Tub Time = Happy Time

We have discovered that Silas likes our bathroom. I'm not sure if it's the bright, yellow lights, or the loud, buzzing noise from the fan, but he always seems to calm down when he's in there. He also LOVES bath time. Here's our boy relaxing in his tub.

If only he could stay in the bath all day.

Cry Babies

Yep, my day has pretty much been like this.
(They're not always like this, though.)



The big one's mad because I won't give her another Hershey's kiss or let her watch her movie for a second time. The little one's upset . . . always, it seems.

How has your day been?

Trip to Southern Illinois

Earlier this week I took the kids to Marion to visit Nana & Pawpaw Sipe. On Monday, Nana took Nella and cousin Marley to Giant City Stables for pony rides.

Nana, Nella, & Magic, the pony.

The cousins on Magic.

Marley is a pro. He rides horses, not ponies!

On Tuesday we got to visit some dear friends. We even got to spend time with some friends we met in Louisville, who now live in Carbondale. Nella, Julian, Claira & Simon (he was busy reading).

The newest buddies: Silas (1 month) & Jonas (2 months).

Nella & Simon. "We're big kids and we know we're cute!"

Classic.
Silas: 'I'm always crying!'
Nella: 'He's crying!'
Simon: 'I'm outta here!'
Jonas: 'I'm hungry!'

My sister (who is a fantastic chef) made her famous homemade sweet potato ravioli with vodka sauce for dinner on Tuesday night. It was fabulous!

Silas = 1 Month

Our son is a month old. It's been an exhausting month, but we're really enjoying our boy! Silas is quite a fussy little fellow! He spends most of his awake time crying. Our pediatrician says reflux and colic are to blame for upsetting our otherwise healthy baby. Tummy issues and screaming spells aside, he is healthy and growing. At his check up he measured 21 inches long and now weighs 9 pounds and 8.5 ounces.

He definitely had his days and nights mixed up and preferred to have his scream-fests around midnight. But, he has recently started settling into a somewhat predictable feeding & sleeping pattern. He has slept decently at night the past 3 nights, waking only to eat then going right back to sleep. Needless to say, we are praying that he continues to do this.

We're mostly told that he's a mini-Caleb.

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin is a pantry staple for me during the fall and winter seasons. I love any foods with pumpkin! These muffins are my favorite. They may not be the healthiest muffins around (hello, sugar!) but they are moist and delicious. [I made the mini muffins for Nella. :) ]

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, baking soda, and salt until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture just until combined.

3. Fill muffin cups until about 3/4 full. Bake 25 until golden brown and a tooth pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

4. Cool & enjoy!

I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon-sugar onto the tops before baking. Mmmm.

The recipe is from Gourmet Magazine (they're ceasing publication next month) but I found it posted here.

I still have lots of pumpkin to use up. I'm thinking I'll make pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin milkshakes, pumpkin spice bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin . . .

Nella = 20 Months

Our girl is 20 months old. She enjoys playing with her baby dolls and giving kisses to her baby brother. She is learning lots of new words and has used her potty chair 3 times now. She is hilarious and we enjoy every second with her. Here are a few recent photos of our silly Nella.

Little girl. Huge tub.

Sportin' her new puffy vest.

Little mommy takes her babies for a stroll.

Boxer brief hijab.

Kiddos at the Park

Okay, so it's just cutesy pictures of Nella playing, but Silas was there too.
There is a fun little city park right next to our apartment complex. The mornings here have been way to cold and the afternoons have been getting colder. We're taking advantage of the last of the warm-ish weather and bracing ourselves for a long upper-Illinois winter.

How cute is this (almost) 20-month old girl?

Swinging is her favorite. (Side note: the apartment complex in the back is not ours. That is the shady one that may or may not be a hub for Chicago drug trafficking).

She loves the ladybug too.

And the slide.

And the peek-a-boo thingy.

See? Silas was enjoying his nap at the park.