What Was I Thinking?

Is it too late to cancel Christmas?  I definitely think I'm cancelling Christmas Cards! 
Tuesday was "Christmas Picture Day".  Well, at least that's what the calendar said.  That morning, our sitter cancelled...she was sick (no guilt, Bec...honest!)  The appointment was set.  I'd already written the note for Zoe to give her teacher saying she wasn't taking the bus.  I had outfits all ready (for the most part).  I was mentally prepared.  And do I need to mention that I'm stubborn?  Yeah.  I'm stubborn.

After Bible Study, Ty, the triplets & I stopped at Children's Place and picked up the random pieces missing to complete everyone's outfits.  When we got home, the babies had their nap and I packed up the car.  By 2:30, T, C, E & A were loaded in the car with picture outfits on.  We swung by school and picked up Zoe (only 5 minutes behind schedule).  Got to the mall with 10 minutes to spare.  Unloaded the stroller...and babies...and kids...and headed to Sears.  2 minutes early!  Tammy (our photographer) brought us to the studio...

That's when it all unravelled.  That's when I realized...I was alone.  That's when it hit me...I'm a moron.  What was I thinking?  Three 15-month olds don't exactly sit still.  Zoe was helpful...mostly.  Ty...well...not so much.  At one point, I had gathered Eli & Cole and sat them in their "spots" only to see Ty laying on his back with Ava laying on her back on top of him...both of them giggling and kicking their feet in the air.  When I asked why he wasn't sitting up, he said, "she pushed me over, I couldn't help it!"  Ummmmmmmmmm...Ty...she weighs 17 pounds!  I would think you could hold her up!

After 45 minutes of pure torture, I decided we'd had enough and I'd look at what we got.  Oh, and let me take this moment to let y'all know...I HAD NO VOICE!  Sometime during my weekend away, my voice decided to go far far away.  Nothing.  No voice.  Five kids.  Have I mentioned I'm a glutten for punishment?

While Tammy prepared the DVD to look at our results, I loaded three babies into their stroller and bribed Zoe to feed them snacks.  I pulled Ty's DS from my bag and forced him to play Super Mario Brothers at the kids table (Hello!?!?!  When has he ever had to be forced to play a video game?  I'm usually riping it from him hands!)  All the while, trying to ignore the (no less than) 15 angry customers whining that they weren't being helped.  Apparently, the portrait studio was a tad short-staffed that day.  There were 2 photographers.  Yup.  Two!

When Tammy finally set me up at the computer to look at pictures, I flipped through them for about 10 minutes and realized the past few hours had been an utter waste of time.  There was a "collage" Tammy made of all five head shots (which was beautiful), but it was $180 and fulfilled none of the purposes of my visit.  There was one group shot that looked promising.  Everyone was facing the camera.  Eli wasn't throwing the decorative ornament.  Cole wasn't roaring.  But Ava was about a foot and a half off to the right.  She looked like a random kid that had wondered into our picture.  For the first time in my mothering life, I walked out of a portrait studio having purchased NOTHING!

Never again.  I've learned my lesson.  I'll never again attempt to bring my children for a picture alone!  Next time, I'm dragging Shane along for the torture!