The best smell in the world...

Babies are one of the best smells in the world, but do you know what is slightly better than just plain baby? The smell of the great outdoors on your baby. I.LOVE.IT!!! Today was 68 degrees here in Des Moines (IN FEBRUARY!!!) and Silas and I took full advantage of it! We went to the gym this morning and after Silas' morning nap, we went for a walk and then to Dewey Park to swing and play. The smell of the outdoors on Silas is so amazing and I can't stop kissing him and inhaling his scent. I wish I could bottle it up and take it with me wherever I go so I could smell him when I'm away from him. {Please note, I feel the same way about Jake - something about Jake's "scent" just smells like home to me. :)}

It was so nice today that we even opened up the windows to get in some fresh air which the cats enjoyed - Jamis got outside too. :) Check out these cute pictures!

"Hey Jamis! Whatcha doin' out there??"


"Are you still out there, Jamis?"





Some of you requested pictures of Silas eating spaghetti last time he had it. I made it again this week, making "real" spaghetti sauce (as opposed to the jar kind). He seemed to like it just as well, but this time it seemed to make a little more of a mess on his face. :) I had to laugh any time he had a noodle sticking out of his mouth - he'd use the back of his hand to push it back in his mouth. It was really so cute. :)



So Silas is officially 10.5 months now. I'm told he is a delight to everyone at daycare because any time someone leaves he waves and says "baa" or "baa baa" which I personally think is ADORABLE. :) I went in to the Aspen daycare to get him this morning and before we even got to the door, he turned around to the girls in the daycare, waved, and said "baa!" "baa!" He walks like a pro with his alphabet train or around the furniture. His giggles are sweet enough to melt any heart and Jake and I love playing with him at night and getting him to giggle. He is still such a happy baby and we feel continuously blessed that we were lucky enough to have Silas! I think Jake is right - we hit perfection!!

I have started the countdown for our vacation to Marco Island!! We leave in just less than 4 weeks and this warm Iowa weather has given me a serious case of spring fever!! Marco Island is supposed to be in the 70's-80's and I cannot wait! I had to go out a buy Silas some spring/summer clothes last week - we got him some great little onsies, shorts, T-shirts, and even some swim trunks!


Have you heard the Brad Paisley song, "Anything Like Me"?? I heard it on a friend's blog (it's the first song playing on my blog right now too) and got tears in my eyes listening to the lyrics. The words keep coming back to me over and over when Silas does something and I think "oh boy, he's going to be strong-willed just like me" or "he's going to be ornery just like Jake was..." Anyway, listen to the song if you have a chance. It's such a sweet song.


I remember saying I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm ok
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said "You see that thing right there well you know what that means"

And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride hes bike to fast
End up every summer wearing something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass trying to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on
That'll be his first love til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skipping class and be grounded for a week
He's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if he's anything like me

Routine

So Silas and I have a great routine going on my days off - we get up, head to the gym for a couple hours, come home and let Silas nap for a couple hours (in this picture, Silas had fallen asleep on the way home from the gym) and then have the afternoons to do whatever we please. He loves getting out of the house and going to Daddy's work to flirt and play. He is such a social butterfly and really enjoys standing at the front desk at Aspen to greet everyone that comes in and wave goodbye to people leaving. Our little routine makes me wish I could be a stay-at-home Mommy, but I know deep down that I don't have the patience or creativity to stay home every day all day. So for now, I'm just savoring my days off with my sweet boy!

Silas tried spaghetti for the first time this week and LOVED it! We kept it pretty clean and he made some funny faces with the flash, but I did manage to get a couple decent pictures of his spaghetti face.


He also tried pancakes for the fist time this week and loved those too! It's so fun to be able to give him "real" food now and watch him try different tastes and textures. Here he is after his breakfast one Saturday morning - kicked back and relaxed watching the Doodle Bops while I did the dishes. :) I love this picture...and he loves those soft pillows! *Please note, Silas watches MAYBE one 30 minute show per week...we do not make this a habit. :)


So here are some funny pictures of Silas getting ready for his bath. Jake and I cannot look at these pictures without laughing. He has dimples on his little butt and the back of his thighs and such a big belly!! This is the only time in life when cellulite and a gigantic belly are cute....and boy, are they CUTE!! :) He was having a blast watching the water fill up in the tub and started hollering and screaming with excitement! We also gave him some wild hair during his bath (those blue things in his ears are earplugs)!




I took Silas to an ENT on Monday to discuss tubes. He does in fact need tubes, which will be places March 2nd. His has mild-moderate hearing loss due to all the fluid in his ears which will be resolved when he gets tubes - Jake thinks that's why he yells so loud sometimes. :) I think it's just because he's all boy! Anyway, he has a "raging" ear infection to his left ear right now so he's back on antibiotics to take it down a notch because his ear drum was close to popping. I'm actually excited for him to get them done so he can hear better, feel better and hopefully be pain free. So he'll be sporting those blue earplugs while the tubes are in place, which he doesn't seem to mind too much.