Our kids grow up so quickly.
It’s not just physically that they change: the things they love, the things they say: what is so a part of everyday life today will soon disappear. It will somehow be so subtle and so quickly at the same time that we won’t remember.
We’ll forget how one child was so in love with Buzz Lightyear or how one used to say “chicken” like it was a cuss word or how one couldn’t possibly sleep without “Hoppy,” who is a Care Bear with bunny ears.
It all changes as they grow.
So, I’m taking a moment for “Memories Caputured,” to show what is important to each of my kids right now. It may be different tomorrow. But for now, I’ll remember what they are like in this moment.
Most of it is sweet… bittersweet as it changes.
And some of it is hard as hell… but they are always changing.
Those are some good lookin’ boys you have there. Love that you’ve captured their personalities at this very moment.
Thanks! They are my cutie pies.
I saw this link up and must do it. Is it bad that I am already getting all mushy and teary eyed just thinking about what I want to write on their picture.
Your boys are so cute and are so perfectly little boyish.
Isn’t is such a good idea? Knew I’d have to do it!
I love how you did your pictures
Thank you!
Oh I LOVE it! I want to do that… what great gifts for grandparents!
That would be a great gift. I really need to get on my Christmas ideas.
I love how you captured your three little loves. Perfect.
They are my little loves.
All 3 of your boys are gorgeous. I love how each one of them is different!
They are so different. They look so much alike, but personality-wise: completely different.
How cute! Love how they all are into something different, so sweet.
Though sometimes, those differences lead to fights about what we’re going to do!
Aw, I love the pictures, adorable boys you’ve got there!
You’re right, they change so quickly. Capturing them this way is just right.
Thank you for linking up with us!
Such a great idea, Alison!
I adore this linkup, and those pictures are adorable!! They are the cutest little boys.
I think they are cute. Little stinkers, but cute.
Oh yes, this.
This love, this little boyhood, and oh my girl- this photography! All stunning!
{I smiled at “Can I get a treat? Hee! So very cute!}
xo
We *may* have him used to getting treats when he’s good. LOL
My kids growing up is mostly bittersweet. Then I have weekends, like this past one, where I can be nothing but proud of how my child has grown.
Sounds like you had a great weekend!
They are all so adorable! Mine is 7 months old, so he mostly likes mashed carrots, Elmo, and the rattling sound my ice makes in my empty Starbucks cup.
Awwww! 7 months old seems like so long ago for my boys. I remember my oldest loved sweet potatoes, cheerios, and his bunny.
Every once and awhile, we pull out the old movie tapes. The girls’ baby voices, their sweet little, pudgy faces move me to big sobbing tears every time. It goes by like the wind. Enjoy those gorgeous boys, they are beautiful.
I really need to get better at making videos of my boys.
So stinking sweet. This is a great idea.
I knew I wanted to join in when I saw this!
So sweet! I call my oldest Bear and my youngest Monkey as well!
It’s like my own little zoo.
I so want a do over to go back and capture so many things that i missed.
This is just beautiful! lovely Shell, just lovely …
I need to try to take more pics… I know time passes so quickly.
They grow faster then we want them to. Your kids are adorable hun..
It feels like time is flying. I swear I was just waddling around pregnant with my oldest… and he turns 7 this week.
Awww love this! This is a great way to remember what they loved at certain ages!
They change so quickly. It’s easy to forget all the little things.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Peanut Butter Jelly time is your favorite things here. By far. That song is awesome and never gets old.
Right?
Oh, never.
Especially not when it’s played at full volume and my boys scream along with it.
Those boys are just so adorable, Shell. Those little things are just so hard to remember later, but in the moment you don’t know how you would ever be able to forget it. Then you do. I really to video my kids more.
I was thinking that, too. I’m awful at videoing, unless it’s something like a school program.
Paige says “chicken” like it is a cuss word too! How funny! I really need to take more pictures.
I wonder where they got it from? It drives me insane. Though it’s better than my middle son who is now saying “What the hell?” all the time.
They are so cute! It’s crazy how fast they can change. I love watching mine grow and change but, yes, it is bittersweet.
I want to freeze time sometimes.
I love that each boy has their own picture! It was great to read about each of them.
They all have their own personalities!
Love this! So, so true. Love your tribute to the NOW and what life is for them at this age. These would be wonderful framed!
I need to get better at printing/hanging pics. Most of my pics just live in my computer.
Great photos Shell!
Since those memories escape our memories so fast, I started writing birthday letters to my kids each year. Highlighting those special moments, things they like (at the time) and, quotes and phrases.
My kids LOVE looking at back and laugh as they try to remember why they loved ‘Barney’ when they were two or, when ‘beaches’ was a bad word. LoL
It’s a great way to recapture time.
Love the idea of the birthday letters!
I just love this idea! the pics are great ( I have many “tongue out” ones myself – I wish I could say it was just the boy, argh!) You want a piece of me? LOL too cute. I really need to get going and do some of these in my scrapbooking program.
It’s hard to find a pic of my two youngest boys where they aren’t sticking their tongues out. They do get that from me, so I guess I can’t really complain!
It is easy to forget their little quirks over time. Sometimes Bree does something that reminds me of something she did when she was a baby, and I hafta giggle because I had forgotten about it. Your boys are adorable
It’s just way too hard to remember all the details. Yet, I don’t want to forget any of it.
Oh my gosh Shell! I didn’t realize your boys were that close in age! Geez! You really are SuperWoman! They look so much alike! (Yes, that was a lot of exclamation points)
Oh yes- from oldest to youngest, there is slightly less than 3.5 years. We were insane. They look so much alike- just different sizes. LOL
You have the cutest kids!! They are so good looking! Capturing those favorite things is so important. I agree. It’s so hard to watch them change and grow.
I just want them to be little forever.
So true, Shell. Seeing them grow and change, so bittersweet and at times hard as hell.
Love, love your photos. My heart’s melting. You boys are so stinking adorable, I can’t take it.
Sweet stuff!
Thank you- yes, hard as hell sometimes!
I love this idea!
Your boys are beautiful (in a totally manly way).
My oldest will correct me if I say beautiful. “I’m not beautiful, I’m handsome!” LOL
Oh my God, you’re first paragraph says it all. The things they love and say really are always changing in such subtly shifting ways. Sometimes I’ll think to myself, “I need to write a post about that!” regarding the most mundane thing that my daughter says or does. Because as mundane as it is, I know I’m going to want to remember it. And yet, I know I won’t.
I just wrote a post in which I tried to capture her 2-year-old essence in words, in a way that photos can’t. I didn’t do that last year when she turned one. And I realized that if I tried today, I wouldn’t be able to do it. Because while I remember her in general terms at the age of one, I don’t remember her specific personality quirks at the time – and it was only a year ago.
That makes me a little sad.
It also makes me want to write an essence-capturing letter to her every year on her birthday.
Your post today was absolutely beautiful!
Childhood does go much too quickly. I love how you’ve completely captured the memories of right now!
I feel like time is just going faster and faster.
Omagosh! I’m gonna have to do this. SO cool.
I love the idea that Alison and Galit came up with!
Love the pictures, your boys have such personality and energy! Love it!!
It’s funny how we want them to grow into amazing people, yet stay little and sweet forever.
They are definitely full of personality… or something.
Love love these! Great job with your words they look awesome. And yes, it goes fast
So fast! Thank you!
Such cuties.
Thanks! I think I’ll keep ‘em. Today, anyway.
Love this idea! So cute that your three-year-old is such a tough guy, “You want a piece of me?” but loves Strawberry Shortcake. My three-year-old guy is fond of Strawberry too.
I blame Toy Story for the “piece of me” thing. I forget if it’s Woody or Buzz who says it.
We’re watching Strawberry Shortcake this morning. It’s so cute how much he loves that show. Kinda wish they still had Huckleberry Pie around so that I could get him a Strawberry Shortcake toy w/o Hubs freaking.
Love how you did this and captured the essence of each of your boys so well. Perfect.
Thank you! They definitely each have their own personalities.
It’s always hard as he’ll but I’ve decided that anything that’s worth it is typically hard to do!
So very true!
Awwww, I love it!! What a sweet way to capture exactly how they look right now, along with the things that they love or they enjoy! A couple years ago, I began writing in a notebook for each child, once a month, with the things they liked, quotes they loved to repeat, stuff like that. But I haven’t done it in so long…this reminds me that I really need to get back to it because I’ve forgotten a lot of those things!
That is such wonderful idea! I’m an awful slacker with that sort of thing.
I like what you did with those pictures! That is so cool. And you are right. It changes real subtle. And before you know it you have a teenager who wants to drive your car. *sigh*
PS Your boys are adorable!
I’ll be terrified of my boys as teenagers. They’ll probably be just like my husband.
OMG, they are so cute!!!!
Thank you. Cute little stinkers.
It is all so bittersweet.
And remembering the small milestones is key. I used to smile when my daughter would have to wear every single necklace she owned and wear hair elastics as bracelets. Now she doesn’t, and I miss it.
And it’s like those sorts of things stop and we don’t really even notice at first. Just looking back, we realize they changed.
this just made my heart smile…you’re so right, I have forgotten the “stuff” that made those babies mine so many times…you never when that will all change and you’ll miss it. I’m so glad you have this now to go back to, to remember and remind.
these picutres just made me giggle.
The little details get lost sometimes.
Thanks- the pics had me smiling, too. My little characters.
That’s a great idea! Your boys are so cute.
Sandy
Galit and Alison came up with a great linky!
Great pictures. I love the little notes about each of the boys. Too cute!
Thanks- they are definitely their own people.
I love that you did each child individually. After I did mine I was thinking that this is great thing to do at the end of each year for each kid! They are so cute.
I think it would be a great tradition!
So awesome. I feel like our boys would be fast friends. It’s amazing the they are infatuated with one day that are in fact gone the next. I think you might have just inspired me to be a little better at the capturing of the every day for each of my kids.
Thanks for sharing. It’s fun to see your boy’s photos, names, ages, and likes all together…feels like we know them through your blog!
I bet they would be. My boys, despite driving me insane, love all other kids.
Aw I love it Shell. I’ve been thinking about getting PJ on the computer to play games, but I’m not sure he’ll quite get it yet…he’ll be 3 in March…
Have you tried Fooz Kids? That’s what really helps mine, since they have to stay in the program. My boys LOVE the computer. Just wish Santa could bring them one so I could stop having to share mine!
They change so fast. It breaks my heart. It seems like just yesterday my girls were newborns and now they are in preschool and elementary and every day seems to pass faster than the previous:(
It does seem like yesterday I was holding babies.
They are so handsome. You’re right…everything changes so quickly, we have to capture it every once in a while!
Thank you. It’s funny- the things I think I’ll never forget… change so quickly and I do forget.
This is such a great idea! Your boys are adorable. I love Cub’s ‘you want a piece of me’ haha.
I blame Toy Story for the “piece of me” thing.
I love it!! It is special to be able to look back and remember all the little things in this moment exactly the way they were.
Especially with how quickly it all changes!
That’s a pretty awesome capture of “awesome,” right there.
Thanks- I think so, too. A little biased on the cuteness of my boys.
I love the photos you took AND the really awesome captions! I need an editing program like that!
Photos are all instagram and then I edited with the free version of picnik. So easy!
I may or may not be singing peanut butter jelly time now. Very cool. I love how you captured your boys at this moment in time(they rock, obviously) it’s what I tried to do too. This linky has made me think on how fast these moments do change, it’s crazy! I really hope that I can keep making these every year. I think they’d be awesome to look back on when they are older.
Peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly. Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat…
I still don’t get the baseball bat thing. LOL
You have such a good looking family mama. Love the pic in front of the laptop he he
visiting from “memories captured”
p.s. I just follow you through FB too
My little man loves to steal my laptop and play his games!
Thanks- will be by to visit you, too!
Very nice, Shell!
Thanks- it was a fun post to do.
I’ve got to get this done! I hope my laziness doesn’t get in the way…I need to figure out how..
your boys are adorable…and I’m going to be singing peanut butter jelly time all night now…
Do it.
I’m bossy.
Peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly…
Love those beautiful boys of yours. A moment captured indeed. Blink and its on to the next!
Thank you. Time really does go so quickly. They change so fast.
So sweet! Those boys just keep growing! It’s really not fair.
It’s not fair. They should stay little peanuts.
Oh your words brought tears to my eyes. Yes, they are growing up way too fast. Your kids are beautiful and I love their pictures.
Thank you so much!
Yes, the kids do grow up way too fast. It’s so funny that your son says “chicken’ as a cuss word!
He drives me totally nuts with it. And then I call him on it and he says “What? I’m only saying ‘chicken.’”
I realize just how much I’m already forgetting. This would be a good thing to try to do monthly or at least yearly.
Monthly would be ideal, I think. Just finding the time to do it, though… SIGH.
What a bunch of good looking boys. Handsome little devils. You have your hands full there when they grow up for sure. Memories are so precious. It’s what we have when they’re grown and gone. Changes are great, yet, sometimes we wish they’d stay the same. Bittersweet as you have said. Thanks you for that great post.
Little devils is right.
great idea! i am going to do this!
It’s so fun. I used Picnik to add the words to my pics.
Completely delicious, all three. Love it, Mama!!!
My boys are pretty yummy.
Adorable pictures! I love that you captured them in the moment. And Peanut Butter Jelly Time? Nice song!
That song pretty much makes my ears bleed.
Very cute idea! I love it! And it is so true they change so much every day. I almost have a 10 year old and it’s freaking me out how fast she is changing. Love it and your boys are adorable!
It is crazy how quickly they change.
Very cute! Love the pictures and all the little quotes!
Thanks- I can’t believe how fast my little men are growing up!
I hate how fast kids grow. I still miss my baby even though I love all of the big girl things she can do now that she’s 5.
5 is such a big milestone. They are babies any more.
These are beautiful pictures, Shell. I love them. Your boys are growing like weeds and capturing these moments is perfect and precious.
They really are growing so fast! My oldest and I already get our socks and shirts confused!
What cute growing boys! I think we all need to remember to do this every once in a while to remember how our kids were, captured at specific points in time.
Because they just grow so darn fast. *sniffle*
You have such gorgeous boys!! And I love that you did a photo for each of them so that you WILL remember.
“You want piece of me” is making me laugh….
He uses this deep voice we call his “demon voice” to say it, too. And then he laughs and his dimples show… and we just think he’s cute.
I LOVE these pics with the words on them. Great way to capture the moment. And, of course, it’s always good to remember that the bad moments fly by just as fast as the delightful ones. They just feel slower:)
The feel SO much slower!
Hang on. Hang on. You switched to WordPress. Nice. And how did I never put it together how close in age your boys are!?! Holy mackerel, mama. They are, of course, beautiful. And ‘you want a piece of me?’ CLASSIC.
Yup- just switched last week. Well, Ashley from My Front Porch Swing switched me.
Less than 3.5 years from oldest to youngest. Which is why I want to hurt someone when they ask me if we’re going to try for a girl. Um, no- we’re done.
You have so many comments here, I know mine would simply restate what everyone else has said.
So let me simply tell you of the smile this put on my face this morning.
And how much I wish I had my little Buzz Lightyear back.
XO
Glad I could make you smile!
I love this! I need to get mine together and post it!
Do it.
I’m bossy.
Love these pictures.
“You want a piece of me?”…my toddler recently started saying that too.
Have you been watching Toy Story?
That’s where mine got it from.
No Toy Story. I have no idea where she got it from.
Hmmm.
I just like being able to blame Toy Story. It’s also the cause of my boys saying “I told you kids- stay out of my butt!”
Wow! 152 comments!!! It’s because these boys are so darn handsome!! They truly are. It’s funny that I don’t even know them but I adore them through your eyes. No need to reply…you are one busy lady!!
Well, half of them are me- since I’m replying to everyone.
They look so sweet here, don’t they? Well, my oldest was sort of being a punk in that pic- but captured in a moment, it’s still sweet.
The fleeting nature of their interests and behaviors are why I try not to get too irritated by kids’ repeated expressions or grating, silly voices. I know in a week or two they will disappear forever, only to be replaced by something else equally bothersome.
Or more bothersome.
It’s funny how each photo truly seemed to capture the essence of each boy. While I don’t “know” them IRL, those words only complimented the print.
Love it Shell!
Thank you so much! I tried to really think of the differences in each boy.
Hi
So true, I find that every change is hard and such a transition. Like right now, my daughter is aggressive at school. I miss my baby.
Loved your photos.
Oh no! Hope that’s a short-lived phase!
ohh, those are beautiful pictures!
Thank you! I am in love with my little men.
I used to call mine Monkey, too.
But now he is Tech Support.
It happens so fast.
I love this linky.
I figure my oldest will start to protest the Monkey label soon. My middle used to be “Little Bear” and now he’s just Bear.
sweet heaven above. You got me all teary, I swear. My lil men used to do some of the silliest things, and I’ll think about them once in a while and just sigh. Or smile. Memories…
It’s like the change when we blink. They break my heart.
What a great way to remember!
I’d love to do this more often. Add it to my never-ending to-do list. LOL
I love this!! And yeah…now I have that peanut butter song in my head
They are precious. They all look like characters, too!
I love your collage! Your children are sweet. It does suck that they are going to grow up and forget some of the most wonderful moments that we cherish!! Thank goodness for vidoes!!
Lynn
It is bittersweet as they get older isn’t it? I’m sure I’ve said it before but….your boys are SERIOUSLY adorable. OMG.
These are awesome, Shell. Love those pictures!
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That is such a great way to remember. Very cute. Kids grow up so fast.