Family photo.

How cute is that? We got other pics of Isis without her thumb in her mouth, but this is just so Isis.

And how, you may ask, did they get the baby to stay in that position? They are true geniuses.

We got a number of cute pictures. These are my favorites. I just think they did a great job.

Who knew getting a family photo could be so difficult. There are so many options. People will sell you the photos, the rights to the photos, the copyrights to the photos. Frankly, I want a picture in a frame that goes on the wall.

So, we just went to Kiddie Kandids. They had a slick set-up. For future reference: figure out what you want before you go. We ended up with some package that we probably would not have picked if we had known all of our options ahead of time, but they didn't tell us all of our package options, they just started building a package. Kinda strange.

Also, take two cars. One of you can sit and pick out the frames and packages and the other one can take the kids home. Having the kids there for the after party of picking pictures is really distracting.

Plan what you want. We forgot to get a picture of just the two kids together because we didn't think of it at the time.

One reservation is that you get only so many photos. So, they won't shoot 30 photos of the family that you get to look at at home. Plus, they only give you one photo of each pose. So, if you really liked two of the photos of your kid sitting on the chair, forget it. You have to pick one.

Other than that, I think it was perfect. First, they were fast. The kids didn't have time to get tired and crabby. The baby didn't get hungry. Half an hour for the sitting and we had a few poses of each kid and some of us as a family.

Second, they look really nice. These people are pros. They can make the kids smile and can get them to stay in cute poses for the pictures. Plus, the backgrounds aren't irritating and they aren't trying to be too artsy. I actually really like the photos we got. I couldn't have asked for better.

Third, the price was reasonable. I admit that my research on photo prices was limited to about 15 minutes on the computer this afternoon, but in comparison, the prices were great.

Last, we were able to use our standard method of handling things. We called and then just went. We didn't have to set-up an appointment for another day when the kids might or might not be really crabby, have bruises, be covered in food, or mom or dad might be working late. It was a good time for us, so they did it now. We have photos in hand to show people right now. Plus, we have a disc.

Tomorrow, I'll put the photos up and you can decide for yourselves.

The strangest thing for me is that I don't have more of a story to tell. This is the single thing that tells me these Kiddie Kandids people know what they are doing. We went and had family pictures done and there are no amazing bumbling stories to tell.

I mean, there's the normal stuff for our family. We weren't ready. We had to change the baby out of his jammies at the place. The outfit we wanted on him was in the washer. Then, he spit up all over himself before, during, and after the pictures were taken. But, we expect that. The baby is a spoiled milk fountain and we are chronic messes.

But, that was it. No arguements with anyone. No kids throwing things. No swear words. It was mellow. I barely remember it. If I didn't have the photos, I might not.

I don't know if it is the lack of sleep, the hormones, my age, how busy I am, or just a combination of all of it, but I have become stupid. I used to be intelligent. Absolutely top of my class. Now, I can't think of words like "chair" and where I left my shoes.

For the most part, this has been a minor annoyance. It takes me three times longer to do anything because I have to remember what I am doing first. Then, I have to find whatever I need to do it. But, overall, I have just rolled with it.

But, now, it is a problem.

First, I start a new job on Monday. I really need to be sharp. The new job is challenging and will require me to really be on top of things and put in a lot of effort. Being an idiot is not an option.

But even worse is that I am starting to lose money over my stupidity. And, we're not talking chump change. I forgot completely about a check for $4700. Who on earth does this?!? I forgot that it was sitting there and forgot to put it in the bank. Now, I have an expired check for $4700 sitting here. What's worse? When I called the company about it, the guy on the phone said, "oh, this happens all the time."

Seriously? There are enough people out there stupid enough to forget about almost five thousand dollars that this happens all the time? Who are these people? I am just incredibly stupid. This amount of money is nothing to sneeze at for me. This amount of money is a major life experience for me. Hell, this amount of money is my life for a good amount of time. Now, I feel like a schmo for thinking it is so important. Obviously the rest of the world thinks a few thousand dollars isn't such a big deal. Me? I cried when I saw the check had expired.

I also lost $70. I know what you are thinking at this point: "Don't hand this woman any money!" And, I totally agree.

It wasn't cash, mind you. The $70 was in the form of one of those certificates that you have to use at the store during a certain time frame. Fine. Its still $70. And I had plans for that money. I was so careful with it. I refused to move it an inch for days so I would know right where it was. Then, I decided to move it to someplace to that I wouldn't lose it. Ha! Now, it is gone forever. I can't find it anywhere. I guess the location I picked is incredibly secure.

So, whatever you do, do not trust me with cash.

Mmm...my sister's blankie is so tasty!

Are you lookin' at me? Have you tried this tasty blankie?

Mmmm....mmmm....don't look at me. I can't stop myself.

Now that I'm back at work, let me tell you about a normal night for me. Last night was such a night and this is how it went:

Got the baby to sleep at around 9:30. I had some homework, so I looked at it in a daze for about half an hour, figured I didn't have a clue what I was looking at so got ready for bed. Jeff still had to take out the trash, so I waited in bed until he was done. By the time I got to sleep, it was about 11:00.

Baby wakes up for his feeding at about 3:00. So, at this point, I have had 4 hours of sleep.

I have this dream where the baby just goes back to sleep after his feeding. It's a nice dream. It comes from the fact that he used to do this. Not anymore. I still think he will go back to sleep so often that sometimes, later, when he really is sleeping in his little bed, I think that the cat is him and that I have fallen asleep with him in bed with me and I am smothering him with the blankets. I panic, then realize it is the cat there and go back to sleep.

So, after his feeding, I change his newly poopy diaper and pretend that he is going back to sleep by putting him in his little bed. When he starts to cry a few minutes later, I swear, get him out of bed, swear at him, and begin the process of trying to convert him from play mode to sleep mode.

I finally get him into bed to sleep at 4:30. I now have one hour before my alarm is going to go off. I go to sleep.

A few minutes later, the cat jumps on my head to wake me up and make me let her into the covers. I do. She paws me a little until I put her in a head lock and go back to sleep.

At 5:00, Jeff's alarm goes off at the sound level of a jet airplane. He is sleeping through it, so I poke him and say (in a panicky voice), "Oh my God, turn it off, turn it off, turn it off! I just got that baby back to sleep and if you wake him up with that unholy noise, I will kill you and bury you in the basement."

Jeff muddles around for a minute wondering where all the noise is coming from. When he figures out it is me, he turns off his alarm. His alarm that is set for one purpose only: to wake ME up. Jeff promptly rolls over and goes back to sleep. In fact, he is still asleep. Grr.

At 5:30, I am having a lovely dream about sleeping when my alarm goes off. I get up.

So, for those of you watching at home, that's 4 hours of sleep, 1 1/2 hours of baby time, 15 minutes of sleep, another 10 minutes of sleep, about 25 minutes of sleep. Making a total of just under 5 hours in little bits.

Gee, why am I so tired all the time?

I was in Costco today. As an aside, I just love Costco. Love it!

Going to Costco without my kids was an amazingly liberating experience. I should never do it again. I had time to look at, and buy, any number of things I should not have.

While I was there, I saw this beautiful child. She was maybe 18 months or 2 years. Beautiful, blue eyes, curly dark hair, pink, patent leather shoes. She looked like a child star. Just cute.

So, I told her mom, "your daughter is adorable." At which point, the woman looked at me like I was stalking her, picked up the little girl without saying a word, and zoomed off toward the exit. Are you kidding me? Seriously?

For hell's sake, watch a little less TV, people. When I can't compliment your child without being a baby theif, it is time to get out more. Is this why your child can't walk to school and prevent obesity? Is this why my child is the only one at the park? Have we decided that violent video games are safer than exercise? And why? Because the overwhelmed mother of two little kids is out to get yours?

Lady, I couldn't fit another car seat in my car. I wouldn't want to. I already drive in a wash of blankies, books, loose Cheerios, and toys that sing. I already have two kids that compete with each other for the title of "loudest crier." I already have a nanny because two kids are too much for me. Can't you see what I have in my cart at Costco? For God's sake, would anyone willingly buy this many cheese sticks if they weren't trying to keep their own kids quiet?

So, turn off the TV. All those little girls who have been kidnapped on every major news network for weeks? It is just ONE little girl. And pay attention, because it was her mom that did it.

There is no epidemic of baby stealers out there. There is not a booming business in exhausted moms taking kids. Frankly, if I were going to sell a child on the black market, I would start with mine. But, I do see about once a year some horrible story about some mother hurting her child. So, maybe I should be giving you the evil eye, lady. Or, maybe we can all just take a minute to realize that out of all of us at Costco that day, the statistics show that probably not a single one of us is out to get any of the rest of us in any way and that the one person out there who is a bad guy will make the news for the next three weeks.