She wore blue velvet

We took a trip to JC Penny to get baby Q's picture taken this evening. While waiting for our session a very nice looking Mom came in with her 2 children. She had her daughter and son (about 3yo and 18mos?) decked out in matching blue velvet outfits with snowmen sewn on the lapel, and a big, bright red bow in her daughter's well cut bob. I thought to myself, "now this is what Mom's do...why don't I think to do this stuff?", even though I'll admit, I thought the outfits were a bit ridiculous looking (sorry!). Anyway, they appeared to be the "perfect image" of the holiday season.

As one expects when they take their kids to get pictures taken, baby Q didn't want to cooperate - he is only 4 weeks old after all. The photographer suggested that we wait until he was asleep again, so I sat in the corner of the studio while she attempted to take photos of the perfect-image-holiday-family...here is a recap of what I got to listen to (I was behind a curtain, so we really couldn't see each other, but I could see their photos loading on the computer in the corner).

Lawson, the 18 month old boy was sick and crying to begin with. They apparently had to take many breaks to wipe away the snot and goo coming from his eyes and nose. Natalie, the 3yo was not interested in posing, but rather wanted to play with the Christmas props.

Perfect-image-mom started in on a litany of orders and threats and bribes that had me stifling laughter in my dark corner:

"Natalie, if you stand by your brother I'll buy you that strawberry shortcake doll." Natalie proceeds to run off the set and grab another prop. More snot is wiped from Lawson.

"Natalie, if you don't come over here right now you're not getting that doll." Natalie won't sit still.

"Natalie, you won't get that doll if you don't stand here next to your brother...that's it, I'm telling your Dad about your bad behavior when we get home, now get over here if you want that doll." Natalie is not interested.

"Natalie, please come over here and stand and smile. If you do you can have the doll AND the My Little Pony...", Natalie wants nothing to do with pictures and runs off the set again to get a Christmas ornament.

Photographer lady finally gets one good shot of Lawson and Natalie. Mom wants one more.

Natalie decides that she is now willing to stand next to her brother.

"OK Natalie, say cheese. If you say cheese you get to have the doll." Natalie won't say cheese.

Same round of threats again - the session goes on for 45 minutes. My angel sleeps in my lap as I sit and snicker listening to this hot mess.

Natalie finally decides to say cheese, but shuts her eyes when she says it, "Cheese!", over and over and over.

I officially can't contain my giggling as I see the cheese photos loading on the computer.

"Natalie, this is your last chance..." (of which there were about 50), "...if you don't open your eyes right now you're not getting that doll!!!!"

Natalie runs out of the studio into the waiting area where Sam and Ada are. Perfect-image-mom runs out after her yelling, "if you don't get back in here RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE DOLL!!!"

Sam reports later that Ada points at the perfect-image-mom and says, "scary", then points to Natalie and says, "bad".

Ada summed it up perfectly in two words.

I think I'll officially pass on the matching blue velvet outfits...I'll enjoy these instead.


Many thanks to my dear friend Shayla who so thoughtfully personalized the wonderful blanket above for Quentin.


...and to Mrs. K, my beloved High School drama teacher for sending Ada fabulous princess gear and Disney princesses book (here she is sans the "Princess in Training" shirt). I think Mrs. K is bound and determined to turn our already dramatic little girl into a drama queen!