Mud Pie Baby
Mud Pie Baby
Baby Gift Baskets Are Great For Presents
Holiday season is fast approaching and most people are starting to get excited for their gift lists. For many, the task becomes stressful just thinking about their financial situation and the many problems they may be experiencing. Still, the motivation is to find resources to put a few presents under the Christmas tree.
Gift giving is an important gesture we do on various occasions - shower party, birthday, anniversary, wedding but Christmas season tops the list. Gift giving during holiday season is an honored tradition in most homes.
From experience, gifts for children in the family especially the cute babies are given the top priority. One would enter a shopping mall purposely to buy something else but the mere sight of adorable items in the children's section can distract one's attention. The result? - The shopper leaves the store with the cute item for the baby. Fine. But, stop a minute and ask yourself. “What would I buy for my child when I am under tight financial situation? Perhaps the answer lies in the gifts that are given. I pretty much like the suggestions of Thomas Haller and Chick Moorman which I would like to quote here:
“Give children what they really want from their parents: PRESENCE AND PRESENTS. All children spell love T-I-M-E. What we can give them is our attention, our availability, or mindfulness, our closeness, and our time. This holiday season, be sure to:
1. Be there regardless of what you are doing. Avoid the urge to multitask and strive to stay focused on the moment at hand. When you sit with your children to play or to read a book, give them your undivided attention.
2. Make a “be choice. How you choose to be affects whatever you choose to do. When you are with your children, choose to be interested in what they are interested in. Choose to be happy that you have the time to focus on their needs and wants. Choose to be excited about the time you have with them.
3. Connect physically. Touch is a powerful way to communicate “I love you. Get close and touch your children's heart with a warm embrace and a gentle squeeze of the shoulder. Dispense hugs, smiles, winks and kisses.
4. Connect emotionally. Feelings are always more important than things. Create an environment where it is safe to be emotional. Encourage the expression of feelings. Demonstrate empathy, compassion and understanding.
5. Unplug from the electronic world. Electronics creates barrier between you and your children. Give your time to them. Talk to them. Play with them. Dream with them. This will give a lasting memory for your family.
6. Play the kids' rules. Play with the children at their level. Make mud pies, jump in rain puddles, roll down a hill, play with their toys together with them or join in the creation of artistic designs. Play regularly, and remember that the reason for play is to play, not win.
Make a commitment this holiday season to give the best gift you can give by being present in your children's life. Be active and interactive on a daily basis with your children. Be the parent you were called to be. GIVE YOUR PRESENCE. Happy holidays
About the Author
Baby gift baskets are easy to buy at Simply Unique Baby Gifts Free Shipping to the lower 48 states.
 |
 Designer Baby Girl Mud Pie Boutique Shabby Soft Chic Blanket BNWT Lavender  US $59.00
|
 Mud Pie Baby Ceramic Polka Dot Piggy Bank Green White US $58.88
|
 Mud Pie Cupcake Bib Bloomers Baby Feeding Acc Gear Pink US $53.97
|
 Mud Pie Baby All Boy Little Slugger Ceramic Piggy Bank US $53.06
|
 Mud Pie Baby girls Infant Ornament Skirt Set Red 12 18 Months US $53.03
|
 Mud Pie Baby Gingham Chenille Blanket Pink White US $46.69
|
 Mud Pie Baby Perfectly Princess 8 Piece Tea Set US $46.05
|
 Mud Pie HIGH MAINTENANCE Piggy BANK Girl Baby SHOPPER Charger In Training NEW US $45.99
|
 Mud Pie Baby Little Prince Car Treasure Box US $45.67
|
 Mud Pie Ceramic Treasure Box Baby Little Princess Trinket First Tooth Curl Buggy US $44.00
|
 Mud Pie Baby Jeweled Tiara Oval Frame US $42.61
|
 Mud Pie Boathouse Baby Hooded Terry Towel Crab US $42.50
|
 NEW Mud Pie Baby Perfectly Princess 8 Piece Tea Set US $42.34
|
 Mud Pie Initial Baby Boy Blue Initial Hooded Terry Towel Letter C US $42.29
|
 HTF Mudpie baby pink elephant lovey minky dots security blanket green seersucker US $39.99
|
 Mud Pie Baby Classic Keepsakes White and Silver Ceramic Piggy Bank Cross US $39.65
|
 Mud Pie Baby Tiny Dancer Ballerina Slipper Frame US $39.48
|
 Mud Pie Baby Classic Keepsakes White Album and Frame Gift Set Cross US $38.73
|
 The Peanut Shell Baby Sling Mud Pie US $38.00
|
 Mud Pie Baby Birthday Pink and White Decorated Cotton Bib Cupcake US $36.82
|
 Mud Pie Boat House Baby Crab bath towel US $36.50
|
 Mud Pie Baby Little Prince Ceramic Photo Frame My First Photo US $35.46
|
 Mud Pie Baby Prince First Tooth and Curl Treasure Box Set US $35.24
|
 Mud Pie Baby Little Princess Personalization Piggy Bank US $35.24
|
 Mud Pie Baby Prince First Brush and Toothpaste Treasure Box Set US $35.24
|
 Mud Pie Baby Little Princess Heart Treasure Box Set First Tooth and First Curl US $35.24
|
Photographing Your Children - Strategies for Results
People often ask me ‘How do you do it? How do you get them to stand still/all look at the camera at the same time/pose just the way you want them to? The answer is, I don’t!
The idea behind taking a photograph is to capture a moment in time, to freeze it so that it becomes a record we can share and recollect for years to come. And it is the nature of childhood to be exuberant, joyous, exploring, belligerent at times, and yes….disagreeable when you point a camera at them. It is these moments you want to capture, full of life, of the essence that makes you children who they are, not static head shots and cheesy smiles. The cheeky exchanges between siblings, the wild abandon of nakedness under a sprinkler, the muddy fingers and streaked faces from making mud pies, these are the memories you will cherish long after the shutter has clicked. So, as a first rule of thumb, don’t try to mold your children into a likeness you will not recognise down the track as being true to the moment.
Having said that, there is a knack to capturing the moment in a way that renders it a work of art rather than a snapshot. You do not need fancy camera equipment to achieve this, but you do need an eye for composition, and above all, an awareness of the lighting, where it is falling, what it is emphasizing and how your camera will respond to it.
Most automatic point and shoot cameras come with shooting modes that you can set according to the image you wish to capture. These cameras work on a series of presets so that you don’t have to worry about the technical aspects. In my experience most people leave it on automatic and hope for the best. Take the time to read the manual. It’s as simple as understanding that in night mode, the camera will slow the shutter speed to allow as much light as possible; in portrait mode, it will open the aperture to blur the background a little. These basic understandings will begin to make a vast improvement to your images.
The next important factor is the light, and how to work with it. If you have the capability, turn off the camera’s automatic flash and look for natural light where possible. Be aware that the camera’s in built exposure meter will be working to accommodate the ambient light. If you stand your children in front of the light source and point the camera to them, the light streaming in from behind will ‘trick’ the camera into believing there is a lot of light, and it will adjust accordingly by dimming the exposure. There will be too much variation between the brightness behind the subject, and the light on the subject, resulting in a dark subject against a bright background.
The obvious fix to this is to turn the children around, in that time honored tradition of keeping the light behind the photographer, shining onto the subject. This does address the problem of exposure, but the result is often deep shadows in eye sockets and squinting expressions.
So, a catch 22? Yes, in some ways, but there are things you can do to minimise these issues. For a start, choose the time of day carefully. Early morning or late afternoon will provide a much softer light source and avoid harsh shadows. On cloudy days, the clouds act as a huge softbox, diffusing the harshness of the light and providing for optimum shooting conditions. Also seek ways to diffuse the light, bring children up to windows indoors to put light on them without direct sun, or look for open shady areas under verandahs or trees.
Next, think about the posing and composition. Achieving natural unposed shots is not about guesswork and pot luck. Snapping children randomly at play is likely to result in half turned faces, or limbs in the way of the shot. But snapping children blowing bubbles, eating strawberries, holding a kite or umbrella...all of these things provide a focus, keep the children busy and give you time to really set up the shot you want.
Finally, have fun!
About the Author
Janine Guidera is a photographer based in Perth, Western Australia, specialising in photography of pregnancy, newborns, children and families. Janine also runs educational classes for parents in photographing their babies and children. Her work can be seen at www.figmentsphotography.com.au