Fall update

The days are shorter, which to Rowan means that he has to accomplish more milestone's more quickly apparently because he is now quite a pro at walking along the furniture and surfing ( he stands up in the middle of the room, without any props or assistance, and puts his arms out and sorta sways back and forth). He has taken a few steps, although he didn't really notice it much..probably accidental.. MNow he is 9 months and two weeks, and 23 something lbs., maybe 24..who knows. He just cut his upper right tooth, and the other is soon to follow. Fortunately for all of us in the house, this conveniently occurred simultaneously with the onset of an earache. The worst has already passed thankfully. I do think we have created an amoxicillin addict however. He gets very irritated when he has finished his dose and screams and reaches for more.

The pics above: (lt to Rt,) Rowan under "King Tree", a 400+yr old beech tree; Happy during tubby time...he's a true aquarius!; The Fam at "Mill's Falls in TN; First boating experience at Tim's Ford State Park TN; Being a little southern chap in front of Miss Mary Bobo's in Lynchburg TN; Most adorable pic ever! All dressed up for Steve's wedding; taking time to smell the flowers with Da; and swimming at future Uncle Gregs pond this summer.

While on the screaming and reaching note:

When Cody gets home from work, we greet him at the door, Rowan shaking and gleeing out excited shreiks. He reaches out his arms for Cody to take him and they visit and then Cody will say he's going to take a shower (landscapers never return clean) and go to hand Row to me, and he'll immediately begin to cry and reach back for Da. Cute, they need their quality catch up time, been apart all day, I understand ,but not quite fair, as I have been doin nothing all day but trying to please and entertain the child...the thanks I get :(

He says Mamamama and Da and meows for the kitty and ooofs for Akira and shakes his head yes when he agrees or wants something, and no when he objects to it........more later.

Ketchup

I need to add way more pictures to actually catch y'all up on what's been going on in our lives.

These ones here will show you that Rowan is an adorably happy child who strongly resembles his father (1/2 of the time anyways...the raised eyebrow-confused pic to the upper left for example)

Wow, I am ashamed to say that I have been delinquent on his blog for over half of his life. But, fortunately, I can't say the same for my picture diary. I have more pictures than most people would consider a "sane" amount.

Things have been quite well with us all. Since Rowan first did his "back to tummy" roll back on June 10th, our world has gone through a vast transformation. The single roll days only lasted a short period of time. Before too long, he was just rolling 6-7 times to get to an object across the room. I once turned away for a sec and he had rolled across his room and poked his head out of his doorway to locate me. What a brain!!

So, at this point, 30 weeks, or 7 months 1 week, however the correct way to say it is, he is FULLY mobile! He has mastered the commando crawl, and also does this hilarious strait armed-strait-legged-waddle. He is also pulling himself up onto things....I'm like WHOA, slow down. He went from this immobile peanut to this mischieveous tank. But, he is by far the best thing we have ever experienced .He is the most amazing child (no offense to Kris, Andy, or Liam...you guys also rock..but there's just that something about your own that's unbeatable!)

I am proud to say that I have won the war against my computer virus, and I will be regularly posting from now on. Here are pictures from the last 5 months.....enjoy as much as we did:)

Changes

Sorry there haven't been any posts lately. Life's changes have been a bit overwhelming lately: the move, the hormones, my dad, just life in general and trying to deal with it all on scattered amounts of sleep- let's just say that sometimes I chime in with his cries.

Rowan is a giant now- he's growing sooo fast. He's already in some 3-6 month clothing ( my back is killing me!)

Even on te worst of days- one of his little smiles out of his cute little chubby -cooing- face and I know that it will all be alright. I can't type much right now, as he is asleep, mainly resting on my right arm. If I try to put him down, he will surely wake. Anyhow, we get along much better when he's rested, so this will be all for now. There will be many more pics to come.....as soon as I get some rest.

What's in a name

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THE QUICKENING TREE

Rowan is the second vowel in the ancient Druidic Beth-Luis-Nion Tree Alphabet, which is L for Luis, meaning Flame, one of her old names, alluding to her fruit and her fiery spirit.

Rowan owns the second month of the Celtic Tree Calendar (Jan.21 - Feb. 17).
This time of year embodies the essence of Rowan: Inspite of the harshness of the season, the life-force is quickening. It may still be very cold, it may be pouring down with rain and sleet, but something is stirring.
The days are slowly beginning to lengthen. Nature is attuning itself for another burst of life. It is harmonising the chaotic energies, resulting of the decay, which winter brought. There is an untouched newness in the air, delicate but with great inward strength. The soft power is stirring, waking everything up. There are catkins on the trees and the first snowdrops are pushing their leaves through the old grass.

On the 12th day of the Rowan month (Feb.1st) begins the first of the four Celtic cross-quarter festivals, called Imbolc (The others are Beltane which is the May-feast; Lammas, which is the festival celebrating the maturity of the summer; and Halloween, the festival of the two worlds touching. Together with the winter and summer solstices, the spring and autumn equinoxes, these festivals form the eight spokes of the wheel of the Year).

Imbolc celebrates the life force waking up from its winter slumber. Other names for it are: The festival of the stirring of the seed, the feast of the waxing light, Candlemas (Christianised version), Groundhog day (USA), or simply Brigid, after the Celtic Goddess to whom this feast was dedicated.
Brigid (or Brigantia in England) is the Celtic Goddess of Spring in its widest sense, as the renewing energy of Nature, which explains the wide range of powers attributed to her. She was a fire goddess, as well as patroness of wells and springs. She was the Goddess of Healing, Crafts, Poetry and Divine inspiration.
To the Celts of the hills, the Rowan tree embodied her spirit and it is appropriate that her festival should fall in the Rowan month

Brigid was one of the most influential Goddesses of the Celtic world and much beloved by her people. Whenever a woman, gets married, she becomes ‘the Bride’, the personification of the Goddess, birthgiver of life. With the event of Christianity, the reverence for her survived, both as Bride, the mother of St. Patrick and as St.Brigit, whom Irish legend, believed to be Mary’ s midwife and Jesus’ wetnurse and as such she was worshipped as ‘Mary, Queen of Heaven’. A perpetual fire is kept for St. Brigit in Kildare.
Brigid’s festival in the Rowan month celebrates the magic of new fire and the germinating life force. It nurtures inspiration, creativity and healing. Traditionally fires or candles are lit at midnight and people attune to the stirrings deep inside themselves. It is a good time to see visions of yourself reborn.

Knowing Eyes

It is still hard to believe that we have a baby. Wow!!
It's so amazing to look at him and know that he was entirely created
by Cody and I, that he is a manifestation of our love. We were talking
Rowan developing over the past ten months- and how each little stage of
growth is accounted for- besides the soul. Where did that come from,
when did he get it, and has it been here before?

I guess these are always questions we ponder, but it seems like so much
more of a relevant question when glancing at one still so close to the spirit world.
Can't you almost see that wisdom in his eyes?

After his first bath

Akira is still our baby. She's handling the whole thing quite well actually. She cocks her head from side to side at his little sueaks and

gurgles, wondering what he is.

He had his first sponge bath, as his little cord stump finally fell off. I was sad to see it go, it had connected us so intimately for those 10 months in the womb- but now he's got the cutest little button that will forever symbolize that connection, so I suppose I can get rid of the dried up little cord stump :(













Look at these little things- I just can't get over how much
I love these feet. Little sox on tiny footsies are by far the best.
I never knew I had a tiny foot fetish...strange huh?

More Cuteness

Here he is being cute and sweet and quiet, which he was most of the time up until last night. Hopefully that passes. Maybe it was something I ate, who knows. Now, he is fast asleep making little noises as he breathes. He has already gained a bunch of weight. He began at 8lbs. 7 oz, and was down to 8.0 when we left the hospital, and as of Wed., just after a week of life and constant milk consumption and love and sleep, he now weighs 8.11.

I am still in this strange daze of newfound motherhood. My head is a swirling mass of emotions, exhaustion mixing with joy, proudness and overwhelming senses of responsibility...and all of these feeling are silhouetted with this undescribable love that I'm sure only a mother can feel when looking at her precious creation. Aaahhh...my little Rowan :)

Our new family

Here, Cody is holding him at the hospital, and underneath, we have just arrived at home and are all trying to get adjusted to our new ways of life.

We've all been through a lot in the past few days...many exhausting hours for everyone. But, each moment was worth it. All I need to do is look at his perfect little self and all of the tiredness and soreness kinda fades away.

First Days

Here he is!! These are a few pics of little Rowan's first days at home. He is all bundled in his Patriots blanky ( thanks Amy and Mark!) getting ready for the big game. There are also some pictures of his precious little parts..cuz they are just too adorably cute to not keep taking pictures of them:)

He definitely has his Daddy's nose and toes and he seems to smirk with the same satisfaction that his Daddy does when he passes gas. Isn't he just the most perfect little creation ever? There will be many more pics to come, because that is all we are doing these days...getting to know each other and resting..both great photo ops.