Smile! Awkward School Photos

The daycare that my daughter attends ranges from infant all the way up through Kindergarten.  Perhaps for this reason, each fall they have the equivalent of school photos.  The photographic studio they used this year is the same company that took many of my school photos when I was growing up.  Being mother of the year, I forgot that it was picture day until I walked into the classroom at drop off and saw how cute all the other kids looked.  My poor child was in need of a haircut or at least pigtails and still had some of her breakfast on her face.  On the upside, she was at least wearing a cute outfit...but only because the play clothes I had planned on for that day were too small.  Since they had seen better days, it was fortunate that they were more than a smidge too small, because I have been known to send her in clothes that are on the cusp.  Clothes are expensive!  But I digress.  I wiped her face (I would have done this anyway, regardless of photos, I swear!) and her teachers very kindly let me know that she could get retakes the very next day, as the photographer would still be on-site.  At pick up, I learned that my little momma did her best that day to get her friends to smile for their photos. The next day we arrived promptly, nicely dressed and with her hair combed into pigtails.  She very graciously allowed me to put the pigtails in that morning, which is not the norm.  Then she refused to smile for her photos.  Her teacher was jumping around like crazy in the background trying to get her to crack a smile for even a split second.  (Her teacher is the best, love her!  It must have been hysterical watching her jump around.)

As a result of all this, I was kind kind of anxiously awaiting the proofs.  We got them last night.  There are two sets.  In the ones where her hair is a little goofy (so clearly in need of a trim!), she has an angelic smile.  In the ones where she is spiffed up, she is making faces.  One has a hint of a smile.  So I am in a quandary as to whether to buy any of them! 

Seeing the proofs really took me back to my own school photos.  I remember having them taken, thinking that I looked fine.  Then getting the proofs and seeing that my hair was sticking up or my collar was pointing in a funky direction or I was caught mid blink.  I still think those photographers should have fixed the obvious and simple things.  Like collars.  Or they should have at least mentioned it and given me a chance to quickly fix it myself.  I would say 85% of my school pictures were cringe-worthy, and I sincerely believe that there are others who feel the same way.  I hope, for my daughter's sake, that digital photography has eliminated at least some of these issues, like the eyes half mast or mid-sneeze photos.  For the other things, like her mother forgetting it was picture day when she was a toddler, well, I guess she's out of luck.  I never would have thought that this would start so early, at least I was five before I had my first school photo.  I feel a little bad that there is the potential for more of these embarrassing photos for my daughter than there were for me.  Oh well...let the awkward school photos begin!

Mother of the Year and Best Wife Ever Moments

Today feels like a Monday.  I have had several mother of the year moments already today, and it's not even noon yet.  The baby and I went to my parents house for two days to visit with my aunt and uncle in from out west.  We had a lot of fun but it was definitely like being on vacation.  My brain checked out.  It has yet to check back in.  Today is our wedding anniversary, and I did buy my husband a card.  I can't find it, but I definitely bought one.  On Friday.  So it's not like I've had a long time to misplace it.  I know I stashed it somewhere so that he wouldn't see it.  But I can't remember where! In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I could hide my own Easter eggs...I hide things "in a safe place", never to be seen again.  So safe, I can't even find them.  Over time, I've developed a couple good spots and consistently use them, that way I know where to check when I can't find stashed items.  Sadly, when I'm in a hurry, sometimes I veer off course on this practice.  That seems to be what I did with the anniversary card.  Maybe I'll find it in time to give it to him next year.  Sigh.  Now I have to find a few minutes to sneak out and grab another card before I go home. 

My lucky streak continued when I arrived at daycare to drop my daughter off.  It's picture day.  I knew two weeks ago that today was picture day.  But I completely spaced.  Fortunately, I didn't dress her in the well worn hand me down play clothes that I had originally planned for today.  I noticed that the sleeves were a little short, so I ditched those clothes and grabbed the next closest outfit, which was actually a new outfit.  Thank goodness!  Her hair is getting long, and needs a trim.  It looks really cute in pigtails, which she has let me put in exactly one time.  It is superfine, so without pigtails or barrettes (which she loves to play with but refuses to wear), it gets messy looking very quickly.  Of course she had untameable bedhead this morning that will require a bath to correct, which we did not have time for this morning.  Walked into the classroom, saw all the other kids dressed nice and with super cute clothes and hair styles.  Had to confess that I completely forgot.  Ugh.  The teachers were very kind about it, but were definitely looking at me funny.  Oh well.  One thing is for sure, this won't be the last time this happens.  I have frequent mother of the year moments.  Hopefully my brain will start to function again before the end of the day.  If not, I'm in trouble, this is going to be a fun week!