Fall flew by ...

So, this post originally started on the eve of the first day of school.  Sigh.  School has been harder this year and I have definitely felt much more stretched.  It was so amazing last year being able to have Ben home for awhile.  I really wish he could just stay home, our schedule is so stressful.  I wish I could envision it changing one day.  I suppose once Rowan is in school Ben could try to start working days ... but then again, we might have another kid.  Someday.  Oh well, we do have the summer to enjoy time as a family.

Rowan definitely changed this summer.  At the beginning of the summer, he was still very prone to anxiety and still needed one of us to be quite nearby in order to feel comfortable and to play.  We had made a lot of progress with playgrounds and visiting Grandma's house, but it wasn't until about mid-August that he started to really relax.

We spent a lot of time in Fredonia this summer.  Rowan got comfortable at Grandma and Grandpa's, played at the playground a lot, and learned how to do a somersault (sadly, I didn't get a good picture of that.)

Super impressed

Tumble Attack!!

Check out ma belly!

Working on his climbing skills

 In other news, Rowan definitely has a best friend.  We have started hanging out with our friends Kris and Emily and their son Miles.  We have known them for a long time, but since the boys are the same age we have finally started hanging out a lot.  I think playing with Miles has really helped Rowan to be a better problem-solver and more comfortable trying new things.  Actually, Rowan calls him "friend Miles."  And Miles calls him "friend Rowan."  It is THE cutest.

The boys mostly hang out at the playground, our houses, and the market - but we did manage to pull together a trip to the farm in August.  Sadly, this was before Rowan really found his bravery and coping skills - he spent a lot of the visit whining. :\  The boys did do some playing and exploring together.  And Rowan loves all the instruments that Uncle Kevin lets him use. :)

Exploring the farm

Sharing - kind of :)

Pensive piano player

Rowan continues to be very interested in drawing.  He still appears to prefer his left hand for drawing and lately he has gone back to the hilarious thing where he will shake his right fist furiously while drawing with his left.  He loves shapes and knows a LOT by name, including the basics (square, circle, triangle, oval) and the not so basic (trapezoid, octagon, hexagon, scalene, pentagon, crescent, etc.)  He is still mostly in the scribbling phase, but he will request that Ben or I draw a certain shape for him then he will "color" it.  He can draw a circle and he is working on the others.  The other day I watched him color in all the little random shapes created within one of his scribbles.  It's fun to watch him draw.

He really concentrates on it.

Cool, weird little symbols on steps

Must mean something to him

Rowan was really slow to accept the concept of the playground in general and even slower with swings.  He was willing to swing on his belly on regular swings, but it wasn't until he started hanging out with Miles that he finally gave the kid swings a try.  Lo and behold, he LOVED them.  For awhile in August and September, "going to the playground" meant swinging for a half hour straight.  Nowadays he'll try just about anything at the playground.

With another favorite: BALLOON!!

I still think of Rowan as a picky eater, although he's not really.  He definitely eats way more healthy foods more willingly than a lot of his peers.  He's just still texture-averse and not really keen on anything that requires much chewing.  This means lots of soup (he eats lots of varieties which I make and which contain tons of veggies), pasta (mac & cheese or orzo with tiny diced veggies), yogurt, some fruits, crackers (graham and pita), peanut butter, goat cheese, and of course the pouches.  We have had some limited success with french toast and pancakes.  He just won't do cooked vegetables or meat.  He seems to think mashed potatoes are some kind of poison.  He would eat ice cream all day if we let him.  Adorably, his favorite thing is poutine - hand-cut french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds.  Fortunately, this is a Rochester favorite.  We usually go to the food truck Le Petit Poutine, but he's also had it at the Tap & Mallet.

Sometimes he just wants ketchup.

He won't eat them, but loves to "help"

We managed to get down to Ithaca in early October.  Unfortunately, Ben had to work, but Amy came with Rowan and I for a quick visit.  The weather was beautiful and perfect early fall.  Rowan had a great time picking apples and eating donuts.  He also really enjoyed playing with Grandma and Grandpa - he even let Grandpa pick him up! And take him out of the van! And carry him away from Mama! It was crazy, it was like I didn't even know him.  In a good way.