Lots of new skills + the great march to toddlerhood

I have started to write this post in my head several times over the past few weeks.  Then something else amazing would happen; Rowan has gone through so many huge changes this month.  As recently as October I was stressing out because his eating and sleeping habits were going haywire - then a few weeks ago, Rowan basically weaned himself and then decided he was thrilled with a simple bedtime routine of saying goodnight, brushing teeth, turning out the lights, and calling it a night.  We're STILL a little weirded out by how easily he goes down now ... most nights he is literally EXCITED to be going to bed.  Occasionally he will cry a little (like when he is overtired), but it never lasts for more than a few minutes.

New Rowan is MUCH more cuddly!

Despite the weaning and increased independence, Rowan has become much more affectionate.  When he was an infant I was often frustrated by how clingy yet not affectionate he often seemed.  Rationally, I knew better than to take that personally, but it still hurt when he screamed to be picked up but then, bizarrely, continued to scream because I was holding him.  He is definitely still a sensitive kid with often ineffable wants and needs - but at least now he gives us some hugs and kisses, too.

The Christmas season came and has mostly gone.  We did go get our tree at Powers Farmer Market early in December with Rachael & Jake like we always do - but it was rainy and Rowan was grumpy so we didn't get any pictures.  However, we did have a fun time decorating as a family ...

Yaay! Lights!

And kitty!!

Our cute little tree :)

We (but mostly Ben) have been working on sign language with Rowan.  It has become a fairly common practice among parents these days.  Rowan does use some of the signs, but moreover it seems to have really increased his vocabulary.  In early November, his discernible words were Mama, Dada, kitty, doggy, hey, and yeah.  Now he has added the following words: baby, berry, bread, eat, more, night night, girl, boy, banana (and he can recognize those last three in books, too), neee (honey), oh no, all done, and his favorite: thank you.  He started "singing along" with some of his favorite songs, especially "ding dong" (the Muppets singing Ringing of the Bells.)  He also signs eat, more, and light.  We often sign light off/on, please, thank you, help, gentle, eat, drink, more, good boy, cat, dog, boy, girl, and milk.  And of course, we still get plenty of baby babble - he talks to himself and us in babble a lot, and often talks himself to sleep.  It is great that he is starting to communicate so much more and he is SO pleased with himself. :) 

Weeee! Still loving slides!

Oh, hi! I sure like this Dad of mine.

Despite the fact that he basically took himself off the bottle, Rowan is still pretty anti-solid foods.  We're pretty sure it's just the textures because he has tried and liked a lot of strong flavors (blue cheese, spicy sausage, chili.)  So he still relies on purees for a lot of his proteins and fruit-veggie-grain smoothies for more nutrition.  He does love yogurt and he tears through raspberries and blackberries like there's no tomorrow.  He eats chevre (soft goat cheese) by the handful but refuses almost all other offers of cheese (although today he did eat a piece of espresso-rubbed cheese after turning down the other two more mild cheeses.)  He does drink milk, but usually only 8 ounces or so a day, and he drinks a lot of water.  He also snacks on graham crackers and cereal bars and the occasional bit of bread.  And he is just OBSESSED with honey - if he even hears the door to the cupboard it's in, he comes rushing into the kitchen shouting "NEEEEE!"  (See above, vocabulary.) I'm sure he'll start branching out when he is ready.  He does occasionally go nuts for unexpected dishes - like the saffron rice pilaf with leeks and spicy sausage I made last week.  He ate three bowlfuls over two days.  Then turned down pancakes for the millionth time.  Weirdo.

Jogging down Lambert Ave.

Rowan really loves stop signs.

We did our usual Christmas split - we went to Ithaca for the weekend before Christmas, then drove to Fredonia on Christmas Eve.  Rowan was definitely a little more into it this year - he opened presents, played with new toys, and had fun with his many cousins.  It's always a little tough to be on the road (nap time is especially perilous), but this year was definitely smoother than last ... at least in my not-too-reliable Mommy Memory.  He is much more comfortable in louder, more crowded spaces now.  Rowan didn't try too many of the fancy Christmas foods - but he did enjoy many goat cheese-stuffed raspberries, one of his favorite delicacies.

So big! (with the Duliba cousins)

Rowan is thinking, What is this guy doing?

We are trying to take it easy for the remainder of Winter Break.  There's always a lot of stuff to do around the house ... but there is also a new cheese shop in Rochester and the ice cream shop we love right next door.  So that's what we did this morning.

Rowan's favorite is Salted Caramel.

Did I get every last bit??

Yeah + YEAH + yeah

Rowan has always been very vocal and he says quite a few words already: mama, dada, kitty, doggy, baby, boy, girl, and possibly eat (hard to tell if he is really saying it or just exclaiming "eee!")  But his favorite word by far is "yeah" and he gets a lot of mileage out of it.  He uses "yeah" to express basically everything by fluctuating his pitch, tone, and volume.  Everything from a loud, declarative "YEAH!" to a sad, whimpering "yeah..." to a mild, conversational "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."  It is completely hilarious.

Yeah, yeah, yeah

New favorite activity - belly sliding!

Tonight he was snuggling after his bottle before bed and I was having the hardest time not laughing out loud - he kept making these high-pitched, quite, breathless "yeahs."  He has definitely gotten more snuggly lately.  He still pulls his "I want you to hold me but I don't at the same time" trick if he is really upset or cranky, but he hands out hugs and kisses a lot more liberally now.  If he is up, he always gives me a big kiss before I leave for work and he also likes to give goodnight kisses.  He hasn't really learned to pucker his lips yet, so he just opens his mouth really big and presses his face against ours.  Super cute.

Big guy in an even bigger world.

Yeah! Playground!!

He is just like us + we like him a lot

I am working on my attitude.  I have a great deal to be thankful for in my life.  Rowan may not be the most easygoing kid ever, but he is healthy, developing well, and generally pretty happy and curious.  Some days there is just no pleasing him and I am working on accepting that rather than getting frustrated that I can't make him happy at the moment.  We are all entitled to bad moods now and again.

So big! (And so proud!)

Rowan was actually in a pretty good mood this weekend and more cuddly than usual.  He has never been much of a cuddler since he always just wants to run off (or be carried off) to the next great adventure.  But he even gave me a kiss on the forehead last night!  So sweet. 

I also have to remind myself frequently that he is definitely our kid.  Sure, he is stubborn and can't stand to sit still or wait - just like me.  Of course, I'm an adult so I can control my emotions (slightly) better than my toddler.  He also loves to laugh and loves to make us laugh - that is the best.  The other day he was on the second landing on the stairs and just starting screeching and shaking his whole body - it wasn't an angry screech, it was almost like Tarzan on helium.  Ben and I were ROLLING on the floor with laughter.

I'M SO DARN HAPPY!!

Just like Daddy, Chucks and all. :)

A traumatic first + autumnal activities

Most parents would agree that we are really lucky that we have been able to keep Rowan home with one of us his whole life.  We make sure he gets out, sees new things, and socializes, but we haven't needed to use daycare.  There are plenty of bonuses to avoiding daycare - he is rarely sick (only one major virus ever), we aren't spending money we don't have, he feels safe and secure, and of course extra time for mom and dad to spend with him.

Um, I'm a little worried.  Like, all the time.

The downside to not using daycare is our spoiled little babe CANNOT cope without Mom or Dad.  We went through "separation anxiety" a few months ago - at least, the doctor said that was why his sleep patterns were nutty for several weeks.  Rowan has always been pretty anxious but lately he's been relatively fearless (more on fall adventures below.)  I have attributed it to the fact that he can do so much now - walking, running, feeding himself (if he feels like it), and just generally having more playing skills.  So we took a bit of a plunge today - we left him at the gym daycare for about 45 minutes while Ben and I had a workout.

This did not go over well.

It started out fine - Rowan was thrilled to see kids!  And toys!  And stuff to climb on!  He was laughing and playing and we slipped away feeling pretty good about this idea.  We hung around nearby for a few minutes and watched while he settled in - everything seemed to be going well so we went off to do some cardio.

When we returned a little while later, Rowan was just laying on the floor sobbing.  The poor daycare worker looked like she was probably just about to run and get us anyway.  Apparently he had been crying for over half an hour - nothing could console him.  I was able to get him to stop sobbing fairly quickly, but he has been anxious and touchy all evening.

I realize all is not lost - eventually he will have to cope with life beyond Mom and Dad.  But for right now we might take a breather before diving back into this experiment.  I approached it rationally at first - he is fine, he will get over it, it will get better.  But later this evening I started to feel really depressed about it.  Like all parents, I don't want to put my kids through unnecessary stress; I don't want him to feel afraid or lost.  But I also don't want to shelter him too much;  I want him to be outgoing and adventurous.

Ready to take on the world!!!

So for now we will just keep focusing on the adventures that Rowan DOES like.  We have had a very busy fall, but it has been very fun and full of family, friends, and foliage! ;)

Picking Pumpkins at Power's Farm Market

Plucking the last few sungold tomatoes from the vines

We took advantage of my long Columbus Day weekend and went to Ithaca and Syracuse.  We enjoyed a leisurely Saturday drive down to Ithaca, stopping at Indian Creek Farms on the way to pick apples and late season raspberries.  Rowan was surprisingly patient and independent while we were picking raspberries - and he even grasped the concept of picking only the red ones (I had failed to impart this lesson with tomatoes this summer.)  Then we went into the city and had a delicious Viva Taqueria dinner with Aunt Gretchen.  We stopped at The Shop before dinner and Rowan was very flirtatious with some ladies.  He was feeling less lovable on Sunday and I might have gotten a little especially irritated outside of The Piggery.  My anger might have had something to do with the lack of bacon as well.  Then I ate some cake with cherries and my anger subsided. So we all survived and on Monday afternoon we traipsed up to Syracuse to hang out with Erin and Avi.  The boys don't quite play "together" just yet, but they do seem fond of one another. :)

Hey ladies ......

Surprisingly peaceful Rowan

Contemplating pumpkins. And life.

This past weekend was busy but a lot of fun and full of more visiting.  On Saturday we drove down to Nunda for Lauren & Kevin's first anniversary party.  Rowan had a great time playing with kids and dogs.  He also had a lovely time trying over and over again to throw himself down the enormous hill in the backyard.  He was a good sport about checking out the new place and new people - once he figured out that Mom and Dad were staying.
On Sunday we went to Buffalo to see Rachel & William.  Rowan basically missed his nap on the way there and he was a little cranky while we were trying to have lunch.  However, he really rallied for the zoo and did an excellent job of walking (and running) around to check stuff out.  We were really pleased and impressed by both his stamina and his willingness to run everywhere.  I'm sure I'll regret this once he is too fast to keep up with ...

Running at the zoo

Oh, hey.  Like my jeans?

Hehehehe I want you to lick me but I don't!!!

Summer ends, fall begins + more changes

Fall is almost in full swing and we have had some big changes around here lately.  I'm glad we were able to spend the majority of July relaxing and just enjoying being a family, because I started training and planning for my new teaching job in August and now that the school year has begun I am at work 45-50 hours a week.  I am extremely thankful and happy to have the job that I want and the work is challenging and gratifying - but it is hard to be away from home so much.  Ben is staying home with Rowan for right now and the transition has been a little difficult.  We only have one car right now, so often the boys are stuck at home (or at least in our neighborhood.)  Luckily we don't live in the middle of nowhere - there are a few things to do within walking distance.

At the spray park across the street.

Still just a little hesitant ... :)

We keep trying to think of new and interesting things for Rowan to do - but at the same time we are trying to keep him in a routine to some extent.  Basically, we are trying to create and maintain norms for eating and sleeping (eating especially has been a problem, see below) but we are also trying to keep him from being bored during the day.  I am glad we have been able to keep him home with one of us all this time, but I'm starting to think daycare would really help him get over some of his issues.

Just thinking ... about how much eating annoys me.

Almost all of my peers have young children at this point and it is almost impossible not to worry and compare Rowan's development.  His eating habits and preferences have become especially worrisome to me.  I'm sure he is fine - his doctor says he is developing wonderfully and it is obvious that he is healthy and strong.  But he is almost 14 months old and still relies on his bottle for most of his nutrition.  We just can't seem to get him very interested in real food.  He will eat some purees, but he has been increasingly picky about those as well.  It is very frustrating when he is obviously hungry but will only throw his food.  And I know this is a typical toddler behavior, but it makes meal times very stressful.

What? Is there something on my face?

Hey, remember that ONE time I ate a banana?

Double fisting ... with the oatmeal.

To be fair, when he is in the mood Rowan can handle a spoon pretty well.  We're going to try fortifying some of his purees with multigrain cereal to see if we can sneak some extra calories into him.  He has been waking up in the middle of the night pretty regularly and I'm sure it's because he is just hungry.
We try to keep things in perspective.  Rowan IS happy a lot of the time and he does a lot of things really well. (THIS also helps keep things in perspective.)  We try to spend a lot of time outside and Rowan has become very fond of picking tomatoes and herbs - he and I almost always spend some time in the garden as soon as I get home from school.

Oh! Not sure if I like tomatoes yet!

Hey! This basil's not going to pick itself!

This picture hangs next to Mama's desk at school. <3

Rowan LOVES to run.  The other day we stopped at Target after school and he spent nearly a half an hour running up and down the aisles, just shrieking with laughter!  Then later that night he was doing LAPS through the downstairs - he had his head down, pumping his little arms and everything! It was hilarious and he was so serious.  We were also thrilled that he was tiring himself out.

A rare peaceful moment.

Sigh. The cats.  Rowan just will NOT stop harassing them and unfortunately they don't seem to have the good sense to just run away when he is after them (especially Huck.)  We use the meanest tone we can muster when Rowan starts pulling tails and grabbing at them, but he just laughs.  He really just seems to see them as toys.  We have been relentlessly working on "nice petting" but he only does it about 20% of the time.  Most of the time we just have to pull him off of them, which of course makes him mad.

Reading with Daddy

Relaxing with Mama

Who, me?

So there are peaceful moments.  We hope there are many more to come.

ONE YEAR + and so much change

I think it is safe to say we have a toddler now.  It's crazy to think that Rowan crawling was big news just two months ago - now he walks all over the place!  This past month we have been very fortunate to be able to all be home as a family much more than usual.  Good thing, too, because if either of us had missed much of this month we might not recognize this new kid!

(He is a lot steadier than that now, but this video is just the best.)

Rowan started walking with our encouragement back in late June.  Ben and I would sit a few feet apart and he would take tentative steps and we would catch him if he stumbled.  We practiced this way a lot and slowly his range got farther and his steps more confident.  Then while we were on vacation he learned to stand up unassisted and then his skills really took off.  He recently figured out that he can walk wherever he wants, not just to one of us.  He is pretty steady on his feet and doesn't freak out as much when he stumbles anymore.  He walks very carefully - he kind of looks like a little old man shuffling around.

Oh, hello.  Just walkin' here.

Still patching, but just the left eye - also working on solid foods. :)

We went to Ithaca a couple weeks ago and Rowan was reunited with his pal Dakota.  He really gets so psyched watching Dakota play. I really do hope we can get him a dog one day, preferably a collie mix like Dakota.  He is really calm and gentle, but still has plenty of energy and loves to play.  This time we managed to get some good pictures:

We spent a bunch of time chilling at Camp Barton.  Rowan enjoyed meeting some new kids, hiking down to the the falls, and taking a quick dip in Cayuga Lake.  I am so glad that he is so good about meeting new kids and he is gradually starting to get over the separation anxiety, too.  He is definitely outgoing and I think he will adjust well to daycare one day (if we can just get him into regular napping ... we're working on it.)

Gazing into each others' eyes ...

Psh whatever, Nature, I just want my puffs.

We had Rowan's first birthday party at our house last weekend.  I think I showed remarkable restraint and I only had one or two minor meltdowns over pulling everything together. :)  Our house and yard can really get quite cozy when we clean up and throw open the doors.

Yup, handmade.  But I'll use it next year, too!

What? I was hot.

Yaaaaaaaay party!!!

Rowan generally does pretty well with crowds, as long as Ben or I are with him.  He had a good time at his party and was in a good mood basically the whole time.  He was definitely basking in the attention and enjoying having some kids to play with, too.  The only part of the evening he did NOT like was his birthday cupcake ... he did not understand why he couldn't touch the flame and he definitely did not care for the singing.  But he got over it very quickly once he was munching on his very own cupcake. :)

WHY?!

Oh, that's why.  Okay. :)

Monster Cupcakes!

For the birthday boy

In other news, Rowan continues to grow and grow.  We went to the doctor today and he is still doing great - 86th percentile for weight, 96th for height (32 inches tall!!!), and 92nd for head size.  He is going to be one brainy beefcake. :)  He already has several words - good, kittycat, mama, dada.  He also still says "I did it!" and when we praise him with a good job or good boy he responds, "Thank you!"

There is just SO MUCH I need to tell you!

Starting to get a little more snuggly - some love from Mama.

Rowan's Likes: Homemade banana biscotti (thanks for the tip, Grandma Judy!), bananas, yogurt, playing in water (pool or lake or tub), running after the kittycats, opening and closing drawers and doors, the Muppets (especially Mahna Mahna), Sesame Street, most music, books
Rowan's Dislikes: Getting his diaper changed, putting on pants, going down for naps (but he is getting a lot better - we're working on it), most solid foods (it seems to be a texture thing, his doctor says that is normal)