"Happy birthday dear Erik, happy birthday to you!"

One of my bosses (haha) has a birthday today: little Jackson & Camryn's daddy, Erik. Now I know that whenever I gift either you or Amy anything, it usually involves photography (hey, it's what I do:), and your little ones. But really, how can I resist, they're such beautiful gifts! I mean the kiddos, not the photographs, just so you know. :)



So I was sitting here wondering how to display a few recent photos, when I thought of looking back about a year ago, to see how much Camryn and Jackson have changed. It's one of the things I love most about working with these kiddos. You can count on me having photos of them from nearly every month of the year. So Erik, you're a year older, and so are these cuties.



Jackson's transformation over the past year isn't as visible as his little sister's, besides the fact that some of his babyface puffy cheeks are gone. :) The photo of him from Jan '09, middle left, is where you can really see it. In the top middle photo he almost looks like a middleschooler to me! He's looking a bit older these days, but he's also noticeably wiser. He's gone from questioning everything and listening to answers, to still questioning everything, and at times correcting me, and telling me how and why. He's one of Camryn's best teachers (which can be good and bad :)...you should see him read books to her, it's the darn sweetest thing the way he points out this and that to Cam. It was nearly a year ago when we were wondering if he was ready for kindergarten. By last summer, he was raring to go, and I knew he was 100% ready. Such an intelligent, thoughtful, caring little lad. I'm excited to see photos of him a year from now, he's growing so quickly.



Camryn's transformation over the past year is quite obvious physically. A year ago, she had very little hair, and now she has silky goldilock curls that look so cute when pulled into ponies. And that toothy grin...well that's been there for quite some time, the girl's all smiles and teeth you know. :) Still the same sweet, angelic little voice, only now we hear it much more often. She's still learning so many words, but speaking full sentences, and often times grammatically correct sentences! All giggles and a little attitude, it's been so much fun watching her grow.



Another thing that has grown over the past year is the love between these two. It's always been there and been obvious, such a great and caring love. Whether sitting on the couch watching a movie, or just taking a break from playtime, these two almost always want hugs, kisses, and snuggles. So very sweet and loving.

Erik, hope you enjoyed a quick look into the past, and I know you'll enjoy every minute of the next year with these cuties. With Amy and I both photographing as much as we do, it's easy to catch a quick glimpse back in time. So, enjoy it while it's happening, and we'll keep on documenting. Jordan and I wish you a happy birthday weekend. Give the little ones hugs for us! :)