Holiday Family Photo

As the winter holidays are swiftly approaching I am feeling that anxious tightening in my chest about taking our annual holiday family picture. I expect that I will attempt to take 1000 photos this weekend in the hopes that one- all I need is one!- photo will at least capture everyone looking in the same direction. Typically, 2 of the 3 are cooperating and I have to crop and paste the 3rd child's head from another photo and work some Photoshop magic. For an added challenge this year, we've included a 4th child. What were we thinking? The illustration from my blog header (which I have also included below) is the image I ended up using for the front of our 2006 Christmas card. The interior said something to the effect: May the joy of the season and the warmth of family and friends surround you during the holidays and through out the New Year. Princess Commando refused to participate. Why should I falsify my photo documentation of that holiday photo shoot? The truth of this particular holiday tradition is that it is no fun. There is a lot of huffing and eye rolling from the kids and I counter that with threats and bribes. It sounds a little something like this:

Press the shirts

Tame the hair

Wipe the snot and crumbs off of the face

Instruct the children:

Sit in the light-the camera won’t work otherwise.

Sit up straight.

No, up straight!

Stop touching your sister.

Move in to the left.

No, my left.

Stop wiggling

Smile!

Come on now, smile!

You, middle child, you look like you’re dying.
Now smile!

This isn’t working.

Let’s rearrange

Oh, little one, stop crying

You can sit where you were before- when we’re done.

Just a few more- I promise.

We’re doing this because this is what families do for their holiday cards.

You don’t want to be the only family who doesn’t send out a holiday photo.

I don’t care that you don’t care!

Sit back down!

Stop crying!

For God’s sake!

ARGHHHHHH!

Why can’t you all cooperate for one hour out of the year?

A half hour?
(Sweetly)You can play the Wii if you cooperate.

Santa’s not coming if you don’t cooperate!

Fine!!!!

This is the one we’re using!


I think I might just let them do what they want this year. I gave up trying to get them to wear coordinated outfits 3 years ago. Last year is a blur- but I think they might have been in pajamas they had been wearing for two days over a weekend. And, amazingly, I did not have to crop out anyone's head.

When I started this blog, I had every intention of creating one illustration/ day. Obviously, raising kids sometimes ties up my hands. I feel badly that I've cheated and reused an image. I'll get back to illustrating something new- soon. I'm still recuperating from sick baby week.

Old Musings #3: Hard Candy

This is from January 18, 2003. H was 3 1/2 years old.

Yesterday I was feeding Princess Commando her morning bottle at the computer desk while surfing the internet. H came to me sheepishly, "Can I  have one of the hard candies Nana gave me yesterday?" He had already eaten a hearty breakfast, so I didn't think one would hurt. "Sure. You may have one." H was so proud of his candy- 4 pieces of banana hard candy. He had already eaten one the night that my mother brought them over. He had each designated for a special moment over the next 3 days. "This one is for after I play with my Rescue Heroes in the morning time. This one is for after lunch on Thursday. This one is for when M comes home on Friday."

I was distracted by an online article I was reading when he came back into the living room. But, I could hear the crisp crinkle of candy wrappers. He was singing in the background, "I'm a big kid, yeah. I can eat hard candy. Hmmm, hmmm."
 
"Yes, you are a big kid," I absently agreed.

Not 10 minutes had passed and he peeked his head up over the side of my desk. " By accident I ate all of the candies."

"What?"

"I ate four candy." I thought for a moment. But, there were only 3 banana candies left.

"What candy are you talking about?" I now noticed the blue sugary specks flecked on his lips. What did he get into? I put Princess Commando down and pulled him closer to me. "What do you mean you ate four candy?"

"I had a blue one, and a green one, and the orange one and the red one." Lollipops! Old lollipops that had been tucked away in the cupboard since Halloween.

"You ate four lollipops?"

"Yes," he lowered his eyes in shame. His lower lip stuck out awaiting my reaction.

"Well, do you still have the sticks?" I wanted to make sure that he really ate lollipops.

"Yes, they're on the couch." Sure enough, all in a row, four lollipop sticks gleefully sucked bare lay beside their wrappers.

"Do you have a tummy ache?"

"Yeah, kind of,"  he paused, "But, you're not mad."

"No, I'm not mad. How were they?"

" Good! I tried the blue one and the red one and the orange one and the green one! Cause I'm a big kid and I can eat hard candy."

"Yes, you are a big kid. But, you know that you are not having any more lollipops for a long, long time."

"Yes," he agreed with a mock pout. "But you're not mad."