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Rowan turns 6 months old today. I blame routine for making time fly the way it has. I know there is nothing I can do to slow things down and I should be grateful that Rowan is changing as quickly as he is because it means he is healthy and happy, but part of me wishes life would just hold on a tad. I feel like I am trailing behind and that I will never catch up! I think I am still stuck in week one postpartum! In my mind, Rowan is still a tiny little thing when in reality he is this beautiful little boy who is developing and changing every day. Reflecting on his accomplishments today reminds me of just how much he has done/experienced in just half a year. Perhaps routine isn't to blame for time flying after all. Perhaps it has been marveling at Rowan's biology that is to blame? He is my yard stick against which I will measure the years but he is a grossly exaggerated one right now because of how rapidly he progresses.
In these first 6 months of life Rowan has:
- filled approximately 1080 diapers
- had 120 poop explosions
- had 1440 meals at the boob
- doubled his body weight
- learned to flap his arms at the sound of his mother or father's voices
- become a professional smiler and has been warming the coldest of hearts ever since
- discovered vowels and blowing bubbles
- slept through the night (and we mean an entire 13 hours) without waking
- tried broccoli, squash, sweet potato, peas, swede (what ever that is), pear, apple, banana, mango, pineapple (and made the funniest face you have ever seen before he went wild for it), spinach, carrots, turnip, parsnip, strawberries, cantaloupe, prunes, apple and berry rice cookies, rice and oatmeal cereal, and peaches.
- refused to take a bottle but insists he can use a sippy cup
- wanted to feed himself but now settles on mommy or daddy helping
- taken 2 trips to England and has been to Blind River, Toronto, and Cambridge
- grown 2 teeth
- had 2 rounds of shots
- fallen off his mother once and on to the bed and cried
- fallen on the stairs with his mom and laughed
- had 2 bleeding fingers because of nail clippers
- learned to sit up on his own for a few seconds
- discovered the joy of rolling over and over and over
- laughed and laughed
- put everything from a remote control to cell phones in his mouth
- used a jolly jumper, an exersaucer, a bumbo, a swing and a bouncy chair
- loved the car, hated the car, tolerated the car
- gone from facing us in the stroller to being happier while facing outward
- outgrown many many outfits, some of which he was only able to wear once
- gone from size 1 to size 3 in diapers
- found his feet
- learned to imitate us when we put our arms up
- played "pattycake, pattycake" (or pat-a-cake as J pointed out) and actually participated
- had allergy tests and lived through the pricks
- completed one round of swimming lessons
- survived being passed around and around between family and strangers
- been to 4 birthday parties (and sadly missed 1)
- taken the train to London and Cardiff
- learned to leap out of his bumbo
- been a model for a day
- peed on his grampa, mommy and daddy
- pooped in mommy's hand and lap
- been to the dietician with mommy
- crawled over a pillow on the couch and nearly fell off because daddy was taking a photo of the moment
- deliberately tried to get our attention by smiling and making funny noises
- caused his mother and father to do very silly things in public
This is an amazing list. It is no wonder that we are so incredibly proud of him! Every day there is something new in him or because of him. There really was no way to be prepared for the amount of joy that he has brought us. In 6 months, Rowan has succeeded to take over our lives and to turn them into something richer, more meaningful and complete just by being himself.
This picture was taken today as we were waiting in Heathrow to make our way home. Happy Half-Birthday Little Man!
Two things happened yesterday:
- Rowan went for a significant tumble off my back as I was trying to get him into the Ergo. He went head over heels and landed on his stomach. Thank God the bed was there to break his fall. He cried nonetheless. Had I not been in someone else's home I might have cried too.
- After spending the afternoon out with Anne and Daniel and then having dinner with them and Richard, we came home with a very sleepy boy. He was in bed for about 15 minutes before I joined him. I went to put my arm around him and there was his bum. He was sleeping face down on the bed. Had I not known that he was only that way for a short time I might have panicked. Instead, I had the urge to get the camera. I knew the camera would wake him though and so there is no photographic evidence to show. He looked pretty darn cute with his arms under him.
Despite the above, Rowan and I had a wonderful day hanging out with baby Daniel and Anne. We tried to go to a baby group but it was canceled and so we joined the other 15 moms or so at the bar right next door. The business men trying to have lunch stuck out like sore thumbs. Bath really is a baby-friendly city and we will miss it and our friends when we return to the cold tomorrow.
I wish I had remembered my camera so that I could have taken a picture of Daniel and Rowan together... They were the cutest babe in the bar.
So this is what it everyone who has a sleepless baby feels like! Huh, imagine. Here I thought everyone was just exaggerating and complaining for no good reason.
I will be very upset if Rowan's good sleeping habits do not return to normal after this trip. I will also be very cranky and probably intolerable. Even my boots couldn't make me happy this morning,
I think the leather that hugs my calves at the moment is Art. Or so I am trying to convince myself. Yes, I got boots. Although they are lovely and I am truly considering sleeping with them on tonight, it was still difficult to justify their purchase on my measly $380/week salary. John is a good sport and I think he'll be an even better sport if he lets them in to bed with all of us tonight.
1...
2...
2 TEETH wahaahaa!
My theory that the desire to camp and get out into the wild is an innate characteristic and not one that is learned has been foiled by our son. 
Or has it?? His great-gramma Richardson bought him this neat tent/bed that we brought all the way to England with us. We were so excited to put it up, inflate the mattress and watch him fall in love with his first and very own outdoor gear. I guess this is where things get fuzzy for me. Is it a sign that he LOVES his tent if he can't sleep in it? Or is it a sign that he has inherited his Aunties' fear of all things wiggly and full of mud? You see, the nylon is just too interesting and the noise it makes, well! It's too much for a 5 month and 3 week old baby to take! Why sleep when you can make music? Hum...maybe we have a tent loving music making baby on our hands?
I guess only time will tell. For now, Rowan sleeps between us in bed where the sheets are silent and it allows us all to have a good night's rest.
