Passport

We are going to Cancun in a few weeks with Evan's parents. We're stoked. The excitement is catching, as today Olivia said, "I want to go to Mexico right now!"
Since we're leaving the country, Olivia needs to get a passport. As Evan and I read over the requirements and fees, we realized that we could save $17 if we took a picture of Olivia and brought it to the passport place instead of getting one taken there. Here are the requirements from the official government website:

• In color
• Printed on photo quality paper
• 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
• Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (between 25 and 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
• Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
• Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
• Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
• With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
• Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis:
• Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
• Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
• Headphones, wireless hands-free devices or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
• If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device or similar articles, they may be worn for your photo.
• Dark glasses or non-prescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required)
• Glare on glasses is not acceptable in your photo. Glare can be avoided with a slight downward tilt of the glasses or by removing the glasses or by turning off the camera flash.                                                Wow. As crazy as these directions sound if you were going to, yourself, be the subject, I can assure you getting a two-year-old to comply with these directions is ten times harder. We've just about reached mastery in the area of "smile and say cheese" when she sees a camera so the whole "neutral expression" thing rather than a smile was a challenge. As was a "full-face view directly facing the camera." It took the bribery of an M&M to get her to work with me, but in the end, we came away with a usable photograph that I cropped to the correct size. I just have to share the out-takes. Enjoy.

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  Does this qualify as "eyes open"?

  
  

  

  Not quite neutral mouth, but it's close. 

  

  Do sleepy eyes count?

  
  

  

  "Olivia, don't smile!"

  
  

  

  "Tilt your chin down." 

  

  "No, not that far down. And, Pie, every time you move your head, your hair covers your face. Hold still!"

  
  

  

  "Close your mouth and turn your face toward Mommy. Remember, if you cooperate, you get an M&M!"

  
  

  

  The winner (after being cropped). Don't mess with this kid.

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