t h e . r i d i c u l o u s . p a n d a

we've been having too much damn fun so i haven't felt much like posting. that and silas and i killed the battery on our digital camera on a rush hour el ride downtown so alot of our recent pictures are patiently waiting inside a disposable point and shoot on the kitchen table.

we spent friday night drinking spiced wine and eating potato pancakes at the christkindl market downtown. any opportunity to drink in daley plaza is well received by our family, so silas and i texted sam on our way to the german wonderland, he popped in the doors of our train when it pulled into the chicago station (easily my favorite trick with silas so far. we just ride the train stopping and picking up strangers at every stop for miles and miles. he smiles and points at every person that gets on and then when he leasts expects it...one of those commuters is papa!! the expression on his face is fantastic.) we spent a bit longer than expected at the market, warming up in one of the beergartens, talking to musicians, strolling along the stalls, sampling the toys and pointing at all the balls/ornaments (ba-ball- ball!!)

saturday, sam baked cookies while i read and silas took a record morning nap. aah, sweet indulgence. then we hoofed it in the sprinkly, sparkly snow to the small prints show where sam's piece was in high demand. he got a call from the gallery owner asking if he could please bring more prints by, they had almost sold out in the FIRST HOUR of the opening. so to all of you reading who have been previous recipients of the art - the salad days are up, my darling's in demand. from now on, it's going to cost you.

later on we went and saw a movie while we left silas in the trusty care of his cousins and aunt and uncle. when we left he was kneeling in front of their grand, breathtaking christmas tree. when we arrived back he was still in supplication. but, aunt missy not only got him to eat all his vegetables, elliott taught him how to dance, uncle ken let him stoke the fire and olivia helped him stretch out before his grand showing of the evening... right around 9pm when we decided to finish our beers and head home, the little bugger decided to walk. for real. alot! back and forth and forth and back between sam and the encouragement of missy. amazing and so dang funny to watch.

finally for the whipped cream in the weekend cake, we took silas to watch the bills win (!) on sunday. sam, silas and eric can't believe just how big that tv is.

today we joined georgia

and eliza for a jaunt to the wonderland express. the botanic garden's holiday display of trains, waterfalls, ivy, poinsettias and all the chicago landmarks made out of twigs, cinnamon sticks and nutshells. or something like that, we didn't have time to read the informational placards - we have toddlers to chase down.

it's the bean! it's cloudgate! silas points out the butt butt to anyone that cares to listen.

eliza and georgia waiting for trains to pass by.

the kids in the greenhouse.

it's never too early to put some sass into your stride.

silas and georgia.

and just like that, i am officially in the holiday spirit.

my attempt to take the obligatory "black olives on the fingers" photo for auntie kim was more difficult than expected. silas kept shoving them into his mouth faster than i could get the camera up to my eye.

he ate about half the can. my baby can make his lunch out of garnish.

we're making the slow transition from two daily naps to one. so when he falls asleep, he falls hard.

silas and i spent the afternoon at the garfield park conservatory. it was practically empty and he could crawl the brick paths and climb the stone steps to his heart's content.

thanks to this baby right here, we sat and nursed in the fern room for a long time. it was silent, warm and mossy. i was able to really concentrate on the plants around my immediate spot and practice that gentle looking i learned in geology 101.

a jade in full bloom. one day, one day.

silas counts the koi and goldfish in the aroid house.

messing with the holiday decorations.

self portrait on a slant.

we've been taking it easy with impending ice storms, slippery sidewalks and a toddler who's busy trying out those walking feet.

the neighbors came over with pizza and beer and forrest! and that's how we do a saturday night.

silas auditions to be aaron's guitar tech.

forrest works the drum sticks.

good night smooches.

spending the week with grandma and grandpa while sam puts in some late nights. grandma discourages silas from charging the christmas tree and instead encourages decorating.

ice covered branches and frozen berries in mchenry county.

after dinner bath with waterfall!

bathing silas is always a two person affair.

now that looks more like the baby that sam and i were expecting to see.

back in the city, silas has developed an obsession with sweeping. i never thought i would try to sweep silently on the sly to avoid my dust pan demanding son.

silas's snow overalls arrived in the nick of time.

the best is when you ask where the snow is and he just waves his arms all around.

sam brought home the softest christmas tree ever.

everyone is happier when mama sleeps in on sunday mornings.

television viewing hesitation goes out the window before 8am on a sunday.

to say we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of my snowboots would be putting it lightly. silas and i were pretty much dressed and waiting for the brown delivery van to drop off my new winter kicks. we were out the door and rolling around in snow within twenty minutes, there was late day sun to soak up. afternoon naps and return policies be damned!

silas was so involved in investigating the snow that he crawled around forever and ignored my requests for a portrait and inquiries into whether or not he was chilly.

so i busied myself by crafting a snow lounger.

then the snow bunnies arrived.

and did some quick winter sprints.

wednesday was the last green city winter market. we bought all the apples that we could carry and what we hope is enough garlic to get us through to the spring. wednesday markets=free entry to the nature museum. so we visited some reptiles, whispered with the butterflies and scoped out tiny birds.

fish face with the turtle.

olivia and the water monitor.

after a while, nile crocodile.

talking about whatever it is that they talk about.

this time silas makes the fish face at the fish and maybe a butterfly or two.

silas kicked off the holiday revelry early by decorating the bathroom.

georgia made her christmas calling and gifted us the sweetest little raccoon in a trash can you've ever seen.

tickle-wrastling in the bedroom.

silas's christmas present - creedence through headphones. note: baby's mind being blown.

taking a load off at grandma and grandpa's pad.

sam and silas earn their hot cocoa by throwing snowballs at fences.

opening presents from grandpa's toy workshop on christmas eve.

merry christmas, baby!

silas and i planned on staying home today to finish off the egg nog, eat cookies and read all of his new books, but then sarah called right after breakfast, demanded that we look out the curtains at the sunshine and told us we had thirty minutes to meet her at the zoo.

gorilla staring contest.

olivia . silas . crocodile

the fish face got a serious workout.

because, really, what's the point of giving up your previous career to raise your child if you don't have a beer with lunch every now and again?

mr. monkey pants, christmas day had us staring fourteen months of you in the face.

now that you are so completely your own person with strong wants, definite dislikes and a constant need for kisses, it is absolutely fantastic to hang out with you everyday. i found myself pinching myself more often this month than previous months. i cannot believe that it is my job to hang out with you every day. it is the best job i have ever had (and i never thought i would top the french baby boutique in westport) and i love waking up every morning to the knowledge that my day will be full of hanging out with you and if it's a really good day - you and sam.

you have taken me everywhere this month: the zoo, the winter market, the butterfly room, the conservatory, the aquarium, the nature village, mchenry, rolling down snowy hills, the neighbors, to meet santa claus, the laundromat, the bagel place, the botanic gardens. everywhere.

you are unflappable with the changes of location, you fall asleep on the journey and wake up vaguely psyched to be somewhere completely different. you adapt much better to change than i could ever anticipate.

but even with all these amusements at our fingertips, my favorite place to spend time with you is hands down, our home. when we're home you are totally chill. exploring all the nooks of our condo, wedging yourself into the spot between the couch and the bookshelf so you can sit and enjoy a book or a puzzle by yourself.

this month, you've truly developed an ability to entertain yourself, something i don't think i figured out how to do until i moved into my own apartment and started drinking. i listen to you playing, talking yourself through certain activities, making silly noises for your animal figures, zooming your cars around and our favorite: your anticipatory "ah, ah, ah, aaaaah!" exclamation for throwing balls, finger puppets or surprising yourself with the raccoon puppet.

and finally, i can say with confidence that your sleeping patterns have taken a turn for the better. i have begun dreaming regularly and your papa often doesn't bring you into bed until after 4am. this is a huge relief. i miss having you in bed when i fall asleep but i missed not being kicked in the neck while drifting off even more. and i think that you are more down with your crib than in the past, you ask to take naps and if you're deciding to abstain from resting one particular day you'll still play in your crib while i catch some shuteye. but i can't imagine not waking up with you in our bed. waking up slow on a saturday morning, the three of us. it's just so obviously what it's all about.

so thank you, silas lee. thank you for being down with the snow.

thank you for making it so incredibly fun and funny to live moment to moment.

thank you for rubbing your whole chest and belly when you are saying please. thank you for still being able to be completely calmed by the presentation of an apple. thank you for singing along with us in the car when we ask nicely. thank you for turning every object into either a telephone or a microphone.

thank you for being the easiest person in the world to love. it is exactly what i want to do all day.