Yesterday afternoon, I dressed everyone and the kids were SO HAPPY with their new clothes. Eloise danced around and Vaughn couldn't believe his good fortune to get a new 'chapeau' (hat, in French, the kid LOVES hats). We gave everyone a graham cracker (fan favorite over here) and loaded up the car. The weather was perfect for an outdoor shoot in February- just warm enough that you didn't have to wear a jacket- and the sun was just setting oh-so perfectly. The kids were in high spirits and I just knew this was going to go down exactly as I dreamed.
Until we arrived at the shoot location and got out of the car....Immediately, I could see that Eloise was about to shut down. I hoped it was a mini-session, but I should have known better. She, for no reason, either didn't like the photographer or didn't like what was about to go down. She clung to me in that, "I'm going to DIE if you leave my side" kind of way that she does and again, I knew. But we had to persevere and hope beyond hope that she would decide this was going to be a blast. We began walking hiking towards the place where we would begin and I, of course, wore the most inappropriate shoes for the occasion of hiking miles of fields while carrying a 2 1/2 year old. It took me twice as long to get to the spot (believe me, as a photographer, I understand, the spot) and when we got there the photographer had her perfect vision for how it would go down and Eloise was NOT about to comply. In fact, she would not comply with any of the following photo positions: sitting, standing, laying, holding anyone's hand, smiling. Vaughn, on the other hand, just won the photographer right over and subsequently had a hundred shots taken of him while I was trying to settle Eloise. Maybe "settle" isn't a fair word. Bribe, beg or plead for mercy might be more appropriate. I think we managed to get at least a few shots of her NOT crying, but we didn't get any with that award- winning smile. Luckily the photographer didn't give up and asked us to hike 16 more miles to another great location. In my boots, I again carried a 2 1/2 year old and prayed to the God I serve that we could turn this ship around. When we got to the next location, we managed to strike a deal with her- one graham cracker for some smiles. In good faith, the graham cracker was handed over and the begging began. Smiles!! Keeping her part of the deal, Eloise smiled for an entire 40 seconds or so. I hope the photographer understood the importance of this moment, because it was the only one we would have.
If my memory, which is already trying to save itself by erasing the time, serves, then we walked to one more place. We had a sign that our lovely friends made for us and brought to the airport that said "Welcome Home!" It was created by their 4 adopted African kids and I thought it would be so great to have a photo of the kids holding the sign. So I said to myself, I know she is going to cry, but this is how it is, so lets just capture it. We posed Vaughn with the sign and then I quickly took her out of the kangaroo pouch I apparently have, and set her down next to Vaughn and the sign. Bawling, instant and high volume, bawling ensued. I just laughed because that is exactly how it was and now we have the image forever. Deciding that not enough damage had been done, I said, "let me get a few photos with just Vaughn, and Andy, you hold our distraught daughter who only likes you 25% of the time and especially dislikes you when she is upset". Hand over screaming child to more screams, and smile and pose with my sweet son. As we finish the 30 seconds it took to take the photos, Andy says, "she just peed on me." I ended that sentence with a period because there was no exclamation in that sentence when he said it, as there would have been with me, and in fact was with me when earlier in the week Eloise peed on the couch. My response to sweet Andy was, "oh she peed on the blanket" because that is where I saw a blotch of urine. This was before I saw the urine all over my husbands outfit (luckily, not newly purchased- see above). This was our official cue that the shoot was over. But the fun wasn't....
Deciding that as painful as my shoes were my daughter was obviously stressed and couldn't bear anymore, I figured I would carry her back- UP the hill to the car. As we began stumbling back, I hit the one patch of snow in a miles radius and promptly dropped Eloise on her back in the snow. She quietly whispered, "Mama, why did you drop me? Now I am cold". No, she didn't, she screamed. Like crazy. And cried. And cried. I decided to end being a martyr for the child and handed her over to my urine sodden husband and walked back hoping to console the photographer and encourage her tonever adopt. She didn't seem too phased, but something tells me she won't be calling us asking for us to model for her anytime soon. In fact, I'm not sure we will ever hear from her again. We may have to pay the next photographer....
The way home was filled with a happy Vaughn and a crying Eloise who, once I got her out of her clothes and put her warm pajamas on promptly fell sound asleep. We're all fine now and I can't wait until you see the photos! :)
P.S. Please note, that although I did not specifically mention it and you may not be able to tell from my tone, the photographer was wonderful and kind and professional as could be and is to not receive ANY fault for the disaster of this shoot. Additionally, she will receive full credit for any wonderful images of our children.
If my memory, which is already trying to save itself by erasing the time, serves, then we walked to one more place. We had a sign that our lovely friends made for us and brought to the airport that said "Welcome Home!" It was created by their 4 adopted African kids and I thought it would be so great to have a photo of the kids holding the sign. So I said to myself, I know she is going to cry, but this is how it is, so lets just capture it. We posed Vaughn with the sign and then I quickly took her out of the kangaroo pouch I apparently have, and set her down next to Vaughn and the sign. Bawling, instant and high volume, bawling ensued. I just laughed because that is exactly how it was and now we have the image forever. Deciding that not enough damage had been done, I said, "let me get a few photos with just Vaughn, and Andy, you hold our distraught daughter who only likes you 25% of the time and especially dislikes you when she is upset". Hand over screaming child to more screams, and smile and pose with my sweet son. As we finish the 30 seconds it took to take the photos, Andy says, "she just peed on me." I ended that sentence with a period because there was no exclamation in that sentence when he said it, as there would have been with me, and in fact was with me when earlier in the week Eloise peed on the couch. My response to sweet Andy was, "oh she peed on the blanket" because that is where I saw a blotch of urine. This was before I saw the urine all over my husbands outfit (luckily, not newly purchased- see above). This was our official cue that the shoot was over. But the fun wasn't....
Deciding that as painful as my shoes were my daughter was obviously stressed and couldn't bear anymore, I figured I would carry her back- UP the hill to the car. As we began stumbling back, I hit the one patch of snow in a miles radius and promptly dropped Eloise on her back in the snow. She quietly whispered, "Mama, why did you drop me? Now I am cold". No, she didn't, she screamed. Like crazy. And cried. And cried. I decided to end being a martyr for the child and handed her over to my urine sodden husband and walked back hoping to console the photographer and encourage her to
The way home was filled with a happy Vaughn and a crying Eloise who, once I got her out of her clothes and put her warm pajamas on promptly fell sound asleep. We're all fine now and I can't wait until you see the photos! :)
P.S. Please note, that although I did not specifically mention it and you may not be able to tell from my tone, the photographer was wonderful and kind and professional as could be and is to not receive ANY fault for the disaster of this shoot. Additionally, she will receive full credit for any wonderful images of our children.
1 comment:
Disappointment is a bitter pill.
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