5 Months: Fashion Shoot

The weather has taken a turn for the crisp and invigorating here lately, and as a result Silvan has been wearing more and more clothes. It started with socks, but soon he was wearing pants and little hoodies and cute little footie-pajamas. Jd and I are, naturally, thrilled.

Babies apparently enjoy a significantly expanded fashion universe and are allowed - even encouraged - to really push the envelope. Here Silvan is sporting a plush pink one-piece body suit. What adult could pull that off?

Normally, I get to pick out Silvan's outfit for the day. I get up early and make sure the front room is nice and warm. Then I put together everything I'll need to get Silvan ready for the day: a new diaper and diaper cover, baby wipes, his baby lotions, a blanket for him to lay on, and a new outfit. Finally, I lift him out of bed (unless he's nursing) and carry him out to the front room. I change his diaper, put on his little outfit, and sit with him by the fire for a few minutes.

This morning ritual of ours is very peaceful and meditative, and none of us make a big fuss about it. Sometimes, though, we change his clothes in the evenings just for kicks. These are much more festive events - we go through all his clothes and pick out a cute new outfit. We have a couch in the front room with a white blanket on it that makes a wonderful backdrop for our little fashion shoots. Jd and I will both get our cameras out and snap away for minutes at a time. Silvan seems to appreciate the attention.

In addition to new clothes, Silvan has been getting more and more involved with toys. For Silvan, toys are primarily for chewing on. He has a significant collection of stuffed bears, caterpillars, goblins, and a single stuffed robot.



Of course, it isn't all photo ops and stuffed toys for Silvan. He has a quiet, sensitive side that you can most often glimpse at about 8:00 in the morning. At this time of day - after his breakfast, a fresh diaper and a new outfit - he likes to sit quietly and stare into space.