Not your typical Christmas Day

It's Sunday after church.  Isaac fell asleep in his car seat on the way home from church.  Since it was his nap time anyway, I thought I'd try and keep him asleep.  After carefully taking Isaac out of his car seat,  carrying him upstairs, gently putting him down onto his changing table, carefully removing his coat, hat, and gloves, and  changing his diaper, I successfully laid him down in his crib--still asleep.  

He was so cute in his little red argyle sweater, bow-tie, red and gray pinstripe shirt, and black and red plaid pants that I wanted a picture of this adorable sleeping bundle.  That's when I ran into trouble.  I went to go find the camera and it was no where to be found.  After a frustrating search, I decide to use my cell phone camera.  As I was messing with the setting trying to turn off the shutter sounds so as not to wake him up, I accidentally changed the shutter sound to an annoying "Okay!" It was so loud that it woke him up right then, before I could snap the picture of the angel-faced sleeper.  

Frustrated, but not completely defeated, I picked up my startled and crying baby and tried to rock him back to sleep.  After 5-10 minutes of patience, he was a sleeping angel again.  Unfortunately, after I put him back in his crib, he rolled over onto his side, and his angel face was not in full view of the camera.  As I gently tried to roll him onto his back, he woke up crying again.  That's when I threw my hands up and just took him out of his crib.  

After feeding Isaac a scrumptious lunch of pureed chicken and mixed fruit, then finding the camera in the camera case put away exactly where it should have been (go figure), I decided to try some other venue to capture the cuteness.  I took some pictures of Isaac pulling himself up to stand next to the couch.  This is his latest achievement.  I always get a kick out of watching that intense look of concentration that washes over his face as he's trying to pull himself up to a standing position. 

First he starts off innocently sitting on the floor.  Then he notices something nearly dangling off of the couch (Mom may have helped out a little the the dangling).  He determinedly crawls to the couch and kneels up to grab the couch cushion.  Then comes the concentration.  He likes to stick his tongue out while he's concentrating--it seems to enhance his efforts.  Or, maybe he just likes the taste of leather.  Then again, he might be imagining the sweet goal of munching on Dad's work ID tag.  Soon, he's up.  He reaches for the prize. He then obliges Mom with an innocent victory glance while enjoying the fruits of his labor.  



... I wonder, is it wrong to incentivize a child with a prize you know you're going to take away as soon as he gets his hands on it?  Ah.  The ethics of parenting.  Hey, at least I got some pictures finally!