Christmas Photo Shoot 2012

In my mind's eye, I have a vision of what I want our Christmas Card picture to look like.  But I am too cheap to hire a photographer and for some reason I have the idea that I can do it myself with results that are just as amazing.

Since I wanted the picture to include the Christmas tree, I had to wait until it was up to take any pictures.  I usually have the tree up on Thanksgiving Day.  I originally thought I would put the tree up during his nap one day and letting him wake up to a sparkly surprise but I gave up and let him help decorate the tree.  It was much more challenging that way, but also much more fun.

So the tree decorating already had me behind schedule for picture taking.  Then, I tried to wait until Carder was in a great mood to schedule our Christmas Photo Shoot in the hopes that he would be cooperative.

The first day he was more interested in running around and taking the ornaments off of the tree.  I wasn't happy with the results I was getting, so I scrapped that attempt and decided to wait until later.  Then we were running out of time if I wanted to get the cards mailed before New Years.

So I tried again after naptime one day.

I thought perhaps a great picture of him hanging an ornament on the tree...He was so intent on hanging the ornaments on the tree (or setting them on the branches or taking them off the tree or throwing them down or banging them together) that I never quite got the shot I was looking for.

So then I thought I could get him to sit in front of the tree and hold an ornament.  I placed a padded cube in front of the tree.  The resulting picture was OK and more likey to not include the TV that is right beside the tree, but he had no interest in sitting still Surprised?  Yeah, me neither. 

So I thought "I know, I will bribe him with fruit and yogurt bites".  And then I moved on to chocolate advent candy from my parents.  In my mind, this worked out better than in actuality.  Most pictures his hand was going to his face.  Or he was trying to get off of the cube to get another piece of the bribery.  Or he was signing or saying "MORE".

Then I thought "perhaps we will get a great picture with Santa" and you KNOW how that worked out.  And then "DING", time was up.

This was the picture we settled on.  You can see the chocolatey bribe in his hand.  And I think he looks pretty cute.

I did end up getting on of the shots I was looking for during the Christmas festivities.  It just didn't make it on the card.  But now I think I know how to make it happen for next year.