We Got a Camera and Went to Hogle Zoo without Expectations

One of the biggest parenting lessons that I have learned as a first-time mom is to avoid expectations (for both myself and Harper), mainly because they will never be fulfilled. For myself, I've learned to anticipate nothing when it comes to Harper's eating/sleeping patterns, her behavior, or her likes/dislikes, which change from day to day.

I can't expect Harper to NOT find and peel six bananas while I'm in the shower (true story, friends).

I can't expect Harper to leave all of her clothes on hangers (she just can't resist pulling them off and stuffing them in a drawer).

I can't expect Harper to behave just because we are in the library (she totally bitch-slapped me last time we went and it was so loud that people turned to stare...), a restaurant, or the store.

And just because Harper takes a two hour nap three days in a row doesn't mean I can expect one on day four any more than I can expect a "quick" trip to the store, a full night's sleep, or a stress-free photo session.

Harper had her photos with Rush Photography last night. I got her ready and headed to Hogle Zoo (great location, right? Animals, greenery, AND a carousel all in one location = perfect) and promised myself that I'd envisage nothing. I wasn't going to expect her to wear her bow the entire time or to leave the carousel without a tantrum and I certainly wasn't going to anticipate (I'd only hope, hope, hope) that she'd smile and be a willing participant in her two-year-old photos.

I'm happy (and oh, so proud of Harper!) to say that all of my hopes (not expectations... because remember... I didn't have any) were fulfilled with last night's shoot. Harper loves Hogle Zoo and therefore didn't cry once during our entire visit. She just marched around (Whitney and I did our best to keep up), looking at animals and having a good time. She rode the carousel twice and got off with no fight. She was a bit stubborn and didn't give us as many cheesy smiles as we asked (and made fools of ourselves) for but otherwise, she was perfect.

So was Whitney. The great thing about Whitney is that she pretty much never sleeps and so she went home last night and worked on sorting and editing Harper's photos. Lucky me woke up to a little sneak peek this morning. Thanks, Whit! I the photos so far and I love you (but you already knew that, I hope).

By the way... that navy dress wasn't always navy. It used to be a deliciously pretty, peachy color. Then it got a stain. I couldn't part with it so I dyed it navy. See, sometimes I'm sort of domestic...ish.

Me, circa 2008 (I think this was the day my dress got stained)