Patience is a virtue when photographing peanuts

I've been waiting for a good sunny day to take Little Pea's 18 month portrait. I can tell already it is going to be a loooooong and painful winter. We finally got our sunny morning and I decided to go for it. I've been around this block enough times before, I thought I had all my ducks in a row:

1. Little Pea was well rested, it was still 2 hours before her nap was due.

2. She had a nice filling breakfast and a satisfied tummy.

3. I cleared her room of absolutely any background clutter so I could relax about where she wanted to stand or sit. I planned on getting a natural shot of her in her environment. 

4. I opened up her blinds all the way to let the morning light flood the room. 

5. I prepped my camera settings before I even went and got her dressed.

With everything prepped and ready, I placed my little girl on the floor of her room. The conditions were perfect. And then this happened:

What's wrong little girl?! Think this is just a moment? Nope. Check again:

I couldn't believe it. The light in her room was gorgeous. She was dressed all cute. I was being relaxed and flexible (SO NOT LIKE ME). I would have let her stand or sit or play wherever she wanted in her room and I could have worked with the lighting. But there's not much I can do to mask a screaming red-faced tantrum throwing toddler. 

Do you know how easy it would have been to just call it a morning? To turn the camera off and walk away? I considered it. But then I had a thought: "What do I have to lose by just sitting here and waiting?"

I got up from the floor and planted myself in her rocking chair in the corner of the room. I sat there still and quiet and let her rage and run and toss her body on various spots on the floor. She ranted and screamed and cried for nearly 40 minutes and even now I could not truly tell you why. 

But all that waiting? It paid off. I didn't get the sweet smiling photo I had imagined, but I did get this:

And this:

I'm still new enough to indoor backlighting photos, I didn't realize I was sitting in the completely wrong spot of her room until I parked myself in that rocker. Had she actually cooperated from the beginning, my photos would have had a far different feel to them and I'm not sure it would have been for the better. 

Sticking this session out and waiting for her to calm down were two of the best decions I made that morning. It truly does pay to take a deep breath and slow down sometimes. Someone please remind me of that the next time this pint-sized tornado goes whirling.