The big boys join William for photos

 Emerson was ready for some photos in his great-great grandfather's rocking chair...

 He was very cooperative...unlike his cousin, Benjamin...

 I think Emerson would make a good model.  He always moves his head, and sometimes his body, from side to side when I'm snapping away..

 He'll say, "CHEESE", even though I don't ask him to say that...

 We were hoping that Benjamin and William were noticing how cooperative their cousin was ... and that they'd be the same...

 Benjamin decided he did not want to sit down...

 Emerson came over to check out the situation...

 

  

and then decided he'd had enough...

 William decided not to be cooperative either...

 We ask him to sit, he wanted to stand...

 Ok, fine... William, you look adorable standing.  I asked him to look at his mama, he looked the other way.  He started to pull away from his Mimi...

 "William!  Look at your Mama!"  He looked toward his brother and his cousin...

 A little tug-of-war began...

 Since he wasn't winning the tug-of-war, he decided he'd sit down...

(Great!  That's what we wanted in the first place!  We need to use reverse-psychology on our 6 month old!)

 Oh William!  You look like such a big boy...

"Smile for your Mama!"   He thought about it. (He obviously didn't.)

 To show who was boss, he proceeded to turn and start talking to Benjamin and Emerson. 

 "Wait a minute," he thought as he examined the arm of the rocker...the worn arm that his great-great grandfather and his great grandmother...and his grandmother...and his uncles...and his mama had rocked in and helped to wear off the paint!  (I doubt if he actually thought of all that.)

 He didn't complain, but he didn't appear to actually be enjoying it. 

 Enter cousin Emerson!  Emerson decided to help out the situation and hold him...  Their Mimi got them all situated...

 William decided THIS was fun!

 Now...Benjamin decided he'd go ahead and hold his brother... that he'd cooperate with the picture taking...

 Brothers...

 It is my hope and prayer that they'll be the best of buddies...

 Oops...William was starting to get a bit ... frustrated... Benjamin was whispering in his ear, telling him to be a good boy...

 I think it was about that time that William swung his arm back, hitting his brother in the face...

"Oh brother," thought Benjamin, "I'm done." 3 little boys...two of them 3 years old and one at 6 months...not the easiest to photograph... but it sure is fun trying!