Parents Talk Q&A: Favorite Photos of Your Children

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This week's question: What is the story behind your favorite photos of your children? 

Mariya Ali: I love to peruse family photos! I was recently doing just that and came to an interesting realization. People always fuss about having traditional portraits of their children — the professionally done "sit down in front of a background in your Sunday best with perfect hair, clean face and obligatory smile" kind. I am guilty of that myself twice a year during fall and spring school picture seasons.

However, years later, the ones I enjoy the most are the "spontaneous, in the moment, amateur" kind. I think it is amazing how a picture can instantly transform you back in time to that moment — you remember where you were, what you were doing, what you were talking or thinking about, even smells and sounds. Sometimes even strangers can tell that there is a great story behind a snapshot.

Thinking about this made me want to select pictures of my children that either told a great story about them, or summed them up during that period of development in some way.

The first photo is a shot of my oldest daughter when she was about two and a half. Her face reveals what she was probably thinking: "I know you were wondering why I have been so quiet for the last few minutes back there ... I am just going to assume the most innocent look and pretend that I was not trying on your mascara. Too bad the smudges are giving me away."

The second photo was taken when my youngest daughter was about 6 months old. I can imagine that she's thinking, "Oh boy, I know what's coming! Papa is smiling deviously at me without his glasses — he is about to tickle my neck. I don't know what to do except squirm in anticipation and flap my arms stiffly."

If she could speak, I bet she would say, "Oh, no. He is tickling my neck, but I'm only 6 months old and cannot yet utilize my arms to shield myself!"

What photos of your children are your favorite or tell a story? Post them and/or tell us about them in the comments.