This photo didn't come easily. Then again, is there a family with 3 little hooligans like these anywhere in the world who can get it done in a  traditional manner? You know what I mean, each little clean smiling face posed docilely in front of the fireplace; calm, composed, meek, traditional, lamblike. If you have a method to achieve those results, please e-mail me. I'd take any advice that doesn't involve use of sedatives or physical restraints.

Check out our Christmas card from last year December '09. You might think, "Well, you seem to have already mastered the art of conventional Christmas card photography." Au contraire, mon fraire. Maybe you didn't realize that my wife is a master of photoshop. A true Jedi with the weapons of mouse and Mac. That card is purely a result of her photoshop proficiency. Sure, the kids and the Christmas tree are real, but one or more of those children was a cut and paste job, even I can't tell the difference. That photoshoot was as challenging as it gets. With those striped pajamas on, as Papa Geno put it, it was "like trying to shoot a can full of worms."

This year's card was no different. I carefully laid the boys out in a beautiful starburst pattern, heads converging in the center, a true display of innocence and Christmas joy. Sara climbed a stepladder to get the perfect perspective. The flawless layout lasted all of 2.5 seconds. Gavin's obsession with his brothers' ears is what started the systematic breakdown of our Christmas card vision. Gav loves to touch ears, and Garrett can tolerate that for about 1 nanosecond, then he has to defend his lobes before the touching becomes pulling. He swats Gavin's hands away, meanwhile Bodie is just plain not in the mood for this nonsense. He wants to flip over onto his tummy. Anything besides looking up at the camera. Even my "Brer Rabbit" like reverse psychology wasn't working: "Please, boys! Don't smile at the camera! Whatever you do, don't hold still and look at the camera!!" They actually listened, for once.

Needless to say, we took over 100 shots, knowing it would probably come down to another photoshop doctoring. The magic trick I employed to finally get their hands off each other and smiles on their faces was pretty simple. "Tickle yourselves!" I said. It worked for a few shots, and in the end, we decided just to use one of those without doctoring it. As we reviewed the myriad of photos and crazy expressions, it became clear that our boys are just as cute in their natural chaotic state. Why deny it? Peace comes in many forms. Our peace comes in the form of pandemonium.

Hoping that all of our dear customers have a joyous holiday season with their families. Thank you so much for your support.

Bodie's new phrase is "I no like it." He uses this handy little expression with almost everything in his terrible two lifestyle. His big brothers give him plenty of reasons to say "I no like it", and when he's sitting in his highchair at suppertime you'd think that phrase completes his entire vocabulary.

Lately his "I no likes" are mostly concerning the scary stuff associated with Halloween. He sees spooky stuff on the tv, even on Noggin, and he gets a little unnerved. "I no like it, show."  All of us boys have skeleton shirts, and even those creep him out. He sees bones on a shirt and says "I no like it, shirt." I don't know why he's being such a scaredy cat. He gets the theme of Halloween, I suppose, and he's not liking it.

With our house all decked out in Halloween decor, hopefully he'll get over his apprehensions and enjoy this time of year a little more. Sara's started a little Halloween village with a spooky candy shop, creepy trees and a haunted mansion, Bodie won't go near it. "I no like it, spooky" he says.

We told him we would be going to the Pumpkin Patch to get some pumpkins, and he said with enthusiasm "YES!" However, when we got there, it was more of the same. "I no like it, punka patch." He refused to go near the pumpkins! Just like every other family in America, we were trying to pose the kids amongst the pumpkins and hay bales, but our littlest model was heartily rejecting the idea. "I no like it, punkas!" He was literally afraid to go near them. Eventually I got him to sit on my knee for a second, then it was back to clinging to his mama's pant leg. The look on his face was "Why are you doing this to me?" And the look on my face was "How can this be? My son is a wuss?"

Bodie was once our most fearless child (see Crash Test Bodie, January '10) but this year's Halloween stuff has shaken his confidence. He's still pretty reckless on his trike and as a climber, but he manages now to keep his face nearly bruise free.

Even as I type these words, Bodie is standing next to me looking at the photo on the screen saying "Oh no daddy, no sit punkas." This was last weekend, and apparantly he's still traumatized.

Gavin and Garrett were having a ball, shooting pictures with their little mickey mouse cameras and rating the pumpkins as ovals or circles. Nonetheless, the pumpkin patch excursion was getting pretty stressful for the two year old. Garrett, our most tactful and diplomatic child, came up with a great idea. "Let's give Bodie a baby punkin to hold, and he won't be scared of it." What do you know, it worked! "Baby punka?" Bodie said, still not sure of himself. He took it in his hands and eyed it hesitantly, and Sara snapped a few quick photos.

He slightly warmed up to the patch after that, but he still wasn't thrilled about it. I don't know what made him fear all those pumpkins. I just hope he doesn't chicken out when it's time to trick-or-treat.