A Letter to Rowan, 8 Months.

Dear Rowan,

How are you going to be turning ONE in just four months? I'm all the cliches when I keep saying how fast time is flying.

This summer has been full of adventures for you! Grandma has the summer off so the two of you go do really fun things once or twice a week. You've played at the park, splashed in your kiddie pool, and  explored the Little Red Schoolhouse. You hate the heat but love sunshine and water. I can't wait to do even more fun summer things with you: your first Fourth of July (tomorrow!),your first road trip/vacation, Veggie Fest, and pool parties at GG's house. 

You are not crawling yet but, dang, you want to. You pivot and scoot like a champ and get frustrated when we put things out of your reach. You just really want to get going and I think you'll be tearing up this house of ours in no time. Parenthood is full of curve balls and bedtime has thrown us a big one. Once a bedtime champ, now you have nights where you resist sleep for a long time. I've accepted that you are a night owl but if you could you'd stay up until 11pm nightly. I'm working on adjusting your routine and seeing what else I can do to help you fall asleep more quickly. A couple weeks ago there was a night where it took you  4.5 hours to fall asleep. Nursing, rocking, back rubs, a warm bath, a bit of cereal...nothing worked and you were wailing. Daddy finally got you to sleep around 11:30pm when he got home from work and I felt like a failure. I couldn't get to the root of the problem and you suffered because of it.  I don't always know what I'm doing, Bear, but I promise I'm trying.

We celebrated Father's Day for the first tie and it was a wonderful day! It was so nice to appreciate Daddy (we made him a big pancake breakfast, got him a massage, and barbecued at Grandma and Grandpa's house). When we got home I found a Father's Day bib you were supposed to wear but I forgot about it. I felt like crap and then started thinking I haven't adequately documented your first year. This was apparently a month of me doubting myself as a mom. I'm working on that.

In the last month you've been in the cheering section as I ran/walked three different 5Ks. I've always wanted you to be at the finish line because it's important to me to teach you the power of being healthy (something I'm finally acting on as I near thirty). I am proud that you are already a veggie lover and can't wait to teach you how to cook and garden. I am determined to teach you how to be healthy and happy. I don't doubt that in getting myself healthy, I'm setting a great example for you.

 

To eight beautiful months with the baby love of my life. I love you Bear!

XOXO,

Mommy