This picture was taken in 2004, overlooking the Sparky the Seal Ampitheater at the Como Park Zoo.
The kids and I decided to hit the Zoo for old time's sake last week, and recreate at least one photo from our glory days of years gone by. The Como Park Zoo (just a few blocks from our house) is one of the last free zoos in the country and we spent many a day there back when the kids were smaller.
This picture was taken last Friday, overlooking the Sparky the Seal Ampitheater.
Try as we might, we couldn't get the exact same angle, mostly because the boy has almost doubled in size.
But we did manage to get at least one Awkward Family Photo worthy moment on digital media:
I told them to be as stiff and awkward as possible. I think Aidan took the cake on that one.
And Cole took the prize on this one:
Time does fly when you are having fun.
(Photo taken at the Zoo in 2005. Sigh.)
Dana says
Oh my goodness! It’s amazing how they change! I love that last picture of your kids – so, so cute!
Barb says
*sigh* Time does fly. Thanks for the cute 2005 pics and the tug on my heartstrings. Now, to wake my babies-no-more up for the school day.
MonicaB says
Nothing like photos to really show the movement in time! Love the look back and it makes me want to keep my kids in a cocoon for just a few years!! Thanks for the reflection.
Bridget in Minnesota says
Hey! Wait! You guys got to GO on the rides at Como? We only got to WATCH the rides!!!
I am with you, Cathy, on the growing-up ridiculousness. Sigh.
HeatherC says
I have been having those sigh moments lately too — my 4 (going to be 5 in 3 weeks) old is suddenly this big kid and my 7 year old is just growing way to fast. It is such a struggle — it is fun to watch them grow and change, but can be heartbreaking at the same time!
Dorothy F says
What wonderful memories to have. Your kids are so adorable, just like their mother!
Julie Smith says
The days are long, but the years are short! Why is that?
Colleen says
The Awkward Family Photo? Totally. Awesome. My husband likes to randomly describe my worst family portrait from the when I was a kid in the 1970s: t-shirt tucked into my shiny pink running shorts, practically up to my armpits.
Rest assured I shall be pilfering your photo idea in the future if/when we have kids. Thanks for the great post.
Ellie A. says
Sigh.. indeed.. I was clearing out my craft closet and found a CD of full of pics from only 3 yrs.ago. SIGH… Really they grow that fast? Indeed they do that is why I can not stop myself from taking a trillion pictures maybe I’ll get lucky and freeze time just a little bit longer in on of them pics 🙂
stephanie howell says
Um I love your kids. And I love that you have such an awesome sense of humor with them. I really strive for that with my girls. Also, does it ever freak you out how much a looks like you and how much c looks like Dan?
Jenny L. says
have you seen the book called awkward family photos, or something like that? you’d get a kick out of it!
Rhona says
It certainly does fly and I can’t get over how much taller Cole is in the second photo – it brings it home, doesn’t it!
ale says
i think that, too! and that happens every time i’m reading ali edwards’ blog – it amazes me to see how much simon looks like his dad and anna seems to be a little version of her mom.
cathy says
You know, I never thought Aidan looked like me. Like, ever. Until the past few years. Weird, but true.
And I love your four babies. Because they are adorable. I still cant believe, however, that you have two babies going at once. They look like they would smell so good, too. xo.
cathy says
oh yes. We base many possible shots on that very book! LOL!
Megan says
I used to get kinda sad that my kids were growing so fast, but lately it has been so fun being a mom to 3 adult-like children; I love the way they are such good friends. It’s kinda hard to explain, but I love seeing them bond with each other and break away from me a bit. I think I am being consoled by the thought of grandkids, which used to be incomprehensible but has somehow moved into the ‘sooner-rather-than-later’ category.–kinda leaves me peaceful about the future.
tara pakosta says
how funny!
I just had ava re-enact a zoo picture 2 weekends ago!!! ha ha! she was posing as a tiger under a big cut out of a tiger….
there is one free zoo in racine WI that we always used to go to and the best thing about it , it is right on lake MI so on a hot day you walk down the steps and go right to the beach and hang out !
tara
Natalie says
Aw, MAN. Heartbreaking. This is one of those “I should spend more time scrapbooking my kids no, wait, I should spend less time scrapbooking and more time with my kids, oh I’m so confused!!!” moments. Mom dilemma #65. Only solution: drink coffee.
Debbie P says
A free Zoo! That is amazing! Ours is getting so high that even on half price day its too much for a family to attend. I found a photo of me as a child at the zoo and recreate it as an adult. I loved it!
Elaine Millar says
What a great then and now story.
http://www.elainemillarstoryteller.blospot.com
dawn says
I love these kind of moments, so fun to see the past and the present. Your kids are still cuter then ever. Wish our zoo was a free one.
Jamie Danford says
Oh have you seen that commercial (maybe for a grocery store or something?) with the older sister who’s going off to college? And everyone keeps asking the younger brother if he’s gonna miss her, and he keeps saying, “No” and stuff like, “No way, I’m gonna get her room now.” And then at the end of the commercial the big sis comes in the kitchen and sees an old pic of them on the fridge and tells him, “I’ll miss you too.” Ohhhhhh, it makes me cry so bad!!
cathy says
oh man, i have NOT seen that. I would be a big old mess though. For sure.
Melissa says
This made me cry. Not just “sniff, sniff, tiny tears in my eyes”, but a full-out bawl. My son will be 13 in 6 weeks. Thirteen. Just typing it out makes me start crying again. In the past two months, my son has finally reached my height … and passed it. He’s gaining on his Dad at a remarkable speed. For the past few weeks, I’ve literally been tearing through my scrapbooks looking at pictures from when he was 3, 4 and 5 and completely panicking while telling myself, “I didn’t take enough photos when he was little! I didn’t take enough photos when he was little”. It is the WORST feeling in the world. This from a woman who has been walking around with a camera glued to her eye for 13 years and has a shelf full of scrapbooks (not to mention huge bins) filled with photos of the little man. But yet, I still have this sinking feeling that it’s not enough … that I didn’t take enough. This past year has been the hardest year for me. I absolutely had no idea it was going to feel like this. Sort of like when you are pregnant and people tell you how much you are going to love your new baby, but you don’t really understand what they mean until you actually HAVE your baby. This feels the same way. No one tells you how hard it is to watch them grow up and become young men. (And even if someone did tell you, you wouldn’t believe them). Tears …..
gypsy chaos says
I feel the same way, Megan.
gypsy chaos says
I am so grateful that I did not have a mouthful of water! I’d be cleaning my surroundings. I love your solution.
gypsy chaos says
I’ve never been overly sentimental and I never wept as my three have grown. {Although my daughter contradicts me because I cried a bit when we left her in her first dorm room…} Suddenly in August I was SLAMMED by emotion. My two youngest graduate in 2011! This is my last year of having them live at home. Freaked.me.out.
I decided I had to do Project Life to capture moments, so I could get a grip. It has worked like a charm. Usually.
When we had to measure the boys for caps and gowns in October, we realized son #1 was ~2″ taller than me {6′ 1″} and son #2 was 2″ taller than his 6′ 7″ father. I lost it. Son #1 is now 6′ 5″, and son #2 seems to be staying 6′ 9″.
Graduation is in June. I do not want to know the number of weeks or – even worse – days until that final step. sigh.
Aidan definitely looks like you, Cathy!
cathy says
I hear you. I sometimes feel a world of regret for all the time I didnt spend in her younger years just marveling at this amazing creature. : )
Christine H says
My parents live in St. Louis, which also has a fabulous and free zoo. My 15 son (only child, only grandchild) has always loved going and still does. I have dozens of pictures of him in a few of the same places over and over. I love looking at them. But man the time flies and since he is a teenage boy now….shaving, looking at girls….”cute” just doesn’t fit anymore. Sigh.
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