I went through some old picture CD’s from a million years ago. I am so happy that I took the time to back up my computer because these pictures would be lost in one of the 6 hard drives that I have crashed since 1998 (when I first hooked a modem up to my computer and started this crazy thing called, “Online”)

I had no idea in 1999 when I was sitting in the back yard trying to get Alyx to stand there long enough to get a picture of her, that I would be sharing the story with anyone 5 years later.

I was reminded today (dooce.com) how hard it is to get a child to keep at hat on. Alyx wasn’t like that. She loved her hats. She just hating taking pictures. She was disgruntled, even at a young age, about pictures being taken of her. It was impossible to get a picture that didn’t have Alyx flipping off the camera*, it was like she believed that if her picture was taken she would be robbed of her soul or something.

This was my backyard when I was married. I lived in this backyard. I planted, I plucked weeds, I screamed at the vines that would pop up over the fence that threatened my oasis. That was when I was married, stayed home and had little babies to watch. Now my backyard looks like a burial ground for toddler toys, dead trees, dog houses and old mops that we forgot we put out there because they were wet.
No fucked up backyard is complete without a weight bench somewhere.
and yes, i’m pretty sure you might find one if you looked on the side of the house.

I degress from the story…

So Alyx (by the way, she’s 7 now)and I were in the backyard and I was taking pictures of her. She was SO frustrated and tired of the pictures.
I finally gave up and said, “Oh come here baby girl.” and THEN the smile happens as she is running over to me. I snapped the shot and this is how I got my favorite picture of Alyx.