played like a fiddle

She's been setting up her own photo shoots again . . . and has to show off the final portraits on the back of the camera. I handed her my old film camera one time to let her see it and she said, "But where does the picture show up? There's no screen!"

So my usually "cute and completely cooperative for pictures" daughter worked me over this morning. It's picture day at preschool and since I just did her 3 1/2 portraits for the family we decided to just order a small package for her scrapbook and the class picture. I told her last week and again this week that picture day was coming so it wasn't like it was a surprise. Then yesterday she started talking a bunch about how she didn't want to get her picture taken, then "well, maybe only 2 pictures", then this morning it was "I don't feel good, I don't want to have my picture done today" and "okay I'll go but I won't smile all the way, just a little". Obviously she was really consumed with the whole picture thing but I have no idea why.

We got her all ready this morning and I took her in and Ms. Debbie said I could stay and go with her for the portrait. We went back to see the set-up and it was really cute . . . I'll bid the gig for next year . . . didn't know about it until the night they had to pick the photographer for this year so the board said I could put in on it for next year instead . . . and Gennie was the 3rd kid there. We walked over to the set and talked with the lady and GENNIE FREAKED OUT!!! Completely! Crying and carrying on and clinging to my leg and everything! I talked to the lady and told her I am a photographer here in town and that she's used to seeing all the stuff so she let us check out her camera and the lights and everything. Still didn't make a difference . . . Gennie kept crying. So we let a few other kids go before us while I got her settled down, then it was our turn again. The lady let me sit beside her to see if that would help, and she held my hand but REFUSED to smile AT ALL. The lady had also offered to let me take the picture but that didn't work the first time she suggested it. So I told her just to take whatever she could get, even if Gennie didn't smile, because that's who she is today and we'd at least have something for this year. Then the lady asked again if she wanted me to push the button and Gennie finally said yes. So I went over and got behind the camera. Gennie sat right up and smiled her beautiful portrait smile and laughed and giggled and mugged for the camera. I took a couple since that's what the lady had been doing for each kid, just in case. Then she jumped right down and said, "Come on, Mommy, it's time to go in to play with the kids!" And she ran in and joined the rest of the class. I had to go get her for a good-bye hug . . . we're not going to repeat that catastrophe again, me leaving without a hug . . . and she took off to go do crafts with the kids. Rahhhhhhhh!

She just wanted me to take the picture. She played me like a fiddle with all the tears and baloney. I can't believe it! What a little turkey!!! I'm going to write a thank-you note to the picture lady for her patience and understanding . . . I've had clients like that and you just have to work with them anyway.