It has been a while! Wheww! Life has simply gotten away from me, Arden (our new baby!) has been terribly sick with RSV, which followed Beckett being sick! I’ve been pouring my energy into getting our kiddos back to being healthy. And when I say pouring, literally all my energy. I’m pretty much a walking zombie.
I think (maybe..hopefully!) we are on the mend. I have been saving some pictures I took of Beckett for his third birthday with the intentions of writing this blog post. I bought a gold balloon, picked out a cute little outfit and was overly excited to capture this exciting moment in Beckett’s life. THREE! He was going to be the big three years old! I am insanely proud of my boy. He is so smart, so funny, and the love of my life. Kenny and I headed off after he got out of work, the light was quickly running out and of course, Beckett was in no way, shape, or form listening to anything I asked. I was getting extremely discouraged and left feeling totally defeated. I called my sister and told her how terrible it went. She came over a few days later and I showed her the session.
It was then she made me realize that even though my session with Beckett wasn’t full of adorable poses, I had a session that was filled with pictures of Beckett’s personality. And let me tell you, he has got a BIG personality.
Toddler’s are rough. They could be having the best day, than in an instant- fall apart. It comes with the season of life. So from one mother to another, here are some things I hope you think about, and take into consideration with your next session with your kiddos.
Naptime. Do your best to schedule your session around nap time. If you want those warm golden hour glow to your pictures, but naptime is at noon and golden hour is a whole 7 hours away. Keep your kiddo up and make naptime a little later. So they are feeling a little more refreshed for your session. One day off schedule won’t ruin your life. I promise.
Food. FEED your kids (and your husband!) . Being Hangry is real.
Don’t use bribery too early. Don’t start your kiddos off right away with promises of ice cream and fruit snacks. Positive reinforcements only works if its immediate. So if you keep saying, “I’ll give you fruit snacks if you smile!” and they smile, but don’t get any fruit snacks till the end of the session they will no longer work toward those fruit snacks that they are not getting. Empty promises suck.
Have you ever left your kids with a sitter and come home and they start acting up instantly? Sitter says, “well, they haven’t acted like that all night!” Duh, cause your not mom. Trust your photographer. Don’t be offended if they ask you to step away. When we were having Arden’s newborn pictures taken, Beckett was being ornery, wouldn’t listen. I was frustrated, Kenny was frustrated, so I grabbed Kenny and we left the room. I could see him through the glass, and he totally started listening to Rachel. No offense. Sometimes its just you.
Accept. Accept that this stage of life isn’t always picture perfect. It may include tongues out, eye rolls, crazy dance moves, rolling around on the ground. As I go through my session with Beckett I fall in love. I captured HIM. Not the ideal picture perfect vision I had. But I captured what’s important. His fun, goofy, ORNERY personality. I can’t (but for the love of God, totally can because I want my kids to stay little forever!) wait to look back on this session in 20 years and laugh at him. Because every day he makes me laugh with his spunky personality.
I hope this blog brings you relief and excitement to have your next family, or kids photo session. This time in your life is now, not tomorrow, not next week. Now. When it’s over its over. So enjoy it, love it and capture all the crazy, ornery, not picture perfect moments.
Beckett, I love you.
