The Naughty List

From the looks of this picture, you might think you know who I'm talking about here when I refer to the 'naughty list', but you're wrong...

It's not Little Blue Eyes on the right there, having a total melt down. And it's not Peaches there on the left being an amazingly good sport despite the screaming in her ear and her mom pointing a camera at her and her dad doing crazy noises and dancing in the background trying to make everybody smile. (For one brief moment, insanity descended on our peaceful lifestyle. Yeah. ONE... BRIEF... MOMENT. Otherwise that never happens. We usually have it all under control, all the time. Seriously.)

The ones who probably should be on the naughty list for this fiasco are moi (me, in French) and mi amore (my wonderful husband, or my love, in French. I'm so cultured.)

See, we just should not have embarked upon this mission to take Christmas pictures at 8:30 p.m. Since that's Little Blue Eyes' bedtime, it just wasn't our best laid plan. Luckily we did get in one somewhat acceptable shot that we were able to use on our cards...

I know, I know... It's a little blurry. Peaches' dress is riding up. Little Blue Eyes looks a little disheveled. But here's the thing: When you have two kids, 2 and under, when they're BOTH smiling at the camera at the same time (especially at 8:30 p.m.) and when they're holding hands (my heart is melting even as I type), it's considered a triumph. Undoubtedly. A complete and utter triumph.

Thankfully we got that one good shot. But shame, shame, shame on us for pushing Little Blue Eyes to the limit, resulting in this...

Bestill my beating heart. Those are real tears.

Now Miss Peaches, on the other hand, she fared just fine...

"Hee, hee... My brother's in trouble and I'm not. That's right, I'm the good child."

I just know that's what she was thinking.