threelilprincesses.com

Category: Life and laughter

  • PHOTOS: 16 tricks to capture perfect photos of your children

    PHOTOS: 16 tricks to capture perfect photos of your children

    Catch them unawards!

    SINCE starting Three Li’l Princesses there’s been two recurring questions. The first: how did I start the blog (and did it cost me a lot of money) and the second: how do I capture such great photos of the girls?

    The first question I’ll leave for another post. However, the second question I will tackle today. Please bear in mind that, while I have had some professional training many moons ago and did take photos as part of my job as a journalist, I am by no means a pro. You’ll need to visit someone like Carly Webber from Mamma-razzi or Darren Rowse from Digital Photography School for that.

    So, here is my experience with photographing babies and children:

    • Find when the best part of the day is for your child/ren. We schedule photo playtime for early in the day when the kids aren’t tired and the light is good.
    • Often the best shots are candid ones, when they’re totally unaware of the camera. Go to the park, play around with craft or get them to do some other activity they enjoy, then start snapping.
    • Use your zoom. By zooming in on your subject you create depth of field, which creates a beautiful blurred background.
    Use your zoom to create depth of field
    • Consider your background. Is it too cluttered and will it detract from the subject? Unless you’re trying to achieve the above point, in which a busy background can look quite effective, keep your background clean.
    • Avoid windows as a backdrop. It will play havoc with lighting and your subject.
    • If you struggle to get a baby to look in the direction of the camera, dangle a noisy toy above the camera. This can also achieve that “winning smile’’ you’re after.
    Use noisy toys to get bub's attention and produce a smile
    • Sometimes it can take 20 photos to get “the one’’. With the advent of digital, this is now no longer a problem.
    • Get down to your child’s level.  Taking a photo from your level only produces photos of the top of their head or distorted images. In saying this, sometimes it is fun to play around with different angles though.
    Experiment with angles
    • Think outside the square. Babies have the cutest toes, fingers and noses. Get up close and then zoom in on these features to capture something unique. If your camera has a “macro’’ setting, switch to this as it accentuates detail – exactly what you’re after.
    Zoom in on toes…
    … and fingers.
    • Use others’ photos for inspiration. My only disclaimer with this one would be to avoid Anne Geddes. Lovely as her photos are, she takes hours to produce one shot.
    • Have in your mind what you’d like the photo to look like. Often it comes out nothing like you predicted, but often it’s also a lot better!
    • When you get to the editing stage, consider changing the photo to black and white. Sometimes an ordinary photo can “pop’’ in black and white. It’s particularly ideal if your bub or child has the less appealing spots or scratches over their face, and can soften the look of a photo.

     

    In colour…
    and black and white
    • If you’re taking indoor shots in winter and light is a problem, try putting your camera on the low light setting, turn the flash off all together or bounce the light off a wall or ceiling to avoid washing out the subject.
    • Use the rule of thirds – that is, to break your photo into nine squares and place the important elements of your composition where these squares intersect. It produces nicely balanced photos that are easy on the eye.

     

    Putting the focus into the top third of the photo
    • Some days the kids just aren’t in the mood. These are the days when it’s best just to pack the camera away. Otherwise, you run the risk of them hating the camera all together.
    • My biggest tip would be to have fun. If you’re stressed by the whole thing, the kids will be too. Get out the bubbles, a ball, go for a run in the park, a swing or a slide and simply shoot.
    Having fun!

    I also attribute some of it to our camera, a Canon PowerShot S95, which I would highly recommend. Firstly, it’s compact, which means I’m more tempted to pop it in my handbag when I head out, as opposed to a full DSLR, which is too bulky for a mum struggling with two kids.  It has full manual capabilities, while also having the auto option. It seriously is one of the smartest cameras I’ve used. I may even write a review on it soon if anyone’s interested.

    What tips do you have for taking photos of your kids?

  • FEATURE: Get by with a little help from my (imaginary) friends

    FEATURE: Get by with a little help from my (imaginary) friends

    Ella is a social butterfly… with all her imaginary friends!

    PRINCESS Ella astounds me with the extent of her imagination. While once I would have been concerned that she was spending too much time at night reading books to her imaginary friends in bed, I’m now super proud. “Can you find the letter eeee, Teddy? Yes, that’s right. Good boy, Teddy’’.

    You see, this strange behaviour isn’t going to see her turn into Mel Gibson. Apparently, children with imaginary friends retain knowledge faster than other children, are more sociable and more creative. Or so I read somewhere. I’ll be whipping out our favourite Chocolate Brownie recipe and inviting more friends over, I think.

    Ella also walks around the house, pretend mobile phone cradled between her ear and shoulder, parroting an adult’s conversation to a “friend” on the phone. I’m guessing she’s either mimicking her dad or a child care worker. It couldn’t be me.

    The conversation usually goes something like this: “Oh, I know. That’s terrific. She’s been such a good girl today. I know. I’ll just write that down on a piece of paper (scrambles for paper and a crayon). Now, let me see. It’s e, u, h, k. I know. I know. Yes, I know.’’

    Mostly, her imagination has helped spawn incredible art work. Just look at this elephant she drew. Remember, she’s only three – and that long thing is its trunk.

    Then, only two days ago, while I was trying to get Baby Holly to sleep, she was busy with her craft and card making. I came out to find she’d made this rabbit for her cousin’s birthday. All. By. Herself.

    She proudly showed it off to me by lifting it up to my face. At this point, the taped on ear flopped downwards. “Oh dear, mum’’ she said, in a rather sad voice. “He’s got a floppy ear’’.

    However, there is a downside to having a child with a vivid imagination. A couple of weeks ago she had a play date with her cousin of the same age. The pair ran around the house, laughing and squealing because a monster was chasing them.

    Then, suddenly, everything went quiet. No, don’t worry, the monster didn’t eat them. Wondering exactly what mischief they might be into, her mum and I started searching through the house. Here the girls were, in my bed, in the nudie rudie playing hairdressers, doctors …. and massages. Worrying, or what?

    How do you foster your child’s imagination? Does your child have imaginary friends?

  • LESSON FOR WIVES No. 5: Big Girls Don’t Cry

    LESSON FOR WIVES No. 5: Big Girls Don’t Cry

    The photo Ella will hate Kel for in years to come.

    I’M PRETTY sure when you are in the process of scolding a three-year-old it is not OK to giggle. Picture the scene: Princess Kel is trying to dish up dinner, I’m cradling a tired and grumpy six-month-old and Princess Ella (the three-year-old) is proceeding to whine at great volume about anything and everything.

    Then, Princess Ella erupts into tears because mum won’t put her on the bench (where her sole intent is to dirty the already clean washing up sitting nearby). Kel proceeds to tell her it’s dangerous to sit on the bench by herself. “But I’m a big girl,’’ comes the reply from Ella.

    It’s on the end of a frustrated lecture that Princess Kel finishes off with the sentence: “big girls don’t cry’’. There’s an awkward moment of silence, followed by muffled laughter from Kel and I as we clearly both image the falsetto voices of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons launching into the ’60s song of the same name, Big Girls Don’t Cry. If only our lives were a musical.

    It got me thinking about other song titles we might find helpful when disciplining our “little angels’’. Here’s a few suggestions:

    What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye

    Respect – Aretha Franklin

    Walk This Way – Aerosmith and Run DMC

    You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield

    I Fought the Law – Bobby Fuller Four

    Fortunate Son – Creedance Cleawater Revival

    You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Rolling Stones

    Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac

    I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt

    Voodoo Child – Jimi Hendrix

    Any other suggestions?

    Read more Lessons for Wives.

  • FEATURE: Grateful for Easter Bunny

    FEATURE: Grateful for Easter Bunny

    Ella was lucky enough to speak to Easter Bunny this week

    This week I’m grateful for:

    • A hubby who has a stellar Easter Bunny voice – a high-octave voice he doesn’t mind using on his office phone to a three-year-old on the other end. You see, after Ella was misbehaving last week, I resorted to ringing Easter Bunny to tell him not to visit. Since then, we’ve had a super little angel. It finally resulted in Ella getting to phone the deliverer of chocolate eggs on Wednesday to let him know he can now visit her next weekend. Imagine Bindi Irwin talking after sucking on a helium balloon: “Now, you keep being a good little girl for your mummy and I’ll bring you a lovely chocolate egg”.
    • The wonderful people at ECCO, who sent the most gorgeous pair of shoes and a $250 voucher for a reader. It’s days like these I’m extra glad I started blogging.
    • For catching up with family. Ella had cousins visit from interstate this week and was able to twist their arms to watch her dance lesson today. However, she was far too interested in her new audience to actually dance. While everyone else was mid twirl, she was busy waving to her cousins on the sidelines. Too cute.

    So, what are you grateful for this week?

    I’m joining with  Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.

  • GUEST POST: A mother’s heartache

    GUEST POST: A mother’s heartache

    A rare photograph of little Levi during the first six weeks of his life
    THE Sleep Challenge post for this month is being handed over to my dear friend and mummy blogger Toni. Toni is a SIDS mum and has so graciously agreed to tell the story of her little boy, Levi, to help other mums. Please grab your tissues, hold your babies tight and, if you wish to leave a comment at the end, remember this is an extremely personal story and please be respectful.
     

     

    Afterwards, visit her wonderful blog Chick Chat where she blogs about being a mum, books and anything else she might tell you over coffee. To read more about Levi, visit Angel Scraps, a blog dedicated to inspiring others to scrapbook after losing a loved one.

    Now here’s Toni’s story:

    What do you do when you see a stall selling Red Nose Day products? I used to be one of ‘those’ parents who would turn away. I just didn’t want to know about it (you’d be surprised how many people hurry by, looking the other way)

    Back in 1996, I knew nothing about SIDS. I thought it was the same thing as suffocation and I didn’t personally know anyone who’d lost a child to SIDS. But on July 22nd, my son Levi and I became statistics. He was one of 23 babies to die of SIDS in WA that year. One of 212 in Australia. One of 26 in July, 1996.

    It happened like this…

    I put him to bed as usual, but very warmly dressed.  It was a cold day and the house was draughty, so I had him in my bed, on his tummy, on a sheepskin and with a doona tucked over him. Far too warm, far too covered… but I didn’t know that.

    He `slept’ for much longer than usual and, eventually, I went in to pick him up. I really needed to go into town with my friend and get milk and bread. It was school holidays and the bigger kids were eating me out of house and home. Just a normal day.

    Until I opened my door and saw he was way down, completely under the covers.  I felt my scalp start to prickle and I threw the doona back. I could see right away that he wasn’t right. He was very pale and looked like a little wax doll.

    My heart stopped. I scooped him up and he just flopped in my hands. For the tiniest of seconds I thought to myself “No! He’s just playing a trick on me!” but, of course, he wasn’t. I ran out of the house screaming, jumped into my friend’s car and we drove away with me frantically trying to resuscitate him. Although, in my heart of hearts, I knew it was already too late.

    I remember briefly thinking, “Oh my GOD, I just left all the kids alone in the house!” but then I dropped that thought; there was only room in my head for what was happening with my 48 day old baby.

    We got to the closest medical help, a doctors’ surgery, and I burst in yelling “Someone get me some help! NOW!”. Four doctors who were having their lunch, poor things, came running over and took him from me. They whisked him away and I followed them. I had to see what was happening. A nurse tried to have me come away, but I promised her I wouldn’t get in the way, and she let me stay.  

    I watched as those four doctors tried frantically to revive him, until at last one of them came over to tell me there was nothing they could do. I knew anyway. He was gone when I picked him up.

    We were taken into another room to wait for the police to arrive. They were two young officers, who’d never had to deal with anything like this before and you could tell they were really shaken by what had happened. As for me, I felt like I’d fallen into some horrible B-grade movie.  Things were dream-like and surreal and at the same time so very, very real and immediate.  I didn’t know what to do.

    I was being asked all kinds of questions that I couldn’t answer and there were no proper thoughts in my head, only this great loud bell, clanging “MY BABY IS DEAD! MY BABY IS ACTUALLY DEAD!”

    After what felt like years, we were told we could go to the hospital with him (to the morgue, though no one actually said that word out loud.) So my friend drove us and I held Levi on my lap. We joked about what would happen if a policeman pulled us over for not having the baby in a carseat. Funny how your sense of humour kicks in at the worst of times. There were people everywhere, walking about in town, enjoying the afternoon sunshine and we were driving past them, with a dead baby in the car. Weirdest experience of my life.

    When we got to hospital, we were met by my midwife. She was completely devastated, but so professional. She organised to take photos of Levi, which I didn’t want to do (not because I didn’t want photos, but because I didn’t have the mental energy to think about it) so she took charge and did them herself. Thank God she did, because not ONE of the photos I had taken of him in the past six weeks turned out, thanks to a faulty camera.  So those are almost the only photos I have of him. Ironic, much?

    We were able to sit with him until I was ready to leave.  It was dark when I finally started to think I should really get home to the other kids (a friend had gone to the house to sit with them). So, after a lot of crying, kissing and cuddling, I handed my baby back to my midwife and left the hospital, with empty arms.

    ***

    About a year later, I contacted SIDS and Kids in WA and met, for the first time, a bunch of other parents and the most wonderful team of `counsellors’ who gave me the ray of hope I’d been looking for. I’m absolutely certain they were the biggest help in healing my heart – just being able to share with a bunch of people who knew exactly what I was going through and feeling ‘normal’ for the first time.

    Through them, I started doing phone support, attending meetings, workshops, and even speaking to emergency responders, midwives and parent groups. I loved doing the volunteer work and only gave it up when I fell pregnant in 2001. I felt it was just too hard for grieving parents to be faced with a pregnant woman.

    ***

    SIDS and Kids has been running the Safe Sleeping Campaign since 1991. In that time, the incidence of SIDS in Australia has dropped by almost 90%. The recommendations they make have been backed by many years and untold millions of dollars in research by experts all over the world.

    This is what they say:

    How to Sleep your Baby Safely:

    1. Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side

    2. Sleep baby with face uncovered (no doonas, pillows, lambs wool, bumpers or soft toys)

    3. Avoid exposing babies to tobacco smoke before birth and after

    4. Provide a safe sleeping environment (safe cot, safe mattress, safe bedding)

    5. Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping environment next to the parent’s bed for the first six to 12 months of life.

    If you have any questions or concerns about any of these five practices, phone your local SIDS office on 1300 308 307. They’ll be only too happy to talk to you.

    Please – don’t end up as another statistic.

    This post is part of FlogYoBlog Friday. Please visit Where’s My Glow? for more inspiring stories.
    FYBF

  • FEATURE: From bump to baby in six hours

    FEATURE: From bump to baby in six hours

    Ella in hospital

    MY MIDWIFE might have been joking, but I was taking her ‘’hot bath, hot curry and hot sex’’ advice to bring on labour seriously. I was due Melbourne Cup Day, but our unborn baby girl wasn’t budging. My hubby, Julian, was secretly thankful, knowing he could watch the Cup in peace – so to speak.

    Our obstetrician decided to induce me six days later, but in the meantime I was determined to do everything to bring on this labour naturally – if you can call rompy pompy when you’re the size of a hippo ‘’natural’’.

    By the Sunday night, I finally resigned myself to the fact that at 8am the following day I would be induced. But, it seems, our bub had other plans. At 5am, three hours before our scheduled induction, my waters broke. All I had to say was: ‘’ah, darling . . .’’ and Julian’s face turned from peaceful sleep to sheer terror.

    The bump

    Excited and a little scared at the same time, I rang our midwife who calmly suggested I rest as much as I could. ‘’Nothing is going to happen until at least dinner time but, if you feel you need to, come in at lunch time.’’ The lunch time option sounded good to me.

    However, once again, our unborn bub had other ideas when my contractions quickly moved to 12 minutes apart within an hour and had us reaching for the phone again. ‘’We’re on our way…‘’

    While Julian had the car packed and ready within 10 minutes (the fastest he’s ever moved), it somehow took me a good hour to get from the bed to the shower and downstairs to the car. Well, I did have to shave my legs and things.

    Curled up next to the baby car seat ready for the trip to hospital, it wasn’t ‘til the door was shut and my knees ended up around my neck that I realised how little space there was. This, and I’m not even five foot!

    As my grunting increased with every roundabout we hit, Julian watched the car clock as the contractions moved from eight minutes to three minutes apart. Half an hour later and he was battling to get me out of our trusty Commodore and into the labour ward – I was more than happy to have this baby on the back seat.

    His frustration only grew when the midwife left us alone in the labour ward without first checking me. One contraction began to come directly on top of the next. My grip on his t-shirt tightened. My grunting increased. He was panicking. He barely took his eyes off the labour ward door just waiting for someone to walk through. Someone. Anyone.

    An hour later and he couldn’t take it anymore, strongly insisting someone take a look at me. Finally, someone checked the graph.

    Mum, Dad and new bub

    ‘’Ooh, do you mind if we do an internal?’’ the midwife asked, with an obvious surprised tone in her voice. Then her surprise grew – I was already eight centimetres dilated. This baby was on its way.

    You couldn’t wipe the grins from our faces – me, because we‘d gotten this far by ourselves and without requiring or wanting drugs, and Julian, because he no longer had to fear delivering this baby on his own.

    After nearly two hours of pushing, we finally met our beautiful 6 lb, 13 oz baby girl Ella Mae O’Brien who was born naturally at 11.37am – well before lunch, let alone dinner.

    That little girl is now three and still does everything on “her schedule’’ but, to be honest, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Here’s a video I put together of Ella’s first year of life. Enjoy!

    Taking part in Torkona’s First Born Birth Story competition and the DPA May Blog Carnival hosted by Colin Wee of Super Parents