finally, picture perfect

you know how i posted earlier on how it's absolutely impossible to get a good picture of my children? seems the problem didn't lie so much with the subjects as it did with the photographer. i learned that this morning at the raleigh rose garden, when i watched in awe as a professional captured the most fantastic images i could have ever hoped for.

artists advise that the best time to have an oil painting done of your child is around age four or five, because by that age, kids have moved past the toddler look but haven't yet lost any teeth. i knew i needed to go ahead and have some good professional pictures taken of liam to give to an artist, since a) many artists have at least a six-month waiting list; and b) i knew that liam would insist looking like a darn goofball by sticking his hands in his mouth, and we'd have to reschedule (and probably reschedule the rescheduling.)

but much to my surprise, he was an angel. (and i have to say that as much as i love him, the words "angel" and "liam" rarely go in the same sentence. a much more likely combination might be "mischevious little rascal" and "liam".) the attached pictures are just three of hundreds that i totally love. my friend sara grow of growphotography met with us this morning and snapped her camera for over an hour. God has so obviously blessed her with such a special gift. the last picture is one of my favorites ... certainly not a contender for an oil painting, but it just captures liam's personality so well. so, i've gone from one end of the spectrum to the other ... from having zero good pictures when i take them myself, to having an abundance. my problem now is -- how do i choose just one?