photobooth friday

sort of a bust, that last day we were all together. they were scheduled to leave the following morning and that monday needed to be more than just fun-- it needed to be something we'd always remember. but it was grey and windy, coolish and not at all like july. I'd been talking about the wading pool down at jamison square park like it was the promised land or something and that was what we were supposed to do that afternoon. and then maybe get ice cream and walk around downtown and talk about how perfect our last day together was turning out to be. of course, that's not at all what happened. as we made the short drive downtown to the park, the sky grew dark-- an angry, ominous sort of dark. and then all of the sudden, it started to blow and looked as if it might storm. well, that is just not happy wading pool weather. we drove right past that wading pool and the girls looked out the window with tears in their eyes. I could tell they wanted to cry. I did too. I love that stinking wading pool.

okay, so onto plan B. only I didn't really have a plan B. I just knew that it had to be something super fun, something really memorable. I called ward at work and blamed him for the horrible weather (right? because that seems fair) and then demanded he give me directions to finnegan's toys. five minutes later, we were parked and ready to brave the Land of Toys. the kids were wild with excitement and the moment we walked through the front door they rolled like marbles in all directions. everything had to be touched and squeezed. or sat on. or thrown. I breathed a sigh of relief but wondered how long we could all hang out in finnegan's before the whole deal turned sour. because sometimes a toy store will do that to a kid-- you know, somebody wants this toy or that one and can't have it, someone doesn't want to leave, someone has a meltdown. sometimes toy stores are just too much. but little toys were selected and purchased and that seemed to be enough to satisfy the crew. our departure was a miraculously smooth one.

on the way out, I spied the photobooth in the window of little finnegan's-- the smaller toy store just around the corner from big finnegan's. I had great plans for that booth, I knew it was there but didn't know if we'd be able to venture into yet another toy store without disastrous results. dare I tempt fate? I pushed for it anyway and dragged everyone inside.

I should say here that the wheels were already a bit wobbly-- which is what we (aka me, ward, nate and kendra) say when the kids are starting to fall apart and it's time to go home before they lose it and the whole thing turns into a big hot mess. the shop was so small and there were so many little toys all around. no one was really listening to anyone, adults were sweating and I'm quite certain there was plenty of whining going on but I pushed for the photobooth anyway because that is what I do. I knew no one felt like getting in but I couldn't help myself. ezra certainly wasn't having it. baby zaine wasn't ripe for photobooth action either and there was just no way all of us were going to be able to squeeze into that old school booth like we'd done in the digital one way back when. so it was to be ava and luxie in the booth. as they squirmed and wiggled and whined, I told them they would thank me for this someday. I promise you, girls. you will thank me for making you do this. I swear.



will you just look at these two? classic cousin love, classic childhood, absolutely beautiful. somehow I always knew it would come to this, that a photobooth would save the day. well, in this case, a toy store and a photobooth but whatever. I know that they'll thank me someday for this, I know it. in fact, I am hoping that we'll be able to make this a yearly tradition. I am envisioning teenage cousins jumping in the booth together years from now and the very thought makes me ridiculously happy. I'll tell you-- I am just a little bit thankful for that stormy weather.

(p.s. thank you, kendra-- for watching the whole gaggle of littles while nate and I got into the booth together and sorry, ward-- for blaming the bad weather on you)



other cutie boothers:

scrumdillydilly
leSophie
acumamakiki
miss jenny frecklewonder
jördis
matt
djbillings
jennifer*clare
vozchica
revivify
pinkydoll
motorcoatdave
ordinary madness