6 Months Old

Happy half-birthday to you, Rowan... six months old today!
Seriously, the time has flown, though at the same time it's difficult to imagine life without you in it (spare time? What's that?!). In the past month your face has changed considerably, and you're looking like a much older baby now. You're super-long (we'll be getting you weighed and measured next week, so not really sure where you're at; people try to guess your age and we've recently been told 'around eight months' o_O).

See exhibit A:

Rowan with Nana (my Mum) at the Tulip Festival this week.

It's funny though, you have SUCH a long body but a tiny head. I've been looking for a Summer hat for you recently and the only ones that actually fit are 0-3 month sized! As it turns out, tiny hats are only purely cosmetic, they don't protect heads from the sun like they should, so I'm not sure what we'll be doing this Summer (sorry Rowan, you take after your Mum in the tiny head department!).

You're also on the move, rolling and scooting around with the greatest of ease - you're beginning to get on all fours and rock back and forth! We think you'll be crawling soon, scarily enough. Independence is your middle name at the moment, you'd much rather be playing on the floor - preferably on your tummy - than cuddling your Mum or Dad. Sure, you're cuddly sometimes, but that's usually when you're sleepy or wanting to chill out.

You are very interested in people's faces and will reach out to touch their mouths and/or noses when they're holding you. Being sung to is pretty cool in your world, you currently love Five Little Ducks.

We've started introducing you to food in the past six weeks and have adopted a babyled weaning approach, meaning that instead of purees and mashes, you're learning to feed yourself real table food. This was a little scary at first - I was worried you'd choke! - but you're learning about what the right amount of food to put in your mouth is, and getting better at not gagging. In fact, you're practicing chewing motions lately and it's really fun to see! Some of your favourite foods so far have been toast, strawberries, green beans, sweet corn (on the cob), yoghurt, cucumber and cheddar cheese. You seem to prefer red meat over white meat currently too. There hasn't been a huge amount of food that you haven't liked as you put everything into your mouth with such excitement! We're having fun introducing you to food, and you enjoy having lunch and dinner 'at the table' like a big boy.

All in all, the past month has been a time of firsts: first foods, first cold, first tooth (!), first plane trip and more.

We love you Rowan. :)

Peeking out of your cot after a nap

Attitude faces... already?!

This was when you were feeling unwell with a cold :(

Enjoying tomato and bacon gnocchi

You have interesting approaches to eating food sometimes. ;)

You love the 'Jolly Jumper'

With your extended family (Dad's side) in Tasmania in September - this was where we got married in 2008!

 Learning to crawl is serious business!

Rowan and Mummy in the tulips