Picture Day

Today was picture day. Abby and Maya had an appointment at 9 this morning. Lyn had bought the girl matching outfits as a gift. Nothing too cutesy, just pink shirts and jeans. I thought it would be nice for them to have their pictures taken in. Yesterday I tried the clothes on both of them to make sure they fit. Abby's were just about right. She's still so small around the waist, but these jeans had an adjustable waist justlike maternity pants. I can't believe nobody had tought of this before. They were perfect for Abby, who needs the length of the bigger size, but is too small around the middle to actually keep them up. Now Maya's pants weren't adjustable and they were a tad too large. I turn up a cuff that was over an inch wide, but she still ooked so damn cute, not to mention stylish, that I let her wear them anyway.

As soon as Abby heard the fitting session yesterday was in preparation of the portrait appointment, she just refused to go. No way was she getting her picture taken. She already had her picture taken. Baby Maya could go by herself. She was not going. Now Abby does this for every picture appointment. She says all this, but when we get to WalMart she turns into a mini Cindy Crawford. Posing for the camera, tossing her hair, smiling impishly, asking if they have a wind machine and making sure they shoot her from the left, that's her good side. The first couple they shot of the girls together and then Maya on her own. Don't think, Abby didn't try to weasel her way into Maya's pictures. The photographer would be setting up the shot and here comes Abby "stealthly" climbing up on to the platform. Like nobody was going to notice her. At one point Maya started fussing and when I scooped her up Abby was stretched out across the platform and ready for her close up in two seconds flat.

The pictures of course were beyond adorable. Mike and I agreed to get just the advertised $8.95 package, but of course we were sucked in for more. We did buy considerably less than usual, but still more than we had planned. I can't wait to get them back.

Abby's going through a stage where she won't talk to people she doesn't know. To get around this, she will ask Mike or I to relay a message to the person. Like tonight we were visiting Robin, Tim and the girls and their neighbour came over to meet Maya. On her way out she told Abby that she was cute. So while this lady stood next to her, Abby looked at me and said, "Can you tell her I'm not cute, I'm pretty?" This actually also applies if she's angry or annoyed. More often than not it's directed at Mike. She gets me to pass along a lot of messages to her Daddy. He exasperates her. On our way home Mike and I were chatting when Abby said to me, "Can you tell my Daddy to stop talking I'm trying to sleep." If you don't relay the message in a timely fashion she's forced to stare at the person she doesn't want to talk directly too and say "Tell her/him," repeatedly until you do her bidding.

Abby did some more painting today. Painting a picture, on canvas, of a rainbow. I've got to tell you it's the brownest rainbow I have ever seen. I'm no expert, but most reinbows I've seen have several different colours layered through it. This one was just a mess of brown. She also shied away from the traditional arch and went more with a shapeless blob. Then she turned into a little art factory cranking out painting after painting of her baby sister. They all look alike.... ovalish head and three smacks of the brush to indicate eyes and a nose. She was averaging about 4.5 seconds per painting, you know really exploring the creative process. Looks like I'm going to need more construction paper.