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We have had it UP TO HERE with winter at our house. Officially over the whole lot of it: the snow, the cold, the windchill factor. No thank you.

We've decided we want to go somewhere warm for a little getaway this spring. The thoughts of spending a week on the beach with my two favourite boys is the only thing getting me through this cold snap. We don't know where or when, but there will be sun, sand, boozy beverages (for two of us) and waterproof diapers (for...one of us?)

(PS - if you have any ideas on good, sunny places to travel with a little one, feel free to recommend. We have a couple ideas but are open to suggestions!) 

Before we do too much planning, Peter and I need new passports and Eli needs one as well. Not even the smallest of humans is leaving America's Hat without a passport. And to get a passport, you need a photo. And the Canadian government, who collectively have never had children, requires everyone over the age of SIX MONTHS to be unsmiling and have their mouths closed in their photos.

I'm not sure if you've ever tried to tell a one-year-old to keep his mouth closed but the words do not compute. Maybe our particular one-year-old is just really slow on the uptake. Regardless, we spent about 20 minutes at a Wal-Mart portrait studio on Saturday afternoon, which, coincidentally, is about 20 minutes longer than I EVER want to spend in Wal-Mart EVER EVER EVER IN MY LIFE, with the photographer trying to get Eli to close his mouth for his picture.

Not happening. Camera comes out = kid thinks he's supposed to smile. 14 months of coaxing grins and giggles has taught him well. He would not close his mouth. Straight-up refused. He went from smiling (open mouthed) to struggling (open mouthed).

Parents of babies with passports: what are we doing wrong? We're thinking of bringing a bag of Cheerios or some other small snacks next time to help distract him from smiling. Any other hints?