Rowboat is a whole year and a half! He doesn't do anything halfway in his life though. This kid is just bursting with life and personality.
What is Rowan like at 18-months?
We play basketball all day sometimes. I'm not even exaggerating here.
7:00-7:20 Watch baby signing time sports episode where they teach you how to sign basketball, football, etc.
7:30-8:15 Play basketball on our little hoop
8:15-8:30 Scream bloody murder because we are going to go eat breakfast instead of play basketball
9:00-10:15 Play basketball at the gym (after I finished working out)
10:30-12:00 Play basketball at Mcdonalds
12:30-2:30 Dream of basketball while we nap
2:30-3:30 Play more basketball at home
3:30-4:30 Go grocery shopping, locate the balls in the store, and play basketball in the toy aisle. Refuse to let the ball go when we get back in the cart.
5:00-6:30 - Dinner and other things?
6:30-7:00 Play basketball on our hoop
7:00-7:30 Play basketball in the bathtub
BASKETBALL.
He's pretty decent at it nowadays considering he puts in multiple hours a day practicing. I expect him to be master level by age 7. He'll probably be the youngest person ever to be drafted by the NBA.
For such a healthy, energetic kid he is sick half of every month. It's the worst. I know it could be worse. He could have actual health problems, but I really am ready to just build a basketball court in our house so we never have to get exposed to all those germs that love Rowan. This last month he's thrown up for the first time in his life (I know how lucky to not have had to deal with this at all before now), a 24-hour fever/flu thing, and a never ending cold that has been successful in breaking Rowan's previous record for waking up at night. Let's hope there is a magical transition to health when you hit the year and a half mark...
Rowan can clearly say some words now. He says "hi, bye-bye, momma, dada, gun (thanks dad for having a locker full of nerf guns to teach his tiny self this one), cheese, no, uh-oh, wow, whoa, baaa (for ball) and our all-time favorite, chocolate". He is also fluent in some dilaect of Bulgarian. Rowan talks alllll the time. We have no clue what he is saying most of the time, but whatever is being said is perfectly constructed in sentences with proper punctuation.
We are pro at tackling. In nursery yesterday, a kid took a toy Rowan was playing with and he tackled him so effectively and quickly the kid didn't even cry. I cringe at his aggressiveness while also being in awe at how well he can tackle. Football might just make it to number 2 on our list of favorite things. He is also a revenge seeker which we are trying to break. Last week he fell while going down the slide that belongs to the family I nanny for. He was mad so he came and pushed me. It was obviously my fault. I was sitting in the kitchen feeding the baby and very clearly pushed him...Oh brother.
When we have to say sorry to another kid for pushing them or pulling Kylie's hair or taking their toy or doing some other typical toddler thing, Rowan will awkwardly lay his head on their shoulder. Instead of hugging with his arms he just uses his head. It's adorable.
Row's favorite food is still chocolate. We've successfully eliminated it enough from his diet that he doesn't ask for it all the time like he used to. We go through phases of eating next to nothing to eating heartily and healthily. I've heard it's normal. Rowan will eat Chick-fil-A chicken tenders any day, anywhere, any time. We probably go way too much to that place. Rowan loves cuties and can pound three in one setting. It gives me a special sense of pride knowing he seems like he won't hate oranges the way I did growing up.
Music and dancing. This kid loves a good beat. It takes almost nothing to get him shakin his elbows. He'll just start dancing anywhere we here music. It's one of my favorite things about him. He only watches shows that have music. We've tried Daniel Tiger a few times, but he only makes it a few minutes because the music just isn't' there.
STAR WARS. My in-laws visited and bought Sel a belated birthday present of the entire collection of Star Wars plus my sister had bought Rowan a light saber for Christmas. Now we have a full-blown fanatic over here. He hums the Imperial March at least once a day. It's currently his theme song for life. I'm really happy we've fallen in love with this show instead of Teletubbies or Barney or some other show that makes me cringe. Oh, but we don't like Episodes 1-3. We only watch 4-6 because it has Darth Vadar. Can't say the kid lacks good taste.
Rowan does this little gasp when you ask him about something he likes. If you ask him whether he liked playing basketball in the pool with daddy this weekend his faces brightens and he lets out a big open-mouth gasp of excitement. It gets me every time.
Rowan is also so handsome! I'm his mom so I can brag, right? Row is like a miniature stud. (People say he looks just like his dad, so yeah- major stud alert people). He's always been cute, but his reigning characteristic is handsome. Something about him has always been so masculine even for a little baby or toddler. I again think Sel passed his inherit manliness to Rowan. Can we talk about how much they look alike again? I have yet to hear someone say, "Golly! No doubt who his mom is!". I know that could make some people sad, but as I explained it to someone the other day like this. The man I chose to marry, the man I thought was more attractive than any other man I've ever met, and the man I wanted to have babies with passed on his genes to our kid (soon to be kids). Am I disappointed Rowan looks like a replica of his dad? Heck freaking no. I want all of our kids to look like mini-Sels even the soon-to-be girl. I married Sel for more than his looks, but those were definitely a selling point sooo yeah, please compliment me by saying my kid looks exactly like the man I think is the handsomest in all the land.
On another note, I'm still nursing Rowan. Most people have been grossed out by this. I think it's weird they are, but everyone is different I suppose. I keep being on the fence about weaning. Somedays he''ll not nurse at all and I'll think "Hey! I guess that ship has sailed". Then he'll want to nurse seven times the next day. I do really want to wean him by the time Lyra makes her grand appearance because I see tandem nursing going very badly for us. I'm also super noncommittal so maybe he'll be that freaky kindergartner still nursing (jooooke guys. It's a joke). Some people have asked that incredulously when they find out. "Will he nurse until he's five?" Since 18 months is so incredibly old to be nursing? My MIL nursed all her kids until they were 2 and they all turned out just fine. Better than fine. They are all really successful, awesome, good-looking contributors to society who certainly don't have any "attachment issues" or "scarring memories". This could be another post, but I'll not turn this one into a massive one about that. BUT the World Health Organization says this, " Review of evidence has shown that, on a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond. "
He doesn't completely understand he is getting a little sister, but I think he gets it a little. He loves to say hi to my belly and kiss it. He LOVES babies. Adores them. Can't think of anything else if they are in the room. He also has a new love for little girl clothes. It's so random, but he'll start throwing in little girl clothes to our cart whenever we go out. Only girl stuff. I've tested it out by handing him little boy clothes which he drops on the floor and beelines it for the pinks, yellows and purples. He knows more than I think he does. He's going to be an adorable big brother.
Row is just such a happy kid! He is so full of joy and light. He carries this special something about him. Whenever we are out, people will always pay him some sort of compliment if he smiles at them. I don't feel like I am bias in this. Is he cute? Oh yeah. Is he friendly and adorable? For sure. But I think the real thing that attracts people to Rowan is how he just exudes this pure excitement for living, for discovering, for being. I think that's what makes kids so special. They haven't lost that light and pure love. Rowan continues to be the sweetest little boy alive. He is so loving and tender. I can never put into words how much I love him. Happy Half Little Halfling!
Music and dancing. This kid loves a good beat. It takes almost nothing to get him shakin his elbows. He'll just start dancing anywhere we here music. It's one of my favorite things about him. He only watches shows that have music. We've tried Daniel Tiger a few times, but he only makes it a few minutes because the music just isn't' there.
STAR WARS. My in-laws visited and bought Sel a belated birthday present of the entire collection of Star Wars plus my sister had bought Rowan a light saber for Christmas. Now we have a full-blown fanatic over here. He hums the Imperial March at least once a day. It's currently his theme song for life. I'm really happy we've fallen in love with this show instead of Teletubbies or Barney or some other show that makes me cringe. Oh, but we don't like Episodes 1-3. We only watch 4-6 because it has Darth Vadar. Can't say the kid lacks good taste.
Rowan does this little gasp when you ask him about something he likes. If you ask him whether he liked playing basketball in the pool with daddy this weekend his faces brightens and he lets out a big open-mouth gasp of excitement. It gets me every time.
Rowan is also so handsome! I'm his mom so I can brag, right? Row is like a miniature stud. (People say he looks just like his dad, so yeah- major stud alert people). He's always been cute, but his reigning characteristic is handsome. Something about him has always been so masculine even for a little baby or toddler. I again think Sel passed his inherit manliness to Rowan. Can we talk about how much they look alike again? I have yet to hear someone say, "Golly! No doubt who his mom is!". I know that could make some people sad, but as I explained it to someone the other day like this. The man I chose to marry, the man I thought was more attractive than any other man I've ever met, and the man I wanted to have babies with passed on his genes to our kid (soon to be kids). Am I disappointed Rowan looks like a replica of his dad? Heck freaking no. I want all of our kids to look like mini-Sels even the soon-to-be girl. I married Sel for more than his looks, but those were definitely a selling point sooo yeah, please compliment me by saying my kid looks exactly like the man I think is the handsomest in all the land.
On another note, I'm still nursing Rowan. Most people have been grossed out by this. I think it's weird they are, but everyone is different I suppose. I keep being on the fence about weaning. Somedays he''ll not nurse at all and I'll think "Hey! I guess that ship has sailed". Then he'll want to nurse seven times the next day. I do really want to wean him by the time Lyra makes her grand appearance because I see tandem nursing going very badly for us. I'm also super noncommittal so maybe he'll be that freaky kindergartner still nursing (jooooke guys. It's a joke). Some people have asked that incredulously when they find out. "Will he nurse until he's five?" Since 18 months is so incredibly old to be nursing? My MIL nursed all her kids until they were 2 and they all turned out just fine. Better than fine. They are all really successful, awesome, good-looking contributors to society who certainly don't have any "attachment issues" or "scarring memories". This could be another post, but I'll not turn this one into a massive one about that. BUT the World Health Organization says this, " Review of evidence has shown that, on a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond. "
He doesn't completely understand he is getting a little sister, but I think he gets it a little. He loves to say hi to my belly and kiss it. He LOVES babies. Adores them. Can't think of anything else if they are in the room. He also has a new love for little girl clothes. It's so random, but he'll start throwing in little girl clothes to our cart whenever we go out. Only girl stuff. I've tested it out by handing him little boy clothes which he drops on the floor and beelines it for the pinks, yellows and purples. He knows more than I think he does. He's going to be an adorable big brother.
Row is just such a happy kid! He is so full of joy and light. He carries this special something about him. Whenever we are out, people will always pay him some sort of compliment if he smiles at them. I don't feel like I am bias in this. Is he cute? Oh yeah. Is he friendly and adorable? For sure. But I think the real thing that attracts people to Rowan is how he just exudes this pure excitement for living, for discovering, for being. I think that's what makes kids so special. They haven't lost that light and pure love. Rowan continues to be the sweetest little boy alive. He is so loving and tender. I can never put into words how much I love him. Happy Half Little Halfling!
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| Helping bake cookies |
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| Rowan's favorite chore that I never ask him to do is clean the toilet. |
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| I must have said something pretty funny |
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| My friend is letting us borrow her doppler and one of Row's favorite things is to listen to the baby in his tummy and the one in mine. |
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| One of the many days Row was sick in the past few months. He wanted to hold his baby doll all day. |
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| Watching Mother Goose Club and obviously loving it. |
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| Gah! Look at him! |
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| He really loved having Grandpa around. |
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| Jedi in training |
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| Stealing my wallet to feed his basketball addiction at the arcade |
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| We didn't buy the 20 outfits he put in there, but he picked out some pretty cute stuff |
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| He might have inherited Sel's looks, but he regrettably inherited my sweet tooth. He'll hate me for a lot of things one day and this is probably going to be on the list. |
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