Melinda Beth

Tonight I went to Walmart. The portrait studio was gone! That is a big deal, you see, because I came up with this crazy idea when my first baby was born that I would get her picture taken once a month for her first year, every three months the second year, and once a year every year thereafter. It was a fine idea at the time and I remained faithful and diligent for the first two kids. But now that the fourth child is here, it is a little bit more difficult to actually care to take the time to make the appointment and find the time to go alone with her. (I still love you Wendy.) So her six month appointment totally got neglected and I totally failed to live up to my goal. When I saw the former portrait studio turned H & R Block tax center, a part of me was saddened, but a more part of me was delighted to know I no longer had to deal with the stress of dealing with an underpaid, inexperienced photographer trying to get seven good poses of a wobbly infant. I have probably just added seven years to my life by reducing a stress factor. Thank goodness for digital photography. I plan to take the monthly photos at home and at the year mark go to JC Penney. Parenthood requires adaptation.