A shoot. Or two.

I wanted to post this series of photos before things got hectic and I totally forgot.  Last year right before school started, we went to my favorite backdrop for photos - a boat landing/lighthouse off the lake near my house - and took a bunch of photos of the kids.  I realized that I am horrible at shooting my kids because... well... it makes me want to strangle them.  I'm no good at helping them be at ease in front of the camera and I'm REALLY no good at getting them to do what I'd like them to do (but such is life, right?)  All in all, they turned out so cute, I decided to do it again this year in the same spot at the same time of year so I could compare.  Fair warning: there are a lot of photos.

Right now, my two munchkins are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2.  mini likes to be just like her brother... MOST of the time.

This is them in the same spot last year... 4 1/2 and 2 1/2.  

I love the way she looks up to him.  I don't know if he realizes it, but he's pretty much the bees knees in her eyes.

She's a fan of a little smooch here and there.  But I'm pretty sure he's starting to think girls are gross.

It makes me glad I've gotten shots like this of them... like there's photographic evidence that they actually LIKE each other sometimes.  Which is a nice break from all the arguing and screaming at each other - and there is PLENTY of that, unfortunately.


























Apparently, he had a really important secret to share with her here.

And... last year, in the same place:

mini looks like a chubby baby to me!  And it's only been a year!  

THIS YEAR

LAST YEAR

Sometimes, when I look at them now, I still think they are so very little... and then I compare photos like this and I can't understand where the time went...

I think this one might be my favorite.

Though I like this one too.

It seems bizarre to me to have a kid in public school.  Like that makes me OLD now, or something.  But there it is.  He's started kindergarten.

This expression?  Pretty much a standard around here.

I didn't even tell him to pose like this.  I just told him to sit or kneel or something... and suddenly he's all "hey, I'm getting my senior pics done."

Being way too serious, I might add. 

Fortunately, sister was waiting with a joke in her pocket.

And she saves the day!

I suppose a good joke can only go so far, though... because he was at the end of his rope with all these pics.

THEN

NOW

And this cheeky little monkey?  She's begun her illustrious school career in 3K.  

What is she doing here?  Anyone?  Anyone?  My guess is "hair model."

But it could be that she is just a big goof.

Yep.  Big goof it is.

AND THEN.

NOW

This one?  Typical Zoe face.  Like, all the time.

It's hard to tell which of them changed the most... they both look so much older to me.  What do you think?

This last set is my favorite little series.  There's a story here.

They were really done by this point.  And I was kind of too.  But I really wanted some "on the dock" photos.  I told them to sit.  And smile, darn it.

But bug was having none of it.

Zoe attempted to rescue the situation...  but I grabbed Ezra and started tickling him.  He managed some giggles, but I guess I went to far when I told him to smile or I would tickle him till he fell in the water.

"No!" Yelled Zoe.  "I like Ezra!  I will save him!"  At which point, she grabbed at him, and this made everything better, I guess, because he hugged her.   

A REAL, LIVE MOMENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA

 And told her, "I would save you, too, Zoe."

Which leads me to the conclusion that hey.  They really DO love each other.  It's not just when I tell them to hold hands and smile.  They genuinely do have some sibling-type warm fuzzies.

 Thank goodness.

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