Growing up in my household, I remember several things, but one thing that clearly stands out to me, Mor Mor baby forcing us into creating traditions. Back then I didn’t really appreciate it. Especially when I was a teenager. You can see it all in my face. The disinterest, the ennui, the “I’d rather be taking the ACT right now” expression on my face. Yet, here I am, doing the same thing with my children. Although, you would think that I only have three instead of four. Nathaniel has NO interest in hanging out with us and taking photos, and I find myself longing for the type of teenager who jumps at the chance to take photos in general, especially photos with their parents. Genuine smiles on their faces. Moments caught in time that I can look over when he has long moved out of our home, and started a life of his own.
I digress.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_sH6iAvxu/?taken-by=natashanicholes
Usually, Easter is the time that we take our family photo. We’ve done it ever year since the birth of Nathaniel, and I’m sure if I look hard enough, I can find each Easter photo before I purchased a digital camera. However, there is one tradition that I have with the bottom three, and it involves the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Since becoming members two years ago, any time we go, and I remember, the kids sit outside of the museum after we are done with our visit and throw out their most dramatic poses. It’s fantastic. Here’s a photo from a week ago.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDRsvgpDNTS/?taken-by=natashanicholes
The previous photo several months ago:
https://www.instagram.com/p/8TdlL_jNXB/?taken-by=natashanicholes
And then there’s the photo that started it all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/tGFAbpjNU1/?taken-by=natashanicholes
I love doing things like this, even though I fought so hard against it as a kid. I guess my mother really did know what she was doing. Being able to see a time where all four of us were together is even more important to me now that my sister has passed away and both of my brothers no longer live in the city. We do annual Easter photos now that Nate is making sure that I don’t get him in too many pictures, but a part of me wants to force him, so he doesn’t look back and feel like he was left out on purpose.
No one ever said that this parenting thing was easy, but there are times where you just know that you’re doing the right thing, and THIS tradition is just that.