" this is NOT about PICTURES . . . "

...or more specifically: "MOM, this is NOT about taking pictures"
[as tears welled up in his little eyes]

That's what Tycho told me [me: sob, giggle, sob]
when lining up with his class to go into the school building
on his very first day of kindergarten.
For a fleeting moment, I actually caught myself thinking "it's not??"
His succint comment gave all the parents standing close by quite a chuckle.
Thus, the SilverLining: that comment really broke the tension of first day jitters.
but . . . but . . . BUT . . . [ am sniffling now ]

Many of Grant School's incoming kindergarteners played on my summer t-ball team:
Team T-Rex. [Hear us ROAR!] How fun it is to see the players looking all grown up with backpacks in hand and bright white shoes. This is right before Tycho set me straight by defining what this moment was NOT.

Steve, one of the best 5-year-old infielders you'll ever meet! is the sweet smiling blond behind him. [Um, that would be the child NOT angry at his mom. Geez.]

It's all kind of emotional.
This back-to-school season marks a new chapter in parenting for Paul & I.
It's the first time in 12 years we haven't had a babe at home.
We're moving out of that birth-to-five stage. But where did the time go?

It's all good. Mostly.
Here's Zoe on the first day of 2nd grade:


Ave, to this point, has successfully avoided the camera.
Here's the deal: she's taking a voluntary "zero-hour" algebra class that starts at [gulp] 7am, and sure enough during the 6am hour, it's NOT all about the pictures no matter how momentous the occasion :D

During the past few weeks I've been doing lots of thinking about kids and parents and how the relationship bewtween the two parties grows & evolves with time. Even have some non-family images to go along with that commentary...but first it's finish dinner/homework/bath time at the Enderle-Wagner place. So please check back soon, have shot some very fun weddings of late and have stories to tell & pictures to share.
~amy

P.S. FEAR NOT:

here's proof that Tycho's back to his easy-going self.

The image on the left is also from the playground, but during the SECOND week of school.

Oh, and If you're thinking there are amazingly few teeth in that mouth, yep -- he's lost SEVEN teeth all at once.

And they've all fallen out pretty much on their own.
I mean the cash has been a motivating factor, but they were loose.

Hey, what's the record on this sort of thing?