There are very few phrases that scare my children, but "it's time for the family picture" is one of them. You wouldn't think it would be a big deal, all they have to do is put on the outfit I lay out for them, walk down the basement steps to my in-home photo studio and smile. Not too terrible, right? Wrong. It is a torturous event which always ends in whaling and gnashing of teeth; so bad in fact that I don't even attempt a picture with my husband and I included anymore because he is the worst of them all.
So this year I decided to take a different route. I would do it their way. I told my kids we were taking the yearly Christmas Card picture and to go put on whatever they wanted, do their hair as wild and crazy as they pleased and make the silliest face they could come up with. That would be fun, right? Wrong. Apparently I have so squashed their creativity from the years of "freeze and say cheese" that they couldn't come up with anything even remotely interesting. It was sad really.
What choice did I have but to force them all into matching clothes and threaten to take away their allowance for a year if they didn't sit there and cuddle with their siblings and look like they liked it? And as usual, they hated it and the only reason they are all smiling is because they have taught their baby sister to pass gas on command and she obeyed and I clicked the shutter at the exact same time. Mission accomplished.
So, I guess that as our friends and family receive our Christmas wishes this year they will do what we all do when we open photo cards. They'll smile back at the grinning faces and remark on how sweet and adorable they are and what a blessing they must be to their parents. But you and I will know the truth....that they are indeed exactly right.
Mary (Amy's paparazzi sister)
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5 comments:
oh it really is a great picture!!
i have done the same... squashed their creativity. it is so hard to get a candid shot! thanks for making me laugh today... and sharing those beautiful kiddos!
Doesn't get much cuter than this. I know, spoken like a true Nana! Love It!!!
Okay, that is HILARIOUS. The baby toot part. LOL. I've given up on the family picture too. I just take separate pictures of everyone and make a collage of them.
I have four - two of each - as well. And yes, I vowed not to threaten, cajole, or scream over our Christmas photo, as well. And it took three trips to the park - finally with their dad, who pretended to have four stuffed animals eat my hair while I happily (??) clicked away. In the end, we printed the imperfect ones, because they brought us the most smiles as we perused the lot of imperfection.
Merry Christmas!
Mary, you're hilarious :) Can't wait to see Kami do the new trick her siblings taught her!
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