Wha-ha-Happened?

I don't know what happened, I really don't.  While I had an awkward stage that lasted from first through ninth grades, my daughter seems to be morphing from cygnet to swan without a hitch. We're all mystified. Even her super-suave daddy was a bit gawky for awhile. Not so the Phoebster.

Liam is fascinated with his older sister. He adores her. Sure, they tussle and there's an ongoing battle over who gets the front seat in the Subaru or who gets to watch Cake Boss or Avatar, but he really, really loves her. I'm not sure she knows just how much she anchors his world. She's a second mama to him.

So it was a little confusing for both of us when daughter/sister/general good egg Phoebe stepped out of her room perfumed, becurled, and undeniably ravishing, ready for her first big night out as a high school student at the Homecoming Dance.

Liam's first reaction was to sniff her, to see if it was really Phoebe. My son as a dog. He sniffs everything.

Which was OK for a little while, but she smelled really good, and Liam kept sneaking a sniff here
and there.

Ak ak ak akgg

And then there was the problem of what to do with those long stems of hers. Fold them? Put them to one side or another? They just go on and on, unlike her mother's, which have a definite end in feet.

Just one more sniff. Phoebe: "Peach deodorant is catnip for creepers."

Time for some solo shots.

                                                       Whoops, he's baaaack.

She loves him, too. Neither of them seems to believe me when I tell them he'll one day tower over her. Just give him a couple of years.

One of my favorite shots. This was a hard shove which effectively removed Liam from the composition. Oof!

For a moment or two. Long enough for me to capture the essence of Fifi that still chokes me up every time I look at it. Like I said, I dunno what happened. I'm just glad it did. By the time you read this her braces will be off. Look out, world!