Our Family Photos

“My feet can’t BREATHE. I can’t….these shoes….help!” Tommy yelled, banging his feet against the ground dramatically.

“They can’t be that bad,” I insisted.

“My feet can’t breathe!” Tommy repeated, tugging on the sides of his shoes.

I sighed. Sometimes having a kid with Aspergers and sensory processing disorder can be tough. Clothes can feel binding to them. Turtlenecks are off limits to Tommy because he feels like the collar chokes his neck. Certain pants bother him. And apparently, so did his dress shoes.

“Can you just wear them for pictures and then take them off?” I asked.

Tommy rolled around on the ground. “No! They hurt me!”

“Take them off then. Wear your sneakers,” I gave in. I didn’t want him to look uncomfortable in the photos. I didn’t want him to look like he was holding back a gigantic fart. I wanted real smiles.

“THANK you,” Tommy said and kicked off the shoes. “I can breathe again.”

I have to watch what shoes I buy him. I once got him a pair of Converse thinking they’d be somewhat stylish—and he hated the way they felt.

He’s not a fan of sandals or flip flops either. He’d rather his feet burn and sweat in sneakers.

So yes, he was wearing for our family photos.

I managed to get dressed in the middle of it all. For a few seconds, Tom pretended that he wasn’t going to change and said he would be wearing a grungy t-shirt that has seen better days. Then he wandered upstairs and came down in something nice.

We went to have pictures taken by a local military spouse named Angel. Her website is here if you are interested. She will travel some for pictures.

Tom, let it be known, is not a fan of pictures. My longtime readers know this. In the past, whenever he was in a photo he’d look A) constipated B) pissed off or C) a mixture of both. His father did the same thing. I explain that it’s OKAY to smile but apparently he does not agree.

Angel got a family photo of us:




I look weird. I do not photograph well. But everyone else looks good.


She got one of Natalie in her Daddy’s beret:



Yes, she does look cold. She was.


She got one of Tommy, who was hamming it up for her. Thank goodness I changed his shoes.





I was trying not to burst out laughing during this one. “I see your nose hairs,” I whispered to Tom.




And I love this one. She had the kids jump around for a bit. They loved it. I cannot take photos like this. Mine always come out blurry. Mind you, I only have a Nikon 40 and it’s always set on auto so…




There will be more photos. This is what she has edited so far.


I can’t wait to get them all. I plan on having some copies made so Tom can take with him and of course, some for family members and us.


So if you are around the area, I highly recommend Angel. She’s patient and fun. Not one of those stiff “everyone needs to be serious” photographers. Because who wants to always be serious?