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I am sending my son off for his first school pictures today and I know this sounds crazy guys, but I am giving myself MAD PROPS for not micromanaging this occasion!

Perhaps it was because I never got the school pictures I wanted when I was a kid. I’m sorry mom, I just didn’t. Perhaps it’s because there are somewhere around 160 background choices. Hello, overwhelming. It might even be because I live in constant fear of him being “that kid.” “That kid” whose mommy packs his snack milk because it is cheaper than buying from the school. “That kid” who has the boring blue background for school pictures, when he is clearly rainbow-tie-die-psychedelic-rock kid.

So I brought up the background issue. I could have just chosen, but I wanted him to have at least a voice in the matter. This usually gets me into trouble. So, he chose a multi-colored tie-die with a standing up pose. Which is way too non-traditional for me. I’m thinking seated pose, blue background, messy hair, cheesy kindergarten smile. Hello, I am my mother. And here is a super awesome scan of all of my school pictures. You're welcome.

But then my world was rocked by a little flyer that came home offering a new online way to order and pay. And there are more background options! And for once in our five years together, with absolutely no hysteria, we found a good happy medium with a less offensive tie-die background and him seated. Non-issue totally resolved!

Did you know that in addition to the approximately 160 backgrounds there are other options you can pay way too much for? These include having your child’s name and grade embossed on the photo and photo retouching. RETOUCHING?! I think having my 5-year olds picture re-touched would make me the awesomest mom, and best of all, it would be an excellent lesson for him.

If I had known how much I could have been missing from the school picture experience, I wouldn’t have been NEARLY as pissed at my parents (mom) as I always was over school pictures. Sorry again, mom.

When I was in school I was seriously concerned about background choices and how many wallets I was going to get so I could give them away to friends and non-friends alike. I am SO GLAD I had no idea how bad I really looked with that stupid plain blue background and NO RETOUCHING!