Other than the first day of school, there is no other school morning filled with more motivation to get up early than picture day. Sofia was up and dressed by 6:50am ready for me to do her hair. So with my limited supplies and hair fixing talent, we got both Victoria and Sofia ready and out the door AND on time (because I consider getting to school before the late bell rings, as on time). I have beautiful girls, so really, it doesn't take much.
Today is also Thursday, so I got to go staple homework for Victoria's teacher and take in the refreshing view of all the children around the school, ready to have their faces immortalized. All ready in their own (or their parents') way.
It turns out that just by simple observation you can identify a few categories in what becomes a kaleidoscope of looks.
1. The kids (moms) that picked their outfit the night before, laid it all out with matching accessories and a plan for their hair. Maybe the clothes even got ironed.
This category can be divided into two subcategories:
1.a. The "within reason" category, where the children are prepared and well groomed, but still look like themselves, look within their age group and their clothes still reflects the setting (as in "school").
1.b. The "over the top" category, where the children have had their hair gunked up, twisted, pinned and/or spiked to the death. Some girls wear their fluffy church dresses, maybe even heels (!!!???), and makeup. Oh yeah, by 4th grade makeup is a must, and it becomes thicker as you go up in grades. And what is it with those 6th grade girls who feel like they need to look 18?!!!
2. These kids (moms) forgot about it until the morning of, threw on a clean shirt and did their hair the best they could, brushed their teeth and rubbed off with some spit that pesky milk mustache.
3. Picture day was forgotten altogether.
4. The mom remembered and prepared the child for the picture, but the child might have been better off if she had forgotten about it. Enough said.
This year I consider myself to be a low 1.a. My girls knew what they wanted to wear last night. I would have chosen something else, but I learned a few picture days ago not to pick that battle. One of the shirts had ruffles that had to be ironed but I didn't do it until this morning. The hair was done with just a few spritz of spray gel and hopefully it stayed put until pic time.
There have been times when I have been a 2. And maybe one of my girls, at some point of her short picture day history, has considered me a 4. Oh well.
I hope that the fact that we only purchase a class picture doesn't traumatize the Kenrick girls for life. It seems like kids are supposed to gauge the love of their parents by the amount of school pictures they purchase. Lifetime has told them so. And why is Lifetime the one and only school picture provider? I guess that's a whole other topic.
Anyway, in case I managed to offend someone by some of my categories, here is one of my school pictures. This kind of humiliation should suffice as an apology, right?
I think the day this picture was taken, I was a category 3. Can you tell?
What memories do you have of school picture day?
*disclaimer: my categories list has nothing to do with how expensive or cheap or trendy the clothes are or look. I couldn't care less about that. In fact, both Sofia and Victoria were wearing items from the thrift store.
