tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211798007645114536.post4593842398569871582..comments2023-12-15T03:21:15.194-08:00Comments on Farmer John Cheese and Other Joy: Grandma's MantelUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211798007645114536.post-74985546556230980292007-11-08T10:45:00.000-08:002007-11-08T10:45:00.000-08:00Terri...I laughed and cried as I read your post, b...Terri...I laughed and cried as I read your post, because a very similar thing just happened to us last weekend. I got it in my head that this was the year we were going to get a family Christmas portrait done, and it would be just gorgeous, so that we could proudly display it on our wall and put little wallet size portraits in all of our Christmas cards. I even went out and bought special shirts for the guys (matching) and sweaters for Anna and I. I was a bit worried because the photographer we've used ever since Anna was a baby (wonderful woman who was soooo good with Anna and always managed to take gorgeous portraits, even if someone was grumpy) has moved away. So when I called for our appointment I explained my situation- nonverbal special needs daughter and crazy little 12 month old son- and requested their manager or most experienced photographer for our session. "No problem", they told me. I should have known better.<BR/><BR/>Driving there that afternoon, I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Sure enough, the photographer must have been someone they hired off the street the day before. he had absolutely no clue how to engage or entertain the kids, and he was painfully slow at setting us up and taking shots. Needless to say, Anna quickly became upset and started crying and arching and making her "noise", and Shawn just wanted to run around and screamed whenever I tried to hold him. I knew at that point the session was a waste of our time and that my dream portrait was never going to happen that day. But for some reason, they have some stupid "rule" that they are supposed to get 8 shots during each session, so the idiot wanted to keep going. Nope, I said, we are outta here. I cried the whole way home. I still believe that my crazy children were only part of the problem- I think that if we'd had a photographer who was even halfway decent we'd have gotten a shot. Maybe not the gorgeous picture I'd imagined in my head, but at least something I wouldn't have been mortified to display in public. We debated going to another studio and photographer, but neither Mike or I had the energy to go through the whole process again.<BR/><BR/>So, for this year's cards I am making a postcard in MS Publisher with a collage of photos from our year on one side and our christmas letter on the other. It's no family portrait, but it's a lot less stressfull! :-) Maybe we'll try for that mantel shot again next year...we'll see....<BR/><BR/>Anyway, sorry to ramble but I just wanted to send hugs and let you know that you're not alone....kwidder_smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10738511024620278681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211798007645114536.post-59134494509805065132007-10-19T12:53:00.000-07:002007-10-19T12:53:00.000-07:00I hear you. I utterly feel this entire post. All...I hear you. I utterly feel this entire post. All my love, and you can have my floaty, until the next time I need it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05483035848238463465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211798007645114536.post-89097691209077360862007-10-17T19:08:00.000-07:002007-10-17T19:08:00.000-07:00Here's a big hug, Terri!I have had crying bouts ov...Here's a big hug, Terri!<BR/><BR/>I have had crying bouts over Natalie's delay, but I had to remark at how we had such a similar situation as yours...but the troublemaker was Lukas, our typical son. He is 3.5, very verbal, very social, but decided that he wouldn't participate in a family photo for the church directory. His fit sounded similar to Addie's: arching back and screaming and everything!<BR/><BR/>The good thing was that we could take it again the following week, but I was highly disappointed in him...for different reasons than your disappointment, of course.<BR/><BR/>So here's my wish for you: that you can take Addie to a studio and get that school picture taken! We like JC Penney photos. Hopefully a less stressful time will make Addie shine and you will get that picture for grandma's mantel.Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08877022558057731323noreply@blogger.com