So I was thinking about going to have a family picture taken for our Christmas cards. The problem is that I'm a little worried to take Gwen and Shea to a studio where there will be other kids. With RSV season starting up and all. So then I was thinking about having a photographer come to our house, but my DH just pulled up our rugs and started fixing up the living room. I know, great time to start that right? You got to love 'em! So what should I do? I would really love to have this done, the last one we have is from 2001 when Cailin was a month old.

Thanks!
Jenn

Cailin Riley is...


Shea & Gwen are...

I suggest going first appoinment in the morning, or go ahead and call Growing Family and schedule a shoot at your house...they bring the backdrop and everything so even with the house half torn up you should get good pictures.

Last year we had ours done and we incorporated a bear that I was given at Eric Jr.'s funeral, every year we will hold the bear in his memory. We went to the studio, but were just very careful.

Erika

Mom to:
Matt (1991) Megan (1994) and ^Eric Jr^ Levi and Vivian (2003) at 26 weeks

Thank you so much! I was thinking about taking something of Liam's also. I didn't know what but I think a bear is perfect. The room is done in teddy bears and before they were born we got them all their own bears for the cribs. I know that this is going to be really hard for me beacuse he won't be there with us, but maybe by having something in the picture to remember him by will make it a little better. This past month has been really hard becuase I've been wanting to do this picture but at the same time not wanting to. The girls are also starting to do a lot more. Like laughing and trying to roll and things like that. So I can't help but to wonder if Laim were still here would he laugh at the same things. I guess that never gos away. Its still new for me so maybe it will get a little better with time.
Thanks for your suggestion, I never had them done at my house before so maybe I'll do that. Them we can get the dogs in it too

Jennifer

Jennifer,
First, sorry to hear of your loss. I don't think those feelings ever go away. We are 6 days away from our 4 year anniversary of son Will. There isn't a day that goes by with the girls (age 4) that I don't think the same.

I love the idea of having something in the picture that is special to your family. We do something similar at birthday time. I always have a blue balloon placed on the cake. It is a way for our family to know he is here with us. I also have a few blue balloons in with the girls' balloons.

Just hang in there.

Dana
MOM to surviving triplets Caitlyn & Madison 9-28-01 and Will (9-28-01 to 10-30-01)

The bear sounds like a good one for you, we chose it because of the time it was given to me, the symbol that I collet in his memory is a rocking horse because that was his identifying picture on his NICU sticker. (In our NICU every child got a sticker to put next to their name label on breast milk and stuff as an added precaution.)

We had Levi and Vivian's pictures done at our house in August, and they turned out well...


I chose non-traditional poses, but the photographer took many traditional ones also.



http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=424289802105.400829312105.1130246808644&view=1&page=&sort_order=&albumsperpage=&navfolderid=2004

BTW, the year we lost Eric we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas,and I have a hard time, like you are pointing out, with the things like family pictures, with him missing I just don't want to do these things. But then I think about what the other kids will miss, and I know I have to...it seems abit easier when I do the symbolic things, Like what Dana is talking about with the balloon, Good idea by the way!! We use a rocking horse, but this year I added to candles for him, too. (then my MIL pointed out that I put six candles instead of two...)

Hugs to you all today...the Holidays approach.

Erika

Mom to:
Matt (1991) Megan (1994) and ^Eric Jr^ Levi and Vivian (2003) at 26 weeks

Jenn,

I would go for it at a studio. If possible, get an early appointment. I used to go to Kiddie Kandids (in the mall) a lot for pics and I'd just make sure to get there 15-20min before they opened so that I was one of the first in line (they don't do appts).

I've also used Target Portrait Studio - they have good coupons online. If you go this route you might go ahead of time and look at the pics on the wall. Some will have the name of the photog that took them (wish I'd done that this last time).

It is so hard to move forward on these things without our precious babies but it is important for our other children to have these memories and pictures, KWIM.

I like the teddy bear idea. I've always taken our own blankets and toys - well all but one time. I figure if there's going to be a prop in the pic I'd like it to be something from home. When the boys were little I took the blankets we used for their baptism and they were lying on them.

This time of year is so hard, I'm proud of you for getting this done, it'll be worth it.

Marie