Family Photos- Getting Photos Done at Christmastime

Bloomfield Family Photographer

Just before Thanksgiving, I had a great opportunity to take family photos for Amanda and her family and we had such a good time! I recently asked her if I could do an interview with her and ask a couple of questions about family life and she agreed!

Q: Tell me about your family. What do you like to do for fun?

A: We are a small family of 3! Stephen and I have been married for almost 7 years and we have a 1.5-year-old son, Nathan. When the weather permits we like to be outside. We try to attend outdoor festivals, go to the beach, and take vacations. Nathan has so much energy, so we try to do things that get his attention and let him have fun.

Q: What are the best things about having a family with two different cultural backgrounds?

A: The best thing is learning different traditions and different ways to do things. We have been taking those things and merging them into our own traditions.  For example, Stephen always had canned Cinnamon rolls for breakfast and my mom baked bread from scratch for Christmas morning. So this year we made cinnamon rolls from scratch as our new tradition to have with coffee before we met my parents for the 2nd breakfast where we had bread and eggs and bacon! Best of both worlds. We also merge Thanksgiving foods and baked Christmas cookies from both families.

Q: How has the pandemic affected family life?

A:  Well Nathan was born during the pandemic so we really were thrown in. There was the disappointment initially of not having the “ picture perfect” first child with the “ normal” baby shower, delivery, etc. But it all has become our normal. We also haven’t done as much visiting with family, which is weird that some family hasn’t really met him or only met him one or two times.

For us, we haven’t done a lot of restaurants or indoor activities. It makes doing those activities harder for Nathan because he doesn’t know how to act in those places because it’s unfamiliar to him. We loved going to restaurants prior to the pandemic.

Q: Why is it important for you to have family photos done every year?

A: During the Pandemic Stephen’s mom, brother, and grandma passed away. Unfortunately, his mom never got to meet Nathan and we never thought to take a picture of Nathan with his uncle the couple of times they met. But we have this amazing family photo of 4 generations with his grandma, dad, Stephen, and Nathan. One I insisted on taking and the only picture we have. This picture is very special to us. I think we forget to take pictures because we are in the moment. Often, we forget that that small place in time is one we want to remember. We aren’t guaranteed next year as a family, so I think it’s important to document our lives to look back on and remember that year in time. That’s why family photos are so important to us.

Q: Why is it important for Nathan to see printed pictures of himself and your family around the house?

A: I guess it shows that he is loved and to see our wonderful multicultural family around the house in our family photos, which normalizes our unique family and he can bring that confidence out into the world.

Q: Do you think Nathan is more like you or Stephen?

A: This one is a hard one!! Nathan definitely looks like a combination of the two of us. He is also a combination of the two of our personalities- he loves to dance, smile, laugh, and give kisses. He is playful but also temperamental- all my traits.

Nathan is lovable, loves the outdoors, is inquisitive, and is strong-willed- all his dad’s traits. And he was a great travel baby- just like both his parents.

Check out more family photos here!