TIS THE SEASON...

Last year I took Charlotte and Jacob to the Real Canadian Supercentre's photo studio to get Christmas and "1st birthday" pictures done. The pictures were great and we even used one of the shots for our Christmas card. Given last year's success I decided to do it again this year. I booked an appointment for November 21, got the kids in their new Christmas clothes and set off with Claire and my mom (extra hands are always good for things like this) excited to see how this year's photos would turn out. 

When we arrived we found out they were running behind - very behind - an hour and a half behind...thanks to the fact they were short a staff member due to illness. The kids were great while we were waiting (despite the fact that they weren't feeling well - ahhh winter cold season) we walked around the Supercentre, they loved touching the battery packages in the photo studio and looking at the Christmas DVD display. When it was finally our turn things quickly changed. We walked into the studio room and Jacob decided he had no interest in cooperating for the photos. He walked off the backdrop several times no matter how many props we showed him, cried and said 'no no no'. Charlotte was much more cooperative and smiled and laughed with each new prop that came out and Oliver slept through the whole thing. I kept pleading with Jacob to just sit for one picture but he flat out refused. 

When I was reviewing the pictures with the photographer I nearly cried. All I kept thinking was last year's experience was so different and this was miserable - I have great pictures of Charlotte but none of Jacob and Oliver looked dead in many of them thanks to the way the photographer had positioned him. Needless to say I didn't take any of them and decided to rebook for the following week in hopes I'd get some nicer pictures with all three of my kids together. 

When we returned for "take two" of Christmas photos the studio was thankfully on time and the kids were no longer sick. They even seemed interested in being there until the photographer walked in...that's when Jacob looked at me and said 'no no no' and walked off the backdrop again. After a few more "protests" on Jacob's part I decided it was time for bribery so I picked him up and whispered "if you stay on the floor for the pictures mommy will get you a special cookie when we're finished". Well I might as well have told him I was giving him a million dollars because when I put him on the floor he was a new person and cooperated for every picture! I had to do the same whisper in Charlotte's ear because after Jacob started cooperating she decided she was done with the picture taking and walked away. Funny...my little whisper worked for her too and after 15 minutes with the photographer we had Christmas pictures!!! 

It's amazing the things we'll do or say for that iconic Christmas picture...