Passport

Since we will be travelling to Canada this summer to visit with my family, I looked into what we would need as far as paperwork for Thomas. Turns out even an infant only a few months old still needs a passport when flying into Canada. The best part is, the passport is good for 5 years. I'm pretty sure Thomas is going to look quite different in just one year, let alone 5; jokes on you border patrol.

Some highlights of the passport process:

• Trying to get an acceptable passport photo of an infant
• Having to wake said infant from the only deep sleep he had been in all day to get that acceptable photo
• Being told that none of the images would work because even though we had successfully gotten Thomas to look at the camera, both ears were not easily seen
• Almost giving up but finally getting a successful picture 
• Having that successful picture make your baby look like a little piglet
• Waiting forever at the post office despite having an appointment
• Having the lady at the front desk call you a "bad mom" for filling out a section that was apparently not supposed to be filled out (even though the person reviewing it did not think it was a problem and it saved time)
• Having your baby scream at the top of his lungs in a tiny room full of people while you wait for someone to come and review your paperwork 
• Filling out the section about eye color, hair color, and height
• Finally having everything approved only to find out that you have to sit and wait yet again just to pay a $25 processing fee
• Paying a ridiculous amount of money for something that is mandatory

Add this to the list of wonderful times we've had with the government. 

It really wasn't that bad, but it does make you realize why you would like to be a conservative (if I am actually ever allowed to vote :)