She was a ball of energy and all decked out when I walked in the door, but the moment Mom sat her on the floor for photos, she wanted nothing to do with it. Mom and Dad were on hand to tag-team; one would hold her and the other would wipe tears and a runny nose, then they’d swap and one would try dancing with the Pooh singing (and spinning) top while the other would bounce her. Despite our best efforts, Rilynn only stopped crying when Dad turned on the TV to a basketball game.

As it goes with every set of parents, there were profuse apologies and, as in my rebuttal to them all, I said, “It’s okay. This happens.” See, most of the time, parents want photos of their child being happy. That seems a little obvious, right? But the reality is that it doesn’t always happen that way.

For the entire year that I was 4, I refused to look at a camera. I was enticed and bribed and begged, but I wouldn’t look at a camera. There’s a photo of a large group of teenagers–my parents were hosting a youth retreat, I think–and, in the photo, my parents are in the front row and I’m sitting on my dad’s lap holding a green and white lollipop, yet I’m still staring down at it and not the camera. I totally remember them trying to coerce me and I remember one of the teenagers standing in front of me doing tricks to try to get me to look up. I wasn’t having it. Everyone in the picture is looking at the camera except for me. My 4-year-old Olan Mills photos were beautiful in the traditional rocking chair and my new dress with the lace collar, but I’m looking down at my lap. You can see that my mom made a fine part in my hair that morning for my pigtails at least!

All this to say, I’ve been there. I was that child. I get it.

The true reality is that children aren’t always going to be happy and giggly. So we do our best and we coax and cuddle and promise that it’s okay even when they feel like their world is falling apart.

(To get a larger view of the gallery below, just click on a photo. Use the arrows on either side to scroll through the album.)

Rilynn, you’re such a beautiful little girl. Even though you didn’t have the best time with me there, it’s okay because I still think you’re really cute. Next time, we’ll have more fun together. Promise. 🙂