December 19, 2005
Me me me. Oh, and also me.
I hate having my picture taken. Because I am vain. Vain, vain, vain. Also, if you took 100 pictures of me, I would put good money, and lots of it, on my having my eyes closed in 99 of those pictures. Except usually not entirely closed, more like half closed or three-quarters closed so I look not so much like I blinked but like I am either really stoned or have just been knocked unconscious and am only an instant away from collapsing to the floor in a heap. In addition, those 99 pictures would also feature my hair doing something weird or my mouth being half open or a camera angle specifically designed to make me look like I weigh 40 pounds more than I do. In the one picture where my eyes were open, I would have a massive coffee stain on my shirt and something in my teeth. Also, pictures of me don't look very much like me. You wouldn't think this would be possible, I mean, a photograph is a photograph, right? Only with me, not so much. Now it may be that I have an over-inflated sense of my own attractiveness, but whenever I see a picture of myself my first reaction is that I don't really look like that. (I am noticing the same thing with Mia - pictures of her have only a passing resemblance to actual her.) To sum up, I do not photograph well.
Which is why last night as Chris and I were looking for pictures of Mia to foist off on unsuspecting relatives as Christmas gifts, I was shocked to discover a picture of me from Thanksgiving where 1) my eyes are entirely open, 2) my mouth is closed, 3) other than a small piece in front of my eyes my hair looks ok, and 4) I actually look like pretty much what I look like. So, I thought I would share.
Also, my god but I have a beautiful baby.
Posted by Beth at December 19, 2005 08:54 AMWhat a gorgeous photo! I wish I had one like this with my beautiful baby. This needs to be framed, for sure.
Posted by: JuJuBee at December 19, 2005 09:00 AMThat is a great, great photo. You both are gorgeous.
Posted by: Polichick at December 19, 2005 09:29 AMI know what you mean, I cringe every time I look at pictures of myself.
What a beautiful picture of you and your daughter!
Posted by: Beth in StL at December 19, 2005 09:38 AMawwww two cuties in one shot. What a lucky man Mr. Cactus is.
Posted by: Jeff A at December 19, 2005 09:58 AMGreat picture! You're both fabulous.
Posted by: Julie at December 19, 2005 10:21 AMYou both are beautiful. I love the pic!
Posted by: crystal at December 19, 2005 10:25 AMI don't like pictures of myself either. Mostly because of the airbrush gnomes. See, every time I have a picture taken, the gnomes rush into the camera and airbrush in a double chin. Honestly, I don't have a double chin, it's just the gnomes. Maybe they live in your camera too (airbrushing in closed eyes instead of a double chin, maybe it's a regional thing) and were caught unaware when this picture was taken.
Posted by: Cassandra at December 19, 2005 10:42 AMgorgeous pic!
i have the same issues. my eyes are always half-mast in pictures and it annoys the crap out of my husband to the point where he won't retake the picture to get a nice one...so, we have about 0 pictures of me.
Posted by: ali at December 19, 2005 11:02 AMI have the same problem! I look hideous in pictures. I am usually making the face of a frustrated serial killer.
Honestly though, I have yet to see a bad one of you.
Posted by: shannon at December 19, 2005 11:20 AMThat is a GREAT photo! So beautiful, both of you!
For some reason, people always take pictures of me when I'm chewing something. My cheek is all puffed out with food and my lips are twisted at some freakish angle. It is quite distressing.
Posted by: Eulallia at December 19, 2005 11:30 AMBeautiful - both of you.
Posted by: MoMMY at December 19, 2005 11:37 AMAwww, very pretty.
Here's a little tip for my fellow double-chin makers. When you are actually posing for a photo, tip your chin downward slightly. You can practice finding the right angle while looking in the mirror. It seems counterintuitive, but it works.
Happy Holiday photo taking!
Posted by: Jaycie at December 19, 2005 11:40 AMYou DO have a beautiful baby! She's totally upstaging your hotness.
Posted by: Dawn at December 19, 2005 11:47 AMGorgeous!
Posted by: liz at December 19, 2005 12:56 PMthat's a great picture.
Posted by: Heather B. at December 19, 2005 01:03 PMYou are both absolutely gorgeous, of course. Chris is a very lucky man.
Posted by: Heather at December 19, 2005 01:05 PMGreat picture--but the baby, she is HUGE! Like dwarfing-the-mama huge! Of course, I'm sure it's just a camera trick, but what a huge, beautiful baby and tiny, little, gorgeous mama! :) :P
Posted by: wavybrains at December 19, 2005 01:44 PMThat is a beautiful picture!
Posted by: Kelley at December 19, 2005 01:54 PMThe tip for the double-chin avoiders only works if you don't have a big nose. Of course, when looking at a picture of myself, I look directly at my nose first to assess how gigantic it looks in the picture. Unfortunately, smiling makes it look bigger, and tilting my face down makes it look endless. So I have to keep my chin up. Double chin or big honkin' nose? It's one or the other. If it's both, I burn the picture.
Posted by: Tammi at December 19, 2005 01:55 PMTotally cracking up because that is exactly what happens to me in every single photo!
This picture is excellent! You and Mia are totally, completely, and in all other ways gorgeous!
Posted by: Ms.Q at December 19, 2005 02:08 PMsweetie, you's both purty.
I hear ya on the self pix... I never ever like my pictures. When I smile I close my eyes. When I don't smile I look like "nostrils flared woman".
No hope there.
Happy First Christmas Mia.
Posted by: speckledpup at December 19, 2005 02:30 PMWhat a beautiful pair. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Isabel at December 19, 2005 03:58 PMEvery photo of me seems to emphasize my double chin. That is a great photo of you both! I would definitely frame it.
Posted by: erika at December 19, 2005 04:56 PMAwwwww, she makes my heart melt! I can't believe she's grown! It seems like yesterday Mr. RC spoke about becoming a father.
Posted by: mrsmogul at December 19, 2005 05:50 PMsuch a lovely photo :)
Posted by: Emily at December 19, 2005 05:54 PMsuch a lovely photo :)
Posted by: Emily at December 19, 2005 05:54 PMWhat a beautiful picture! Really! This is one you'll look back at and think, Wow, I look great! I am getting ready because tomorrow is my daughter's 29th birthday. I picked out a picture of her and I taken back then and thought, Wow I look great! See?
Posted by: Maribeth at December 19, 2005 05:55 PMThis picture IS different than any you've shared with us before - I see what you mean. You're beautiful, Beth (not that any other pictures haven't shown your beautifulness!) and yes, you do have the most gorgeous baby.
Posted by: samantha at December 19, 2005 07:30 PMThat's a great picture. She has your eyes.
Posted by: Magnolia Mom at December 19, 2005 07:59 PMYup. You two belong together.
Posted by: angela marie at December 19, 2005 08:15 PMYou're right! You have a gorgeous baby and you're looking quite fantastic yourself. That is a really lovely photo.
Posted by: carrster at December 19, 2005 09:08 PMand she? has some funky hair!
Posted by: Pamalamadingdong at December 19, 2005 10:12 PMYes, it is indeed a flattering picture. You have such beautiful brown eyes...you should get Chris to take closeup shots of your eyes, or take pictures of the upper third of your face.
No I'm not a crazy stalker or anything, I'm just an avid amateur photographer. And when you take pictures, you don't have to pose for or be in nearly as many pictures. I"m usually taking the family photos. LOL.
Posted by: Colleen at December 20, 2005 12:03 AMWow. What a beautiful photo! The two of you look gorgeous. Mia is a beautiful (giant) baby!
Posted by: catbird at December 20, 2005 12:39 AMTWO hot babes in one shot - what are the odds?!? ;)
i hear you on that "ew, that's not what i look like!" thing. thank god for digital, eh? i can keep retaking, and retaking, and retaking until my vain self is satisfied. hmpfh. ;)
Posted by: Sarcomical at December 20, 2005 02:36 AMI hate taking pictures too, but you guys look good!
Posted by: Fraulein N at December 20, 2005 08:58 AMThis is a great photo of you and Mia. She's just so cute!
My photos never match my self image either. I blame my hair. Curly hair doesn't photograph well. Or I could just be delusional.
Posted by: bad penguin at December 20, 2005 10:45 AMAlso, my god but your baby has a beautiful mother!!
Posted by: Amber at December 20, 2005 10:57 AMI know I never look anything like any of the pics we usually take either. That's why I hate having my pic taken! Very cute pic! You look great! Love how you sport the burp rag!
Posted by: Sabrina at December 20, 2005 12:17 PMGorgeous. Both of you.
Posted by: Marilyn at December 20, 2005 12:31 PMCarly Simon, is that you?
Posted by: kat at December 20, 2005 01:27 PMYou are both very beautiful. Mia has good genes. :-)
Posted by: Lisa B at December 20, 2005 03:01 PMyou look like a teenager and her baby-- sooo cute!! hahahhahahaha-- adorable baby too-- so adorable!
Posted by: 2FACED at December 20, 2005 03:36 PMYou are beautiful Beth. And so is Mia. She is getting so big!!!
Posted by: ava at December 20, 2005 07:02 PMBeautiful portrait.
Posted by: Jade at December 21, 2005 10:43 AMDo you and Mia have the same colorist?
Posted by: verucaamish at December 21, 2005 04:00 PMWhat a great picture. You both look wonderful. The relatives will be thrilled. Wishing you and the family a very Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Frank at December 22, 2005 12:26 PMyou guys are both sooo cute ;)
Posted by: lizabetty at December 22, 2005 06:59 PMBeautiful picture! Gorgeous mom & gorgeous daughter :)
Posted by: Sweety at December 23, 2005 05:21 AM
