Taking photos of your families is something we do all the time. I have over 1000 photos of my daughter's first two years of life! Even after all that practice, I could still use a few pointers!

Take a Great Photo
Photographs are an important way to preserve special memories and document events in the life of a family. Following are some tips to help you get the most out of your camera:

1. You never know when a good photo opportunity will arise. You are at the park and your child learns how to climb the monkey bars all by himself. Or you are at lunch with a friend and Junior decides to kiss the waitress. Photo opportunities pop up when you least expect them! Be prepared by keeping your camera and a spare roll of film with you all the time. If you can't do that, invest in a small disposable camera to keep in your purse or diaper bag for those surprise moments.

2. Avoid posing your subjects. The subject of your photo does not need to be looking directly at the camera to get a good photo. The best
photos I have of my daughter are "the mistakes" -- the ones where she moved when she wasn't supposed to or turned slightly away from the camera. These types of photos show action which makes them more interesting than a formal, posed shot.

3. Use the right kind of film. For all purpose use, 400 speed film is best. If you know that all the photos you will be taking with a roll will be inside, you can use 200 speed film. Don't hesitate to experiment with black and white film. It lends a timelessness to your photos that color film sometimes lacks.

4. Pay attention to the background. Sometimes a tree that looks fine while you are taking a photo looks like it is growing from Uncle Harvey's head when you get the print. Pay special attention to the composition of your shots and look for possible problems. Don't hesitate to recompose your shot by having your subjects move a step or two to the left or right. That will usually clear up and problems.

5. Include yourself. So often, Mom is the one behind the camera. Remember that you are an important part of the family too! Hand the camera over to Dad or the grandparents every once in a while and jump in the shot with your family. Better yet, invest in a small tripod for group shots. Don't let your kids look back on your old albums and find you MIA! Join in the fun!

Some special tips for digital camera users:
1. Make sure your camera is set to the highest quality and resolution possible. When you take a digital photo, it is important that the camera get the most information possible. The higher the resolution, the more information your camera is collecting. Your prints will be clearer and more precise. You will also have more flexibility when editing your photos. Beware -- this will take up more memory space. However, memory cards are reasonably priced and are a one time cost. When the card is full, it is quick work to burn the photos to CD, clean off the card and get back to taking more photos. Make sure you purchase a card that will hold an outings worth of photos!

2. Take lots of photos. Keep only the best. Since digital cameras don't need film, you have the flexibility to take photo after photo. Take advantage of this! Don't hesitate to take the shot of your child playing. You may take fifteen shots before you get "the one," but that is okay because you only need to print the ones you want.

3. Avoid using the flash when possible. Flash lights up shadows, which is not always a good thing. Shadows can add a depth to your photo that the flash will take away. Experiment with the flash and learn the best times to use it. You will be surprised at how little you actually need it!

4. Watch out for digital zoom. Optical Zoom is similar to a magnifying glass -- it makes the photo bigger. Digital zoom is not the same as optical zoom -- it essentially crops the photo as you take the picture. Sometimes when you don't want to mess with photo editing software, this cane be a real timesaver. As I said before, however, you always want to get as much information with the shot as you can to give you flexibility while editing your photos. So only use your digital zoom when time is more important than flexibility.

We hope these tips help you to take great family photos! Enjoy!

Originally posted on CharlotteMommies

My oldest child is about to turn five. She will leave what I consider to be a preschool phase and begin a whole new phase of being a child, a kindergartner. She believes that being five mean being a 'big girl' and she'll soon discover, in her own way, exactly what that means. Thinking about her upcoming birthday has caused me to reflect on the past years and how much she has changed and how much my mothering has adapted.

She was born in Spring 2004 and became the center of my world. I was suddenly a new mother struggling to understand and care for another helpless human being. I was also new at being a stay-at-home mom and trying to find all the necessary fulfillment from that job. I was trying to develop my style of parenting while balancing the advice I didn't yet understand how to brush off. I did so much for her with the utmost care and patience. Even the simple task of bathing her was treated as a time of bonding and learning; a time of togetherness and love that always began our bedtime routine.

Then I had more children.

What started with a temperature gauge to test the heat of the water has turned into a quick check with a finger. While I used to fill the tub with bath time letters, art supplies, and toys, I now keep only a small cup used for rinsing. My oldest used to have the best baby wash and shampoo designed especially for dry baby skin. Now I make all the kids use whatever kid shampoo and soap was on sale at the wholesale club. Bath time used to last about 30 minutes. Now I can bathe all three of them in under 10 minutes.

There were always fresh towels and washcloths ready when my oldest emerged from the bubbles. Now I only change them out on laundry day or when they actually start to smell. My oldest would be lotioned up and powdered down after each and every bath. Now they are lucky if I remember the cream for an occasional diaper rash. Every pair of pajamas my oldest wore were chosen with care and coordinated with her onesie and socks. I'm not even sure any of my kids actually wear matching pajamas now. Bath time always ended with my oldest having her hair brushed, ears cleaned, nails trimmed, and teeth brushed. I'm lucky if I check nails and ears once every couple weeks.

I don't think any of this makes me a bad mother. I don't love my youngest two any less than I love my oldest child. I just think she was exposed to the mothering I was only capable of when I had one child. I may not focus as much time and attention to bath time now, but I'm a much more patient, crafty, and relaxed mother. I'm capable of achieving the bonding, togetherness, and the learning in ways that are silly, fun, and full of chaos. I'm grateful to be the mother of three great kids, but I'm even more grateful that five years and three kids has helped me discover that kids are loved just as much even with a dingy wash cloth and quick rinse off.

Originally posted on AtlantaAreaMommies.com

Heather's No-Salt Table Blend

Ingredients:
6 tbsp. dried oregano
7 tbsp. onion powder
4 tsp. dried marjoram
4 tbsp. dried basil
4 tsp. dried savory
6 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried sage
3 tsp. black pepper

Cooking Instructions:
Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Additional Comments:
This is a lovely addition to the table. My family and friends are crazy about this mix and are constantly asking me to package it up for them.

Submitted to The Mommies Network recipe database by "Heather"

It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a community to support a mother and to provide her with the resources, encouragement, and opportunities necessary for her to be her best. With more than 90 local chapters and a national site that reaches all moms, The Mommies Network provides that community.

We are a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a safe, secure, FREE place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents, and community leaders. Our philosophy is that no one should have to pay a fee to make a friend, so we offer free membership to any mother within the community who wishes to join. Members gain camaraderie and support through an online forum that is available 24 hours a day, as well as local events where mothers can meet and develop friendships that last a lifetime.


This August, The Mommies Network is hosting our second annual National Auction and will donate 25 percent of the funds raised to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national network of volunteer photographers who "introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with the free gift of professional portraiture … [to] serve as an important step in the family's healing process by honoring their child's legacy." The remaining 75 percent of funds raised will be used to further the mission of TMN to provide support to moms across the country.

We believe that by working together, mothers can change the world — one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time. The Mommies Network is a connecting force, helping us each to make a difference in our own lives, in our families, and in the places we call home.

I find it amazing how something small and otherwise trivial can bring about a flood of memories. Listen to a song from your high school years and see where your mind wanders. Catch a whiff of a certain cologne and your memories take over!

There are so many ways to preserve our special memories. Here are just a few ideas to try:

THOUGHTS
What better way to preserve your thoughts than to keep a journal. Some people cringe at the idea of journal writing: they think of "Dear Diary, today I woke up, I brushed my teeth..." However journals can be so much more than that!
• Create a special journal for things you think about your husband. When you fill it up, you can give it to him as a gift (or keep it for yourself to remember all that honeymoon bliss or little petty arguments that seemed so big at the time!)
• Create a special journal for your hopes and dreams. Only write in it when you get an idea of "what you want to be when you grow up." Go back through it years from now and laugh at all of your ideas and applaud the good ones!
• Create a journal for your children. Start it when you first find out that they are coming and write in it intermittently throughout their life. Give it to them as a special one-of-a-kind gift on their graduation or wedding day.
• Create a prayer journal. Write down your thoughts and prayers to God. Go back through it periodically and check off prayers that have been answered. See how God is working in your life!
Whatever kind of journal you decide to make, don't feel you have to write in it everyday if you don't want to. Use it as a creative outlet, a place to store your best (and worst) memories and a place to let out your emotions. Years from now, it will be a treasured gift for you or whomever you share it with.


FAMILY HERITAGE
Have you ever wanted to find out more about your family history? With the advent of the world wide web, this has never been easier. Preserve your heritage by creating a family tree. Trace your ancestors back to the Mayflower or beyond! Find your family crest and proudly display it in your home. Researching your family history can be a fun and educational experience for the whole family. There are many websites available to help you find information and help you get in touch with long-lost relatives..


PHOTOGRAPHS
So you have piles, drawers and boxes full of old photographs? Join the club! There are so many ways to preserve photographs today! You can scan photos and save them on disk. You can also go to a professional studio where they can take photos, videos and even old movie reels and transfer them to DVD (you can find a list of local studios at the end of this article). There are many different photo storage solutions out there. Photo boxes that are acid-free are best. Store your photos in a cool, dry, dark place (garages, basements and attics are not good choices!). If you decide to put your photos in albums, make sure the albums are made with acid-free materials. Avoid using photo albums with the sticky pages -- over time the glue will permanently bond to your photos, making it impossible to remove them. If you are a creative person, you can preserve your photographs and other memorabilia in a scrapbook (or two, or five!). Scrapbooking is very big these days and there is a plethora of stickers, papers, borders and other paraphernalia to make your scrapbooks sparkle.


MUSIC
For me, music brings about a lot of memories. I can listen to a song and be instantly transported to my junior prom, my college apartment or a special moment in my marriage. I will never forget the song that was playing as I delivered my daughter (It was "Deliver Me" by Sarah Brightman, believe it or not!). Go through your collection of tapes, records, CDs and even 8-Tracks (does anyone have those anymore?). Make a mixed tape or CD of the songs that mean something to you or help you remember a certain time in your life. Listening to them will allow you to take a step back into history -- and you will have a lot of fun putting them together too!


CLOTHING
Did you have a favorite dress as a child or teen? Or now, as a mother, does the sight of your daughter's first Easter dress send you down memory lane? Consider making a quilt out of these old clothes. A small scrap of each fabric is enough for a square and with a little effort, you will have a family heirloom full of memories.


SCENTS
How I wish I still had the scent that my grandmother used to wear! Whenever I catch a whiff of that scent, I know everything will be ok. I wish I knew what it was so I could always have it around for reassurance. You can keep your favorite smells nearby in a number of ways. Candle companies make scented candles in hundreds of scents, including Christmas Cookies (for us baking-illiterate folks), Seaside, with the smell of the ocean breeze and many others. These candles are usually reasonably priced and will fill your whole house with a lovely scent that can bring back lots of memories of good times. If it is a perfume you want to save, here is an easy sachet you can make:


Originally Posted on CharlotteMommies.com

Childbirth, we all pray for it to be easy, but I was one of the not-so-lucky ones. I had a long and painful labor, my son was stuck against my pelvic bone for hours, and when he was finally suctioned out, his head was severely misshapen. Many kids come out with crooked heads, isn’t this what that hoodie in the hospital is for? “Give it a few weeks, the doctors say”. Well, I gave it a few months, and the condition only got worse. My son developed severely restricted head and neck movement, which in turn resulted in hearing problems and infections that we are still dealing with 18 months later.

So what is this called? The condition is called plagiocephaly, Greek for “an oblique head”; plagiocephaly results from external forces applied to a soft and malleable infant skull. This can be the result of childbirth, but can also develop from a number of external circumstances such as sleeping on the back with little tummy time, or only turning the head in one direction due to torticollis (restriction of the neck muscles), and prolonged use of an infant car seat, carrier, or swing (perhaps due to reflux). Whatever the case, many of us are mistakenly told by our pediatricians that the asymmetry will fix itself. However, in moderate or severe cases, this is untrue. Sure, the child’s hair will grow and perhaps the deformity will be slightly camouflaged, but this condition is not one that is self-correcting.

So what does this mean? Many people, including some insurance companies, also believe that plagiocephaly is merely a cosmetic problem. This is not the case, facial asymmetry can cause eating and chewing problems, vision problems, and in my son’s case, hearing problems and ear infections. This is a medical condition, and one that as parents, we should probably be aware of. Well, we all know that babies need to sleep on their backs and ride in infant carriers while in the car, so what treatments are available to assist in correcting the head shape? The child will most likely have to wear a custom-fit helmet or band for 23 hours a day for several months to correct the problem. The helmet, though it looks obtrusive, is quite lightweight and rarely bothers the child. My son actually cried when we took his off! The specialist will cast a mold of the child’s head to develop a band for the child that will slowly correct the deformity through constant pressure. The band will be adjusted weekly to accommodate growth and development. Many children are treated after two or three months, though some will wear their head accessory for as long as six months. Treatment is most successful if started between 4 and 6 months; however, a child can start treatment at as late as 18 months. Additionally, physical therapy is also affective in reinforcing the treatment.

So, the next time you see a child running around in a white or painted helmet that looks like they may be a baby wrestler or football player, you will now know that that child is being treated for plagiocephaly. And moms and dads, if this happens to your child, please learn the facts, know that this is a medical condition and does require attention, but also know that it can be treated without painful or intrusive surgery, and most important, know that this is not your fault. Let’s educate one another, our doctors, and our insurance companies. Stay aware of your child’s development and be proactive in his treatment. And hey, look at the bright side, I was actually thankful during a few baby tumbles that my child was well protected in his headgear! And the bands are a great way for your child to express his individuality.

For more information, please visit http://www.cappskids.org or http://www.cranialtech.com.

{Originally posted on RichmondMommies}