During the process of getting all the photography done with Bodie modeling the new Snugfits colors, Gavin has become intrigued by cameras. He's just thrilled by the idea of capturing an image and keeping it, going back to it and looking at it again and again. He and Garrett got their own little kid digital cameras back at Christmastime, but right now the interest is really booming. I think he's seeing the practical use of the camera, as he "sits in" on Bodie's photo sessions. To be honest, Gavin can't just sit in on anything. He has to be smack dab in the middle of the action, so he gets his little Mickey Mouse camera and starts snapping away! He actually helps the process because Bodie is distracted by him, and Gavin can always make the baby laugh.

The camera is great. It's the red Disney one sold at Target for $56, not the "Discovery Kids" camera sold at Kohls. We bought that one first because it was on sale for $26, from $80. We thought surely it must function a lot better than the less expensive Disney camera, but it was terrible! The screen was so blurry you literally couldn't tell where the camera was aimed other than color and shape. It didn't have an automatic shut-off, so it went through batteries like Garrett goes through a box of Dunkin Donuts. That camera was a real piece! The kids were pretty bummed.

These Disney cameras, however, are incredible. Most importantly to me, they don't drain batteries on a daily basis. The pictures are mostly well focused, and the kids can even add graphics to them! They really get a kick out of taking my picture then adding honeybees buzzing all around my head. They're pretty durable too. Bodie has proven that, as he treats most objects he gets his hands on as either a hammer or a projectile. At least he hasn't tested the camera's buoyancy yet. (Knock on wood)

Scrolling back through the shots on Gavin's camera is hilarious. He's got about 30 pictures of various street signs and traffic lights, lots of different colored Jeeps, tons of his brothers, another couple dozen shots of his favorite t.v.  show, Peppa Pig, and then a few of Sara and me working around the house. I notice that I look angry a lot. I need to be more camera wary, and less "scowly".  There's one random shot in there of a huge "number two" floating in the toilet. He must've been pretty proud of that one, nice tapered ends and all. Its a shocking and repulsive image, but to him its something to take pride in, I suppose! Being potty trained is still a big achievement in this house, and something to be commemorated!

Yesterday there was a bulldozer clearing a lot near our home, very loud and violent work. It was a huge machine, mowing down 30 foot trees and pushing them into a gigantic pile by the street. Gavin (of course) wanted to get a snapshot of it, so we walked up the street to see it. As we neared, Gavin became more and more nervous, covering his ears and grinding his teeth. "DADDYDADDYDADDY" he kept repeating, and I knew he was really thinking about turning his tail and bolting back to our house. But he didn't. We found a good vantage point at the edge of the street, Gavin uncovered his ears, raised the camera, and took one quick shot. Then he turned his tail and ran back home. I was pretty proud of him for that act of bravery! Overcoming autism is all about pushing the limits as much as possible.

This blog post has sort of turned into an unsolicited review/endorsement for the Disney cameras. They really do work well, and because of that Gavin's new passion for photography is starting to flourish. It's like a unique little window into his brain. He's a kid with autism, and he's pretty quirky, and sometimes a real challenge to keep up with. This camera has been an exciting, creative outlet for him to show us the world through his eyes.