14 Months

Last Sunday we were at a St. Patrick’s Day party and people keep asking how old you were. I couldn’t believe I was saying fourteen months! This month has been a bit of a struggle health wise. We have all three struggled to be healthy. You got croup and then a week later you got an antibiotic resistant ear infection. I think you then got thrush after being on strong antibiotics. I decided to try some home remedies instead of going to the doctor again. It worked and we are all on our way to a healthy spring.

You have decided you like to wrestle! Every time I am on the ground stretching you come over and start climbing all over me. I tried to stop you, but you just laugh and keep coming back. Yesterday we were changing the sheets on our bed and you started body slamming the pillow! Again you thought it was hilarious.

People are always commenting on how happy you are. That is still mostly true. This month you have gotten a little clingy. A few times you have gotten upset when your dad dropped you off at day care, and you frequently get upset if you see me leave a room. I hope you get over this soon. We don’t like seeing you so unhappy for no reason.

As the weather is getting better, we are starting to spend more time outside. You love it! I am starting to let you walk in from the car, but a few times you have turned around and started to make a run for it. I think you just want to play outside. You usually enjoy riding in the stroller. Today was actually the first day you cried. It was very sad. We are pretty far away from home and the only think I could do was keep going. I tried to run faster, but you just cried harder. After about twenty minutes you calmed down and relaxed for the rest of the ride.

You continue to climb and test the rules. You start to slowly climb on the table looking at me to see what I will do. I can frequently get you to stop just by looking at you, but not all of the time. Unfortunately when I tell you no you often start to laugh. Not the response I am going for! But you are so cute I have to force myself not to laugh too.

This month we went to a few events where you were the baby. You do not know that you are still a baby and desperately want to play with the 3 year olds. You went up to some kids playing bean bag toss and just stood a few feet away watching. They ignored you! When they ran off you picked up the bag and tried to throw it. So adorable!!!!

You have recently started to feed yourself with a spoon. You can eat yogurt and apple sauce all by yourself. Sometimes when you are eating other things I put it on you spoon and you try getting it to your mouth. After a meal you usually need a new shirt, if not a bath! But you continue to be able to do more and more on your own.

Likes: Wrestling, tossing food to Frida, playing outside, climbing

Dislikes:  momma leaving, waking up

13 Months

This month you again got to travel internationally! For President’s weekend we went to Victoria. We got up very early Saturday morning, drove to Port Angles and hopped on the ferry. We had fun weekend exploring the city in the cold! We walked around ate some good and not so good food, and chased duck in the park. Unfortunately we all ended up feeling a little sick and the last night Chris went out and got pizza for us and after you and I took a nap we had dinner in our room.

After the trip home you and I relaxed for about an hour then we jumped back in the car and headed to Portland. We had a wonderful dinner with Jill, Eddie and Max. We slept wonderfully in the Muhm-Glover house, and then spent a fun morning hanging out with Jill and Max. We later met Grandpa and Abu for an afternoon of walking around Mississippi Street and sushi. You loved miso soup!

In both Portland and Victoria you enjoyed walking. You wanted to go in all of the shops and for some reason wanted to walk in the opposite direction we wanted to go in. When you got excited you waved your arms up and down as you ran. It is so adorable!  Everyone thought you were so cute. You smiled at everybody and pretended to be shy. Such a flirt!

So proud of yourself for getting on that chair

Little boy, this month you continued to climb. You can now get up and down off of all our furniture. You think you can get down from all furniture. Our bed in Victoria was pretty high. You tried to slide down, but you couldn’t reach the floor. You ended up falling and hitting the wall. We can’t take our eyes off of you for one second! You can also move up and down the stairs with no problem. I am amazed at how fast you are.

This month you got pink eye. I took you to the doctor on Saturday morning. But Wednesday your right eye was still red, and you left I was starting to look bad. We had to go back to the doctor for different eye drops. It was a struggle getting the drops in your eyes, especially after work when I had to do it all by myself. One time I had you pinned with my legs trying to keep you hands down as I was prying your eyelids open. Not fun. This week you have developed croup again. As I mentioned the whole family hasn’t been feeling great this week. You have had a couple of rough nights. On Friday you got to stay home with Daddy. A day at home seemed to help, but I think you need a little more rest before you are back to your normal happy self.

Walking to the park

You continue to develop you language. You are saying Mom and Dad frequently. You are signing more when you want more food. When we make the sign for changing your diaper you lay down by the diapers. It is exciting being able to communicate with you and it makes me excited for you to talk. You often babble and we know you have a lot to say. I just can’t wait to hear it!

Two weeks ago we walked down the block to the playground at Lowell.  You didn’t like the swings, and were mildly interested in the other structures. What you loved best was the freedom to walk around. You were so happy running around the playground. I can’t wait for the warm weather so we can spend more time outside.

Rowan you are getting so big! When I see you walking arcos the room or down the hall I can’t believe how old you look.

Likes: Playing chase, snuggling, climbing on everything

Dislikes: being alone, having nose wiped

Exploring the streets of Portland



Ready to slide!

One Year!

My 1st Christmas

My sweet little boy, it is so hard to believe that one year ago you were born! This has been the most amazing year my little boy. This month your personality has been such a joy. You are so sweet and still very happy.  You are starting to have conversations with us. We don’t know what you are saying yet, but you definitely have something to say! We had such a good time relaxing with family over the holiday break. We got to sleep in and snuggle in the morning. We also went on several walks in sunny cold weather. I thought that you would fall asleep on our walks, but you are usually too busy looking at everything to sleep.

We spent Christmas in Eugene and North Bend. I love seeing you interact with our family. All of the kids, especially James, are so sweet with you! I wish we got to see them more often.

Unfortunately you are not happy when you wake up anymore. You always used to wake up with a smile. Now, pretty much every time you wake up you are crying. It is very sad, and I hope you get out of this stage quickly.



Getting ready to read

You are starting to talk more. The other day you sat down with a book and read it out loud to me. It was so sweet. When we are driving home you sometimes yell at me to make sure I know you are still there. You are repeating words that we say and sometimes saying things, I think. Daycare seems to think you are talking, but I still don’t think you are using any words consistently. However, you are understanding a lot. You are consistently waving goodbye. Shawna taught you to say Yay and raise your hands above your head. It is so cute!

Right now you love being chased! On Monday I chased you into the dining room and thought I had trapped you. I asked you where you were going to go, you looked at me and dropped to the ground and headed under the table, laughing of course! Such a problem solver! You still like climbing the stairs, but this month I have taught you how to crawl down the stairs. I am so happy that you have learned how to do this.



My first drum lesson

This month you got you eighth tooth. I think you are getting some more, because the drool has started again. Your hair is getting quite long. It curls up over the back of your t-shirts. I love it. You’ll probably have to get a haircut pretty soon, but I am going to put that off as long as I can.

Thursday was your birthday, but we didn’t really do anything special, well besides a mega trip to Costco in preparation of your party. We had a wonderful party on Saturday. So many friends and family came to celebrate you! Your grandpa and I made a piñata for you. Abu made Grandma’s apple cake and she and Ryan decorated some very special cakes and cupcakes for you. We had a delicious lunch of enchiladas, rice, beans and salad. After many of our friends left, the family stayed around relaxing and playing games. It was a great party and a fabulous weekend! You are a special boy and our friends and family definitely showed you lots of love this weekend. We are very lucky!

Makin' Music

Likes: being chased, grabbing Frida’s legs, climbing on everything, getting my credit card out of my wallet(which I can’t find at this moment), and dance parties          

Dislikes: Getting your diaper changed, waking up, getting your nails cut

 

 

 

11 Months!

Another Happy Morning

As we get ready for Christmas I can’t help but think about last year and the fact that we had never met! This has been the most amazing year, you are almost one! For most of this month you have had six teeth, three on top and three on the bottom. But they don’t line up. It is so cute! You have had one on the left top and one on the right bottom. This week the right top finally started to come in. You also finally started using your teeth. You still rather stick the whole thing in your mouth rather than bite off anything, but you at least you are chewing your food now.

Trying to get downstairs.

This month you really got your balance. You walk around just like you have always been doing it, except when you start laughing. You frequently laugh so hard that you fall on the ground! It is hilarious. You have also discovered crawling up the stairs. If we have the gate down for one minute you are headed up stairs. This is particularly dangerous because you start laughing, and for you laughing equals a loss of balance.

You recently learned how to get off the bed and couch without any help. This means you are not “trapped” on the bed any more. This morning you woke up, slid right off and ran out the door! You are also getting taller and can now grab things that you couldn’t last month. Your favorite thing to grab is an iPad! This morning your dad set mine on the shelf and then when he turned around you reached up and grabbed it! It did hit you in the face, but you didn’t seem to mind. You sat down and started touching the screen waiting for something to happen.

Happy to be out of the rain.

We met Grandpa, Abu, Maggie and Daniel at the coast a couple of weeks ago. We celebrated Abu’s 60^th birthday! The weather was horrible, so we mostly just hung out.  You had a good time relaxing with your family.

Hat Hair!

This past week you came down with croup. Luckily you didn’t really act too sick, but you sounded horrible. The sound of you struggling to breath is very scary. But after lots of hot showers and going to bed early you are back to your wonderful self!

Likes: Dance parties in the living room, eating everything, chasing Frida around the house, getting face to face with me and then laughing, and laughing when I blow kissed at you through the car window.

Dislikes: taking naps, holding still while we change your diapers.

10 Months



My happy baby

Last Saturday you turned 10 months old! Every day you look more and more like a little boy and less like a baby. You have been speeding down the sides of the couches. On November 2 you finally let go of the couches and took two steps towards your daddy. I think we were so excited we scared you! We are just so amazed at everything you do. Last Sunday, after hanging out with your cousin Corbin, you just started walking. We call it the “zombie walk,” because of your arms up and out in front of you. It is so sweet. In just a week you have gotten a lot more balanced and we know there is no stopping you now.

Your 1st Halloween with
Grandma Lynne

We celebrated your fist Halloween this past month. The celebration consisted of dressing you up, taking some pictures and passing out a little bit of candy. Grandma Lynne came over and we just hung out trying to keep Frida calm as people knocked of the door.



With Grandpa wearing your 1st
pair of mittens

Two weeks ago you and I went to Portland for a little mini vacation. We got to hang out with Jill, Eddie, and baby Max on Friday and then spend the rest of the weekend with Grandpa and Abu. It was a beautiful fall weekend. We walked around a little but mostly just hung out eating delicious food. I was so proud of you for trying new foods. You loved tabouli and every other new flavor you tried.

This weekend we celebrated your 1^st Thanksgiving. We were so happy to have Les, Elvia, and Corbin visiting. You and your cousin had fun playing together. It is too bad that they live so far away.
 

You and Daddy with Uncle Les
and Corbin

You are teething and got a little virus this week. On Thanksgiving you had a temperature of 103. Luckily it went down fairly quickly and it didn’t seem to affect you too much. There were a couple of difficult moments. It was really sad when you were crying and tossing around. You don’t have the words to express yourself, so you were just crying with such a sad look on your face. We are so happy that you are back to your smiley self. I see tooth number 5 popping in and number 6 is about here. We’re hoping that you won’t be bothered by them too much.

We love you baby boy and can’t wait for winter break so we can have a full two weeks of spending all day with you!

 

Likes: playing peek-a-boo, the freedom of walking, being tickled on the feet, counting to 5

Dislikes: being put down for a nap, diaper changes.

A Little More about Month 9



Four teeth and covered in drool!

I forgot to mention a couple of important details of your ninth month. You finally have four teeth! The top two came in and the drool dried up for a few days. It is back, so some more teeth are probably on the way. You often stick your thumb in your mouth and feel your teeth. It is very cute.



Peeking at me from behind the couch.

Our new favorite game is when I peek out from behind the couch. I’ll say your name looking over the top, then duck down and then peer around the side. You laugh and laugh. Sometimes you fall down you are laughing so hard!  You are so sweet and make me so happy.

Getting ready to walk.

Last weekend we got you a little car that you can walk behind and push. We can’t believe that you are about to walk! My amazing boy, you are growing so fast.




9 Months

Today my baby boy you are nine months old. You have grown a lot this month! You were sitting playing in the living room the other day and when I looked at you and I couldn’t believe it has only been nine months since you were born, you looked like a toddler not my baby. You are getting so tall that you can reach up and grab toys, books, and papers, all of which you promptly put in your mouth.

This month you have really started eating solid food. Beans continue to be your favorite food, of course! But so far you haven’t turned away any food that we've offered you. This week you actually used a spoon by yourself.

 

The last weekend in September you and I went to Eugene for your cousin’s birthday. You loved getting to play with James and well as hang out with your grandpa and abu. We stopped in Portland to eat lunch with Jill, Eddie, and sweet little Max. I thought that a two hour break would help you make it home happy. I was wrong. You fell asleep just outside Portland and made it until Olympia. That seems to be your limit. When we got home your daddy came out to get you, I grabbed my bags and then came in. Inside you were laughing and swinging your shirt around, happy to be out of the car and playing with Dad.

For some reason this month you have decided that you don’t really like taking naps. What this means is you are frequently tired when I pick you up in the afternoon. You frequently fall asleep in the car, so I will drive home slowly weaving through the neighborhood letting you sleep. On Friday I stayed home with you. We slept in until 7:30, which was very nice, but you only slept 45 minutes that whole day. Luckily it didn’t seem to bother you until 8 at night. This is just another example of how you are such a good happy baby.

When you get excited you grab one of your left fingers with your right hand and shake your arms up and down. It is so adorable!

 

Likes: eating everything, peeking in and around chairs, dancing, being tickled, splashing in Frida’s water dish

Dislikes: Having your nose wiped, being woken up (same as last month), long car rides

Waking up the last week of September ~ Happy



Waking up mid October ~ Still happy!