Photographing your children

Meagan here,

I wanted to share a few tips for photographing your baby (and older kids, too).

Lighting-

You don’t need a lot of fancy lighting equipment, just a good sized window! Natural light is the best for pictures of babies and kids. I set up in my living room, right next to a large window.

This image was taken in front of a window without a back drop.

Backdrop-

I have shot in my living room with and without a back drop. My husband made me a backdrop stand out of PVC (he’s pretty handy), but you can also grab some kitchen chairs and drape a cloth or blanket over the backs. The sofa is another option as long as someone is right there to keep baby safe. I usually choose a neutral/basic color, and I like using soft fabric with babies. For the sibling shoot I did for my girls when my youngest was about 6 weeks old, I used a sage green micro fleece blanket, a sheepskin rug, and Aden + Anias muslin blankets.

You can see above that I just set up right next to all the toys in the living room.

Comfort-

Make sure you are in a comfortable environment for the baby. Have it nice and warm where you are shooting, have milk readily available, and keep a paci and toys nearby. Pillows under the bottom of the backdrop for baby to lay on is another great idea. I use my Boppy body pillow, but a bean bag or a regular pillow would work, too.

The above image was taken with baby laying on a soft blanket on top of a body pillow.

Props-

Use things that were yours as a baby, were handmade for baby by friends or family, or just something you really like. Older kids might like to have a favorite toy or blanket.

Employ help-

Having somebody with you to help keep baby calm can be a HUGE help! Another parent or grandparents are usually willing to help with this task. They can also snap a few of YOU with the baby!

Posing-

I like to get some while baby is sleeping and just keep the poses simple. Let them lie on their tummy so that they are facing the camera. Get down on their level to shoot unless you are doing a straight down.

This image was taken on my bed just a few days after she was born. She kept smiling in her sleep, so I grabbed my camera for an impromptu shoot!

A last resort-

If they are awake and you can’t get them to calm down or be still, try a swaddle and shoot from above.

  

Editing-

You may decide to edit your images, and I have to say, less is more with babies. Color correct, brighten, or turn it black and white, but try not to get too fancy because it takes away from the beauty of the child.

HAPPY SNAPPING!

The two year old and the boom boom drums

How had it been over two years since Zoey was born? How has it been a year since we found out that Isabelle was on the way? How is it that she is already five and a half months old? Time flies folks! People say, "don't blink or you'll miss something." And boy were they right!
I wish there was a way to explain the joy that my family brings me and the love that fills my heart for them! To imagine that God loves me more than I love my own children is beyond my comprehension. I wonder how I could possibly be worthy of his love and I remember that It is only because of Christ!
I pray for these precious girls all the time. I pray for safety, health and happiness. I pray that Chris and I can bring them up to love and serve The Lord. I pray for their future husbands. I pray when I'm worried about them and when I just want to thank God for the joy they bring me!
Zoey has got quite the personality! She asks hundreds of questions every day and always seems to test boundaries. She is one curious little monkey.
We have switched Isabelle to cloth diapers recently and I have to say I really like it! I wish I had done it with Zoey but I was scared (and a little grossed out at the idea of them). I have several different kinds and so far I really like the Kawaii pocket diapers with Velcro! They are pretty easy (even Chris can use them)!
Potty training with Zoey is going well. We aren't pushing it too hard yet but she goes almost every time we put her on the potty and she even asks to go sometimes!!! Avengers stickers still seem to work as a great potty prize!!
The Springdale high school marching band is going to Washington for a 4th of July parade so they have been practicing... Every morning this past week at 8:30 they marched right by our house and then half an hour later they marched back by! Zoey LOVED it!! We would go out every morning and she would wave her American flag as they passed by. She asks about the "boom boom drums" a lot now.




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What about my feelings?

I am a little bit of a crunchy mama. I consider myself more of a “trail mix” because I’m a little bit granola, kinda nutty and still pretty sweet (LOL). We try to avoid a lot of sugar and processed foods in our house; we use Burt’s bees baby wash (because it is 98% natural and smells DELICIOUS); I make my own laundry detergent, I breastfeed, baby wear (pic below of my dyed Galaxy grey ergo), make baby food and am starting to use cloth diapers.

ERGObaby Original Baby Carrier “Galaxy Grey” dyed purple with Dylon fabric dye.

I was homeschooled as a child and spent half my childhood on the mission field overseas. I was teased a lot for being “sheltered” or “socially handicapped” or for not getting a “real education”. I feel like I had a very unique childhood! Was your science class ever held in the virgin rain forest of South America? Mine was! I was very well socialized and grew up with very good manners. I am close with my family and truly appreciate my parents for the unique and awesome upbringing I had. They raised me to respect others and, above all, to love God. I pray I can do the same with my children!

Clearly, I have always been different from most of my peers, but I’ve also been a little bit of the “black sheep” of my family. I’ve always been more of a hippie and my family has always just laughed and said I was born in the wrong decade… I’m a ’60s flower child born in the mid-’80s (minus the drugs).

Sometimes I catch flack from those close to me for being a “hippie”. People close to me make comments about not letting my 2 year old have lots of sweets. I don’t want her eating chocolate after 4 or 5 in the evening because I don’t like jacking my child up on sugar before dinner or bedtime because it makes it harder to get her to eat her dinner or go to bed. I got teased for not letting her have peanuts before she turned 2 (per her doctor’s instructions). People would tell me I was being too cautious and tease me. Truth is, she is MY child and I want her to stay healthy and not develop an allergy because she was introduced too soon. Maybe I am cautious, but I would rather be too safe than not safe enough when it comes to my children.

I was judged openly by some folks in my life for nursing my oldest for almost 15 months. I got comments about needing to wean her even before her first birthday. I have never judged anyone for using formula. I don’t care, why should you? You aren’t the one with a baby attached, why should it matter?

I’ve heard that nursing moms should just stay home, that offends me quite a bit. I don’t usually just “whip it out” in front of God and everybody, but I don’t hide out either. I usually cover up out of respect for those around me, but in all honesty, nobody respects my feelings and some people say some pretty hurtful things. What makes it worse is that most comments come from people I am close to and love dearly. What gives somebody the right to tell me to keep my nursing baby at home or to nurse in my hot car or to wean when they think it’s the right time?

I am not a mom that thinks breastfeeding is the same as bottle feeding, it isn’t. On the flip side, I’ve heard people compare nursing in public to going to the bathroom or committing sex acts in public and that doesn’t jive well with me. It is more than just feeding my baby, it’s creating a bond with her and nurturing our relationship. It is a beautiful thing and I am so thankful I can do it successfully! I wish it was more openly accepted in our culture (like it is where I grew up), but for most people it’s still taboo. We seem to be so overly politically correct and try not to hurt the fragile feelings of the masses, but what about my feelings? We accept celebrate immodest dress, foul language & over the top PDA. We watch TV shows and movies where the main characters sleep around and cheat on spouses and we call it “normal”. Heck, Victoria's Secret isn't a very big secret, they flaunt near nudity all over the mall, internet and TV. I don’t know how many beach and pool photos I’ve already seen all over my facebook news feed this season of girls in string bikinis, but nursing a child (even covered up) is “gross” or “attention seeking”. I nurse my baby for food and for comfort if she is hurt or upset. Would you rather me let her cry and disrupt your meal or nurse her so you can enjoy it in peace?

As I said, I’m starting cloth diapers. I washed them SEVERAL times this weekend to get them ready for use and so far I like them. I’m not asking sitters to use them and probably won’t use them when we go to church on Sundays. Some of the people I’ve told have turned their noses up and said, “I don’t want poop and pee in my washer” and I just have laugh because if you have kids I can’t imagine you NOT having poop or pee in your washer from time to time. You rinse the poo out before you throw it in the washer anyway.

Does using cloth diapers make me a better mom than those that don’t? Uh, no! Does it add a little more work on laundry days? Yes. My husband and I have been debt free (except for our mortgage) for about a year and a half and I am always looking for ways to save us a few bucks because I only work part time and we want to STAY debt free. One of the main selling points for me was when somebody told me that babies sleep better and longer in cloth diapers. I’m sure going to give it a try!

All that being said, we almost always have Oreos or Nutella in our house; we watch PBS most of the morning while we play; we stop for happy hour at Sonic sometimes. I don’t deprive my children of fun and tasty treats (we baked chocolate chip cookies on Friday), but I do limit the junk my 2 year old eats (baby is still just nursing). I want my girls to have healthy eating habits. I want them to enjoy delicious treats in moderation and not as an everyday snack. Biggest shocker from this granola mom: I had both my girls in the local women’s hospital and had an epidural BOTH TIMES! I’m not the picture of a “granola” mom, but I’m me

My question is, do people think about my feelings when they question my parenting choices? You can disagree with my choices but if it isn’t endangering my child why say something? Some people say, “You’re being different to attract attention, you want the comments and stares” which is far from the truth. My husband and I make decisions for our family based on what we feel is best for us. We don’t make decisions to make others feel uncomfortable. I don’t set out each day thinking, “How can I make someone uncomfortable today? Hmmm maybe I’ll put a cloth diaper on my baby and strap her in the ergo for a walk in the park.” If I am making a decision that could harm one of my children PLEASE speak up, but if you just don’t agree with a decision that doesn’t harm them or affect you please keep that to yourself. Chances are I don’t agree with every decision you’ve made, but I keep that to myself. I’m not trying to “convert” you to my way of thinking, just asking you to respect it. What is the point of cutting each other down? Live and let live.

Taking time for a better marriage.

My husband and I just celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary (man, time flies). We have had our ups and downs in those 6 years, but I wouldn't trade him for anything. There are days I want to light his hair on fire, but I know he feels the same way about me at times. We have put up with a lot from each other over the past 6 years, but we are each other’s closest friend. Nobody knows me better than my husband (except for God). We can look at each other and know what the other is thinking.

Recently, since our second daughter was born, we haven’t had as much time to spend on “us” and we sometimes get frustrated with each other. Going from one to two kids is a challenge, especially when they are both under two. We are trying to work on limiting our video game, TV, computer, and cell phone time when we are home so that we spend more time together as a family. We play board games or “Heads Up” on the iPhone together and then laugh at the videos (it records the game)! If you haven’t played it before, spend the $0.99 and enjoy! We laugh so hard! We try to do nice things for each other, too. After a long night with the girls a few weeks ago, I loaded the girls up and we went for donuts and Starbucks and dropped by his work for a nice little “pick me up”. He was thrilled!

I’ve learned that when I try harder, so does my husband! I stayed up all night with a screaming baby this weekend and he took care of her in the afternoon so I could nap. AND he did the dishes! We have our moments when we need a “time out”, but who doesn’t?

The moral of my post today is this: do something good for your relationship today! Cook a nice meal, do a chore that your significant other normally does, or write them a love note and stick it in their car. Do something nice every day for a month (whether you want to or not, whether you’re mad at them or not) and see what happens.

Do you accept the challenge?

Almost two!

I can't believe my sweet Zoey bug will be two in just a few short weeks! My word time flies!
We've been working on getting familiar with the potty and she is doing so well! I'm such a proud mama! She wore panties for about three or four hours before she had an accident (she isn't quite two people)!! Her potty reward is Avengers stickers (the child loves Iron Man).
She has such a big personality for such a tiny person! She is a little on the bossy and aggressive side with kids her own age and we are working hard to correct that as quickly as we can!

The kid LOVES ribs!




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For those days when you need a little extra

Some days you need something a little more…

You have a pile of dishes or baskets of laundry and your toddler just can’t sit still and watch Super Why. Those are the days that you just need to pull a trick out of your hat to entertain them.

A favorite in our house is sour cream or yogurt paint!

Grab an ice cube tray and add a few drops of food coloring in some of the holes and then add your sour cream or yogurt and mix it up with a paint brush. Strip your toddler down to a diaper and put them in their high chair with the tray of paint and a brush!

My oldest paints her tray and herself (We are a messy project type of family, kids are washable)! We usually have a bath right after but it is fun for her and gives me a good half hour to get dinner started or laundry folded. 

Meagan out–

Mother's paranoia

Before you become a mother you hear about "mother's intuition" but nobody tells you about the paranoia you suddenly develop!
I constantly have some awful scenario playing out in my head that would be a mother's worst nightmare! Everything is dangerous. I swear, if I could have my baby girls fitted for protective bubbles tomorrow I would!
I worry about everything and apparently that is normal for a mom. We walk past the pond at the park and in my mind I see Zoey falling in and drowning! I see a shoe in the middle of the floor and I picture myself carrying Izzie and tripping over it and dropping her on her head! I worry about everything and it makes me feel like a crazy person!! I wish someone had warned me about that!


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