Hello, Mother Earth

This weekend, we took advantage of the nice weather to do a bit of communing with nature. Here's Silas, taking in the good vibes of mother earth, and hanging out with friends Shannon and Sparky.

Cloth-diapered darling

Over the past few weeks, Silas graduated from the newborn-size diaper wrap (we use prefold cloth diapers) to size small. Way to grow, Si!

This also means that Si is able to wear the wool diaper covers I designed and knit for him (pictured in green). They work very well and have been lanolized to keep moisture from leaking. We also like the polar fleece wraps (pictured in cream) and the standard white wraps.

Overall, we've found cloth diapering to be easier than we expected. We wash one load of diapers a day, though we have enough diapers that we could go several days without doing laundry if need be. We've found cloth diapering to be easy and very economical for our family, so far.

Happy Birthday, Grandma

Hi Grandma,

Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I use the quilt that you made for me every night now and I just love it!

Love,

Silas

PS. Happy Earth Day, too, everyone!

Bouncy chair

Here's an image from Silas's first time in his bouncy chair, taken about a week and a half ago. He wasn't sure about it at first but now likes it. Mom puts him in it so that she can shower when dad's not home. The combination of bounce and the sound of the bathroom fan seem to agree with him, and he'll stay content for quite a while.

Silas is golden 2

Silas is golden

Our boy turned 1 month old yesterday. Woo-hoo! We haven't posted in a few days. Mom's been on bed rest combating mastitis and Dad's been working, but Silas continues to thrive since last we wrote.

Beth asked if we have a little red-head, and it does appear that way in many of the pictures. His hair is strawberry blond at the moment, but we suspect that once it really grows in (right now it's not much more than peach fuzz), he'll be a little blondy. Guess we'll have to wait and see!

Here's an update on Silas's development: He's able to lift his head and keep it lifted for brief periods. He does this particularly when he's being held over the shoulder in burp-mode. He likes to look around and has great eye focus. He can follow objects with his eyes (especially if they're black and white) and can move his head from side to side. He's quite a charmer when he smiles and makes cooing sounds, which he does with increasing frequency.

Lastly, for all you knitters out there, Silas is is sporting one of the sweaters mom knit for him in these images. He's wearing the same sweater in a previous post, but now it actually fits him properly. This is a classic pattern created by Elizabeth Zimmerman called the Baby Surprise Sweater and is knit in one piece.

Till next time...

Our chubster

We took Silas in for a weight check yesterday and the news was good. He weighed in at 9 lbs 15.5 oz. That means he's gained 2 lbs in less than 3 weeks! Si weighed 8 lbs 7 oz at birth, but lost 7 oz by the time we left the hospital. He probably lost a few more oz before mom's milk came in, but was back up to 8 lbs for his first medical appointment when he was a week old. So, he regained his birth weight, and then some, and is doing really well. This is validation for mom, who is happy to know that she is providing her son with enough nourishment.

More pictures from the grandfolk's visit

From top to bottom:
Silas sporting his bunny jumper.
Papa taking Silas out for a walk.
Dad and Shannon walking with Silas, Sparky, and Beo.
Mom, Dad, and Silas next to Silas's tree.

Si and I

The pictures say it all...

We love Sleep Sheep

Grandma Gammon (Drew's mom) recently sent Silas a package full of gifts, which included "Sleep Sheep." Thanks Grandma! Sleep Sheep plays 4 nature sounds including a river, rain (we manage to produce that sound pretty regularly here in the PN), ocean waves, and whale calls. I think it's too early to say what Silas's impressions of Sleep Sheep are (note that his eyes are WIDE open). However, the ocean waves put mom and dad right to sleep. Therefore, Sleep Sheep will stay close to the bed for the foreseeable future.

This is where Si sleeps at night, nestled securely between mom and dad. Sleep tight, Si!

Silas and his grandparents

Okay, so there have been requests for more pictures of the babe. I hear you! Here are a couple from my parents' visit. Note that Si is sporting the "circus tent hat" I made for him. I'll post more tomorrow...

We were supposed to go in for a weight check this morning, but out appointment got bumped back to next Tuesday, so we will have to remain in suspense a little while longer. He sure is looking bigger though!

Silas takes a bath

As you can see, Si's baby bath barely fits in our kitchen sink, but it does the trick. He's had two baths now (since the cord stump came off) and is a bit skeptical about whether we should be subjecting him to the experience. He complained less the second time, so perhaps he's getting used to it. Although it's hard to say since we see him all of the time, he seems to be getting some chub on those thin newborn limbs of his, and I'm pretty sure he's putting on weight. We'll know for sure when we take him to get weighed this Thursday.

Meanwhile, Silas has developed a bit of baby acne, which apparently is due to my hormones. It should clear up on its own soon. I guess it's a bit of a preview of his teenage years.