"you can't talk to dada on the alligator" and other "these days" meanderings

...isaac is entering a bashfulness stage. he does silly things to get our attention, and then when we look at him {like he wants us to}, he gives us that shy little glance as he turns his head downward. it's so precious.

...he's waking up in the morning, ready to look straight into my eyes and say his new favorite word, first thing before anything else... "na-na" {a.k.a. banana}. i can't even describe just how my heart melts into a puddle when he looks up at me with those big, bright, blue eyes... laying on his back... with that sweetest, soft, almost-whispering voice... "na-na"... accent on the first "na" to emphasize and thus show his utter enthusiasm and delight for his favorite breakfast food. i always tell him... "you're a monkey. you must be. monkeys love bananas, and you love bananas... ergo, you are a monkey!"

...i'm adding lots of other goodness to his na-na, because ma-ma is eating it too. strawberries, blueberries, organic vanilla yogurt. so delicious. feeding well means eating well. i like how that works. otherwise, i'd probably only be having a cup of coffee for my breakfast.

...he thinks anything even slightly shaped like my phone is my phone, and he tries to talk on it. if it's flat and regtangularish, it's a phone. so he grabs it, puts it by his hear and excitedly states "ow-dada!" {hello dada}. if fact, now, it doesn't even have to be rectangular. today, he picked up his wood alligator puzzle piece {which is about the same size as my phone} and said "ow-dada!" i just about fell off my chair in laughter and delight. then i said, "you can't talk to dada on the alligator, silly." {as if he could talk to him on the t.v. remote or my library card, both previously used. *wink*} silly isaac. how i love him.

...he walks right up to me and gives me kisses. i have no words. pure love. *sigh*

...he's getting strong... trying to climb out of his crib already... carrying things that are his size {if light enough}. like a laundry basket. or like my boppy nursing pillow... which was so funny to see the first time he did it... it was like he was saying, "come on, mama... time for me to eat so i can go to bed." i couldn't believe it. cutest thing.

...we are grateful for the drop in temps, this more-typical-of-summer weather and the much-needed rain.

...we are not getting all that into the olympic games. for some reason, i never do {even though i used to get so excited about them as a child... especially summer gymnastics or winter iceskating}. and then i regret it later, 'cause i hear all these other people talking about really cool and exciting things they saw while spectating.

...i'm nervous and giddy about the photo shoots i'm going to be doing soon. trying to get read-up on some tips for lighting and brainstorming creative shot ideas.

...we added a new tradition to the list... another weekly one {or a when-we-can one, at least}. we take isaac to our favorite coffee shop every saturday morning. he loves it there. he climbs up into his favorite spots... the two big red chairs.... just to sit around and observe the other coffee-shop frequenters. he looks at them as if they should be talking to him, and if they are not, he quizzically looks at them as to why. sometimes, he just walks right on up to them. he's not shy, this one. his separation anxiety stage lasted all of two days. then he got over it. such a social butterfly! i have to admit, it's so much fun to watch. here are some more shots of him in action, wearing his favorite new hat {birthday present} from his best friend's mama.