Nikon D5000

So I've been wanting a SLR (single lens reflex) camera for quite some time now, and after some saving, I finally broke down and got one. It is amazing. I am already taking such better pictures, and it is super exciting. I went back and forth about getting a Canon Rebel or the Nikon D5000. I ended up with the Nikon, and couldn't be happier. I got 2 lenses with it, a 18-55 mm and a 55-200 mm. It is so much fun! I just can't wait to go to the pumpkin patch with family this weekend and take lots of pumpkin/kiddo pics! yay!

                                                                          ...Alto...

                                                                ...Rowan Patrick...

                                                                         ...sky...

                                                                       .....water.....

                                                                ...walks with grandma....

                                                            ....sleepy walks for Rowan....

                                                                       .....beauty....

                                                                        ...Rowan...

                                                                  ....Papa and Son...

                                                               ....music with Jampaw....

                                                               ...my handsome husband...

                                                     .....Grandparents with their baby....

                                                                     ...onions...

                                                                .....bath time...

                                                               ...Sean and Fritzy...

                                                               ...Mister Fritz....

So far, lots of fun. Who knows whats to come? All I know is that I am very excited, and am in love with my new camera. Hope you enjoy!

Rowan Patrick update

So I found myself thinking, I often find one thing to write about, and that's what I do - write. I have decided to make a short list of the fun things going on with Rowan, an update list of sorts. So here goes!

• Rowan is eating solids - a lot! He loves them, and has quite a few under his belt. Here is the list of things he is currently eating: sweet potato, pumpkin, green beans, butternut squash, banana, pear, cantaloupe, apple, avocado, rice, and oatmeal! I can't believe it, 11 things! It sure has gone by quick!
• His first tooth has popped through! It is still about level, maybe a bit above the gum line, but it is through his gum's. It is his lower left front tooth, and it is very exciting. I call it his little shark tooth, cause it sure feels sharp - especially when he bites.
• He can sit up on his own! He is still working on the balance thing, gravity is a hard thing to figure out! So I still stay close when he is doing it, but he can sit on his own for longer and longer, and every day his balance seems to be working itself out. It is pretty amazing.
• He wants to crawl. Bad. He isn't quite there yet, but he has been trying, a lot lately. He can turn himself in a complete circle in one spot, and digs his feet and knees in the ground but still is plowing with his head. He just needs to figure out the holding his front and back up at the same time part, and then he will be off. And I will be in trouble! 
• He talks up a storm! Still no solid words, he does say nana when he is eating banana, or eating in general. I'm not quite sure that he connects it, or if its just fun to say, but he does! He also has been saying a lot of dada, baba, mama - usually when he is crying - tata, and a few others. Lots of loud AHHHHHHHHHS as well. Lots of noise - it's lots of fun. He also likes to sing along with music! It is great. 
• His first girlfriend was born on Sunday! 

Those are just a few I can think of off of the top of my head right this second - which is pretty good seeing as it feels like my brain has been on a year long hiatus. All in all Rowan is growing up too fast, but is a lot of fun. We love our little boy to pieces and often find ourselves wishing we could hit the pause button for awhile. But not so likely to happen, so we just try to enjoy it as it comes!

Look out, Here come the teethers

So my sweet little baby Rowan Patrick has popped his first tooth out!! Well, its not out all of the way yet, but it is working on it. Day before yesterday it broke through the skin of his gum's, his bottom left front tooth. How crazy and exciting. I feel a random mash-mix of emotions: excitement, fear, glee and pain. He has already learned how he can make Mama not so happy with that new tooth of his - it's very hard on the nipples. I call it his little shark tooth. It is amazing how sharp it feels! It is also amazing how un-grumpy he has been because of it. I have heard some horror stories when it comes to babies and teething, and all around he has done fantastic! So far, it is still right along the gum line, so sorry - no pictures yet. But trust me, as soon as his first pearly white decides to make the grand appearance on a larger scale, there will be many! I am amazed at how fast the past 7 months of his short life have gone by, and how long it feels at the same time.
Sean and I stopped at a garage sale today, and there was a 15 month old little boy there. I was amazed at how good he talked, and ran around. It is amazing to me to think that my little Rowan Patrick will be doing that before we know it! Ahh I love that baby so much! He is such an amazing little man. Well I will stop ranting now, just had to share about his cute little tooth that has come out - well kind of!

Granny Rags

So since having my sweet little Rowan, I have changed my thinking about many things in life. Using cloth diapers has made me look to other "disposable" items that we use on a daily basis and throw away to sit in our landfills. I was personally lucky to not start my monthly blessing (aka period) for a full 6 1/2 months after little Rowan came. After the first few days, I found myself thinking, how many mothers who use cloth diapers for their babies, use cloth for themselves? Thus began my search for what my Mom calls "Granny Rags." I found during my first experience in 16 months the old conventional ways ("disposable" pads/tampons) to be rather uncomfortable, and started seeking out other solutions. This was where I ran into an amazing product line called New Moon, which has an amazing array of sizes, absorbency, fun facts, and too cute prints. You hear lots of women talking about not being able to wait for their "fluffy" mail (cloth diapers) to arrive, and I found myself not waiting for my Granny Rags to arrive! Well they finally arrived, of course after they were needed, so we must wait a whole month to find out if they work as well as they are said to - and they are said to work as good if not better than the "disposable" option - I am super excited! I know, a rather odd, maybe uncomfortable, topic for some, but what can I say? After having a baby, nursing in public, and just going through everything I have in the past year of my life - well it feels like no subject is out of reach!

Food Fun with Rowan

Since returning home from our great train adventure across the country, Rowan has started eating solids. It truly is amazing how scared I was before he started, and how much fun it is now! All I could think of was how hard I must now try to give him wonderful nutrition, set healthy eating habits, and what if he chokes! Silly ole me didn't think too much about how its just slowly introducing it, and he still nurses all day long, but what can I say, I can't help myself!

We started off with a small hand crank food mill, but I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be creating the smooth, liquidy texture that I was seeking, so we went out and got a Kitchen Aid food processor that I'm in love with. I just wish I could find more reasons to use it! But I'm sure I will.

His first meal was sweet potato's. He was super excited that he got to eat, but wasn't quite too sure about it. He had those for a couple of days before we moved on to carrots. He is definitely getting the hang of this whole eating thing, and today we went and got him a high chair, and that seemed to seal the deal. He ate all of his carrots - excluding what was on his face, hands, shirt, etc. - and seemed rather excited/proud of himself! He sat at the table with us while we were eating dinner, and it really was quite a good time. We are going to be adding banana to his list of foods next, and after that some pureed brown rice.

It is funny to me how I get all worked up about things before we start them, but once we get to them and do it, it really isn't all I was making it out to be. I guess since he is our first, it is to be expected, and should only get better down the road, and maybe, just maybe, I will convince myself with Rowan that I don't need to worry necessarily, but just have fun. I hope I can do it, because so far so good, and he is a healthy, happy little man!

Michigan Trip

So a lot of Sean's family lives in Michigan (his mom, dad, and sister). His other sister, Bridget, lives in New York. None of them except his mom (who came out for Rowan's birth, and during June) had met him before last week. It was quite the adventure. We took the train from Eugene, up to Seattle. Then from Seattle to Chicago. That was a 2 day ride right there. I have never been east of Oregon except the one time I went to visit Renee in Boston, and that was by plane, so it was a great way to see the country! I had never seen country so flat, and so much corn in my whole life! We got to ride along side the Mississippi River for a while, and all in all it was great. Rowan loved all of the people on the train, and going to meals in the dining car was always a hit with him.
We arrived in Michigan on the 3rd day of traveling. We took a train from Chicago to Battle Creek Michigan, and were supposed to take a bus from Battle Creek to Lansing, but due to Rowans amazing skills at making new friends, we got a ride from a wonderful woman and her daughter. Her daughter was getting ready to head off to college and they spend the weekend in Chicago together. It was really rather wonderful, instead of waiting for an hour at the bus station (at 11 pm no less) and then an hour bus ride, we got a ride right away! It was great. Sean's cousin Jess came and picked us up at the train station where we were dropped off, and took us to his aunts house. She is a wonderful lady, and I was very glad to meet her! We got up the next day and headed up north to his moms house.
We rented a car and were off! It was pretty exciting to finally be arriving, and was great to see everyone. The week went by too fast, filled with lots of Rowans cousins (7 kids ranging from 3 to 13), lots of swimming (Rowan loves to swim!) and great times with Sean's family. His sister Rory takes amazing pictures, and took some great family photos for us. All in all it was a wonderful time, and so much to tell but I'm still rather tired, and over all just glad to be home. That is one thing about traveling - it is lots of fun, but always great to get home!

 

Signing On

Well little Rowan and I are starting another new adventure. Sign language. He has done so well with the elimination communication, I figure we might as well try this too! He doesn't quite have the dexterity with his hands yet, but I figure if we start doing it now, by the time he has it he *might* give it a go! We have picked out a handful of signs, and are going to start with those, and slowly add more. Here is what we are starting with: milk, mama, papa, bed/sleep, potty and more. Once we get used to using those we will add more! I am pretty excited about it, because Rowan is such a smart little man, and he loves it when I count to him using my fingers, and so far he seems to enjoy the signing, smiling whenever I do it. So here goes  to another adventure with our smart little man!

Diaper Free

So I recently read the book Diaper Free by Ingrid Bauer, and it has sent me off on another wonderful journey with my little Rowan Pants. Her book is all about Elimination Communication, or Natural Infant Hygiene as it is also known, which is connecting with your baby on yet another deeper level, like breastfeeding on demand, but helping your baby relieve themselves in a way that doesn't make them sit in it. Its great!  You basically learn a whole new set of cues from your baby, just like when they are tired, or hungry, but this time it is when they have to go pee or poop! We started off a little shaky, Rowan I think getting frustrated and rather confused, but now a week into it, it is great! We got him a little potty a couple of days ago, and he used it 5 times today, which is 5 less dirty diapers! I still have him in diapers all day, sometimes we let him go without, but we are working towards being diaper free at some point. I know it may sound crazy to some, but its amazing how well it works! They really do let you know when they have to go, and you just have to tune in to those cues along with the other ones you already are observing. It is really pretty exciting :) And he loves it too! He gets so excited when he goes potty in his, or in the toilet (his potty seat can attach to it) and its great! I still am amazed, but it really makes sense, so I guess that's all that really matters! Till next time! :)

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well this past Friday was my 24th birthday, and I must say, it was one of the best birthdays I've had in a while. Not to say that my past birthdays weren't good, because they were, I suppose every year feels like its that much better than the last. It was especially fun because I got to spend it with my family, and this year I have a family all of my own! Sean, Rowan and I went to town, and did some shopping. Then we went and picked out my birthday present - a new rocking/reclining chair to nurse in! It is made out of the memory foam material so it is super soft and cushy, and I am in love. My old rocker was a hand-me-down that had much of its life crushed out of it by the time I received it, so this brand new one is like sitting on a cloud! Then we all went to my moms, and we made pizza. My mom and Jim got me a wonderful pizza stone, peel and cutter, and now I am on a pizza making craze! It is so much fun, so good, and such an easy great dinner! All in all it was a wonderful day, and it makes me look forward to next years!

Laughter

The other evening, I was cooking dinner when I heard Sean yelling at me to come outside. I ran out, wondering what was wrong. But nothing was wrong, everything was amazingly right. Sean was playing with Fritzy, our doberman, out in the yard. He had Rowan with him, and Rowan loved it. He was laughing, the first time he had ever laughed like a big little person, and it was amazing, music to my ears. I of course dashed back inside to pick up the video camera, and was able to get a bit of this new joy on film for us to remember for ever. We hadn't been able to get him to do it again, but today, two nights later, we get Fritzy playing again, and Rowan started laughing again. It is beautiful, amazing and wonderful all at once. :) I hope you enjoy!

Arizona

So we made our first road trip with Rowan, and it was a complete success. On the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend, Sean was talking about how much he wanted to go visit his grandpa. He is 90 years old, and had some stuff going on, and no other time seemed better. So I said, do you want to go? After a frenzy of packing, and preparing our house and animals for us to be gone for a long weekend, I barely had the time to think, are we crazy? 20+ hours in the car with a 3 month old baby? But much to our happiness, he did wonderfully! We left very early in the morning, and drove straight through, arriving at Sean's grandpa's house in Sun Lakes, just south of Phoenix, at around 5 the next morning.

Rowan had quite the adventure - swimming several times, watching his great grandpa play tennis, going out to a restaurant for his first and second time, getting to meet his great grandpa, and many of his friends, getting to see his grandma a week early - she was planning to come visit in Oregon - all and all a wonderful weekend. and he did so good! I was such a proud mommy during those 5 days. Hours and hours in his car seat, new places, people, and things. And such a wonderful boy! It really makes me look forward to the next adventure, and wonder what that may be!

And here is a picture of the four generations together! I am so glad we made the trip!

Mothers Day

Mothers. It is amazing how, now being a mother myself, on Mothers Day I find myself thinking way different things than I did a year ago. I find myself thinking about all of the daily activities that Sean and I go through with Rowan, and imagine my own mom and dad doing the same, plus two older girls, with me. I think of all the strength she must have had to deal with 4 girls as a stay at home mom, as I can't really imagine what it would be like taking care of an infant plus a toddler, and then two children, and then three. It really quite blows my mind..
This Mother's Day I find myself thinking wow, I am a mom. I am someones mom. What an amazing thing. I think of what my mom means to me, and feel blessed that maybe someday he will have the same respect, love, and friendship that I now have with my mom. I think of how my sister is now a mom as well, very fresh and new - her baby born just 4 days ago. I think back on when Rowan was just a few days old, and how very long every day - and night - felt, and how a week felt like a month. How already that feels a lifetime ago, how quickly my little baby man is growing up. He went to his first bbq last night, well besides at his grandmas, and didn't handle it too well. But that's ok, because he is my baby and I understand. I feel slightly bad for the other attendee's, but some were moms, others mom to be, and they understood. It is an amazing thing to be, a mother, and amazing how many mothers there are in this world. Amazing to think that as your teaching your child, you are helping shape the future.
So here is to all the mothers in the world. Thank you for everything, and I finally understand what part of that everything is.

Ergo Love

Babywearing is something that I wholeheartedly believe in. I think that your baby loves to be close, not set in a chair, crib, swing, etc. to watch a mobile. Granted, all of those things are incredibly useful at times, I still think that being in arms and right with you is best for you and your baby. I may sound crazy, but I can't help it. If my little man is awake, I want to be doing stuff with him, and have this inner sense of being a bad mom if I just let him sit and stare at stuff. I know he needs to do this at times, but still.
ANYways. Babywearing. That's what I was really wanting to write about. We have tried a variety of ways to do it, not all of them easy or cheap. We tried the basic sling, the slings with the metal rings, Snuggli's, Moby wrap, and I finally found the one we love - the Ergo baby carrier. To put it simply - it rocks. It was created so you can ergonomically carry your baby around without killing your body. It reminds me of a Moby wrap, just a whole lot easier to use. It helps spread the weight around your whole body like the Moby, but has a way sturdier build and feels just all around better! Its great! I can have both of my arms free, and not feel that I need to support his head. I got the infant insert with it, which is great because it boosts them up, and supports their spine and posture in all the right places. It also has an extra high back that supports Rowan's neck so I don't have to worry about it! It comes in a fun variety of colors, plus has organic options - which I opted for, and am glad already - Rowan loves to suck/chew on anything that is in range, so it makes me feel a bit better about that! All in all it is great, well worth the higher price tag, and I wish I would have known this before I got the other few items that I had. They say a picture is worth a thousand words..  and its true in this case!

Saying Goodbye

This past weekend my big sissy Renee came out all the way from Boston to meet her new nephew. I was super excited to have her come; I hadn't seen her since last June, and was only a few weeks into my pregnancy. It is amazing how much a life can change in less than one year. A year ago today, I wasn't pregnant, or married for that matter. Mom had just finished her chemo, and life was looking pretty good. I found out that I was pregnant a few weeks before Renee and her boyfriend Ryan came to visit for two weeks. It was a fun visit, but its always hard to say goodbye. Especially when you know how much things will be changing. She never got to see me big and pregnant, I wasn't really showing by the time she had come and gone. Less than a year goes by before she is back, and I am no longer pregnant but have an almost 2 month old little boy here with us! And now Robin is largely pregnant, due in less than a month, so at least she got to see that!
They plan on coming out for a good 2 week visit later this summer, which in our time doesn't seem like really too far away, but in baby time, it's light years. As she was getting ready to jump on her jet plane back to her big city of Boston and her man, tears filled both our eyes to think of how much change will happen in the mere months that will go by between now and then. Rowan will be anywhere from 5-6 months old when she returns next, probably crawling, and who knows what else he will be doing. Gwen (Robins little girl) will be almost 3 months old, and on the fast track of change like Rowan is already.
It is amazing, as our families grow older, and move on in life and the big world, how time can pass so freely when people are close without seeing them. But once someone takes the jump, and moves across the country, how much longer those periods of not seeing one another feel - maybe because of the lack of the option of just jumping in the car and seeing them shortly. It makes the time spent with family who live close more precious, because you never know who might be moving away next. And it is amazing, how hard it is to say good bye, even when the next trip is already being planned; even if they lived closer and you might not see them for as long a period of time; it's interesting how as we get older, saying good bye gets harder every time.

Rollin Rowan

It is amazing watching a baby grow - and change! And how they do it so fast! My little man is 8 weeks old as of yesterday, and has been changing on a weekly daily basis. He has been holding himself up at a 90 degree angle and looking around. He rolled over for his first time when he was 7 weeks, and it seems to be one of his new favorite things to do. Before, whenever placed on his tummy he would immediately want to start scooting. Now it is rolling, and nothing feels safe! His grandpa was over visiting, and we were hanging out with Rowan while he was on his tummy. My dad showed him how to do the tuck and roll. He flopped him over a couple of times, but didn't seem like it was catching on. The next day, as soon as I placed him on his tummy, he started trying to roll, and within 30 seconds to a minute he was there! It was amazing! It was like he had been thinking about it all night and was waiting for his opportunity, and once he had it he was gone.  Before I know it Rowan will gain his independence and start crawling. Which will really be a lot of fun and wonderful, but I feel nothing is safe now - I can't quite imagine how it will feel once he is on the road.

Spring Springing Forth

Spring has always been a rather magical time to me. Watching new growth, leaves and buds appear on naked branches is something I have always done with wonder; nature is an amazing thing. I love bulbs, planting in the fall/winter and forgetting, and several months later, watching as they spring forth from the earth and fill our world with color.
I was a little crazy this last fall and bought a bag of 75 tulip bulbs. I can't help myself when it comes to flowers, it is something that is so simple, yet so beautiful, and makes me so happy. I've learned that if something makes me so easily happy like that, then go with it! But anyways, my insanity has finally paid off, and I have had beautiful tulips to gaze at outside of my window. Yellow, purple, red, and more that haven't flowered yet so who knows what they will be? I finally cut some of the red the other day and brought them inside, something I love to be able to do, bring the beauty from the outside in!

I find the way the inside of flowers look to be wonderful as well, the outside of the petals one deep, rich color, the inside hiding a surprise of some sort. This one reminds me of an eye looking up at the sky, watching the clouds and birds flowing by. What a life to live!

Five Weeks

I sit here in absolute amazement looking at the calendar; it has been five weeks today since my little bundle of joy joined us here in the great big outside world. I look back over the past weeks and can't believe that it has only been five, it feels more like fifty! How much he has grown, and changed already shows how much more there is to come in the future weeks and years. How much Sean and I have grown and changed as well. It is amazing to think on the past, how five weeks ago at this very time we were still at the birth center, possibly visiting with our families who had come to welcome Rowan into the world. That five weeks ago was our first night at home together as a family, the two new parents asking each other what he should wear to bed that night.  How I was terrified to even pick him up for the fear of hurting him. Amazement at how much we have grown together as a family, how this is my family.

I look at the past week and think of how much he has changed this week alone; looking us in the eye, starting his own baby jabber language, discovering his hands, sleeping so much better at night. How scooting is now an exercise event for the whole family to enjoy. He is helping us mold our family sculpture into being, how I am as a mother, and Sean as a father. It truly is amazing to watch all of our progressions, and how quickly they have occurred in only five weeks. Only 35 days.. amazing how much life can change, can progress, in such a short amount of space. It leaves me thinking of the future, and how  much more we will gain, and grow, in the weeks to come.

Poop Time

Never in my life did I think that I would have so many conversations about poop and pee. "Did Rowan poop yet?" has been a common question in our household over the past 2 weeks. It started out with him going a day without doing it, dropping a load. I was worried, checked my books, called my mom, and was reassured, that it was normal. I guess breast fed babies can go a couple of days without pooping. So then next day came around, and finally it came, the massive one. Yay! He pooped finally! The next day comes and goes, and the next, and I start to worry again.

We did bicycle kicks, tummy massage, anything that wasn't invasive for the poor little man. I finally called his pediatrician's office, and they told me it was normal for breast fed infants to not go for anywhere from 4-7 days. 4-7 days. Are you kidding me? Enter life now. Yesterday was day seven, so we decided to give him a bath to see if that would get things moving. And did it ever. And throughout all of this, I am constantly amazed, amazed at how much life has changed in the past 31 days, how poop and pee are now normal conversations in our house, and how exciting dumping a big load can really be.