Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The third annual "I can't believe we don't pay someone else to do this" holiday card extravaganza

It's Holiday card time here at Chicky Chicky Baby.

(Heavy emphasis on "Holiday" because I don't want my Jewish friends throwing their latkes at me. Unless my mouth is open. I loves me some latkes.)

That means the photo session from hell. Hurrah!

This year there was the extra added joy of trying to wrangle a constantly rolling baby and positioning her close enough to her sister to get them both in the picture but not so close so that one of them suffocated the other. And by that last bit, I meant keeping Chicky from physicall abusing C.C. We weren't 100% succesful but, hey! Everyone is still alive! It's a freaking Christmas miracle! God bless us everyone.



If you don't know the history of our holiday card tradition you can go here, here and here. The short story is, I'm cheap. Also, I hate having some mall photographer who is making 10 bucks an hour wave a feather duster at my kid's face while making noises similar to those of a choking cat all in the name of getting my child to smile at the camera. I can do that for free.

Besides, the pictures my husband and I take are way better.

I had envisioned taking a family portrait outside the new house but that didn't happen. It was cold and when it's cold my nose gets all red and by God if my nose is all red in a picture it had better be because I have some gin in me. So we decided to throw a white sheet down on the ground, lay the girls on it and have Mr. C take the pictures while I acted like a doofus behind him.

It seemed good in theory.

Chicky was so into it this year. Can't you tell? Or maybe it was the mickey I slipped her ten minutes before we started.

Here, Chicky impersonates that Christmas favorite - Big Mouth Billy Bass, singing "If I Pretend To Like My Sister Will You Buy Me a Pony?"

"Haaaaaah-lleh-luuuu-jaaaaah!"


Chicky: "If they think I'm asleep, maybe they'll just go away and take their camera with them."
C.C.: "What is that crazy broad doing back there? Dude, wake up. Our mom's finally lost it."

However, my husband, my wonderful, precious, darling husband whom I love more than all others except for our wonderful, precious, darling offspring is a total stressbag when it comes to taking his kids' picture. Or anything that involves both his kids, now that I think about it. About five minutes into our photo session he was stammering and sweating and frankly some words were starting to come out of his mouth that even I was impressed with, so to save some money on future therapy bills I took over. Thirty seconds later I had this year's card.


It's just this side of cheesy to me - I mean, we're in danger of putting Olan Mills out of business - but it's done.

Hallelujah and pass the gin.

32 comments:

Heather said...

Well done! I take our own photos too. Then I drink heavily.

Forgotten said...

AAAAAWWWWWWWW. Looks like a success to me. I hope you had some drugs for hubby or at least some good wine to calm him back down...

Kerri. said...

Beautiful card - and awesome outtakes. :)

T with Honey said...

That's pretty cute! Both are looking at the camera, no goofy faces, no blinking. I'd call it a success and more importantly... done.

Rusti said...

the card looks fantastic! (and I loved the captions under the other pics!!) lol

Whirlwind said...

Your card came out very cute! I have the same problems trying to get my three to sit still!

Everydaytreats said...

Good work! Where were you when it was our turn to take pictures?

Anonymous said...

I'll see your gin and raise you a vodka.

Those are two beautiful girls.

Patois42 said...

I raise my own gin and tonic to you in celebration of a job well done.

Kate said...

Wow! That's a great photo you caught. I assume lots of wine was had after that photo session? There's always lots after mine every season b/c I take my own, too. Seriously I'm sweating bullets after I click the last shot.

Fairly Odd Mother said...

Adorable photo! I'm impressed of anyone who has a 'photo session' for the card---I just went through a bunch of our candids and cobbled something together. The one year we tried to take a photo for the card, I looked like I'm holding a tiny, screaming, bucking bundle of clothing in my lap.

Mags said...

I love all of those photos...your babies are adorable.

Avalon said...

Mrs C~~~ I hate to burst your Gin induced bubble, but I would much prefer to get the Haaaaaah-lleh-luuuuu-jaaaaaaaaaah version.

They both look like their singing a bawdy Christmas carol.

Shall I send my address?

Mrs. Schmitty said...

First of all...your girls are GORGEOUS!

I love the card. My cards are projects every year too. Thankfully I know how to crop and paste different pictures together on the computer before I order cards. I've had to do that on a few occasions, this year included.

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

Avalon - Absolutely. Send it to me and I'll send you a card. I might even send you a picture of the "Hallelujah".

And for the record, I wanted to use that one too. I was vetoed.

All Things BD said...

Beautiful!

Ali said...

i'm sorry...but your girls are ridiculously cute. even the outtakes are stunning.

Anonymous said...

The Hallelujah one is supa! Sorry you got vetoed.

Love all the pics though - they're just so damn cute!

Issa said...

So cute. C.C. is getting so big. Heck, I'd pay you to do mine. It would have been better than the crap shots I got by taking mine to the mall idiots last week. Seriously I could have saved myself big bucks and 4 years off of my life, if I'd not even bothered.

The Stiletto Mom said...

So, so funny. Mine got into a choking festival this year and we documented all of it. I wanted to use it for the card in the interest of being realistic but I was vetoed also.

furiousBall said...

that's a perfect shot. i always opted for the sleeping children shot. much easier to take, but you have to be sure to not get the tranq darts in the shot.

Leighann of Multi-Minding Mom said...

They are great!

An unexpected 2 week trip meant we didn't get our portraits taken. And we still haven't!

New Years cards?

We managed to get to Santa's Village in New Hampshire and they took a picture of us bundled up in the sleigh (monorail). We all have on hats and I look like a complete dork. But my husband wants to use it as our card.

It may have to suffice!

Anonymous said...

You guys definitely don't need a photographer! those pictures are as good as any professional photographer would click! I loved that greeting card, Your kids are very cute!

Brandy said...

Omg I am having flashbacks. Since my two lovely children are 12 and 7 I thought it would be a wonderful idea to throw the 2 loving dogs into the picture. WRONG I should have just stuck with the kids.

Suburb Sierra said...

Hysterical and adorable all in one! Thank you for the much needed chuckle from the outtakes.

SciFi Dad said...

I love the drunk toddler look, and think it represents the holidays better than cheese, at least at my inlaws' house.

(In all seriousness, thems some beautiful babies you got there.)

motherbumper said...

How do you do it? I too, refuse to pay for those mall shots. I make the grandparents do it (heh).

Those are some lovely ladies you have there Mrs. Chicky.

Anonymous said...

I think it turned out so cute!! Nicely done!

Gray Matter Matters said...

Gah! Those are beautiful, and better still, adorable. I don't "do" cards because I am cheap, lazy, unphotogenic and did I mention lazy. But I loved seeing yours.

Run ANC said...

It's awesome.

For the record, we DO pay someone else to do our holiday cards, and I still stress about it. (You can see the result on one of my recent posts..)

Soggy Granola Mom said...

Way to go! You did so much better than me.

I ended up sending a card with two individual photos, because getting one of them together and both happy was impossible.

Ah...the joys of squirmy babies and sibling rivalry.

Pippin Party said...

OMG, sorry I was laughing by butt off. Having two myself, I remember doing this. Luckily they are 5 and 2 so this year it wasn't quite that tough. Still, the whole experience of doing it is crazy!