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We have only had a few days home but it was enough time to get a new book (Boo Hoo Bird) and a few bonks on the head to go along with it.
Boo Hoo Bird is right up there with Grumpy Bird as one of my favourites. Bird gets bonked on the head with a baseball and visits his friends who try to make him feel better. Rowan's new ability to sit up and play and listen as we read him a book has been so exciting. But it has come at a cost. He has bonked his head numerous times and although he doesn't have any friends like Boo Hoo Bird does who are willing to kiss his bobo better, he has a mommy to do so. Thank goodness for that!
Everyone around me is either pregnant or just had a new baby. Alright, that is a my-mom-ism (i.e. exaggeration), but it sure feels like there is a babyboom happening all around us. I am really happy that all of the children being born will be close in age but it has us already considering the timing of baby bejjani #2 and I am not sure that I am ready to have another baby so soon. I had a dream the other night that I was carrying around shopping bags full of stuff as Jenn took me through houses that were for sale. I kept knocking things over. I stopped to take a pregnancy test in one of the bathrooms and Lucas and Julianna wouldn't stop pestering me and trying to get in to see me. Hanan came by and I got angry with the kids which caused Hanan to get mad at me. It was all very strange, and when I woke up I started to count on my hands how many months remained between now and June (we had discussed getting pregnant in June so that I would be back to work for 6 months, just long enough to go off on maternity leave again). When I counted 3 fingers I started to panic. June--June is too soon. It's too soon for so many reasons. Some of them selfish, some of them entirely unselfish.
Although B3 the 2nd (B3T2) might be months away from conception (assuming we even get pregnant again), we have been tossing names around. There is a whole lot to a name. Rowan was chosen because John and I both independently liked the name-I liked it because it was my great-grandmother's maiden name, John liked it because it is a tree name and he likes strong names, and loves trees. Rowan has meaning. I'd like to chose something for a new baby in the same way. I think that is why I am particularly fond of the two baby girl names that we have added to our list recently: Willow (a tree) and Albi (meaning: "my heart" in Arabic). Albi would be called "Libby". Yes, "my heart" is special on its own. But I am attached to the name because it also reminds me of my grampa- Albert, who as you know, is around me all the time (he made an appearance again today in fact.). Her middle name will be "Hannah", after her dad. I guess I am anticipating a girl this time? Nah, I really wouldn't mind another boy but unfortunately boy names are much harder to come up with. Thank goodness we have 12+months to worry about it...
And if you are wondering about grampa's appearance... Rowan was doing his smiling-at-the-wall thing and I said: "Say hi to grampa". We were in the basement and I was about to turn the TV volume off. I said in my head:" if I turn this off and it comes back on, it means grampa is here". Yes, the TV volume turned back on, not once, but twice. I bet you think I am nuts right? Don't worry, I think I am too.
He learns to sit up on his own and play with his toys... I am thoroughly enjoying playing with his toys too as you can see by the stuffed ring around his neck.
If you remember before Christmas, I posted a blog about how I couldn't have any cookies at the cookie exchange because of the milk/soy content in all of them. It hadn't occurred to me at that time that we might have to deprive the little guy of cookies too. Well, I am happy to report that we found a cookie that he can have. Not only are they milk and soy free, but they are also free of sugar and salt and they taste like banana. He enjoyed his first cookie while I ate my breakfast with him this morning. He had about 3/4 of the cookie before he was done and this was AFTER he had about 4 tablespoons of cereal and 3 tablespoons of a yummy conction of fresh strawberries and apple sauce.
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,
