Picture Taking Nightmare

So Alexa turned two at the end of September and I hadn't gotten her 2-year pictures taken yet. I know that's a ridiculous thing to have stress you out . . . but none-the-less it's been nagging at me in the back of my mind. I'm usually "Johnny on the spot" when it comes to getting things like that done. Anyhoo with Lindsy's wedding and Halloween and everything else consuming my time I've let it slip.

I knew getting her pictures done would be a trial. Maybe that's the real reason I've put it off. I ususally like to go to JCPennys to get their pictures done - that's where I've always done them in the past - but I remembered that at Alexa's one-year photo op she had a hard time there because the room is dark and I think the lights scared her. So we're in Walmart (one of my thousand trips there - living so close to Walmart is a curse . . . they get all my money!) and I decided it might be a good place to do it because #1 we're frequent WalMart visitors and she knows the store and #2 the room isn't dark and scary looking. So I book an appointment for first thing today.

Of course our morning is chaotic and everything goes wrong so we show up late (another bonus for going to WalMart - it's ok to be late - at JCPennys they'd bump you off the list). So we go in and she immediately FREAKS out. Crying, closing her eyes, just totally uncooperative. We tried for over 30 minutes to get even ONE shot to no avail - even with me holding her she refused to let go of my neck. I was SOOOO MAD at her. I was gritting my teeth, trying to bribe her with candy afterwards, everything. She didn't care. Needless to say she won the battle and we left WalMart with no pictures taken. I'm still so mad! Dell thought it was funny when I called to vent. I think maybe next time he should take her and then we'll see who's laughing!!!!

So we get home and I took some of her here. I guess having a lame textured wall as a background is going to have to do because that's all I can do and when she's older and asks me why her 2-year old picture is a lame one I'll let her read this and see that it was all her fault! :) Oh the joys of motherhood!!

What's your vote?? Which one should I blow up to be an 8x10 for display??