In a world of Pinterest and over-the-top themed birthday parties with hand painted cookies and petting zoos, we are truly robbing our children of the reality of life, which is why I strive to capture every moment of perfect imperfection.
Do you remember back when your parents hand sewed your Christmas outfit and took one photo of you in front of the tree with each family member? Weeks later they ran the camera out of film, dropped the film canister off at the local Walgreens and waited 3 weeks just for a blurred image of what appeared to be you, only with your head cut off and the dog licking itself in the background? Yeah, our kids will never have that. In a day of smart phones, we take 694 shots just to get the perfect one, slap a filter on it, and post to Facebook and Instagram to show just how perfect our holidays are in hopes of garnering “likes” and positive comments.
Well, not the Bradens!
The Christmas of Christopher Columbus: 1990
It all started in 1990 with what is known as the epic Christopher Columbus outfit. It was a balmy 86 degrees and my mom and grandma had hand sewn a monstrosity of a Christmas outfit for me to wear to church. It was a sight to behold – hand crafted black velvet and teal taffeta with a matching outfit for my doll and a ridiculous hat (which I later found out was the inspiration for the outfit). Of course I was in that awkward stage and likely too old to be carrying a doll with me, and I was surely sweating in this South Mississippi Winter heat wave, but alas I was gussied up for what would haunt me my whole life. Behold Christopher Columbus Christmas.
This image is the perfect example of humility. I’m 36 and just posted it on the internet for thousands to see and mock, forever preserved online – why wouldn’t we want that for our own children? The point is this: I don’t remember any other Christmas outfit because, well because none were captured with such embarrassment as this one. I’m sure in 1990, this Simplicity pattern was top notch. However, looking back, I’m pretty sure mom and grandma didn’t quite hit the mark.
With Quinn being an only child, he won’t have siblings to tell him how ridiculous he looked or how he embarrassed them when he refused to wear pants for 6 months straight. So it’s just as important to capture these memories – the ones that will haunt them for the remainder of their lives.
You see, with Pinterest, it’s so easy to take a great idea and want to make a beautiful photo. I’ve given up that hope, as my lot in life has certainly taken a different twist.
Halloween
Quinn’s first Halloween certainly set a standard. I saw this adorable picture on Pinterest of this cute baby sitting in a pumpkin surrounded by fall foliage. I’m sure you all have seen the image I’m talking about, many of you have likely successfully gotten the awesome photo of your sweet bundle of joy sitting in a pumpkin. The baby on Pinterest looked so happy and content to be hanging out in a pumpkin while his mother captured this beautiful moment. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the same experience.
Christmas
After the oh-so-successful pumpkin photo shoot, it was time to step it up a notch and take him to a professional. Clearly I wasn’t able to capture that moment, but I was not going to let Christmas pass me by. Off we went to meet Santa at the Beau Rivage. It was the first day he would be there for pictures with the children, and since this precious photo was going to redeem me, I needed to be first in line. As we walked up, we saw the line snaking around past the coffee shop and down toward the main entrance where we eventually settled in – lucky number 122. We waited nearly 2 hours to see Santa, and he did not disappoint!
Easter
I think by the time Easter rolled around the following year, we had both forgotten the trauma of the pumpkin and Santa. So we figured we would capture a lovely picture with the Easter bunny. (I think this may be considered re-victimization, but I’m not totally sure.)
Thanksgiving
So, after that, we decided to stick with candid shots and safe holidays: like Mardi Gras, President’s Day, and Thanksgiving. I mean no one is traumatized by Thanksgiving photos, right? After years of trying to figure out which end of a turkey I am supposed to stuff and how to get the innards out of the cavern without exactly touching it, everyone gave up on me and now we go to New Orleans and dine at the Red Fish Grill. Of course this presents the perfect opportunity for more holiday pictures…. or not.
So, my lesson to you is this: Don’t just capture the perfect moments, as those aren’t the moments that will stick out over time. Capture those ugly moments, the funny moments, and the ridiculous outfits. Capture the attitude and the phases so that you can look back on those times with your children and explain why he insisted on only wearing aviators and blazers or why she made you call her “Princess Tootie” for 7 months. Let’s work together to make sure we are raising humble little humans and give them a few reminders that they too had Christopher Columbus days, and it’s all part of growing up. (Just remember to get the proof!)
