Baby Loves to Walk

Rowan at 11.5 months old

I'm so proud of Rowan, who has made the transition from baby to toddler (unofficially) seemingly overnight, he's suddenly given up crawling on the most part, figured out how to stand up on his own without pulling up on people/objects (straighten your legs, stick your bottom in the air and pull up the top half!) and likes to chatter away while other people are talking... loudly!

This seems to have coincided with complete and utter exhaustion by night-time on Rowan's part (all this growing will definitely do it) and he has been sleeping more solidly at night.

Do I dare say that I am extremely clucky for another child? We're waiting for at least another 1-2 years though.

11 Months Old

Rowan turned 11 months old during the week... and on my 30th birthday, too! So it was a celebratory week for us both! Unfortunately Rowan was quite unwell with a cold at the time, which meant neither of us were able to enjoy the big day very much and spent it quietly (though my Mum had us around for a little bit). Needless to say, Rowan has gotten better in the week since, and passed his illness onto me - which I'm still in the process of getting over. If how I've been feeling was how he felt, no wonder he was miserable and barely sleeping!

Here is a snapshot of Rowan's development at 11 months:

• Is now walking more than crawling (but still pulls to stand on objects and people, rarely standing from a sitting position on his own yet
• Babbles a LOT - lots of mumummum, dadadad, yayaya and the chaining of various syllables together, clapping at himself after he's 'said' something particularly loudly and/or lengthy
• Rowan not only took his first proper steps this month but also said his first word (yep... it's been a big month!). And the word? BOOK (the teacher in me is so proud). Rowan loves to read a "gook" and will bring them to you at any time of the day. His attention span for books is pretty amazing (or so I think), he likes bright colours or rhythmic sentences.
• Has a big appetite, eating three full solid meals a day and four breastfeeds (plus 1-2 feeds during the night; the boy burns up a lot of energy being so busy!). His favourite foods at the moment are green grapes (cut in half), watermelon, corn on the cob and rice cakes with peanut butter.
• Loves to cuddle his Soft Bunny (as well as other soft items, and will seek out people he knows to cuddle/pat on the back)
• Tries to climb everything.
• Is starting to be wary of new or unfamiliar situations by withdrawing, often becoming clingy towards Matt or I. The same goes for situations with larger groups - more than 4-5 people.
• Bedtime is between 8-8.30pm most nights, we went through a stage during the month where he seemed to be developing some night separation anxiety and would cry and cry when Matt put him to bed (as he has done since Rowan was a newborn, no routine change). It would get to the point where Rowan would finish his milk feed with me and start to fret. After a week or so of this, we made the change that I would put him into bed instead, and this seems to have solved the problem. It's a shame that Matt doesn't get that last cuddle anymore, but if it helps Rowan to feel secure at night, then we both have said we don't mind this change.

Pictures of Rowan at 11 months old:

Comparision between Matt at 12 months (right) and Rowan at 11 months (left).

Enjoying a Weetbix breastfast

It was a bunny kind of day on the 7th...

Yes... I so went there! And I think Rowan looks cute with his hair in a ponytail. We then went out for coffee like this, much to Daddy's later dismay. ;)

Drool monster!

See... cute! <3

And on a closing note, I was surprised on Friday night by my Mum's Group friends with a birthday cake, and celebrated with high tea at a posh hotel in the City with my Mum on Sunday:

I feel very lucky. <3



Where O Where Has My Baby Gone?

...Where o where can he be?

Of all the odd things to hit me tonight, it was while reading the blog of someone who had recently photographed three brothers in their home. As I looked at the pictures of these boys with their arms around each other, it occurred to me that one day Rowan was going to grow up into someone as tall and robust as them.

And that he might have a brother (or brothers! Or even a sister...!) one day and that he would be the oldest. As I watch Rowan toddling around, piece of toast firmly clasped in one hand and making lopsided grins, how is this even possible.

Oh god, he's going to be turning ONE in six weeks. Where's my baby gone?! o_O


(video from this morning)

10 Months Old Today

... and with it comes a new milestone:

Yes... he is starting to walk!

Rowan took his first steps a week or so ago and since then he's been gaining confidence in letting go of objects/people and trying to walk... although 1-2 steps is all he can manage at this point (usually into someone's arms or onto another object). I can see the wheels turning in his brain as he sizes up whether or not to let go of something, it's quite endearing. ;)

He still much prefers to crawl, stand and/or cruise around (he's very quick with cruising!), I wonder when he'll have the balance to walk more regularly? Another skill he's gained recently - again, in the past week - is climbing. I didn't believe him when Matt told me he climbed up our couch on the weekend, then I got to see it for myself... seriously, this baby is keeping me on my toes!

Last month I mentioned about Rowan's nap times and whether he was attempting to drop from two naps to one. It looks as though my hunch was correct - about 75% of the time, Rowan is having one sleep during the day (which has taken some getting used to on my part). It makes it a bit trickier to do things over lunchtime - ie, being out and about - but it does free up our mornings and mid-afternoons... so it's a pretty good trade-off. Mornings have been progressively getting earlier too, which means by late afternoon he's in need of a short nap (just an hour or so), I've been having a bit of success with that.

Other interesting discoveries from the last month have been:

* Tapping objects together regularly (this has almost replaced gumming objects as #1 pasttime)

* Beginning to understand a few words we say - book, sippy (cup), Weetbix, milks

* Rowan will bring you a book when he wants to be read to (which is very sweet!)

* More outwardly signs of affection - cuddles, crawling into your lap, kisses on the cheek (with and without teeth! :P)

Pictures to mark reaching double-digits for the first time. ;)







Waiting patiently for breaskfast (Weetbix) this morning

Looking way too much like a toddler for my liking!

Very typical Rowan at the moment, always having a Bunny or two in his mouth.

Walking with Daddy at the park

Family picture from the weekend (plus children's-sized hat)

Rowan's first artwork

Yes... there was plenty of mess to be had! (I took paper prints of his highchair tray painting too, since he decided early on that paper belonged on the floor, not the tray)

Painting with Rowan. ;)