Captured by Alekzander

Probably not the best "toy" to let your 3 year old "play" with, 

but Alekzander is getting good with our camera!  

Among his other interests/obsessions,

photography could be a promising outlet.

A Delicious Process

We were able to take part in Cider Day 2012,

a fundraising event for the Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency.

It was quite possibly one of my all-time favorite fall family activities.

We got to be part of the entire cider making process...

and we got to take home some of the delicious results.

the following photos :: courtesy of  s. waybright (organizer/host of Cider Day 2012)

It all started with 46 bushels of apples.

A hand-crafted apple press.

And lots of teamwork and muscle power!

Eating his fair share of the apples was Alekzander's favorite part!

 Dropping apples in to be ground to a pulp.

Helping grind!

 

 Pressing the pulp and "ta-da!"...

Fresh, amazing, delicious apple cider.

Joy Released

 Joy cannot be contained in his two-year old body.

It must be released through tickles and tackles.

Daily.

Multiple times.

 

 Bring it, little love.

Waking Up

There's nothing more precious than a happy baby upon waking.  Listening to the  animated coos and unintelligible chatter is priceless.  My little drummer also plays the drums (the back of the crib) with great fervor first thing in the morning too.  I hope I remember these sounds years from now. 

I love scooping up this little guy.  Especially when he reaches up for me and says, "Uh, Uh, Uh," which quite naturally can be translated to "Up, Up, Up." 

Apparently I didn't scoop him up quickly enough.  And maybe he didn't wake up so happy.  Perhaps a(nother) nap is just around the corner.

You Capture - Mornings

Zoo's View

{{Staking out the porch in Blowing Rock and enjoying the view.}}

You Capture - Outside

Green

You Capture - Green

Get Down Low

Even though I was partially hidden behind the camera during this photo shoot, my favorite part of this challenge was seeing the world through "Zoo's view" ... down low.  I don't love that the camera picked up glimmers of every single animal hair on the floor or the smeared carrot on the left side of Alekzander's head, but I do love Alekzander's eyebrow (and expression) in the first picture.  His open mouthed excitement in the second.  And his sweet, curious smile in the third.  And the dimple on his chin.  Pretty adorable.

Love, love, love the view.

You Capture - Get Down Low

Drop by Drop

You Capture - Water

Photo Taken by Daddy

Bath Given by Mama