The Twins' 2 Year Portraits

A few weeks back I posted about my negative experiences at the portrait studio. I am sorry to say that against my instincts, last month I took the babies to have theirs done. There is only one studio within driving distance (starts with 'S' and rhymes with 'beers', which is what I needed after it was over), so my choices were limited. And the results were predictable:

* the same miserable woman was working there (and she was still miserable)
* they made me wait an interminable amount of time
* they wouldn't honor the coupon for both babies
* the pricing tiers were so high that I could only afford portraits for us and the grandparents. Couldn't even afford wallet sizes.

I was concerned with getting inferior results at home, but I just don't care anymore. I'm going to do it at home from now on. It wasn't like she could get them to smile, anyway.

Noelle (refused to smile at all - this feeble half-grin was all she would give us)

Natalie (couldn't wait for her turn, and smiled enough for both of them)

Police lineup practice

How on earth do they stay in business??? They prey upon overly-sentimental parents who just can't bear to part with any image of their precious child. I know, because I used to be one of them. I had many experiences of "Awww, look at her face in this one...and ooooh, I just love this one, and awww, we HAVE to get this one...Let's get the 164 photo package. And all the proofs. And don't forget the keychains. And the photo cd!"

Then time after time we were left with envelopes filled with enough leftover pictures to wallpaper our bathroom. 164 pictures? I don't even have that many friends and family.

Am I the only one this happens to?