If you go down to the woods today...

Browsing through my photos recently, I found a curious absence of boys. A combination of winter, long days at school and a general laziness about camera toting seem to have conspired against me.
And I could kick myself, because these childhoods? Blink and you miss them.

Comments

[kristin]

i know the feeling...i look through the archives and wonder how i could possibly go WEEKS without one photo of the boys. it is fleeting.

[UK lass in US]

I hadn't realised how much I had slacked off recently, until it came to to pick out some photos to send to the family back home. I love my digital camera, but my old film camera was small and always in my handbag.

[Kitty]

I too need to take more pictures of the kids. I have loads of 'stuff' but not of the kids. Thanks for the reminder. x

[mary]

It's true - it can fly by - but I must say that my parents did not take too many photos of us (perhaps because there were seven of us!!) and we don't mind -we just treasure the ones we have..

[Emma]

So true. Lovely images of boyish adventures here. Recording things the tots have said or done on my blog has been a great reminder too. I looked at my archive the other day. I'd totally forgotten that my eldest had told me one evening last summer that my eyebrow looked like a dog biscuit. Priceless.

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

I know what you mean. Without the blog to prompt me, I probably wouldn't have nearly so many photos of the children. I love how having a blog makes me photograph the everyday things that would never normally be recorded. These are the things that real childhood memories are built on - not the special occasions.

Now I just need to make sure that I appear in some of the photos too. I hate having my photo taken because I always look so awful (probably because I really do look awful!) and I nearly always delete the ones that are taken. But I read something about a year ago that said if the mother always takes the photos and edits the ones taken of her, then there will be none in the future that her children can look at and share with their children. It really struck a chord with me. But am I in any more photos? No, not really!

Lucy x

P.S. Sorry about the mini essay!

[Alice C]

I have found it is very easy to fall into the habit of taking photos which are suitable for the blog. This results in scenerey without family, pictures of the backs of heads or artistically posed children in the middle distance. On the other hand I do have loads of pictures of the miscellenia of our life that I would not otherwise have taken and memories of fleeting moments that would not otherwise have been recorded.

[Sal]

I couldn't agree more with Lucy Locket Pocket, essay or not Lucy! Blogs are good for me, I knew that but now I have the arguements here use when my o/h challenges me! Love Salx

[melissa]

i love these pictures of your adventures. i too find myself forgetting to take pictures of the kids. thanks for the reminder!

[Louise]

A bit of good weather will have you snapping away. Looks like someone's having a great adventure!

[dottycookie]

I started trying to take a phot of the girls every day, around the middle of last year. I kept it up for a while, but then let it slide. I need to start again - maybe not everyday, but more frequrntly than I do.

And Lucy's comment about mums in photos? That's hit a huge nerve here too ...

[Kim McBirnie]

I've just stumbled upon your blog and I must say it is lovely. I find this post incredibly relevant, we've been so busy lately and have neglected family time. Yesterday we spent the whole day, as a family, on our new allotment. It was wonderful, and in the evening my husband said it was lovely to see me smile so easily again. I hadn't noticed I'd stopped - but then I don't think I've noticed much recently! Definately time to slow down.
Kim xx

[Thimbleina]

The occasions over this Easter when I have forgotten my camera and really wish I'd had it. But then also the photos I have taken, well if the laptop goes down I will loose them all if I don't do something about the year's worth on there

[monica]

last year no 3 refused to have his photos taken. the results? it's like we never took him anywhere and did nothing with him... very sad.

Now I print even the most silly ones of him... serve him right.

[anna]

my son is almost one, and i don't know where the year's gone!
also wanted to say i loved the sheepy cakes - what a great idea - will definitely remember that one!
and SO pleased to hear about the job for your Mr. celebratory cream cakes all round!

[rhubarb]

Oh yes, I so agree. A blink of an eye and another milestone has been reached, passed and forgotten. It breaks my heart.

[Julia]

You're so right... time flies and soon they're no longer children. But, when they sleep you can still catch glimpses of that baby you held in your arms all those short years ago.

[lina]

Great pictures Ali - they really do capture the essence of outdoor childhood play. I take far too many pictures these days but not one of me anywhere!

[Helen]

What is it about a child with binoculars - such a cute pic! He looks so purposeful!