Week 15: Goat Shed!

This week we donned our tool belts and started building a movable goat shed/ chickenhouse in the front yard. The chickens have been roosting in a particular tree since they were chicks, and a cold rain last week convinced us that they can no longer go without shelter. Silvan hung out in his baby papasan chair while we worked, and needed only occasional cuddling and comforting. He is a very patient guy. During this time he learned how to yank the dangling toy from his chair, the better to stuff it into his mouth.
Silvan's emerging bottom teeth are hurting him lately. But he spends most of his days in high spirits, looking around at the fire and the cats and gurgling to himself delightedly.

This week our little white hen, puff, started laying eggs-- the first we've had from our chickens. They are tiny, blue-green, and lovely, as you can see.

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Silvan at fourteen weeks

Silvan made even more progress towards becoming an independent person this week. He has become interested in his "baby gym", which has served as an elaborate cat toy up until now. Grabbing things and putting them in his mouth occupies most of his waking hours. He desires to sit up and engage with the world as much as he can, and complains when the view is not to his liking. He has noticed that there are an awful lot of chickens, cats, and dogs running around this place, and would like to put them into his mouth, too. We started our first fire of the year in the woodstove this week, and all sat together looking at the flames.




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Week 13!

Shrewd observers will note that we're falling behind - Silvan turned 15 weeks old this past Friday. We have a sizable backlog of photos and anecdotes that we're just dying to share with you all.

At any rate, Silvan is proving to be extremely pleasant company. I don't get to see him as much as jd does - in the mornings I change his diaper before I go to work and in the afternoons I take Silvan and sit with him for as long as he'll abide it.

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He is proving to be a real handful - jd surly knows this better than I since she's home with him by herself most often. On the other hand, it sure seems like she can always calm him down with out much trouble. Her ability to nurse him gives her an unfair advantage, if you ask me. I have to pick him up and walk with him sometimes to keep him happy.

Silvan is growing by leaps and bounds. He'll support himself on his legs if you hold him steady, and just last week he started successfully grabbing things in his hands and putting them in his mouth. He petted a cat. His babbling has moved from 'aaaaa' to 'laaa' to 'mmmmmm-ba' all in the last week or so.

His awareness of mirrors has been a fascinating development. Initially, he only seemed interested in mirrors in the same way he was interested in light and movement. Later, he would make eye contact with himself in the mirror. Then he started trying to touch the mirror, and now he'll make eye contact with jd and me through the mirror.

That about exhausts what I have to say right now - Silvan is lovely and sweet. I'm extremely fond of him . Here are a couple more pictures showing how pretty he is.




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