11 1/2 Months Update

It is amazing how so much can change in less than a year. It is so disheartening to me that eleven months can go by so fast! I have not had enough time with my baby this year to love and kiss on him, to sing and read to him, or to just hold him, yet the year will pass anyway and he will grow up daily. This past year has not asked me if I would like it to slow down, nor did it slow down when I begged it to. I guess one of the biggest lessons I have learned this year is to not take any moment for granted. I shouldn't jam pack my schedule nor should I waste time being bored, but find the balance. I have never said, "I can't wait until...." because "until" gets here much sooner than I would like. I hate to sound so down and out, because I am also overwhelmed with gratitude and joy for what we have experienced this year with Rowe. God has truly blessed us beyond what we ever prayed for. I look back and want to kick myself for spending so much time worrying and lacking trust in God's will during the time of our miscarriages and trying to have a baby. I always trusted God to be able to do whatever He wanted which could include a baby for us or could not. I just didn't trust His will as being the best for us. If you facing a time right now where you aren't sure if you're ready to trust God's will completely, just take into consideration His track record. Has there been a time in your life that you trusted him completely and He didn't take care of you? I will be honest, I have not liked every way that God has answered my prayers, but I do know His answers are much better for me than my own in the long run.

Back to Rowe! Sorry, I got a little sidetracked. That little monkey of ours is PRECIOUS!!! Lee is still kissing him all the time, and I'm chasing him all the time. He is holding onto the furniture and walking everywhere. He only takes a couple of steps on his own and then dives face forward with a huge grin and his mouth wide open. He hits the ground announcing, "UH-OH."

His favorite toy is his Leapfrog Table with lights and music. He always changes it to the Spanish setting, and will not play with it if it is set to English. Such a little weirdo! He also loves any musical instruments. He loves playing his drums, xylophone, and he is getting an electronic piano for Christmas, but don't tell him. He has teeth marks on all of his shoes and most of ours. If he is sitting in a highchair, car seat, or most laps, his legs are swinging. He will kick you a million times while you feed him in his high chair. He no longer does his hands like he is cranking a motorcycle when he gets excited. I kind of miss that. It was his trademark.

He still has a sensitive tummy, and we have to be careful what we feed him. He still does not eat a lot of people food yet. There just isn't a big enough selection of organic food in Columbus, MS. The more I read and talk with his doctor, I think organic is the best way to go for our family. I don't think our parenting decisions are right for everyone or perfect, I just think they are best for us.

Rowe is saying "daddy" all the time. He also says "Missy," "Hey," "Mo" (more), and shakes his head no quite a bit. I don't think he knows what the head shaking means. He still refuses to say "mama." His first sentence was, "I love you." It was not pronounced perfectly, but he sometimes says it back to us when we tell him "I love you." He has also said it when we pick him up, because we always say it then, so I guess he thinks that is just part of it too. It will melt your heart. He loves for us to talk, sing, or read to him. At night, he snuggles his lovie under his head like a pillow and tucks his knees and hands under his belly with his bottom in the air. Too cute! He goes to sleep and wakes up singing. I love to hear his sweet voice over the monitor.