The Picture Fiasco

I will begin this by saying...

this got long, and its a rant..and the bottom line is the boys' pictures turned out (some better than others) and do NOT go to JCPenney portrait studio for pleasant customer service. 

During the week of spring break, I thought I'd get the boys' picture taken..I take them to JCPenney's portrait studio for the cheap 3.99/sheet pictures, and its usually decent enough that I call it a win. It used to be even better when my favorite lady was working, who was so nice and knew just how to make them smile. Double win.

Well....my favorite lady doesn't work their anymore. Instead, the new crew includes a new manager, which just so happened to be the one who took our pictures. We arrived approximately 5 minutes late. Another person was finishing up their session/order, and no one else was there. I promptly started getting the rest of Isaac's outfit on (because I have learned not to dress him entirely in the outfit I'm wanting pictures in, as 45 minutes in the car is PLENTY long enough to mess up an outfit!) The lady behind the counter makes some kind of comment (there was a fan blowing by the desk, and I wasn't too focused on her...rather on my squirming 1 year old that I was getting dressed) about "I see we're running a little behind, and it looks like you're not ready yet. Let me know when you are".....and then I stopped listening because she was rattling something off. So after she stopped her nonsense, I said, "Are you talking to me?" (not rude, but truly I thought if she was still talking to me, she could probably come around from behind the desk and talk to me as I was clearly busy)

She says, "You REALLY can't hear me."

So I stop what I'm doing. Stand up, walk over to where she is, and say, "I'm sorry, no I can't. There is a fan blowing in this direction, and I was trying to finish getting him dressed. Is there something you needed me for?"

"Oh, well let me come around here then I GUESS."

She goes on to say about backgrounds, etc, reminding me that I was not on time, and I should tell her when I'm ready. (Nothing like starting off feeling like a major inconvienence).

She had the boys line up, and I know how Isaac works (as most 15 months olds do..you set them down, they're going to take off!). She tells me to put him down..and then says to get his attention and make him smile. So I do...and am doing what I know to do. He's not fussy, but he's not exactly stopping to strike a pose for her either, and she is making no efforts to get his attention. The other boys are doing perfect. She says, "If you must try and steal his attention, at least do so directly behind me so he looks at me and not you." (oh my, I get it, I really do...but that is not what you just told me to do. So I don't say a word, and I move behind her.) Next she says to Noah, "Oh, these glasses, I just can't see his eyes at all, I don't know what to do with this. Does he REALLY need to wear them? Can we just take them off for the pictures?"

I nearly lost it. Are. YOU. SERIOUS...are you serious? You can't be serious.

I simply say, "Yes, he needs those to see. He will not be taking them off."

So she proceeds to have him put his head down so far he looks ridiculous...like he's trying not to have them fall off his face.

FORTUNATELY, at this time Ben arrived. I had told him to meet me here after he finished up a job that he was doing in Wichita, just "in case" I needed help to get them to smile. Well...needless to say nearly all of these pictures below happened after he arrived, he is exceptionally gifted at being a photographer assistant. I am so glad he showed up, as I was one comment away from just saying, never mind lady..I don't think we need these pictures this bad, I'll do them myself.

 Jonah, hands down surprised me the most. He did so good. 

She never did stop about his glasses. It was so irritating.

So the fun didn't stop here. She gave the ridiculously long sales pitch about all the options...and I always just say, I just want a couple prints, nothing else. Finally, we get everything squared away, I pay for it, she circles the date that they will be ready and says, "Oh that's good, they'll be here in time for Easter. You can pick them up after 3 on 3/30." Great...fantastic..I just want the pictures and you can save the SUPER flaky sales pitch voice and rude comments for someone else.

Fast forward. On Good Friday 3/30, we make a trip to Tanganyika for a fun outing. Afterwards, we time it so we can drive to the opposite side of town to pick up these said pictures, as it was after 3 on 3/30. I go up to the counter, and yours truly was working. I say my name, etc....she looks, she looks some more, asks if it could be under another name, etc. Well, lets look to see when they're supposed to be in. I told her, "Well on the receipt you gave you circle 3/30, and made the comment about it being in time for Easter." She does her little computer look up, and prints off something, starts circling the paper and looks at me. "Okay, they're not due to come in until 4/6. Are you sure that's what the receipt says? Yeah, because they're not even supposed to come in until 4/6, I'm not sure why I would've said today." Pause. 

"I don't know why either, but that's what the receipt said."

Of course she asked if I had it with me, and I didn't. 

"Well I tell ya what (in that same flaky, condescending voice), I tell ya what I'll do, I'll give you the digital print release so you can print off the pictures you were wanting for Easter."

So I say, ok and thanks. And before I go, she says, "Yeah, you're going to want to look at that receipt, you'll want to check that date when you get home. But here I circled it for you here so you'll know when to come back."

(My body is internally screaming.) I just turned and left.

Got home....and sure enough that receipt had 3/30 on the top circled and everything, just like I said. 

I went on 4/6 by golly...and my dearest favorite employee wasn't working. Her co-worker was, and although I'm sure she didn't care whatsoever, I said how VERY frustrating it had been. She gave me the 4 'extra' prints that they usually try and charge WAY too much for for free. 

Needless to say, YES I got some cute pictures...but Lord have mercy, I will NOT be going to that JCP (while she is working anyway!!).

Told you it was long.

Forever moment

Today was special.

It was an ordinary day, of sorts. But I think without knowing it, there were several moments I said to myself, "I want to remember this." I realized I didn't take any pictures...but I'm okay with that, as I'm not always sure pictures are the best way to make memories..rather embracing the moment for what they are.

...............................

This morning, I rocked Jonah to sleep (well three times...but that was Noah's doing in being what he thought was hilarious, by bursting in his room with a loud bam on the door with a huge grin on his face followed by loud pitter-patter running back down the hallway with giggles from Noah. I told them to stay out, and I'd be out soon. Back to my nice, sweet moment of rocking. Noah comes to the door, opens it and announces "I did poop." I mouthed to him, "ok, I will change you in a minute, go back out there." To which he replies with the most hilarious, and ridiculous 2 year old way of mouthing words, some form of reply. He went out for a moment, and then started running up and down the hallway, the third run was the finale with the BAM on the door. I quickly laid Jonah down, changed Noah's diaper, and then had some conversations with two nap invaders. Although I was not pleased with the outcome of Noah's actions...he is certainly hard to stay upset with as the way he says things is so funny. "I did do it. Jonah woke UP!!! Jonah is a baby." I'm still unsure if Christian was the mastermind for today's shenanigans. He certainly has been in the past. When I asked him, he said, "no, I did not, and this time I am telling the truth." After a couple more questions about it, knowing his track record, he replied with, "Mama, I just am telling the truth. I read it in the Bible yesterday night with Daddy, and now I recognize that lying is bad. Before I just knew it and my mind didn't listen, but now I recognize I shouldn't do that." Oh my...I was defeated by two of the best, in trying to get some answers. The one..is just too funny in his way of saying anything...the other, a debater pulling the Bible to back his story. Bottom line: Jonah didn't take a nap..and it didn't really matter in the long run. BUT...but for the five whole minutes prior to them interrupting the first attempt to lay him down when he was sweetly laying in my arms and I was rocking him. That moment is originally what I wanted to capture in my mama heart, as a forever moment in time. In truth, the whole thing is probably something I'll wish could be the 'case' in 5 years. 

In the afternoon, we went to Mom and Dad's to go swimming. Ben was already over there, painting the shop. As we pull into the drive we see him painting...no words needed, a forever moment in time. 

Christian, Noah, Mom and I got in the pool. Christian of course, will just help himself to the water with ease. Noah, is more reluctant about it as a rule. He usually hangs out on the step area, or goes in the inflatable pool. Today he wanted me. And although I know he loves me, he is not one to openly show affection unless it involves a baby or small child. But today, he did, and oh that makes my heart happy. My mama heart was overfilled with love. He kept with this wanting 'mama' for most the afternoon. I'm not sure if he just doesn't know how to verbalize he misses me when I'm at work and this is his way...but regardless, this was a forever moment in time.

We ate supper at Water's Edge with Grandpa John. Christian ate like he was a growing man...not quite, but he ate 3 1/2 tacos before saying, I think I'm full now. Noah on the other hand, was not interested in eating, but more interested in going around the table in 'Duck Duck Goose' fashion, and peeking his head around the side of their chair to say their name in the silliest way he could. Oh, he is a goof. And he was cautious at first, getting more and more comfortable with the idea...and then added the grab at Grandpa John's arm when he say, "Grandpa JOHN!!" I love his playful spirit, a forever moment in time.

When we got home, I needed to mow a little to finish off the yard. Christian came outside by himself, while Jonah and Noah were getting baths from Ben. I didn't realize he came out, but as I looked up from mowing I wanted to stop and just watch him as he was swinging on the swing. Some days he seems like such a little boy to me, and other days he's growing up way too fast...but in this moment, I just saw the innocence of my five-year old boy on a warm summer night just enjoying being little. It melts my heart thinking of him big. I know there will be MANY more special moments to come..but I know all too soon, he will outgrow the little boy phase, and I want this to be a forever moment in time.

Christian also helped me in the garden, dig potatoes. I love the conversations, and the desire to be a team as he helps. His reaction when I said, "oooh, we hit the jackpot!" was priceless as he had never heard that before. So as we dug into another area where there were several potatoes to be picked out, he was so pleased to say, "I can't believe we found two potato jackpots!" Not even so much the words as it is the sparkle in his eyes, I love seeing happiness in him. A forever moment in time.

And lastly, as we ended our day. I again fed and rocked Jonah to sleep, one of my very favorite things to do. And it just makes everything feel right, at peace, when I have one of my beautiful sleeping boys in my arms. And just how perfectly snug Jonah wraps against me, my mama heart swells with love. To complete this, Christian gets out of bed 10 minutes after they had all been tucked in, simply to ask if he could have a drink and if I would rock him. I never will turn down this question if I am able to do it. And for Christian to ask...I know there just won't be many more times before he literally will not even fit on my lap (he may be is only 5, but he a tall little guy!) So we rocked, and I held him, and I loved every second..so much. Both very treasured forever moments in time.

So as this is probably a very basic day...

it was a very good day, that held many special moments that I want my heart to hold forever.