In the Making

Christmas cards stress me out.  In years past, I would just buy a cute pack or two, address and mail them, and that was it.  But then we had James, and Rhys a year and a half later, and now people actually want to see what our boys look like, so it’s become a major ordeal.  There must be a special place in heaven for photographers of children, because assembling two uncooperative little boys in matching red shirts and asking them to look remotely pleasant for a half second while a picture is snapped is quite literally impossible.

Still, we manage to do it year after year, selecting one picture out of a thousand that is a little less terrible than the rest, and I know it is appreciated by the recipient for a minute or two before it goes into a pile with the other Christmas cards, only to be thrown in the trash with the opened boxes and ripped paper on December 26th.

I know this, because I do the exact same thing with the cards I receive.  Seriously, Christmas cards are for grandparents.

But, in the spirit of good cheer, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the photography torture session our boys endure each year, for your visual pleasure.  And I’ve edited the selection severely, because there were over 200 pictures from which to choose.

(The tree is up and the boys take a practice shot.)

(After deciding to go through with it, Mommy brings out red shirts for both boys. Lots of thought went into their wardrobe choices.)

(And the race begins. The first take is less than stellar.)

(Rhys is the first to fall, the victim of a toddler meltdown.)

(He quickly rallies, only to be squeezed almost to death by his big brother.)

(Mommy steps in to help, and makes a threat or two.)

(Noses start itching.)

(Which leads to the inevitable snack time.)

(Exhausted, Mommy and Daddy resort to bribery.)

(When the insanity finally ends, we are rewarded with a pretty good picture.)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just a small glimpse into our annual Christmas card photo shoot.  If you do receive a card from us this year, I beg you to treasure it forever.  Lots of blood, sweat, and tears went into the making of it, and you might not get one next year.