Five Months

To my sweet baby boy:




Smiling with Abu

It has been another busy month. Two of the major events this month were us moving into our new house and me going back to work. Our house is amazing, and thinking about how you will grow up here makes me so happy! I had to return to work for the end of the school year two days after we moved. It was difficult leaving you every morning, but you had a wonderful time with Abu. You didn't take as many long naps like you usually do, but you did pretty well. Your Daddy and I are so grateful to my mom for staying with us for 2.5 weeks to take care of you. Grandpa Jay got to come up for a few days also. You had a lot of fun reading, singing songs and dancing with your grandparents. You are one lucky boy!

Dancing with Grandpa

We did have a few difficulties to deal with this month. You got a urinary tract infection. You did not sleep well for a few days and one night screamed for over an hour. This was difficult for us because there was nothing we could do. But once you started the antibiotics you felt better. The doctors were concerned that the fluid on your kidney and this infection were related so you had to have a VCUG. This test was uncomfortable for you and unbearable for me. Luckily I had my mom with me for support. The nurse tied you to a blank (using Velcro) with your hands above your head. I held your little hands as you cried. Even thinking about it now is making my heart race. They gave you dye through a catheter and took x-rays to see what was going on in there. Thankfully the next day we were told that you do not have reflux and that the fluid in you kidney is just how you were born, it is not urine. This was great news. I was told once again that your kidney would heal as you grow. Until then you will have ultrasounds every six months to make sure there are no other issues.

Upset because you are going backwards

You desperately want to crawl and are frequently frustrated because you are not moving in the direction you want. You can roll, scoot backwards, and rotate well. But so far when you try to crawl your butt gets in the air and your face is on the carpet! We have to keep a close eye on you. Yesterday I left you alone for about 20 seconds and when I came back inside you were creaming because you had rolled across the living room and hit your head on the leg of a chair.

Grandpa brought you a jumper and you are loving it! You jump up a few times then look at us and smile. It is very sweet. Your rocking chair is still your favorite place to relax. Because of all of the changes  your routine is a little off, but you still love taking naps in your chair.



Napping in your favorite chair

This month you discovered your feet! You grab them and stare at your toes. You even suck on them! When I kiss your feet you laugh. Your laugh is the BEST sound in the whole world, and have to laugh too when you are so happy. You know how to blow bubbles and stick out your tongue. You get the biggest smile when you see your daddy or mommy. You love watching Frida walk around the room, but her bark startles you. We have some pear trees our side our living room window, you like watching their leaves blowing in the wind, especially when you are tired. I can’t feel any teeth, but you like chewing on everything! You chew on your hands, toes, blankets, clothes and anything else you can get into your mouth. You have even tried to get my toes!

We celebrated Father’s Day on your 5 month birthday. Your mom and Abu made dinner for your dad, Grandpa Jay and Uncle Rick. We had nice relaxing day at home. You bought got you dad a subscription to Atomic Ranch magazine. He is very happy.

Rowan, you are an amazing little boy and I love you so much!

My Baby is 4 Months Old!

Wide awake at 5 am!

This has been a great month! I can make Rowan laugh, he can roll over and continues to smile more and more each day.  He officially is a thumb sucker! But he refuses to let me get a good picutre of it. Rowan has started going to the day care at LA Fitness. This as a big step for both of us! I try to take him when he is sleeping so I don’t miss spending time with him. When I go to get him he is sleeping or smiling at the ladies taking care of him, so maybe it is a bigger deal for me than for him!

Relaxing in the tub

Rowan has decided that he likes taking baths. He kicks and kicks splashing water all over then he looks up at me smiling. Last month he discovered his hands, this month he discovered mine. He will hold my fingers staring at my hands mesmerized. He has also started playing with a few toys. He reaches for them and then shoves them in his mouth. He does that with just about anything in front of him, hands burp cloths whatever he can get. Rowan still wakes up happy every morning. Unfortunately he has started waking up at 5 with a smile on his face. Chris is enjoying this because they get to spend a little time together before he goes to work. I usually talk to him for about 45 to 90 minutes until he goes back to sleep.  The other day I decided to ignore him to see if he would go back to sleep faster. I put my back to him and waited. A few minutes later he started pulling my hair and kicking me. I guess I need to find a better way to get him back to sleep.



Happy Mother's Day

This month we celebrated my first Mother’s Day. Rowan and his dad made me some beautiful art.  I love my sweet boys so much. We spent a nice day together and went out to a delicious lunch with Grandma Lynne and Gary.

This little boy still loves sleeping, and for the first three months of his life he took naps with ease. That has changed. Now instead of just going to sleep when he is tired he starts to cry/whine about it. I now have to walk him around, rock him with a binky or put him in his rocking chair. Once he is asleep he is out and takes nice long naps.


On May 24^th at Rowan’s four month checkup he weighed 17 pounds 10 ounces and is 26.5 inches long. What a big guy!

Three Months!

It has been another great month for La Familia Jordan.  Rowan continues to be a happy little guy bringing joy to every moment of my day.  This month brought a big change in our lives. While I was in Oregon last month we got on offer on our house. After 11 months on the market we finally sold it! We made plans to move into the basement apartment of our dear friends Katie and Jonathan. We are so grateful for a nice place to live while we await our new house. It is also fun being so close to the Grove family. The most exciting part of the moth was when Chris called me as I was setting up for my friend’s birthday party to tell me he found our house. I went down to the house and knew it was what we had been looking for. The stress of having to make an offer immediately was a bit much for me, but I got over it and we were one of four offers that came in that weekend.  We got the house and hope to move in by the end of May.

Rowan has been busy this month. He discovered his hands, and holds them up and stares at them. This week Rowan started sucking his thumb. He often has his thumb and first finger in his mouth. Chris keeps trying to get him to stop, but Rowan spits out the binky and puts his fingers back in his mouth. He is “talking” more and more each day. It is taking him quite awhile to eat because he keeps stopping to tell me stories. Rowan, Frida, and I are enjoying the spring weather, going for lots of walks in the sun and a few in the rain. When we are walking Rowan looks around with wide eyes. I love watching him discover the world. We also have been spending time reading and dancing around the apartment.

One of my favorite things Rowan started doing this month is laughing every time his hands are covered when I change his clothes or put him in a jacket. It is really funny. I also love that he will be getting cranky and as soon as I start walking towards him he’ll get a smile on his face. I love him so much!

Rowan sucking his fingers                                   Chris reading to Rowan

One of my favorites

Two Months Old

The past two months have been amazing! My little boy is growing and changing so much. Rowan is getting little chubby cheeks and I can’t wait to see how much he weighs next week at his doctor’s appointment. He can hold his head up for quite awhile and loves to kick and wave his arms around, especially in the morning. One of the most exciting changes is that Rowan learned how to smile. He is so sweet and my heart feels like it is going to explode when he smiles at me.

Two months old and in his first pair of jeans.

 Rowan and I have been busy the past month. Although we are not on a schedule we have established a routine that we both seem happy with. We have been lucky to have spent quite a bit of time Katie and baby Asa. I enjoy and appreciate support from Katie as I figure out how to be a mother.  Asa is exactly one month older than Rowan. They don’t know it yet, but they will be the best of friends. It has been fun sharing this special time together.  Grandma Lynne comes to visit almost every week. Rowan enjoys being held while Mom and Dad get a chance to do chores, go out to dinner or just relax a little.

Two weeks ago Chris had to go to Tampa for work. Rowan and I took this opportunity to go to Oregon and visit family. It was wonderful getting to spend so much time with my parents and watch them snuggle Rowan. One night Grandpa took Rowan and let me go to bed. This was a gift. I was able to sleep soundly knowing that I Rowan was being cared for. Meeting many of his cousins was one of Rowan’s favorite parts of the trips. They were all so interested in him and James was only a little jealous. While in Eugene Shawna, Aunt Alicia and my parents gave Rowan and me a wonderful luau themed party.  We were surprised and happy to see so many family members gathered to celebrate my growing family. Chris was greatly missed, but we still had a fantastic time.  My family if wonderful! Rowan and I are lucky to be loved so much.

One of my favorite parts of the day is when Rowan wakes up.  In the morning we lay in bed laughing, stretching and talking for 20 minutes before we get up. I feel so lucky to have such a happy baby.  Another wonderful part of the day is when Chris gets home from work. I love watching Rowan snuggle with his daddy, they are both so happy.

Rowan’s Birth Story

On Monday January 16 I had an appointment with my midwife. She said that I was three centimeters dilated and was sure I would have a baby before my due date January 25. I was certain that I had about a week left of being pregnant.  I went to bed prepared to go to work the next day, but hoping for a snow day!

At 1:30 in the morning I was startled awake. I laid there not moving for a moment and I came to the realization that my water had just broke.  I called my midwife. At the time I was not feeling any contractions. She told me that I had plenty of time, and I should try and go back to sleep. I went back to bed but knew I would not be able to get back to sleep. As soon as I got back in bed I started having contractions. From the beginning they were one to three minutes apart. When they started my contractions were not hurting. So I stayed in bed and Chris kept track of the contractions. After about an hour they were beginning to hurt and we decided to go to the hospital.

At the hospital I had a contractions right as I walked in the door. I couldn’t walk and they brought me a wheelchair.  We checked in and had to wait in the lobby of the emergency room for a nurse to come get us. By then I was in pain, and I woke the two guys sleeping in the waiting room. After a very long ten minutes we went up stairs.  When they did my initial examination I was 4+ centimeters dilated.

I have no concept of time of that morning, but Chris says that I was in bed having contractions for about 45 minutes, maybe a little longer. I was in quite a bit of pain. When I had a contraction I would curl and grab the hand rail on the side of the bed.  There were several times that Chris was worried I would roll off the bed. The nurse said she wanted to examine me again. She told me I was 8 centimeters!

We moved to a delivery room and they tried again to get a hold of my midwife. By this time the snow had started and she was having trouble getting to the hospital.  The on call doctor came in and told me it was time to push. This was the only time where I felt emotionally uncomfortable.   I did not know her and things were not going according to my plan. She looked at the nurse and said “she’ll be pushing for awhile,” and took off her gloves. As she did my midwife walked in!

I then got in the birthing tub and was able to relax for a bit. It was then time to push. I think that I pushed for about 30 minutes, but I’m not really sure. I remember right before Rowan was born, but his actual moment of birth is kid of a blur. I was pushing and then he was on my chest!  I looked down and saw the most beautiful baby. It was love at first sight.  Chris got to lift up the warm blanket that they had placed on us and announced that we had a little boy. The joy I felt in my heart and the closeness to Chris is indescribable. 

Rowan James born at 6:43 am on Tuesday January 17, weighting 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20.25 inches long. He is perfect!

I’m a Mom!

Rowan is one month old! He has already gained at least two pounds and he doesn’t look like a new born any more.  He is an amazing little boy. He only wakes twice a night and often sleeps in until 10. So nice to have a baby that likes sleep like I do. 

At the hospital we had visits from all of Rowan’s grandparent, Katie, Jonathan, Silas and baby Asa, but because he was born right at the beginning of snow storm, some visitors were kept away.  The snow continued and we were a little concerned about getting home. Luckily we could drive on only three main streets to get home, and we made it easily.  Once we got home we were snowed in for a couple of days. It was fabulous! My parents were here they got to spend five days snuggling Rowan and making food for us.  We spend the first week of Rowans life hanging out staring at him, marveling at his beauty.  Chris and I spend the next week with Rowan getting to know him and enjoying being a family of three. I cannot believe that a few weeks before Rowan was born I was thinking about how it had been just me and Chris for almost twelve years, and I was a little nervous about how things were about to change.  Things did change, but only for the better.  Now my family is even more perfect than it was before.

Chris is an amazing father. I love watching him play, read and talk with Rowan.  Every morning before Chris gets up he holds Rowan and they snuggle as they both slowly wake up. Then he changes Rowan’s diaper and gives him to me to feed before he goes to work.

Rowan and I spend most of our time eating and sleeping. We have been using the Moby and going for short walks.  Our big outing the other day was a trip to the bank, three blocks away. He loves being wrapped up and usually sleeps while we are walking around. 

We have over 300 pictures of Rowan already and Chris and I can often be heard saying “look at our baby.” We are continually entertained by the many faces that he makes, how he sleeps with his arms around his head/face, and just about every other thing he does. The last month as been amazing, we are happy!

Getting Excited!

At 37 ½ weeks pregnant I know that the baby will be here very soon. I just hope not too soon. Although I am so excited to meet my baby I could use every one of the next 2.5 weeks finish getting ready!  With work and all of my doctor appointments I am feeling extremely busy. I still have a couple of work projects that I need to get done before I leave my students.

This weekend my friends gave me the best baby shower!  “Babies del Mundo” was the perfect theme and I had a wonderful time! I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. My baby is already loved and a little spoiled.

I did have my last appointment with the specialist this past week. My baby still has a little fluid on the left kidney. He said they only worry about it if the fluid is 1 cm or larger. I saw a 1.14 spot on my baby. He said that there is still hope that the fluid will go away on its own. If not the pediatrician will decide our next move.

Two weeks ago my mom said that my baby had dropped. I told her to stop talking like that. The next day I saw my midwife and she said the same thing. But she said that I didn’t have to worry, it just means that the baby is getting ready to be born. It doesn’t mean that the baby will come soon.  Right now, I’m still enjoying watching my stomach dance imagining what my baby will look like!