Visit with Ida

Grandma Ferne--otherwise known as "Ida," the name that Isaac uses for all female relatives--came visit us last weekend.  We were lucky to have beautiful autumnal weather, which we took advantage of by going to the park. 
 

Isaac loves collecting leaves and acorns and we love watching him. 

Afterward, we headed to a nearby small town to walk around its adorable main street (whose style David describes as "manufactured nostalgia").  I picked up some great vintage cookie cutters that will got lots of use this holiday season.  Isaac  took time to stop and smell the--lilacs? peonies?  I don't know, but you get the drift.

The bear has learned the word "pretty," and he kept on saying "flower, pretty, flower."  Which was completely adorable--even taking into account that he often confuses pretty with dirty. 

We also enjoyed a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant, though Isaac was ready to leave before the rest of us.  Even crayons and various toys could not keep him well-behaved.  Apparently we decided to "punish" him by  taking him out for ice cream.  Isaac and I shared a scoop of maple nut.  It was like eating fall.

 We had a sleepy little one on our hands by the time we arrived home.  But he didn't want to go to sleep until "Ida" read him a story. 

He still loves to wear his sleep sack; David and I continue to call him a "bag of baby" when he wears it.

It's amazing to think of Ferne's trip a year ago at this time--Isaac was suffering from stranger anxiety and was nowhere near the level of interaction that he is now.  This year, he really loved playing with his grandma--and even now, nearly a week later, he sometimes says, "Ida?  Ida?" in a plaintive tone.  Thankfully modern technology allows them to see each other via Skype.