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Ryder, The Four-Year-Old Face Bomber

January 4, 2013 By Lena

If there’s one thing I sorely need in 2013, it’s a camera with a faster shutter speed. Because really, it only takes 1/8 of a second for Ryder to face bomb our pictures, and apparently I’m not taking pictures fast enough.

Case in point: pictures from our recent family vacation to Walt Disney World. Sifting through the lot, I shuddered at the sheer amount of photos Ryder managed to face bomb. I swear it’s a skill; I’ll say, “Smile!” and I’m expecting to see something like this –

But then, the moment my finger hovers over the trigger for a second shot, THIS happens –

For lack of imagination, we call it “Ryder’s Ugly Face”. And boy oh boy, does he pull out that ugly face often. As soon as the picture is taken and I see the final result on the camera’s LED screen, I normally shriek and threaten Ryder within an inch of his life to stop ruining the family photos. He’s repentant for about 45 seconds… allowing me to snap an album-worthy shot or two. And then… BOOM! He drops another face bomb. For the love of God.

Anyhoo, since it’s Friday and I plan to spend the day tackling errands, I thought I’d leave you with some of our b-roll vacation shots – aka, the pictures that will never make it to our family album; yet, define my little mischief maker better than any old posed photograph. Oh Ryder.

I’m not sure if he’ll be embarrassed or proud of these pictures when he’s older. Little boys really are a work of art. 

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Family, fun, photobomb, Reader Favourites

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael

    January 4, 2013 at 8:23 am

    Funniest post ever!!! Love his ugly face

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 8:48 am

      He gets it from you.

  2. Jennifer

    January 4, 2013 at 8:53 am

    oh lordy, I have boys that do this too! hopefully it is a passing phase!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 9:07 am

      I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed Jen! Hoping his little brother does not pick up his bad habits :)

  3. Jennifer M

    January 4, 2013 at 9:01 am

    LOL! I have a 16 year old who STILL does this!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 9:08 am

      OMG 16??? There’s no hope for me then! I can’t take 12 more years of this!

  4. angie smith

    January 4, 2013 at 9:19 am

    HAHAHAHA!! I love the one of him and your hubby – that should 100% be in the album it’s awesome! lol

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 9:43 am

      Hahaha my husband likes that one too, I think it’s one of his faves!

  5. Tricha Fraser

    January 4, 2013 at 9:24 am

    My 7yr daughter does this. Sometimes we cannot get a decent picture because she overdoes the cheese. It is maddening at the time but you will look back and laugh. These pics are hilarious. He knows it will get a rise out of you but for him it’s funny.

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 9:43 am

      I know, that’s exactly why he does it. I think he just likes to push my buttons :)

  6. Diana

    January 4, 2013 at 9:34 am

    This is hilarious! He’s actually very good at face bombing. LOL

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 9:44 am

      He is a champion face bomber!

  7. Shivani

    January 4, 2013 at 10:02 am

    hahaha omg that actually made me laugh out loud — I had to show my husband so he could laugh too. So, so cute!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 10:12 am

      Haha I’m glad you enjoyed them! I have to admit I’ve been giggling on and off all morning, he really does have an epic face bomb!

  8. Huguette E.

    January 4, 2013 at 10:56 am

    LOL, loved the pictures! Too funny :) At least he’s in the pictures. My son is now 18 and I have a very hard time to get him in any pictures. I got two at Christmas with his grandmothers, and he was only doing it for them, not me. He smiled a few in his graduation/prom ones last year, but you can tell he was getting frustrated and he rarely smiled. Something about boys and cameras!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 12:50 pm

      That is true, Huguette, I never thought about it that way! Thanks so much for giving me some perspective. Though, it still annoys the heck out of me, LOL!

  9. Kristina

    January 4, 2013 at 11:38 am

    My daughter does the same..we haven’t gotten a decent photo of our family for so long!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Ah, I feel for you Kristina! We usually have to take the same photo 2-3 times before Ryder gives us a decent smile.

  10. Laura B

    January 4, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    Those pictures are hilarious! It reminds me of some of the less-than-glamourous pictures I get of my daughter when I ask for a smile. They’re great memories of their personality.

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 12:51 pm

      That’s exactly right Laura – it’s his cheeky personality coming through!

  11. francine

    January 4, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    i actually prefer pictures where my son stops posing. i got pictures at walmart once and they tried to talk me out of one of the ones i picked since the pose wasn’t perfect. i got it anyway and love that it shows his personality. that’s only my picture though. we got a package of perfect poses to give to others lol.

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      Hahaha yes, the perfectly posed ones go to others, the wacky ones we keep to ourselves! These were too good not to share, though :)

  12. Nicole W.

    January 4, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    hahaha what a goof! Love the one of him and his Dad and of you and the boys on a train-like (?) thing!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 1:17 pm

      LOL that was the jungle tour at Animal Kingdom. Not even roaring lions can scare the face bomber!

  13. Lisa H

    January 4, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    Ive got a 9 year old boy thats just the same. When asked to smile on demand he comes up with a squinty eyed, bared teeth grimace too!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 1:15 pm

      So, you’re saying at least 5 more years of this Lisa. OMG. :)

  14. courtney b

    January 4, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    lol ohh i see the britax stroller! love it! his faces are too adorable…

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 4:02 pm

      Oh yeah! It was a saviour for us on the trip! Made getting the kiddos around so much easier.

  15. Ella Pretty Blog

    January 4, 2013 at 4:50 pm

    Totally know what you mean…was a nightmare trying to get a family NYE photo with my son – squinty, scrunched up face and weird “spiderman” hand signs…MAJOR photobombing. I have a 100 photos of my daughter posing sweetly next to me – and only 2 of my son not grimacing LOL!

    My favorite photo is the one on the Animal Kingdon train – you and Reid are smiling so sweetly, and Ryder looks like he’s in pain – ha ha!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm

      Oh no! Spiderman hand signs, you can totally feel my pain! But what exactly does a Spiderman hand sign look like…?

      Yeah, the Animal Kingdom ride photo is pretty epic as far as face bombing is concerned.

  16. Debbie Bashford

    January 4, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    Cute lol

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm

      Thanks Debbie :)

  17. Jenny

    January 4, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    Still totally adorable though!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 7:11 pm

      Yes, I suppose I can’t argue with that Jenny!

  18. Soozle

    January 4, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    Hahaha! I love it :-) Those are the ones you will look back at in 20 years and STILL be able to laugh at :-)

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 7:12 pm

      I know you’re right! It’s just getting through the day by day photos NOW that is so excruciating, LOL! xo

  19. Mandy

    January 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    Hahahaha love it! So cute! It’s so hard to take a good picture of a toddler! I thought babies were hard but they usually just sit there all cute..toddlers are all over the place! Well your son is 4 so he’s not quite a toddler anymore but still just as active I’m sure!

    • Lena

      January 4, 2013 at 7:49 pm

      It’s so true Mandy, if I think about it – babies are easy! You just have to coo at them and they’ll smile. Whereas I have no idea how Ryder pulls that face so quickly – I almost never see it coming!

  20. Lee Pearson

    January 4, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    Oh these pictures are so funny! You have a lovely family and these are the pictures that you will cherish forever.

    • Lena

      January 5, 2013 at 7:56 am

      Thank you so much Lee! It’s true – the fact that I dedicated an entire blog post to his “ugly face” means that I do cherish them in some way :)

  21. Teresa M

    January 5, 2013 at 4:23 am

    These pictures are the cutest! Gotta love him, face bomb and all!

    • Lena

      January 5, 2013 at 7:57 am

      He is rather irresistible when he wants to be! But, he’s also very naughty… I suppose it’s all about balance!

  22. Shauna MacKenzie

    January 6, 2013 at 3:16 pm

    I have two face bombers too, their Christmas photo shoot had more duds than keepers! He’s such a cutie, though (and so his adorable little bro!). I know he’s a Mike clone but he definitely looks like his Mama in the first photo!

    • Lena

      January 6, 2013 at 9:17 pm

      Oh Shauna you made my day – maybe even my week! I think it’s the tan :) xo

  23. Caryn s

    January 6, 2013 at 11:44 pm

    I totally know where you are coming from as my 5 year old face bombs our family photos too. Drive me a bit crazy too but what can you do that kids for ya!

    • Lena

      January 7, 2013 at 9:49 am

      It’s true; I suppose it’s part of their charm!

  24. AlexandraSD

    January 7, 2013 at 10:01 am

    LOL look at that face! These photos are priceless Lena!

    • Lena

      January 9, 2013 at 11:37 am

      Thanks Alexandra! I’m really started to warm up to them :)

  25. Christine

    January 7, 2013 at 12:35 pm

    ADORABLE!!!

    • Lena

      January 9, 2013 at 11:37 am

      Thank you Christine :)

  26. Julia

    January 9, 2013 at 9:18 pm

    OK these really made me LOL! He’s quite the character. Love them.

    • Lena

      January 13, 2013 at 5:58 pm

      Thank you Julia! He’s a real charmer, ha!

  27. Cheryl

    January 9, 2013 at 9:21 pm

    Oh my gosh – those crack me up! My son has the goofiest “cheese” smile that I’ve ever seen. Of course by the time my camera goes to catch it, he’s off running in the other direction. :)

    • Lena

      January 13, 2013 at 5:58 pm

      I have THAT problem with my two year old – he can never sit still for a photo! Happy to hear I’m not alone!

  28. Melissa

    January 16, 2013 at 11:38 pm

    my 6 year old does the same thing…it’s a hidden talent, i’m sure of it :)

    • Lena

      January 20, 2013 at 12:12 pm

      Haha, I just wish it would stay “hidden” more often!

  29. Ashley B

    January 26, 2013 at 12:45 pm

    Ahaha, these pics are awesome! He seems like a fun kid!

    • Lena

      January 27, 2013 at 8:49 am

      He is :) Thank you Ashley!

  30. Barbara

    February 7, 2013 at 11:50 am

    Not sure what’s worse. My 14 yo daughter now does don’t care face. If you saw her pics, you would never believe how happy and fun she really is because she looks miserable all the time when there is a camera around!

    • Lena

      February 10, 2013 at 6:32 pm

      Ah, don’t care face! I thought that was reserved for boys, but yup, I can see teen girls doing that!

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Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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