A Simple Comparison

This "professional" photograph was taken at Picture Me Studio located in Walmart.

The employee taking the photo (I refuse to call her a photographer) was rude and was on the verge of losing her patience with my toddler, Hayden. She kept shaking a horrid, noisy metal box in the baby Deanna's face to get her attention, and though it did get her attention, Deanna is not likely to smile for such noise.

The camera was located on a bar and was limited in movement by the limitations of the bar; however, the employee did not move the camera. The children are situated on a dangerously high table. My hand is underneath the rug, holding onto Deanna's clothes to keep her from moving too much; however Hayden is completely free and sitting dangerously close to the edge. The children are not posed well; there is a big gap in between the children. The centering of the subjects in the photo is off. There are no props used in the photo, though there were a limited supply located in the studio.

Six poses were shot for me to select from and the next pose was slightly better; however, I was not informed that I would not be able to select the pose if I wanted to purchase the least expensive $7 package (plus tax and additional child sitting fee) and would instead be stuck with the first pose shot, no matter how poor that photo was. The photo color quality is poor, dull and faded looking.

I felt obligated to purchase a package, though I should have refused to buy any portraits and just paid the sitting fee. I purchased the least expensive package (unable to select which pose I wanted) that included one 8 x 10, two 5 x 7, four 3.5 x 5, 8 wallets, and 16 portrait petites for $7.99 plus $5.00 additional child sitting fee and tax.

This professional photograph was taken at Portrait Innovations.

The photographer taking the photo was patient with the children and worked well with Hayden, who thought we were there to run around and play. She talked to Deanna with a warm and welcoming voice.

The camera is hand held and can go wherever the photographer holds it. The children were posed on the floor with no danger of falling. Props were used without my suggestion, though my opinion of usage was asked.

The photographer took numerous shots, close to 100, of my children using two different backgrounds with props. When the time come to select what photos I wanted to purchase, the photographer helped me select by showing a few photos at a time and asking me which I liked best. There was no one "perfect" photo, but that was not expected by me knowing my children. The color quality of this photo is clear, crisp, no faded out colors.

I purchased the least expensive package of one pose of my selection. The package included one 10 x 13, Two 8 x 10, Four 5 x 7, Four 3 x 5, 32 wallets, and six cards for $9.95 plus tax. No sitting fee.

In the end I spent less money for more, better quality photos and a happier experience at Portrait Innovations. There is no question who will be taking portraits for me next time.

Lesson's Learned?

Last night when Daddy was preparing to give Baby D a bath, he asked Hayden to pick up his Tinker Toys, which were spread out across the living room floor. When Hayden ignored the request, Daddy told him that if he hadn't picked up his Tinker Toys by the end of Baby D's bath, then they would have to go to the garbage.

At the end of Baby D's bath the Tinker Toys remained on the floor untouched. Daddy went into the kitchen to get a garbage bag for the Tinker Toys. However, Hayden made no effort to change the course of events about to unfold. Actually, he decided to help Daddy put the Tinker Toys in the garbage bag and even went as far as walking out to the waste bin to throw the bag away with never a second thought.

Photo by me

Of course Daddy rescued the toys from the garbage and they now have a home above the washer and dryer. Hayden hasn't even asked about them.

We've Survived the First 2 Months

Happy 2 months, Baby D. The big day was yesterday! There has been challenges, but we made it through. I'll have to blog about the adjustments sometime in the near future.

Announcement created by me using Photoshop
Photo by Christy H Photography

Today was your 2 month wellness exam with our pediatrician. We learned that you have gained 2 lbs since birth! Today you are 10 lbs, 2 oz and 21 inches in height. You are growing so fast, too fast!

Photo collage by me

My children, slow down, don't rush. There is no need to hurry to grow up! You both are well loved!

Silly Boy

Photo by Me

Monday:
I'm letting Hayden enjoy some play time out on the back patio when he comes walking in with a charcoal biscuit in each hand, "Messy, Mommy, messy."

Later:
I asked H what he wanted for dinner, he replied, "fruit snacks."

Tuesday:
Hayden says he is "all done" with breakfast. So I look over and notice cereal on the floor. "Did you throw cereal on the floor?" I ask. "No" he replies. "Then why is there cereal on the floor?" And he replies, "Oooookay."

Later:
When waking Hayden from an already too long nap, said in an I-don't-want-to-wake-up voice, "Go again!"

Welcome to the World Little One

I started neglecting my blog about 9 months ago.

This time coincides with the discovery that I was pregnant with my second child... and, unfortunately, the start of extreme nausea that I never experienced to such a degree while pregnant with my son. At this time, it took all that I had to work my required minimum of 10 hours a week and I didn't want to do much more on the computer beyond that... so this blog was neglected.

Fast forward to March 20 - the first day of Spring. I had intended to spend this day with my son, as it was his second birthday. However, it was clear rather early in the morning that someone else had another idea and just before noon we welcomed our daughter to the world.

Photo by Me

Welcome to the world Baby Girl and happy 2nd birthday Big Boy!

Dear Son…

There are some things I would like to discuss with you.

1) When you are finished eating you do not need to throw what remains onto the floor, even if you don’t like it. I promise to notice when you are finished eating. If I ask you why you threw your food on the floor, “Uh-oh” is not an appropriate response.

Photo by Me

2) The garage is not your play area; please do not attempt to play out there. If I ask you what you are doing in the garage, “Dada” is not an appropriate response, especially when your Dad is at work.

3) Please do not shut off my computer. I realize I am on my computer a lot; but please understand that I work from home. The alternate option is that I work out of home and you go to daycare.

4) I do not require your assistance cleaning the litter box. I am aware when it is full and I will get to it soon enough. Don’t worry; I will be sure to assign the chore to you as soon as I feel you are able to handle the responsibility.

5) Please stay out of the kitchen utensil drawer. There are many things in there that could potentially harm you. Today you dumped out the silverware organization tray. I realize it could use to be washed, but the silverware that it contained was clean before being dumped on the floor and each piece individually tested in your mouth.

Photo by Me

6) When your Dad asks you questions such as, “what do you think you are doing” or “who said you could play with that” or any similar question, “Mama” is not an appropriate response. Most likely, I did not give you permission to do whatever it is you are doing.

7) I am tired of putting your room back together each night before your bed time. I do not know what is appealing to you to move as much of your furniture as you can to the middle of the room, but it does not belong there. I can imagine it is as exhausting to you to move it there as it is for me to move it back.

Photo by Me

8) Please do not bite me, it hurts, and “Bite” is not an appropriate response when I ask you to stop biting. In addition, pulling my hair is also not allowed and laughing after you do so is not an appropriate response.

9) Please do not fill your mouth with your drink from your sippy cup and then spit it on the floor. This is a very messy activity and each additional time I have to clean the floor is time that we could have spent playing. In addition, when you have made a mess on the floor, please be more selective on what you use to clean it up. Clean clothes from your drawer or the couch pillows are not cleaning rags.

10) The hall closet is not your play area. There is not enough storage in our home and currently the three bottom shelves in the closet are empty. I would be very pleased if I could please have these back for storage use.

My son, I love you very much and I am sure that we can resolve these issues.

Binky – All Gone!

It was his ultimate soother. It was always there when he was in distress. It was his entertainment during boredom. It was his bedtime companion. It had a name; he called it “B”.

Photo by Me

Our pediatrician said, “No more pacifiers after 12 months”. That sounded reasonable to me, until his one-year birthday arrived. How can I take away this one item that he loves so much? Perhaps it was me that did not want to let go of this symbol of infancy. So I let him keep his binky, but only at naptime and bedtime. It was not difficult to keep it away from him unless he saw it, “B, b!” he would say while pointing at it.

Weeks fly by and I continued to hear the pediatricians words nagging at me, “No more pacifiers after 12 months”, so I stopped allowing him to have it at naptime. Still not much trouble, since his nap is immediately following lunch and he frequently starts to nod off while still in his highchair.

Again, the weeks fly by and his 15 month appointment dawns closer and closer. I know the pediatrician will ask, “Is he still taking a pacifier?” I am an honest person, and I would have to tell the truth if asked, so, no more binky.

The first night was not as bad as I thought it would be. As he sat on his daddy’s lap with his sippy cup of milk, he demanded, “B!” But there was no binky and he finally fell asleep. The next night, instead of demanding for his binky he quietly asked, “B?” But there still was no binky and he again fell asleep.

Nights turned into weeks, and it now appears that his “B” has been forgotten. My baby is now a little boy.