Dear Rowan,
You are halfway to your first birthday. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor.
I can't believe what a big boy you are becoming! In the last few weeks, it's like you've become a different baby. You are sitting up on your own....kind of. I set you up and you usually tip over, but you are really trying. Any moment spent on your tummy turns into an attempt to get moving. You limbs stretch and you clearly want to get going already. I'm going to blink and you'll be walking, I just know it.
You've started eating solid foods! We are slowly introducing you to new things (vegetables first, then we'll move on to fruit) and you are LOVING it. Your little eyes light up when you see me pull out your baby food containers and you love trying to feed your self (this usually ends with you and every nearby surface covered in splatters of green and orange). You've tried green beans, zucchini, sweet potatoes, jicama, and butternut squash. So far, you're a fan of all of the above (though not a fan of the noise from the blender while I make your food). I'm excited to have you try even more new foods and see if you'll be a veggie and tofu lover like me.
I'm making you a promise right now that when you are a teenager and you want to sleep until noon on the weekend, I'm going to show you video of yourself now when you never ever wanted to sleep. And I'm gonna wake you up. You are still the captain of Team No Nap, fighting each and every one. Most of the time you refuse to sleep but will happily play, other times we get a tiny peek at your fiery temper.Your toddler years are going to be a trip. When you don't get what you want your whole head turns bright red and there is a screaming, back-arching Hulk of a baby where my sweet little Robot once was. After witnessing a tantrum, your Grandma Debbie said, "I've never seen such a tiny baby with such a strong personality..." 97% of the time you are all smiles and giggles, 3% of the time you are enraged. I'll take it, especially because we know what the culprit is: the dreaded teething.
Teething sucks, Bear. You are so uncomfortable and there will be times that you are juuuuust about to fall asleep and your eyes pop open and you begin pulling at your ears. You are the mayor of drool city and the doctor says we should be on alert for a pearly white popping up any time now. We've been trying everything to keep you comfortable, some days you are just not having it and all you want to do is snuggle and be sad. That's okay, that's what I'm here for. I want to make you comfortable and I hate that you're hurting.
100% of the time you are a mama's boy and, I can't even lie, I sort of love it. You are most content in my arms and we are attached at the hip. I still make sure to have other people babysit and Daddy has alone time with you before work, I love that we are partners-in-crime but I still want you to be social. You are quite the people person, smiling at everyone and flirting. You have the world's best laugh and you laugh constantly. Last week I bought a giant bubble wand and we spent an hour in the yard blowing bubbles at Violet (who chased each one like a maniac) and you laughed the whole time. Other things that induce a belly giggle? Silly faces, Mom saying "What are you doing?" in a growl, the ever popular "What what chicken butt" (which has become your legacy, everyone knows it makes you laugh), Violet doing anything, your squeaky elephant toy, pulling Daddy's beard, and Zombie. What's Zombie? You gum at Mom or Dad's face and hands and we yell "Oh no! He's a zombie!!" and you belly laugh.
In my opinion, the best thing about this age is that I feel like you are really absorbing things. When we go on adventures, whether it's to the grocery store or on a hike, you seem to really be soaking things in. You love to look around, hold things in your hands, and interact with everyone. We took our first trip to the zoo and you slept through the first half of the trip but once you woke up, you watched the animals and you were so interested in fellow zoo-goers (Daddy even got you THREE wax figures AND a stuffed river otter toy to remember the trip by). A quick trip to the pet supply store is a chance to see you experience something new. We went to get a new litter box and while passing the small animal area I realized you've never seen birds or mice up close. I wheeled our cart up to the cages so you could see and you spent a good five minutes watching and smiling and cooing. When we go to the craft store, I always hand you a piece of felt to hold on to. More and more you are becoming this wildly curious, fun, lovable little boy. I'm so looking forward to the nice weather and spending more time outside and trying new things.
Here's to another month of coos and laughs and bubbles and adventures. I love you, Bear.
XOXO,
Mommy
