Rowan at 9 Months

 

Rowan is now nine months old and is suddenly acting like a much older baby... it's as if a switch has flicked on that it's full speed to toddlerhood (much to this Mummy's disappointment; sure, I'm proud - but the newborn I cradled in my arms not-too-many months ago is fast becoming a little BOY).
Here's a little rundown of where he is at developmentally:

• 6 teeth (4 on the top and 2 on the bottom)
• Cruising on us, furniture, really anything that he can
• Starting to use objects to assist in walking (including his ride-on train toy, the laundry hamper and the kitchen rubbish bin! o_O)
• Eating three solid meals a day and 4-5 breastfeeds
• Waking 1-2 times in the night for feeds (over a 12 hour period)
• Favourite foods include canteloupe (rockmelon), pineapple, chicken, Weetbix, homemade cakes and biscuits (at least I know what's in them!), grapes cut in half and banana
• Baby-led weaning is still working really well for us as a family; Rowan has gotten really proficient with picking up food and getting it to his mouth, he enjoys using a loaded spoon (food already on it) and tips the spoon upside down in his mouth to lick off the contents. He is also starting to tears bits of meat off with his top and bottom teeth and chewing them. Bigger pieces of food are also being swallowed, making for interesting nappies at times!
• Seems to be changing his nap and sleeptime routines (see below)
• Is using 'Mumumumum' around me (bit early to call it a first word yet though), and 'geh/gooo' to everything else
• Shows excitement by bouncing up and down on his knees, flailing his arms (this started on Christmas Day)
• Can clap his hands together (we haven't taught him how, he's just discovered it)
• Enjoys taking items out of a container, dropping objects to hear their sound, his wooden maracas (or anything that shakes), turning the pages of board books and ripping paper (hence the board books ;P)
• Starting to use his index finger (pointing) to touch the details on things, such as buttons (he loves the buttons on clothing!)
• Will pull my top down when hungry and wanting a milk feed (it's Summer here so I'm wearing a singlet most of the time)

On nap/sleeptimes, I've noticed that Rowan is making a fuss about his afternoon nap and more often than not, fighting it. He's normally a pretty good sleeper (thankfully) and it only occurred to me recently - Matt wondered before me - that I think he's dropping his second naptime. In hindsight, the signs are there: he's sleeping longer in the night and waking up later, active for a longer period in the morning (3 hours) and napping longer over lunchtime (usually 1.5-2.5 hours). By then, he's usually only getting tired by dinnertime, then there's an hour until bedtime for the night. So really, the routine is changing.

But am I ready to be flexible about the changes happening? I don't want to be but know I need to be. I really thought it would be longer before Rowan dropped from two naps to one, and it will make trips out of the house during the day a bit tricky while we all figure out what is happening (usually we go out in the early morning or early afternoon; now it'll either need to be early morning or mid-afternoon).
I guess that time will tell!

Some recent photos taken between 8.5-9 months:

Spunky boy

First swim in a pool

Upside down!

Sick with a cold, but having fun with a tissuebox

The remnants of Christmas Day lunch!

Playing with his favourite Christmas toy, an activity centre

Playing with tree decorations at Nan-Nan's house (my Mum)