Parenting trade offs

I was neck deep in finals this weekend when I looked at the clock & realized we had twenty minutes to get to the photographers for her (apparently) annual bunny rabbit pictures.

Since we were all still in our pajamas (at one p.m.) this meant I had to get clothes on 3 people, the Princess' hair up in a bow, her dresses grabbed, her bag ready, all of us out the door & on the road for the 15 minute drive.

Suddenly Hubs decides "Nope, I don't wanna go" as I'm running around like a chicken without head or feathers.

Thankfully he caught the look I shot him & took over getting the kid ready while I threw on my own clothes & got her paraphernalia* ready.

I tried to argue my way into getting him in the car ~
"Rabbits AND a small child - we'll need all the help we can get"
"My back is hurting already, there's no way I can handle her through the dress changes & all the chasing"
"She smiles better for you"
"But you're going to miss seeing her with LIVE baby bunny rabbits"
"JUST GET IN THE CAR!"
"Be a pal & help a girl out!? PLEASE!?"

In the end ~ we went without him. And she didn't get a single outfit change & her hair fell out of her bow. Neither of those facts would have changed had he been there ~ but he could have fallen out laughing with me over her crawling after the bunnies as they hopped away in fear of the toddler, stabbing the bunnies with a carrot, and freaking out over the bunny that tried to eat her hair. She did not appreciate that one!

I'm starting to think he has a physical aversion to being present for her pictures. Out of all the times I've had her photos done (OhGoodLord have I had this kid's pics done!) he's only been along for one setting in which he was not personally involved. And I wanted his pictures done with her that time ~ and she refused to smile at him.

The ONE AND ONLY time in her life that she hasn't smiled at her father.

Go freakin figure.

His defense is that he takes her for her shots & I take her for her photo shoots. Both are viewed as torture sessions to a toddler, and she gets lollipops at the end of each ... so close & yet such very different ideas. I think I'm on the better end of this trade for once!



* "paraphernalia" doesn't look like it's spelled right to me ~ but Blogger assures me that's it. I don't quite believe it though.