Rowan the Toddler

 Our little guy is one year old!!!  (Actually he was a year old almost 3 months ago, but I'm finally getting to the post).

Having Rowan has been hard work, particularly dealing with his health problems, but he has definitely brought a lot of joy to our lives.  I really feel like Rowan has taught my older kids to love and it is a pretty beautiful thing.  They all love him so much and think he's so cute and shower him with attention.  They all love to make him laugh and smile.

Rowan still wakes up several times a night.  He continues to have lots of ear infections and also constantly seems to be cutting teeth.  He still smiles a lot and people are always telling me he is the smiliest baby they have ever seen.  They tell me he must be happy all the time--which is not quite true.  He's pretty bi-polar--either he's smiling huge, or he's screaming miserably.  He is finally starting to tolerate his car seat a little more, although not for long distances.  He still has not said his first word which does worry me, but I am doing all I can do.  We have been working with a speech therapist since he was 6 months old.  I am trying to do better about him wearing his hearing aid, but it seems like something always gets in the way.  Right now it's another ear infection...

Rowan did take his first steps about a month ago, and watching him walk his super cute.  He is very bowl-legged and looks like Tommy Pickles when he walks.

Rowan likes to play peek-a-boo, eat apple sauce and yogurt, and play with his siblings.  He likes going for walks in his stroller, playing in the dishwasher when I'm trying to load it, and pulling everything out of the cupboards and drawers.  He particularly enjoys dumping out cereal boxes and boxes of crayons.  He likes being outside and being pushed around in the wagon or Little Tikes car.