School Picture Day

Today is school picture day at Natalie’s school. When I dropped Nat off this morning the hallways were filled with little girls in fancy dresses, their hair in barrettes or pretty ponytails.

And then, there was Nat.

Getting ready for school pictures added some stress to our already ADHD-troubled bedtime routine. As the expert recommend, I set about laying out the clothes Nat would wear the night before. “I’m not wearing a dress!” Nat insisted. So I suggested a blue shirt from Old Navy that I particularly like. But Nat had other ideas.

She pulled out an Iowa State football t-shirt, and announced that she was would be wearing it. I’m all for supporting the Cyclones, but somehow I don’t think that’s what Grandma and Grandpa have in mind for their display of framed 5” x 7”’s of all the grandchildren. “What does Grandma have to do with it?” Nat asked, when I voiced this argument. “One of the pictures is for her,” I said, hoping this would pull a little weight. It didn’t.

I put Nat to bed, resolved to get my way, at any price, in the morning. I thought Natalie was asleep, when I heard, “Mom-eeeeeeeeeeee!”

“What’s wrong,” I asked.

There was that embarrassed half smile that I know means trouble.

“I’m going to look stupid in my picture. I’m an idiot butthole.”

This must be bad, I thought, if Nat’s using the worst words in her bad-word arsenal!

“Harry made me cut my hair.”

What to address first? Harry can’t MAKE you do anything. You need to make your own choices.

Or…When? Where? How?

Or…How bad is the damage, and why didn’t I notice it when I blow dried her hair tonight?

She pointed to the spot. Sure enough, there’s a short, choppy chunk of bangs the width of her left eyebrow. I guess it’s time to lock up all the scissors again.

This morning, I insisted Nat wear the blue shirt, but I let her wear her brown puppy earrings. Her glasses are all crooked, and falling down on her nose. And then, there’s the hair.

The photography company says they can retouch blemishes, but they can’t erase glasses, moles, or fly-away hair. Can they straighten glasses? Can they put back hair that’s missing?

If nothing else, this year’s school picture will show the real Natalie. And she’ll look beautiful—to me.