I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to decorating my house for the holidays. I’m even lazy when it comes to de-decorating for the holidays. I recently threw a Valentine’s Day heart up on my front door and felt accomplished. That is until I shut the door and looked square at my Christmas Tree which is still up in our living room. 
Oh well. I made some effort!
I’m hoping that one day the Pinterest mothering / crafting / baking / decorating bug might bite. 
But until then, I’ll just feel the festive glow from these Valentine’s Day pictures that my friend Dana took of Rhys.

Dana has a toddler Rhys’ age, and rocks at photography. Dana made a little photo studio in her dining room, complete with props like vday signs and hearts even a kissing booth!
This photo of Rhys giving me a kiss melts my heart! 
You can’t really make it out, but Rhys’ shirt says “Cupid’s Wingman.” I felt like a rockstar mom because I found that Valentine’s Day shirt!
The backdrop was a heart filled table cloth, and we bribed my toddler to stay near the props with Hershey Kisses!
Newborn and baby photos were a lot easier to take 😉  Toddlers stand up and want to explore!
Dana found all of the props and items at a local crafts store. She said she would even be reusing the two wooden crates for future photo mini sessions!
I am so thankful for my friend having my toddler and I over for a fun Valentine’s Day photography session. Lord knows if i had tried to do it myself at home – that the one nice shot would have probably included our Christmas tree!

If you’re feeling adventurous and thinking about taking photos of your toddler – here are some tips I learned from Dana:
1. Sit the toddler down – and better yet give them a prop to hold while they are sitting. Standing = easier to run!
2. Have something fun, colorful or noisey near your camera lense so they keep their eyes towards the right place.
3. Bribery with treats is not a bad thing. A little piece of chocolate goes a long way, and while they are sucking on the sweet treat it almost looks like a smile!
4. Know when to stop, and don’t push it. Toddlers grow antsy quickly, so you as a photographer need to as well. Make sure your camera is set to rapid fire shots so you take like a million when you hold down the button. Even with a five minute session, you’ll have been sure to have snapped a few great ones!
Do you have any photography tips for me? Maybe I’ll have my Christmas Tree down in the near future and I might want to try taking some pictures on my own.