Passport Photo

Despite our infrequent international travel record pre-baby, Sarah is working hard to acquire Molly a passport just in case. I can't easily travel across the border with Molly alone, as I am not yet her legal guardian, but you never know when Molly and Sarah may get the yen to jet off to Paris or Osaka or Alice Springs.

Sarah took Molly up to the local photoshop today to have her passport photo taken. A woman was working alone in the shop, and led Sarah and the snoozing-in-a-sling Molly into the photoroom. Now, babies apparently have to follow the same passport photo rules used for adults: you have to be awake, you can't be smiling, and you can't have other people's body parts in your photo. So Molly is taken out of the sling and cooled down a bit in an attempt to wake her from a very solid slumber. Successful, Sarah sets Molly up on the chair, precariously balancing off to the side with one arm behind Molly's back, holding her upright with one hand behind Molly's head. She gets all set up, and then the photographer, who speaks very little English, informs her that Molly is facing the wrong camera. Doggedly, they set up again; Molly is being very good, and they manage to snap a few photos (thank you to everyone for successfully training Molly in the delicate art of withstanding camera flashes). The woman tells Sarah to come back in a few minutes after the photo is developed.

On the way back into the shop, Sarah opens the door for a perplexed-looking mother with a baby in a stroller who is just leaving. Sarah goes up to the till and asks the photo-woman for Molly's photo. The woman looks at her blankly, and says, "You want photo taken?" Sarah says, no, she just had her daughter's photo taken ten minutes ago, and is it developed yet? The woman looks totally confused. Sarah repeats the request, and points at some developed photos on the counter. The woman starts lifting up various passport photos to show to Sarah, and Sarah spots Molly and claims the photo as hers. The woman goes into the back to date stamp the photos. Laughing, another customer who was waiting for her passport photo, explains that the mother with the stroller came in to pick up her baby's photo, and the photo-woman tried to give her Molly's photo. "But my baby is bald!" the mother protested. The photo-woman apparently had no recollection of taking the baby passport photos, and didn't recognize Sarah or the other mother.

Considering the situation (taking a photo of a just-sleeping baby in a difficult position while working with a clerk who is unable to communicate effectively), the photo isn't that bad. It looks like a cross between a mug shot and a Driver's License photo. Sarah says that she is just grateful that the photo will be replaced in a few months.

But perhaps she will take Molly somewhere else for the next photo...