JCP

I had quiet the experience last week with taking the kids for pictures, let me tell you! I have been trying to schedule pictures for the kids since like mid June and for about 3 straight weeks I had to keep canceling because SOMETHING would come up. SOOOO instead of trying to figure out a time for Joe, since it never worked, I decided to try to be super woman and try pictures by myself...okay all you moms out there already know how crazy I am to think I could do it by myself, so I called in reinforcements (my mom!) Well I went down there last Tuesday right after feeding Travis so he'd be a happy camper, and before Sammy's nap time...it was a challenge, but I thought we had gotten a couple good shots. The photographer was great, very patient, very helpful, I was happy with her! But the problem was that I needed to help situate Sammy, hold Travis, and make them listen, look, and smile, all the while stressing that I want good pictures, I'm sure many of you know the feeling!

So the session was over and I was putting Travis back in a onsesie and I hear the girls say, "oh no, oh no". My mom and I shoot glances at each other, but no need to freak out just yet, right? She leaves the room and then comes back in and says, "all the pictures are black". WHAT?!? BLACK?!!??!! You have GOT to be kidding me??? Apparently she didn't use the flash and NONE of the pictures came out. So she tells me, "we have to do them again". I laughed in her face! Samantha was ready for the treat I bribed her with, Travis was ready to take a nap...Sammy was also just about to her limit before a nap, do them AGAIN, was she nuts? I looked at her and said there is NO way I could stay! So she says lets reschedule...I looked back and said, what is JC Penny going to do for me because getting both of them dressed out of the house in happy moods ready to be man-handled for pictures is ALOT of work!!!

So basically we rescheduled for that following Friday and that way Joe could come and help because it was at 6, after both naps and dinner...happy kids right? They also said that I would get free pics because of the hassle. I explained this all the Joe and then he so pleasantly informs me, "babe, don't you remember I'm going to the Angel game that night"! UGGGG, I totally forgot that was the night he and his dad and brothers were going to the Angels vs. Yankees for their Father's Day gifts...so here I go again, ALONE! Crazy mom moment #2. Okay, I know this is getting long, but it gets even better! This time I went alone alone...no help at all! I get there, happy kids...Sammy did even a little better since she knew what I expected of her, and again she was bribed. Travis had a full tummy and was full of smiles! Her flash was working and she was patient as ever! Sammy was being a tad bit defiant...we'd say stand on the red dot and she would spread her legs so that she was "on in" but not standing on it...gotta love it! We'd say criss cross applesauce, she'd kick her feet...not my normal behaved daughter. She knew I was alone though!

So I wait about 5 minutes and then the pictures are ready for me to view...not too bad, some cute ones! I got to pay-NO WALLET!!! I left it at home on the counter because I was paying for something online and left it out of the bag! OF COURSE! So I ask if they could hold the order and I'd bring it tomorrow...they say, no, you HAVE to pay for it today or I loose the special $4 a sheet price! UGGG, so I called Joe to get his card # and OF COURSE he doesn't answer until psycho call #9...so I got to buy my pictures. But at this point I'm about to cry because I was planning on taking the kids to eat in the mall somewhere since I was out and had things to do, so now NO DINNER and it was 7:45 by this point!!! Travis needed a diaper change, Sammy had to go potty...so we ran over to Nordys and I remembered that I had a gift card in the diaper bag, so PERFECT we'll just go to the cafe to get dinner right? NO, they were CLOSED! Seriously, tears were so close to my eyes with frustration (I'm a crier!) How could this night get worse? Well I forgot that when I got home and was trying to get the kids stripped for a bath that Sammy had wet the bed at nap time and I needed to wash her stuff and put new sheets on! Crying baby, new sheet, baths, Travis' dinner...seriously???? So I then was anticipating Sammy's meltdown since she would NOT be able to sleep with her blanket that night because it had pee on it...but surprisingly she did fine!

So 9:30, both kids down...some quiet Photoshop time! What a day/night! I was so grateful for Saturday and Sunday so that Joe was home to help! Here are the pics, they didnt' turn out too, too bad!