Britney Spears Shares Throwback Pics of Her Sons on New Year's Eve

Britney Spears decided imagery was more powerful than words ... so she posted a couple of pics of her 2 sons without saying anything.

Sean Preston and Jayden James were front and center on Britney's last Insta posts of the year. The pics go back to happier times ... Britney and her kids holding some pups and looking super happy.  And then 2 pics just showing them goofing around.

It's going on at least 2 years since Britney's even seen her sons. They made it clear a while ago, they did not want to see their mom while she was acting out on social media, because they found it embarrassing.

Britney went after them after they suggested she needed mental health treatment ... she essentially called them ungrateful freeloaders.

The kids left for Hawaii several months ago with their dad, Kevin Federline ... a move to which Britney did not object. We're told the kids now text her occasionally, but there has been no face-to-face contact for 2 years ... maybe longer.

Britney seems ready to repair at least a few of her relationships ... Lynne Spears has visited Britney a few times recently, and Brit's in contact with Jamie Lynn.

As for her dad, Jamie, Britney posted a throwback pic of him with the kids the day TMZ broke the story Jamie had one of his legs amputated because of a terrible infection, but our sources say she has not reached out to him.