The Beau Sheau: April 2010

It's Easter and Beau is turning four months old...picture time! First of all, let me state for the record that I know I messed up. I didn't realize that you should book these things months ahead. Nor did I take into account that my precious son might detest having professional pictures taken. I also did not use common sense and realize it would take more than a day to get said photos back. So all in all we have the makings of a typical Manderson Household SNAFU.

Easter outfit- heretofore know as Little Lord Fontleroy outfit following this conversation:

Me: When are we going shopping for Beau's Easter outfit?

Evan: Whaaaa?

Me: You know...something for his pictures and all that.

Evan: Why? Can't he just wear his little sweater vest?

Me (rolling eyes): No, he needs something special.

Evan: So you mean you're going to dress him up like Little Lord Fontleroy?

Me: Bahahahahaha? Who?

Evan: You know one of those frilly numbers...

Me: Yep, that's what we're doing.

FYI, his Little Lord Fontleroy outfit is NOT frilly, but it does have the cutest Easter bunny with a pom-pom tail.

Fast forward to the part where the photographer that I wanted was booked so we have to go to Olan Mills (ever seen the Olan Mills Awesomeness emails?). I told Evan to make the appointment. I was specific that I wanted us to go to the MAIN Olan Mills studio and not one slung up in a K-Mart somewhere. Evan said, "Done". Guess where we ended up?

So, I ran into K-Mart, shoved past all the 9 million kiddos waiting in their Easter best and pleaded with the photographer to reschedule us at the correct studio. She was grateful to do it...so polite, her exact words were, "That's fine with me 'cause I don't have time to take them anyway if he has a clothing change or if it's more than just him." Pleasant I tell you...didn't want to punch her in the neck AT ALL. So she made the phone call and booked us at the MAIN Olan Mills studio for that same afternoon.

We blazed a trail over there only to find the studio locked up tight. Can anyone out there picture my face by this time? Especially since Little Lord Fontleroy was dressed so cute and has been smiling and giggling this whole time. Not to mention that I had taken the time to weigh the car down with about a million stuffed rabbits, chicks, ducks, plastic eggs, an Easter basket, and whatnot.

Evan finally got the photographer to open the door and we didn't even make a production of her boyfriend/repairman leaving ("whatever girl, we have a short window here so let's get to snappin'"). The first thing we told her was, "Whatever you do, don't lay him down.". So the first eight snaps were great until she forgot what we said. Truly it wasn't all her fault. It was coming...we all saw it in his eyes...he had warned us. He was truly sorry about having to melt down...we think. So we did the only thing we could...reschedule for Saturday.

Saturday:
The same girl came armed with help this time (smart girl). Things went pretty smoothly except the part where I couldn't remember that I was having my photo taken and therefore should open my eyes. Even Beau sighed and rolled his eyes after awhile. The shoot ended when once again...drum roll please...they laid him down...ba-da-bum-ching!

This led me to start thinking (dangerous, I know) if we had a camera that could hold more than 50 pictures at a time, then maybe I could get some good pics. The only decent pics we get are ones that Evan takes. It would be great if I could take a picture that you didn't have to squint to see because it is so dark/out of focus or say "OMG" because the person looks like a ghost because I used the flash inappropriately. So off we went to Best Buy to look for a new camera because obviously that's the problem...not me at all. There it was- the Rebel XSi with a big 'ole lens and tons of buttons and functions that would take me years to learn(uhmmm-hmmm, Evan was giving me that look too). The salesman showed me how to aim and shoot and I was in love. But we walked away. We went home researched it on the Internet, I day-dreamed about becoming the next Anne Geddes, talked about it some more, and we were back in Best Buy the next week.

Evan and I walked out of Best Buy, baby boy and bag in hand, slack-mouthed and wide-eyed. Our checkbook had just been raped by the salesman. He was good, real good. Evan told the salespeople as we left that "That man deserves a raise." He did because the whole time we were in there every time he said, "You'll need..." we just nodded "yes", giggled and smiled right along with Beau.

I have now started teaching myself all about aperture and the different settings so that I can start making this camera worth every dime. Yes, I realize I've got a long road ahead and possibly a class. Anyway here are some photos: