A couple weeks ago Alison Tate wrote on The Huffington Post about how, as a mom to four young children, she hates having her picture taken. She’s tired and crumpled, holding onto some baby weight and not feeling very attractive. At a family party, however, her four-year-old son asks if she’ll go into the photo booth with him. She hesitates at first, but then realizes that she wants them to have pictures of her. “I want to be in the picture,” writes Tate, “to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are.”
The post received a huge response. Of course it did. When Tate talked about even avoiding mirrors, I was nodding. Sometimes — especially during those first few months postpartum — it’s easier to just avoid looking in the mirror. There were days I would rather risk going out in public with fizzy hair all askew, cheese sauce on my chin and a wildly overgrown eyebrows than have to look squarely in the mirror and accept what I saw. Store windows became evil, reflective surfaces threatening to expose my ill-fitting pants and heavy mid-section. Cameras? No way.
So when Best Buy asked if they could send me a camera in order to document me spending time with my family, I said yes. Yes, I would take pictures of myself and my children and my husband all together. I’d take pictures of myself, just the way I am, and post them here for all to see. Because Allison Tate is right, the kids don’t care. When they look at me, they see their mom and they know how much I love them. They deserve to have the memory of that love for the rest of their lives.
So, we went to the movies! We went to see a preview of the Scooby Doo caper Music of the Vampire that will be airing on Teletoon this Saturday. It’s a 2011 animated feature in the style of the classic TV shows and I really enjoyed it. Colum and Irene were terrified at times, but I kept reminding them that the monster is always just some guy in a costume on Scooby Doo. Always.
I like to drive. So do all my chins.
I can’t believe the theatre is so empty at 9:30am! Yes, I can.
This makes it look WAY more happening than it really was.
All of us together! With Scooby! This very well might make it onto our holiday cards. If I sent out holiday cards.
Because it’s never too early for popcorn.
Mary kept her dad busy chasing her up and down the side steps throughout the movie. Irene was in snack heaven.
And I must admit, it’s nice not having to be the one behind the camera all the time. We’ll have to do this again.
Do you think you’ll be able to brave the camera lens with your kids this holiday season, moms?
4 replies on “In The Picture”
It’s not even that I mind being in the picture. It’s that I’m the only one who ever thinks to bring the camera or take the phone out and snap a quickie. And who knows how to focus, etc.
There’s that too. That’s a huge factor.
It has NEVER occurred to my husband to pick up the camera and take pictures of us…unless I am in my PJs with a glorious crown of bedhead (think Kramer from Seinfeld). On one hand, I am more than ok with this because of all the things you mention above but on the other I also agree with all the things that you mention above. My kids don’t care about my muffin top…and by the time they are old enough to notice it and make fun of me, I’ll be wishing I was still looking this good. :P I would also like to add another reason to be in lots of pictures…we were kids when my dad died and we have very few photos of him (he was always behind the camera) and only one blurry family photo someone snapped in our living room. Needless to say, I wish there were more pictures to show my kids. So, join me in embracing my chins, belly rolls and back fat and just say, “cheeeeeeese!” :)
Yes, we should all join you. The funny thing is that when I look back at pictures of me immediately postpartum, newborn babe in arms, I don’t even care that I’m caring extra weight and my hair is a mess and my skin is a mess. All I care about is the bliss on my face and the memories pictures like that bring to mind.