a tale of family photo woe.

getting ready was a nightmare. our kids had been sick for a couple of days, so i really wanted to make the morning go smoothly. i did what i could to prepare the night before. we all had new outfits. they were washed, ironed, laid out and ready. we started the process as 6:30 am {we're all up by then anyway} so we could leave the house at 9:30 for pictures at 10:00. kids had breakfast & baths. and then all heck broke loose. whining. crying. runny noses. kids fighting. parents trying to get ready. parents trying to get kids ready. sean trying to keep kids from ruining their clothes while i finished getting ready. monster tantrums from serena.

and then we got in the car and had a small break from the whining.

the whole drive, harper stared into space with a glazed over look in her eyes and looked totally pathetic and miserable and sick. poor thing. i attempted to give serena some medicine while the car was in motion... and it spilled all over her sweater. awesome. turned around to get the back-up shirt which wasn't as cute, but would have to do.

we arrived at the photo location. got kids out of the car. wiped noses. i though for sure harper would just look sad and tired and not smile. but it was so much worse. she cried THE ENTIRE TIME. did not stop for a second. nose running. tears streaming. full on bawling. i think we stressed out the photographer. she took some pictures, attempted to get harper to smile, and then called it good. harper bawled in the grandparents & grandkids shot. and we didn't even attempt a photo of the four of us. the photographer kindly offered to take our picture another day and we gratefully accepted and got the heck out of there.

and then i tried really really hard not to burst out in tears. the new outfits! serena's sweater! the nightmarish morning! and for what? some pictures of crying harper and her stressed out parents. and who knows what serena was doing. she wasn't standing by us. at one point the photographer told her to take her hands out of her mouth.?? oh boy. it was bad. so glad we have photos to document that lovely day :)

i look forward to the day when i can laugh about this.