Two Boys, Playing in Sand

It had been too long since I'd paparazzi-ed the boys--so I followed them into the backyard to try to catch them maybe looking at the camera, maybe smiling. But probably neither. And certainly none of them together.



Braden thinks he is hilarious when he climbs the ladder up to the little clubhouse.  He's pretty good at climbing--until he starts laughing.  Then he gets a little wobbly and I get terrified and whack my camera on stuff when I try to rescue him.  It's swell.



Finley can not be persuaded to look at the camera.  It's seriously like he can't hear me when the camera is in front of my face.  I don't totally mind, because I adore his blond swoopy hair and his fair skin.  And I love his long eyelashes when he's real focused on his construction work.

I bought the boys matching "vintage" Olympics shirts (they are from the Gap--not real vintage) because Finley loved the Olympics so much.  Unfortunately, he doesn't understand that the Olympic rings are the symbol for the Olympics--he thinks the NBC peacock means the Olympics.  Well played, NBC, well played.



One of my favorite favorite things about this nugget is that he leans.  Maybe his brain is extra heavy--but sometimes when he's playing he just has to rest it on his hand.  And sometimes when I'm reading to him he just has to lean on me a little.  Or if he's tired he'll maybe put his head on my shoulder.  I die.  Finley has been trying to get away from me from the day he was born--I just love that this little guy will snuggle with me for like 5 seconds a day. Treasure.



He won't smile at me, but at least he'll look at the camera.  One point for B-town.



He really couldn't decide if he liked being on the table or not.  He's really into shrieking loudly lately.  The only person who enjoys his shrieks less than me is Finley.



Actually, these almost count as a smile, right?  STINKER.



I told Finley if he let me take a nice picture of him in the wagon he could have a muffin.  This is what I got.  In the first one, he exclaimed. "WHOA! I almost died!" after he got down.  What in the world?  I think that's a line from UP?  That child.



Does Finley look like a 3rd grade bully in that first picture?  He looks so big. And slightly menacing.



Again, two almost smiles.



Sometimes you awkwardly squat and lean and climb to take pictures of your kids--and you get one that makes you smile.  I loved all the pictures I took--but this one takes the cake. For me, at least.  It's what makes me want to keep that boy little forever.

Also, we like that his shirt has Sol's birth year on it.  Vintage!