Phone Dump

While I usually post pictures here taken with our fancy DSLR camera, I snap lots of shots of Isaac throughout the day with my cell phone. These are some of my favorite pictures because they often show the more ordinary aspects of daily life with Isaac that I wouldn't think to get out the document with our "real" camera. And it's in the ease and normalcy with which I whip out my phone and press a button to capture Isaac's mood, activity or expression that is so starkly different from my childhood.

There's little to no video documentation of me growing up. We did not own a video camera. We had a nice camera, but rolls of film were not inexpensive to buy or develop so like most families, pictures were taken with caution and film was conserved and used only when you were sure you could get the perfectly posed photo. Now, Joe and I own an HD video camera that fits in my pocket. I set our digital camera to the fastest shutter speed so that it will click, click, click, click, click and capture up to 8 images per second. Only later, if at all, will we go back and delete the less-than optimum shots.

I don't feel slighted by my lack of childhood photos. Perhaps it's the opposite. Because there are not thousands to choose from, I cherish them - especially if they are of normal, everyday happenings and not of birthdays or Christmases. Like the one of me and my sisters wrestling with my Dad on the bed. I remember the excitement that came with roughhousing with him. We'd squeal as his face became more animated with that "I'm gonna get you" look. Getting short of breath with laughter and tired from play was how I ended many of my days.

Or of me with my arms wrapped around my Mom's legs. I remember that necklace that she's wearing. How I would play with it in her bathroom or sometimes in church when she'd take it off and let me occupy myself with it (probably with the hope of keeping me from running down the aisle to the front, which I was likely to do). The white stones would normally be cool to the touch, but as she wore it they gradually warmed to the temperature of her skin.

While my generation and those prior didn't have the benefit of daily cell phone pictures or infinite "rolls" of film on a digital camera growing up, we do have photos and we do have memories. Whether we have 2 pictures or 2,000, I'm happy that we are preserving the more unremarkable daily events for Isaac and that he can one day look back and remember how it felt to be tossed around by Daddy or hugged by Mommy. 

Here are a few recent pictures taken from my phone:

 

I snuck a picture of him sleeping when I had to go wake him up for a doctor's appointment. What is it about a sleeping baby that is so wonderful?

My guys all piled on the bed.

Isaac loves the lamp in his room. This was taken after getting up from a nap one day and examining the light has now become a part of his routine.

Looking at this you might think that Isaac dressed himself. No, that's the work of fashion guru Mommy.

Isaac was 4 months-old when we moved and there were several things I did not take into consideration when deciding to rent our current place. For example, I didn't think about how the kitchen is completely closed off from the living room, which makes it difficult to keep an eye on Danger Baby if he's occupied in the living room and I need to go into the kitchen. And I certainly didn't think about how entertained he would be by the floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the bathrooms. This has also become a part of his daily routine: crawl into the bathroom, greet the baby looking back at you, try to touch him, keep an eye on him as you continue to play. He can entertain himself like this for hours!

 From our trip to the Dallas Museum of Art. Isaac was a fan of the modern exhibit.

 Munching on some apple.

During one of his recent bathroom play dates with the boy in the mirror, he lost his balance and busted his lip. Note the tears and streaks of blood on his cheek.

He's been sleepier than normal as of late (growth spurt?). Here, he fell asleep on our walk (which he never does). Poor guy called it a day at 6:30pm.

 Reading with Daddy - a daily occurrence.

 Big guy, cruising around the kitchen. Check out those front teeth!

Last week he found his reflection in the side of the dishwasher. This had much of the same effect as the bathroom mirror.

And then two days ago, there was THIS! We had just gotten back from a walk and I sat him down on the floor as I sorted through the mail and when I looked up this is what I saw! I think I yelled I was so startled. He just looked at me like, "Hey, Mom. How's it going? I'm just standing here, hanging out, pulling up on stuff, no big deal." Shortly after this picture was taken he lost his balance and fell down...

 ...resulting in this forehead injury. Still cute though!