Summer of a one-year-old

I felt I was due for a more fun, creative post. I kept promising myself I would get around to it, but then I also promised myself I would watch the rest of Dr. Who on Netflix. So instead I decided on a casual update to keep my memories straight as I continue to suffer from "mom brain" which sort of feels like a less serious version of Alzheimer's for me. 

We went to UTAH! It was incredible. It was also crazy and stressful and I have sworn to myself I am never traveling again. I am about to eat those words as we are embarking on a 8 hour road trip to Allentown, PA next week. That dang mom brain making me forget how terribly Rowan does in confined spaces for longer than two seconds. 

We started our trip to Utah by missing our flight. Fail. We got incredibly lucky and landed a flight two hours later. Rowan was exhausted to start with as we woke his poor self up at 5am to get there on time (aka not even close to on time because we missed our flight). Luckily I sat next to incredibly sweet people on ever flight who were helpful and understanding of how crazed out Row was. It helps that he is so charming. He made sure to go down the aisle and stop at pretty much every seat to beam up at the fellow passengers. Easy to dislike the frazzled mom, hard to hate on the toddler toting his award-winning grin. 

That smile though! He might be part-merman with how ardently he loves water

The trip really was amazing. It was so wonderful to see so many friends and family. I already have classified the trip as one of those perfect summer memories that keep you warm and hopeful in the dead of winter. The theme for Rowan other than fun-in-the-sun was sleep deprivation. He struggled. We went to a beautiful wedding for a cousin up the canyon and I got this close to throwing myself off the beautiful pine-studded mountain they were married on. It didn't help that I had convinced my in-laws wearing three inch heels was going to be just dandy for Row and I. I even ran around the dressing room to prove my point. I'm an idiot. I NEVER wear heels. Ever. Why did I think a wedding on a mountain with a sleep deprived toddler in three inch heels was a good idea? Thank goodness for understanding, helpful relatives. 

His face looks like, "Grandma is trying to get me to drink champagne?!" It's sparkling cider  and Rowan tried to drink everyone's at the table

Fav Uncle Bern made the million mile journey to be there for a very short time. Row loved being on his shoulders

The outfit was expertly put together by Jess and Deidre. I felt like I was on a TLC Makeover Show. It was wonderful to have helpers to coordinate accessories with-something I practically never wear. The heels though, those were all my foolish doing. 

This was what started the first tantrum of the wedding. It was honestly five minutes after we got there. Rowan wanted to get in the waterfall. I told him no. He fell on the stone floor arching his back and crying. He has leveled up to expert archer this month. When he wants to get down he will go limp and straighten his arms above his head. As he starts to slip from your fingers, he will arch quickly and drop to the floor running. 

The whole reason for the trip was to see my new little niece! We were supposed to see her in Texas, but Rowan came down with HFM at the same time. Can I say something real quick about the newest little princess? She seems like such a sweetheart! While admiring my sis-in-law expertly mother her the whole trip, I remembered back to when Row was the same age. He was a great baby, but he's never been calm. He's always been high energy. I remember making a trip with Row to Utah around the same time as Stella and Jess made their most recent trek. Rowan was right in the middle of arching away whenever I would try to nurse him and I remember being in a perpetual fog of "keep the baby alive". Jess just seemed to have her mothering together. Makes sense that someone who is so adaptable had a baby who takes after her. 

Miss Awesome and Rowboat

LIttle princess. 

The beautiful mom who made a beautiful baby

Ugh. I'm already wanting to go to bed. So, let's see the rest of the trip was fab and the plane ride home was not great, but also not a complete nightmare. We've been spending the last few weeks over at our new friends' house. I've started to nanny some cuties a few days a week and Rowan loves them. I'm getting a little nervous for winter. Rowan loves being outside more than any kid I've ever met. He would set up a tent out back and live there if I would let him. Maybe he'll love playing in the snow just as much? Thank goodness for indoor pools, children's museums, and play lands. 

Quick update on my sweet 13 month old. Rowan really is soooo sweet. Lately I've started to join in the tackle fest that Sel and Row usually do. The other day Sel tackled me and started tickling me. Rowan got so upset. He came over, pushed Sel out of the way while hollering for MOM! then gave me a huge bear hug. He is so sensitive! I hit my head on my bike hanging in the garage the other day and started crying. (Cause it hurt a whole bunch and my head was bleeding and I really, really hate bleeding). Rowan started crying the same instant I did. He was inconsolable until I stopped crying and then all he wanted to do was give me big open-mouthed kisses. It's almost how twins supposedly feel one another's pain. Rowan feels my pain and distress so well. Those mirror neurons are certainly active in his loving little brain. He's getting smarter by the day. He comprehends so much! He actually obeys most of the time now too. He will patiently stand at the top of the stairs with his hand held above his head and wait until I take it to help him down the stairs. Writing all this makes me want to run upstairs and kiss him all over. He would undoubtedly push me away because it wouldn't be his choice to be kissed by me. 

Bike ride in Idaho Falls

Playing in the water with Aunt Sarah

Graham Canyon ice-cream cone on BYU campus. I missed that place SO  MUCH! Why can't I just always live in Provo and be a student? I couldn't stop wishing for that while we wandered around my alma mater. 

So many grand babies and great-grand babies have ridden in that wagon. I remember dragging my sister around in it and she complaining that I was to heavy to pull. If my teeny tiny grandma can pull Rowan, Sarah should have been able to pull me. Right?

He had his first ice-cream cone on this trip and now he wants nothing else to eat

What do YOU want? This is our turf

He has a crush on her. 

He "helped" me pick raspberries. Aka, he sorted one raspberry to every bin then smashed a bunch in his hand and pleaded with me to wipe off the offensive nectar from the gods. 

Do all kids love water this much? SHould I take him to Sea World and see if they would be open to the idea of a baby exhibit?