matching cowboy boots, totally oblivious that Grammy and Momma were snapping photos like they were the paparazzi.

I've been saved by the Ritz cracker so many times I've lost count. It is a staple in our house, and I never leave home without them. In fact, they should just add a box to every Baby Registry, so new moms and dads don't have to figure this one out trial-and-error-style like us. Forget the cute, cuddly blankets and teddy bears. I'm bringing a box of Ritz crackers to every baby shower I'm invited to from now on!
Jake was so enthralled with his salty snack that he wasn't even fazed when Grammy stuck a bluebonnet inside his shirt pocket. (OK, so he did swat her hand away, but then he quickly forgot about it upon receiving his second cracker.)

When it comes to photographing kids at this age, it's really very simple. You can have the latest and greatest camera, equipped with a zoom lens for optimal results. You can arm yourself with all kinds of props (bells, shakers, puppets, hats) to get their attention. You can sing every silly song you know in an attempt to get them to smile (or in this case to stop crying). But none of it matters at all. When it comes right down to it, you have to learn to speak their language. When Momma pulls out the crackers, everyone is suddenly cooperative. Amazing!