Just Snap

So, one of my favorite styles of photography is lifestyle, in home "moments" photography. I love looking at these type of sessions and have been wanting to put this into practice in my own home for some time now. I was able to do this last week, but it happened totally on a whim, with no planning, but a lot of the best things happen like that, don't they?

It was Thursday, and to be honest, I was functioning at about 70% because some girlfriends and I went out the previous night for half price bottles of wine, and I got home late...ahem...so, I wasn't totally on my A-game. The kids had school, so they had to be clean and I just got done giving the smallest one his bath, got him out and all dressed from head to toe (which requires a great deal of strength and effort) and left him in his room reading books. Peaches was already in the bath and normally E showers, but today he jumped in there too. I was putting some laundry away (does it ever go away!) and headed back toward Gaga's room, which involves walking past the bathroom door....which I did and then immediately backed up thinking that in my lack of sleep I must be dreaming the sight that I just saw. Nope, sure enough, there was Gaga fully dressed and sporting a firefighter helmut, pacifier and book, in the tub. Just sitting there. Did the older kids yell for me when their fully dressed firefighter brother was getting into the tub with a book? Nope, totally normal right?

My first reaction (all of these thoughts occurred simultaneously in my head of-course), "Ahhh, I just got you dressed and why didn't you older kids tell me!! I just walked past here like 30 seconds ago, how did this happen!" Also, "Seriously, I have to get you dressed AGAIN, the first time took all my energy for the day, I don't think I can do it again! and "We are low on diapers and you just wasted one!". "My head hurts".

 I quickly realized that this was one of the funniest, cutest, rarest things I have ever seen and that I better run to get the camera, the good one and the phone one. I ran, I snapped and captured something that I am sure will never happen again. As sad as it makes me, I am sure the days of all the kids bathing together are just about over, it actually hasn't happened in a long time, and I think I need to barricade the bathroom door if Gaga is done and someone else is still in.

Well, this led to my camera being out all day and me being open to letting things happen and to be a "fly on the wall" in my own home for awhile.  It was so fun and I am so grateful for Gaga's spontaneity that led to mine as well.  Here are the pictures from my own "Moments" session. {Some are from a previous morning when Gaga was in rare form, working on breaking him of his table habit...but after I get a few pictures first ;).}

This photo was taken at the end of the day, I was going to clear and clean the table for dinner, we were actually having guests for dinner that night,  and I discovered this little gift left behind from a boy who runs around outside (no, that dirt isn't from the inside of my home) with no shoes on and then climbs on the table, or anything he can climb on. My other kids were not climbers, so I am trying all sorts of ways to break this habit, besides getting rid of our chairs, which I have contemplated. Also, the footprints were not as dark as this and I think I may have over darkened and over contrasted this picture a tad, but over all, I love it. Proof that free and happy kids live here.