Silas and Taylor Scramble

Silas LOVES to be chased. We fear he'll be running with the bulls in Pamplona in about 20 years.

Back to reality

Daddy thinks I should have a haircut, but Mama loves my curls

This is Taylor. Matt wants to post soon about what it's been like going back to work (this week marks his third week back in the saddle) and ending his tenure as a stay-at-home dad. In the meantime, however, (no pressure, Matt) I wanted to let you know what's been going on in the whirlwind life of Silas Jones.

First off, SiJo has two more teeth to speak of and, by the look of his swollen, angry gums, a couple more on the way. He's handling it in stride and has only gotten a little fussy (and bite-y) a few times, for which I am very appreciative.

Teeth are good for smiling

More importantly, this child is ready to walk. Did your eyes deceive you? Nope. Silas is really focusing all of his energies these days on pulling up, cruising furniture, inexplicably letting go of whatever it is that he's holding onto, and then face-planting. We're just now getting used to the idea of his crawling, so the thought of him walking has filled us with cold dread, particularly given that I've only managed to install two baby gates (which only involved approximately 24 extraneous holes in our walls, some professional sailor-style cursing, 2 bottles of wine, and 10.4 hours of my time).

Naked Standing Time--my favorite!

He's also finally picked up some of the sign language from the Baby Signing Time DVDs he's been watching when Mama and Daddy need some downtime. He's figured out the sign for "more" and makes it when he wants more food and more pushes in the swing. He also may be saying "Ba" for ball, but since he says "Ba" pretty constantly even when there's no ball, we may be attributing this amazing verbal development to genius he does not actually have. The best though is that he finally figured out how to say "Mama" this week. Like "Ba," he probably doesn't know that I'm Mama yet, but sometimes it really does seem like he knows as he says "Mama" while reaching for me, and then I pretty much melt into a big puddle on the floor. I'm really going to be in trouble when he asks me for a car.

I love you, Mama. (Mama: sob)

He's having a great time at day care. According to his teachers, he's constantly on the move, trying to get to things he's not supposed to and attempting to headbutt or poke all of the other defenseless infants in their faces. As one of his teachers, very kindly put it, Silas is a very "social" baby.

My buddy, Emily, at daycare

Since we last updated, we took Silas to his first concert--Public Enemy, Weezer, and a number of other bands at the Virgin Mobile Festival. Don't worry. He wore "earmuffs" to protect his hearing from loud music and exposure to Flavor Flav. Apparently, they make this product for folks who like to take their babies to the firing range. (I know! Why didn't WE think of taking Silas to a firing range? Here we've been dragging this poor child to museums and parks and the occasional concert. What were we thinking?) Surprisingly, the earmuffs come in a number of colors--Matt selected "camouflage" for our little guy. Silas seemed to tolerate them pretty well and really enjoyed people watching and listening to the music, I think.

Yeah, I'm cool.

Aunt Liz showing off Silas's Public Enemy T-shirt

My family!

We also took a day-trip to Baltimore with the Armijos and young Miss Lucy, where we ate the greatest crabcakes I've ever had, rode a boat, and visited the fabulous American Visionary Art Museum, which may be the best art museum I've ever been to. We had a great time and both babies behaved wonderfully and, thanks to our trusty Ergo, Silas even napped well.

I'm on a BOAT.

This is some art I can really get behind...or in front of.