Dude, Where's My Head?

Mama and Daddy, I truly appreciate all of the laundry that you do for me.
[I figure that while I'm writing the captions, I should really take advantage of it]

Being a dual working family has meant that it's been a little more difficult for us to post regularly (I'm not quite sure why this is, since I was the one posting most of the time even while Matt was at home, but still... Maybe it has something to do with the millions of pounds of laundry Matt and I are seemingly buried by each weekend). Silas just had his 11 month birthday, which means that we're gearing up for the 1 year birthday party extravaganza. I think we'll do something on Halloween with lots of little kids in costumes. I'm excited.

Silas just amazes us every day with each new skill he picks up. It's like a light was suddenly switched on. He's signing new words--he can do "more," "all done," "milk," and, inexplicably, "fish." "Fish" might be his favorite. Whenever we see a picture of a fish or talk about the fish mobile at day care, Silas signs fish VERY enthusiastically. His obsession with balls continues although he also is recently obsessed with electrical appliances (our stereo receiver, in particular) and outlets. He's still unbelievably happy and smiley most of the time, but he has also started throwing these very dramatic mini tantrums, when, for example, he is told he can't stick his fingers into light sockets. The tantrums involve throwing himself to the ground, burying his head and sobbing...for about 30 seconds. It's so over the top that is hard not to laugh at him.

We think he's talking a little bit too. He'll say "ba" (ball) and "mama" and "dada" and sometimes it seems to actually understand that he's talking about us. He's also saying a word here and there, repeating whatever it is we say--like "apple" and "up" and "good." He hasn't said these unprompted on his own though, so I think they probably don't count. He also randomly babbles ALL. DAY. LONG. The conversations he has occur with other babies at day care, inanimate objects, adults, and his reflection in the mirror. They're complete with hand gestures and pauses for response. I think once he figures out a few more words, we should probably get used to not being able to get a word in edgewise.

His favorite new trick is the "Silas, where's your head?" game. Sometimes when he wants applause, he'll just randomly pat his head and then look at us like "I'm good, right?" He also--and this is probably annoying to everyone he does this too--will randomly climb into the laps of other parents visiting their children at daycare for a quick snuggle or to get a better look at whatever book they're reading to THEIR OWN CHILD. A mom will have her baby on her right knee and Silas will crawl right over and situate himself on her left knee like "Welp, this spot looked open and y'all know I love Corduroy, so carry on." I know I should probably do something about it, but it really cracks me up.



We've got 4 teeth and counting. His front teeth are a little...large it seems, even given the size of his head, but his Uncle Haig's teeth were the same way (he answered to "Chipmunk" in middle school) and I think it may mean that he'll turn out to be a big guy with big, in proportion, teeth.

I'm pretty proud of these chompers.

He's standing unaided a little these days. That is, until he remembers that he's not holding onto anything and then he'll carefully sit down and look at us with an expression that seems to say, "Whew, that was close." He's also dancing a lot--particularly to the European techno dance music ringtones of the handyman we used recently--see the end of the video below when the guy's cell phone goes off.