Smile baby Smile

Whatcha talking about Mommy!!! Smile - not a chance!!! This pic just cracks me up!!!

First Sears pics from two weeks ago, 3 month old Greta had a smirk for the camera.

Looking like a little smile....

And the do's and don'ts... I'll remember this for next time.

How hard can it be to get a 3.5 month old to smile???

Well, Miss Greta smiles all the time, until the camera comes out lately. She pouts, drools, sometimes smirks, but she saves the big smiles and grins for the moment the camera is out of sight. Our friend Rachel kindly came by on Thanksgiving weekend to take some family shots, and Greta, although I'm sure gave Rachel a few cute poses, didn't give the laughs like we had hoped. But how silly of us to have such expectations. I mean, we were doing our best, waving, toys shaking, funny faces, funny noises, and guess what...we looked like fools and the smart 3.5 month old no doubt was thinking, you tall people look like idiots and are really annoying me. Now, my idea of family photos was decided upon because my liver treatments are changing my appearance on a daily basis and I thought maybe it would be nice to have some pics taken before I blew up anymore. My esthetician Andrea kindly did my make up as a Welcome Greta present, she contoured my cheeks, did some fancy work, but within a few hours, the meds took over and my face became rounder and rounder. After some research on predisone I have learned this side effect it called Moon Face. Believe me, it's no damn half moon, we are talking FULL MOON...round, round, round full moon. It's beyond depressing (also a side effect), and although it comes and goes, the water retention in my face actually causes pain as the skin seems to be stretching to the max. I signed up for an online forum of auto immune disease patients and it was sad to read all the stories but at the same time comforting to know there are others dealing with the same issues and trying to deal with treatments. I learned moon face is temporary and I should return to normal when the drugs are reduced, I have a long way to go unfortunately, it has to be a gradual decline of the meds, but hopefully it will be reduced soon. I find out Thursday how my blood levels are and fingers crossed Thursday will be the day I start a drug reduction. Anyway, that was the reasoning behind family photos, the most photogenic of the day...Scarlet. We went outside for pics and who climbs on Darren's lap - the dog... She was smiling!!!

So, round two of photos was today at Sears. I took Greta to have some pics done in her Halloween costume...this time, two trainees, the photo manager and myself, waving, toys squeaking and shaking and not a smile. Actually, it wasn't a good session at all, it had such potential though. She had a great 11 hour sleep (I know, all rejoice with me - praise the sleep angels, the child has been sleeping fairly consistently through the night), she drank her bottle in super good timing, just sat around while I got ready for the day, burped...all the things on the "don't leave home without Greta doing these things list" was accomplished, but we got there and she just didn't seem happy to dress up as a Kity Kat. We were even on time, a few minutes early...well, as I was waiting for them to set things up, she burped... then a few upset moments during the photo session had me lifting her up and down and as I made the decision that today just wasn't her day...she settles - by spitting up on me. Now, we have had some power pukes, but this is the first time since she arrived that spit up (I mean gross curdled milk) landed on my pants...gross me out. Well, only good thing, only cost me $29 today...I didn't order many pics, the one in her costume actually is more a head shot with her fist in her mouth. Got one in her jean dress too, again, no smiles...But let me tell you, the second I got her in the car seat, giggly and smiles all the way.

Not much excitement to report, we had a lovely long weekend, two Thanksgiving Dinners, one at Darren's Aunt Rose's with cousins and I hosted one for us and Mom and my old neighbour, Janet yesterday. Darren is so sick of chicken and turkey that he BBQ'd burgers tonight for supper. I however could eat chicken sandwiches most days..

I'm off to dream land, praying Darren hears the monitor as I do hear a few chirps and I don't think I will hear her once I'm asleep. Just took me more than an hour to put these few words down and I'm too tired to go back and spell check, so excuse the errors. All for now..and smile for the camera!