A few days ago I had to do something I have been dreading for ages. I have to get my passport updated, and I figured while I was at it I would update Ethan's too and get one for Nicholas. Getting my passport photo done is kinda like buying a bathing suit - something I have to do, and no matter how hard I try or how long it takes, I still look like a sack of shit when it is all said and done. I knew full well what I was getting into, but what a pain in the ass. I looked like a big beefy linebacker with a really bad lid in my photo, but that was nothing compared to the ordeal we had taking the boys pictures.
The boys have to get two passports - one for Canada and one for New Zealand. As luck would have it, the rules are different for both countries, from picture sizes to who can sign off saying they know I am not a whack job and that I am in fact the mother of these two angels. The paperwork I can handle. Hell I work for the government - unfortunately that does not get me any extra favours and I still have to jump through every damned hoop they put out there for the regular folk.
The thing that gets me is all the requirements for passport photos. Many places won't do picutres of kids under three because it is such a hassle (so those places that will take the picutres charge a small fortune for the privlige). The kids can't smile in the pictures (yeah, shove a camera in either of my kids faces and see what happens - an "expressionless look" is NOT what you will get). They also have to keep their mouth closed. I actually had to hold Nicholas' mouth shut and then move my hand as the photo was taken. Of course it didn't help that we were in a photo studio with lots of wires, bright buttons and lights that little hands just couldn't avoid. I sure as hell hope that these pictures don't get rejected. Thank goodness I only have to do this once every five years. If only bathing suit shopping were that infrequent!
No comments:
Post a Comment