"We Were Walking in High Cotton"

 
Hey all! Sorry that I am not a very good blogger lately. I do get on here and read everyone's posts, but can't seem to make time for a few quick comments. I promise to get better at that! Well, instead of sharing depressing stuff about when Bryce was in the hospital with the Swine Flu for a week, I decided to share this pic of him, in one of the many Alabama cotton fields. I hope that everyone is well and enjoying this beautiful autumn light for pics. Things are great here at the Patton house. Our little one is growing into a boy faster than we can stand! I know that ya'll understand that. I titled this post after a quote from a song by the country group "Alabama". I hope that you know the song, otherwise, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense! lol Well, I can't wait to catch up with everyone, but a certain little person needs to be dunked in the tub! He loves to play in the dirt and mud! Boys!

Happy Halloween! ROAR!!!

 
Here is a quick sneak peek of our little lion! He was so much fun tonight! He would go to the doors with his "big kid" cousins and ring the bell. He pressed his little face on windows with anticipation of a person coming to the door! He even went IN a few houses, uninvited! One house he made it in and all the way out of my site, before I could get him. The guy who lived there just picked him up, and when I took him he said that he had a baby that size (dressed in a similar monkey suit) and that he thought it was his baby! lol He would run after the big kids with a giggle the whole time! His lion hood would fall down over his face and he would just keep going straight (and they would have turned and went up a sidewalk to the door)! It was hilarious, we just kept redirecting him! He would say, "Thank You!" after he received the candy! He loves some sweet stuff and caught on real fast to the routine! He couldn't wait to eat the candy and kept putting a sucker in his mouth with the wrapper on it! He would take all the candy out of his bucket each time that we put him back in the wagon, between houses. I guess that he was doing inventory, like any well-rounded ( no pun intended) American kid! My sister was trying to keep him "at bay" with a pack of skittles, but to no avail! I finally had to let him have it and he enjoyed every last lick! I have always dreaded the "sticky mess" and am sad to say that at 20 months, it was his first sucker. He contained the mess well ( he is his mother's child) and didn't even get any in his mane! lol Can't wait to share more of his first "real" trick-or-treat Halloween! Hope that y'all all had a good one too! Can't wait to hear about it all!

Anyone Want To Explain This?

 
Hello all my bloggy friends! Long-time, no post! I have been sucked into the facebook world and quite honestly have been busy out of my mind! We have had a little one with the swine flu. More to come on that, but for now here is the post. I have been wanting to post some pics of this for a while now, and havent found the time. But today, is your lucky day! Tee Hee! Can anyone please explain why my son plays for hours with his shape sorter on his head! This is a frequent happening and well, lately, quite frankly a problem! The reason...his head is outgrowing the sorter! lol He tries and tries and then gets frustrated when it won't stay on! He wears it while he rides his scooter and it looks like a helmet! He puts it on his Tigger and fusses when he bounces it off! I have to admit... I love it! I just want to say, "What shape is that, Bryce?" He loves to play shape sorting, so maybe, he is studying, while it is on his head and learning from osmosis! lol Who knows? After all, He is MY CHILD! Hopefully, I will be able to post more pics of this strange phenomenon soon. I have lots to share from our lovely hospital stay and month of endless sickness! Aren't you excited? Please offer me any suggestions on what this whole "new hat" thing means? I am thru trying to figure it out! lol Later all!

Barn B&W

 
More pics from the barn! He did not want to look at the camera, much less smile. He has totally developed selective hearing. I called and called his name! He just totally ignored me! I thought that was only for grown men! lol I KNOW that he can hear me, because I can whisper, "Wanna go to Grammy's house?" and he makes a b-line for the door! Anyway, I have had a full day! We are enjoying this cool Fall weather and spending some time as a family. We are so blessed! Just wanted to share a pic and say, "Hi!", before heading off to the "nappy house". Sleep tight all! Don't let the bedbugs bite! EEEEWWWWW! Bugs in the bed.... eeeewwwww!

My Little Reader

 
My Little Reader is changing and growing so much! He is into ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! He talks about and responds to all that we say and do. Sometimes it is where you can understand and, sometimes not-so-much! He is an absolute JOY! Bryce grows more and more fun with each passing day. He and I are the best of friends! He now "gets" things that are funny. He loves to learn anything! He is quite the social butterfly, flirting with any girl that he gets the chance to grin at! When we play with the "big kids", he thinks that he is doing the same thing and is totally keeping up. (Who in life ever told us different?) He giggles all the time, loves to chase, and makes an "mmmmmm" sound, when he sees something sweet to eat (even in his books). He adores dancing and singing, time with his "dad dad" and sitting on the counter while I fill his milk cup (he says, "more cow"). He loves to kiss any animal in his books. We have to stop for a few minutes and let him lean into the book and kiss them. Where do they learn this stuff? I love watching his little mouth form words and his tiny brow furrow when he doesn't quite understand. He loves playing "outshide" and watching and dancing to "Arnbee" (Barney) any chance he gets. What a big boy you are Bryce! Mommy and "Dad dad" love you so much! Keep learning and growing, but stay our baby ALWAYS.......

Can Anyone Help Me?

 
Can anyone out there help me understand the logic of my 19 month old child? Please click on it to view it big! It is hilarious! We were playing yesterday with his water table (hence the swim suit). I was sitting in a chair, watching him play, making pictures (and replying to a text). When I looked up, I saw this!!!! He was running around our driveway, with the outdoor diaper pail lid around his neck. Thank you Jesus, that it is clean, because we use it for "stinky" diapers (they are put in a baggy first). Check out the "pout face"! It is alot like the face that I give him when he is acting up. He must have went in the garage to get another toy and found this pail lid instead. Now, what possessed him to place it around his neck, I will never know! I could not have gotten him to do this for me if I had held him down! He is funny about some things. He loves hats and sunglasses and will wear them all day. He loves to have water poured over his head or sprayed directly in his face! He, on the other hand, hates to have his face and hands washed after eating. He, also, does not like for you to brush the front of his upper and lower teeth. He WILL, however, let you brush the new teeth that are breaking through and his molars. I don't understand. We have tried everything! I usually have to just hold him down. I have sang the Barney song, let him watch in the mirror, let him brush Tigger's teeth, and even let him have the toothbrush first, to no avail! I just have to hold him down! I HATE IT! He fusses while I brush them, but his teeth and gums are clean. Oh well! I definitely think that this one is some serious blackmail for the future!

Do You Ever...?

 
Do you ever just let them... cause you are so sick that you are doing REAL good to even be present? This was one of those days a couple of weeks ago. Bryce and I were both sick! I had wiped his nose probably one hundred times by the time this moment came. I had him in our bedroom, with the door closed, watching a continuous stream of Barney movies, because if I raised my head, I thought that it would pop off! It was misery at its best! Well, little Mr. found the tissue box, and decided to help himself! I think that he only got a couple, surprisingly. I couldn't resist this shot! When I caught him (from my lying down position and realizing that he was too quiet), he giggled his tiny little evil laugh and tilted his head like this (as if to say "And what are you gonna do about it missy?"). He knew that he had done a "No! No!". But, you know what? I just sat in the floor next to him and watched the next few episodes of the big purple dinosaur, and realized that THESE ARE THE DAYS! Feeling much better now, and hoping that all is well for all of you guys out there in bloggy world!

Another One By The Barn

 
Here is another pic from the other day, by the barn. I love him in these overalls! I bought them for him to wear a whole year ago, at his first birthday party. It was a western/farm theme. I can't believe that they still fit! I think that overalls are great that way! It has been a busy, but fun week. I will share more photos later, but for now, I was looking through some and saw this one and smiled real big. Thought that I would share it! Well, gotta go bathe a little someone, after he is completely water-logged from a swim party! He should pass out tonight! I hope to catch up on everybody's blogs real soon! Later! Off to try to bathe him without taking a fully-clothed bath myself!

Contemplative!

 
(Please click on the photo to view it large!)
Contemplative! Yep! That is what I said! I hope that I spelled that right! lol It is the theme, this week, over at iheartfaces. I posted this picture of Bryce a while back, but am posting it again as a contest entry for the theme this week. Bryce was playing with his Tigger (I know, big surprise!), and he stopped, for a second, and had this dreamy look on his face. I can only imagine that he was contemplating what adventure he and his "ole buddy, ole pal" were gonna get into next! Contemplative.... I think that might be the word of the day! lol I am gonna see how many people I can annoy, by using it alot! Just in case you were wondering, here is what it means...

Contemplative- con·tem·pla·tive [ kən témplətiv ]
(adjective)
Definition:
meditative: calm and thoughtful, or inclined to be this way
(noun)
Definition:
somebody who practices contemplation: somebody who practices spiritual contemplation, e.g. a monk or nun

Ok! So I know what you are thinking! Bryce in NO way resembles a nun or monk! lol So, I guess that we are definitely using it as an adjective! Yea! That definition fits us a little better! lol Head over to iheartfaces and contemplate on all of these contemplative entries! lol Annoying YOU yet?

Mr. Big

 
Please click on the pic to view it large! Bryan and I are sick and tired of being sick and tired! Can anyone relate? We have missed church two weeks, because of the crud! Bryce and I are on our way out of it, but Bryan still has a little way to go! It is some tuff cold bug stuff! We have all been to the doctor after trying to "wait it out" for a couple of weeks, to no avail. Anyway, on a more pleasant note, we decided to get out for a while today, after Bryce took a nearly 4 hour nap! He never does that, and today, when he did, I wanted him to get up, so that we could go make some pics on this overcast day. We barely made it! I want to get better at "going out" to different places and making pics. He adored this place! He explored and touched all that he could get his hands on! We were only there for literally 5 minutes! It was his first time. I gotta take him to my secret place, he would love it there, cause he could run around like the wild boy that he is! I am a creature of habit and that is not the best way to be, to capture great photos. I had taken a break from manual photography, to let my brain rest, for a couple of weeks. It was nice! I am back, and ready to challenge myself a little again. I am taking baby steps. I get frustrated with my ability, but it is what it is! Anyway, I ramble... This little pic is of the same place that I did part of Noah's session. If you could see the whole backdrop you would laugh! Not very pretty at all! It works for me though! I didn't realize how much Bryce had grown until I downloaded these. He looks like a kid now! Where did my baby go? Bryan was just telling me how heavy he is getting! We still carry him way too much! (Secretly, we like it, probably more than he does.) Believe it or not, I have only one pic of Bryce, that I have made, printed and displayed in my house. I aim to remedy that soon. I just keep putting it off, hoping to find a good place to develop. Does anybody know of a professional developer that is for amateurs? lol Bryce is growing and learning faster than we can keep up! He grows funnier by the day and is so smart that I don't think we can fill his little sponge fast or full enough! I guess that all parents feel that way, huh? I think that this one of my Mr. Big is going on the list of pics to print! Hope that ya'll had a great weekend!

Another One From The Creek

 
Well, here is another pic from that day at the creek! Click on it to view it big! Boy, is he growing fast! Too fast! We've been sick around here, so less pics, but soon. Bryce has this congested voice that makes him sound like a minature Barry White! lol I can't wait to get out and try to capture some pics, of him, before that Fall breeze blows in. Gotta get us all well first, though! I love his little "flirty look" in this one! Look Out Ladies! lol

Until It Hurts!

Playing...
 
And Laughing...
 
With You...
 
Until It Hurts!!! (And You Have To Make An Ugly Face Because You Are Laughing So Hard!)
 

Cherry Slushy Thief!

Apparently, Bryce has developed his father's obsession with Cherry Slushes from Sonic. If one is around he is taking it for his own! And he means business!
 
He sneaks up on you, and while you are busy with your phone or any other distraction... HE TAKES IT!

 
Off he goes with it, sucking on the straw like it is his last chance to ever taste this slurry heaven!

 
I mean he goes at it with all of the zest that a one year old can squander!

 
Until at last, he gets enough suction on the straw to make his nose press flat and well.... as for your slushy... IT'S HISTORY!!!!

Noah Revisited and My Secret Place

 
Here is another one of the pics from Noah's shoot. I think that there are much better ones, but this one captures me. This one was made at a location that I am now calling "my secret place". I found it by accident! I love it! It is so peaceful and serene with plenty of room for kids to run around without getting hurt. I am sending his mom the pics tomorrow. I think that I am gonna take a break from sessions with others, for a while. I have been shooting at home in full auto, cause I am so tired of thinking about settings on my camera. lol It has resulted in some pretty BAD photos. Good memories of some funny stuff that Bryce has been doing, but poor quality photos. Maybe I will share some later, but for now, I am enjoying my family... and squeezing out the last little bit of summer until we welcome fall. Enjoy your weekend all!

More.. Because Her Momma Loves B&W

 Thought that ya'll might like to see a few more of this little angel. These are B&W, cause her momma loves B&W! I am trying to finish the little bit of editing that I can do, to give them to her mom tomorrow.
 
I thought that I would share these two little beauties. What an absolute doll face! Can you stand it? Hardly!

Probably my favorite

 
This pic is probably my favorite one of Miss RK. I love the cute little bow and her sweet rested face. It looks blurry on this post, but is divine in "real life"! I wish that it could be viewed on something other than white on white. It is so simple and sweet. Enjoy!

RK and her little scowl

 
Here is another pic of the beautiful newborn, RK, that I made pics of last Friday. She (her mom says) and all of her siblings had this little "scowl" on their brow when thay were little. So cute! Hope that you enjoyed another sneak peak of this little angel.

More from the Spring

 
Here is another pic from the other day when we played in the spring. I love this face! It is a combination between him being really happy and teeth-clinching tough, cause it was cold! lol I am working hard on the photos that I took this past week. I am playing with them some in Picasa, since I don't have any photoshop skilz. Soon though... very soon.....

Beautiful Noah

 
This is a sneak peek from the session that I did yesterday. It turned out to be just pics of Noah and not his whole family. What a blue-eyed doll! This was my first time to meet him. He is soooo photogenic. He looked right into my camera. He smiled in alot of them, but this one was dreamy to me. I like pics where the person isn't necessarily looking into the camera or smiling perfect. Some people don't get that. Especially with kid photography. I think that some folks like it, they just can't see "out of the box" to visualize the finished product. I had so much fun with Noah's parents. They were so sweet and easy to work with. I was trying to use all natural light, but couldn't keep up with him. He was so fast and adjusting my camera in the "manual" mode proved to be quite a challenge. I was left with a few gorgeous pics and a ton of blurry ones. Does anyone have any suggestions for what settings for a fast and busy one year old? He kept moving to different light levels too. I am a self taught gal, so any help would be appreciated. This one is SOOC (straight out of camera). I just added my logo. I couldn't believe how great the light was. It was made with my 50mm lens. Click on the pic to veiw it larger. I couldn't seem to meter my light fast enough, with him moving around. :) Know what I mean?

My Growing Boy

 
Today we took Bryce to the park and I made a few pics of him playing in the spring. Can I just say that it is ICE COLD! My feet were numb. I have heard that the water is really clean and that some people drink it. Well, we just played in it! I have a family photo session tomorrow for a couple that I have never met! Exciting! Pray that I will make them some pics to be proud of! I always get nervous, that something will happen with my camera settings, and I won't be able to figure it out! Because, you know, with Bryce, I just snap away and pray. lol I have a few more pics from today, that I will share later. But, for now... just this one of....my growing boy... SIGH....

Sneak Peak

 
This is a sneak peak of the newborn baby girl that I made pics of yesterday. Her grandma made this pretty little white cocoon. I think that she looks like and angel! RK is a sweet babydoll! I will share more later! GAAA! This is when I wish that I knew photoshop. Newborn skin is hard to get the color right in Picasa! Thanks Jenifer and Bryan for letting me capture your new addition! We love ya'll!