Sunday, December 8, 2013

Christmas Prep | 2013

part I: brynn finally meets santa.
   I am not the most conventional person when it comes to Christmas traditions, but that's mostly because I have a Brynn. She basically makes nothing easy these days. Nada. Zilch. Yes, that child can take anything I dream up and turn it into my worst nightmare faster than Jolly 'Ol Saint Nick can spout out a "Ho-Ho-Ho!"  

 That being said, she is just your average chip-off-the-old-block, so I cut her some slack, and hug her, and remind myself that no one can quite understand her rebellious nature except for her and her personality twin (aka, Mommy)... And then I say a prayer that one day before she turns 13, we can come to a mutual agreement (or sign a legally binding contract) that we will never let our strong wills and stubborn noggins come between us. Or maybe, just to be safe, I should ask Santa for a lifetime membership to the Wine of the Month club... Hmmmmmm.

So, getting back to the whole Christmas subject... This is THE year for Brynn. The year that it has all fallen into place, and she is super-dee-duper excited about everything Santa Claus. Not even the extreme fear of toting along a 5 week-old baby in the beginning of RSV season was going to stop me from giving her the opportunity to sit on his lap this year and do the whole shebang... (although, I convinced my RT brain that Florida's 80 degree weather couldn't possibly be letting all of those yucky germs circulate as quickly as they do up North. I know, I know...) Luckily, we didn't have to trek it all the way to one of the gigantic malls in the area to get a crack at Santa this year... He came to the Oakstead clubhouse! And while this Santa was a little less traditional than I would have liked, he was just as sweet as pie. Brynn walked right up to him and gave him a HUG. I was worried that she would chicken out at the last moment, but she acted like she had known him for years. They had a merry old conversation, and she asked him for her "Amber dolly," which she has been asking me about for at least the last month (Sofia the First is big in our house right now)... It was a success! I was so happy for her little accomplishment, and so proud of her for being so brave and sweet.


 Of course, she started things off with a hug, which I thought was totally brills considering how many times I've had to tell/warn her that Santa is watching her behavior.

... bribery through sweetness is always worth a shot. ;)







part II: the makings of a christmas card.

Oh, the joys of trying to get a 3 year-old to cooperate for a photo shoot... and then there's OUR 3 year-old. She has, and probably always will refuse to look at the camera. Yes, literally. It takes a prayer and a miracle, and one spectacularly rare mood for her to actually want to be a part of a photograph. She isn't what i would call "camera shy"... I would classify it more as "camera-rebellious". She enjoys torturing me. This is why I don't pay people to take family photos. And this is why we rarely have an organized, posed, cutesy family photo to speak of... It's impossible. And drives me to drink. So, the times when we are forced to do said photo ops, I try to tap into all of the patience I have stored up (which isn't very much), and just give it our best shot...

I mean, how hard can it really be? Right?

 Oh, good gracious... this isn't going to be easy.

Then we thought bribery with chocolate might work... wrong.

yes, I was literally holding her in place. I just knew it was going to make a pretty picture.
(go ahead and add that to the list of things that crazy, desperate parents do...)

 poor lucas.
... at this point, it was almost laughable that we were going to come up with anything redeemable.
I literally had the self-timer set for a 9-shot sequence... Yes, that means it takes 9 pictures at a time.

Then, we did a little readjusting... Daddy grabbed Lucas like a football, we gave Brynn a little pep talk, threatened Ozzie with a trip to the pound (only kidding), and came up with  this...


 nailed it.

I hope you all are enjoying your Christmas prep too!!

xoxo

6 comments:

JustForDaisy said...

Love it! Outtakes and all! :)
You've inspired me to try for a family Christmas shot! xx

Kate at Green Fashionista said...

You're not silly for thinking the germs circulate less down here than the ice box that is up north. I have definitely noticed that all those nasty viruses that circulate like the plague up north aren't as bad down here. People are definitely still sick (tis the season!) but it doesn't seem to run as rampant down here thankfully. Probably because we're outdoors, have windows open, and generally have more fresh air circulating.

LOVE the Christmas card, nice work! :)

Joeylee said...

haha love the outtakes! Those look like our outtakes. Love the finished picture though.

Lauren said...

I have found that OUR B will take the very best pictures EVER if she's taking them with her friends. They act like total angels. Something with the peer pressure to pose or something. Otherwise, forget it. I have my fingers crossed she will not only want to stand next to the characters at Disney (she can be all weird and shy at the worst times), but that she will think it's like posing with her BFFs.

No way could I manage pictures at home. I have to pay big bucks to a professional for that, and pray that they get ONE picture of us all facing forward. In some cases, hope they can construct something in Photoshop. Little G is not exactly like big sis, but she sure won't sit still for ANYthing. I bet L will be a mover and a shaker too ;) But, I'm hoping he gives you a little time to enjoy his immobility first!

Joanna said...

you guys are such a cute family! :)

Natalie said...

Aww you did nail it! Love that photo even if it took a million tries :)