Before school even started this year, the girls were talking about getting senior pictures done. Gone are the days of just worrying about your hair and outfit on picture day. Used to be…Day happened, girls came home, sort of forgot about it and later they would bring home an order form, 2-3 poses, we chose, we paid, we received we framed.
I was lulled into a false sense of security by our experience with our oldest son His Mother found a photographer. Our son asked us to take him out and get him a couple of outfits, so we did that. Then he asked if he could take his pictures in our yard with our gardens as a backdrop. I was flattered by that. He invited his Mother over, he wore a couple different outfits, did a few poss and one pose with his dog. I’m glad because we lost her shortly after and he had grown up with her. He came home later with a little booklet with all the choices of photos in it, we chose, we paid, we received, we framed. Done. Well if I thought it was going to be the same way with the girls. I had another thing coming.
It started slow…we need to find a photographer for senior pictures. This declaration escalated in frequency until they I am sure campaigned equally hard at their Mother’s house in ear shot of her SO who you know I like to call Marcia. After that, out of the blue one day they said that their Mother had found a photographer and the date was set. It was several weeks away. Good deal. So in the 2-3 weeks before time for pictures, they started the hunt. The right clothes the right jewelry. Lord. Thankfully their Mother and Marcia took them shopping. Two or three trips later….the acquisitions were secure. And thank you Mother and Marcia they seem to have footed the bill thus far.
Up till now we see no real grand differences in the girls experience and their brothers right? Well here’s the kicker. We’re home one night and one of the girls says, do you guys want to come to the photo shoot? Hmm? Get this. Two days, and mind you this their senior year their Mother takes them out of school for this (after one of our daughters has already missed a week due to mono). What the heck happened to a Saturday like their brother? And on location? Some in a studio and some out of town on location. Seriously? I know things have changed since I was in high school. I remember going to a photographer, some inside shots, some outside, two outfits done. Pardon my tone and language, but who in the hell is responsible for raising the bar for the average teenaged girl to this level? Come on. It’s a bit of ridiculous if you ask me. I mean who do we all think we are, anyway? If my daughters were interested in pageants, acting, modeling or stuff like that…ok I could look at this more like a portfolio and go with it. As is, knowing how expensive photographers are now, this to me, would be beyond reason if we just had one girl…but two? So what’s going to happen is that they are going to go through this elaborate process just so they can remain competitive with who they view as their peers, we’ll end up buying way more photos than we use or give away….but hey…they’ll have kept up, right?
So we get to the day before and it’s the whole deal. One of our daughters who wears the French mani pedi thing I hate because I think it looks cheap, says hey Christy look at my toes. She has a French pedi. To me the worst. I said that’s nice, because of course that’s what I’m going to say. She said, it’s for the photo shoot. I asked do you plan to have pictures of your feet taken? She looked at me like I had a tree growing out of my head…I don’t know she said sheepishly. I realized I was killing her buzz, so I think I recovered and said something like…well if they happen to shoot at that angle I guess you’re covered. Sheez. I mean I don’t want to spoil their fun but I think it’s all so over the top. Other daughter starts to talk about getting her hair done the next morning. Should she do an up do, a half do a do do..The night after the first session, she comes home complaining about how much hairspray is in her hair. She also shared that her sister had been a complete diva that day and made the entire experience miserable for all of them. I had to admit that though I felt for their Mom, because I’ve seen this behavior and it isn’t pretty at all….but part of me was thinking oh thank God I got out of this! Then she let slip that she was thinking about having her hair straightened for the next day. Really? Should she get her make up done differently too? OMG.
The next night they come home, weary from their ordeal…apparently our diva was better behaved that second day than she had been the first day, that’s something at least. We’re supposed to go for the viewing tomorrow. I have to work so I’m sitting this out. The girls mother is taking them out of school yet again for this. We’ll all spend way too much money and photogenic little monkeys that they are I’m sure the choices will be really hard. I hate the choosing part so I’m not sorry to miss it.
As I said, things have changed, the bar seems so much higher…..it only happens once though…right?
Lessons learned
I’m glad the girls’ Mom got to have this experience with them. Maybe it makes up for a couple of the dances she missed out on preparing them for. This was exciting for all of them.
I know that as their Mom and Dad sit together tomorrow for the viewing they will be very proud. We have two very lovely daughters and we all want them to feel part of the crowd….get the full high school experience.
Between the “coming out” sweet 16 party they wanted and this….and i’m quite sure they expect a big 18 year bday party and also expect a big graduation party… We’re going to have our hands full keeping one of their feet planted on the ground and affording these expenses..this says nothing about the cars and the college tuitions looming over the horizon.
Please pray for us. Twins are two times everything…..
Christy
Good stepmom
