Now if Someone Could Just Teach Me Photoshop

I know Matt would disagree with this statement, but the fact is, the man just isn't always the best gift giver. Don't get me wrong, he has done a great job at times. 

Exhibit A. Lucy was my birthday gift in 2004.

But there have been times when his gift choices have left me wondering. For example, one year for my birthday he gave me cash. CASH. And we were married, so um, thanks for the ATM withdraw, hun, but I could have done that myself. He explained that it was for a "shopping spree" and the idea was that we were going to go shopping all day together.   riiiight. Well, not exactly what a girl wants.

Another doozy was an anniversary gift he gave me just before Avery was born. He went to Amazon.com THE NIGHT BEFORE our anniversary and ordered the complete series of Sex and the City on DVD. It came 2 days after our anniversary and he proudly presented it to me as something to watch while I was on maternity leave because, "you will have so much free time since you won't be at work."  {head exploded}

I love Sex and the City as much as the next gal. I saw all the episodes when they first aired on HBO and enjoy watching it again for free on TBS.  But I have no interest in owning the series on DVD. And exactly what free time was he talking about? Because I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY and even though she was our first child, I kind of figured that I wouldn't be spending a lot of time on the couch watching TV. Just a guess.

For the first time ever, I asked him to return the gift. (before you start calling me ungrateful, keep in mind that it was $200 for those DVDs. Do you know how many diapers you can buy for $200?) 

It's fun to tease him about these things now but at the time I was a little miffed that he didn't put in the effort. Because really? That's all a girl wants. We just want to know that you TRIED and you put actual thought into a gift for us. I don't care about cost or extravagance. I just want something that shows that you bought that specifically for me because you know me and my interests. I think that is what husbands are for. (that, and taking out the trash)

So as my birthday approached this year, I thought back on all the gifts he has given me over the years and laughed a little. I wondered what was in store for me because he had not asked me if there was anything special I wanted and I didn't really bring it up because I wanted to see what he would come up with on his own.

Yesterday he got it right. He knows that I have really been into photography since Avery was about 9 months old and I have been slowly learning how to take better pictures. So for my birthday this year he gave me a new bag for my camera and Photoshop so I can play with the images. 

I was so excited about all of it (including a new lens from my parents). I just want to spend the weekend taking pictures!