Two!!

Our little man just got officially bigger! Rowan Charles Newton is TWO YEARS OLD TODAY!! :D
Just for fun here's a little comparison of 2008 and 2009 :)

2008

2009

One year old Ewok, because I'm a Star Wars nerd


Two year old puppy dog because this year he really likes a certain book called "Snuggle Puppy".





One year old attempting to stab a blueberry






Two year old successfully stabbing multiple pieces of pancake. I believe his max was 3 which was about double what looked like should fit in his mouth ;)





One year old chillin with his soccer ball



Two year old gettin ready to ride down a ramp of pallets on his plastic tricycle with his new pads (Thanks godparents! :D)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROWIE!!

We got off to a bit of an early start because of daylight savings so Rowan came and hung out in our bed watching cartoons for a while. After everyone was up we went out to breakfast at the Shipwreck Cafe where we strategically opened the first gift, a viewmaster. Afterward we came home and opened most of his other presents and played a bit before a nap.


He didn't open all his other gifts before his nap because he was too enamored with all the balloons we'd blown up for him. If one even moved in his peripheral vision he'd be up and after it in a flash! A lot of kids seem to enjoy gift boxes more than their gifts, it seems ours is all about the decorations ;)

Trying to blow up a balloon but only getting it very wet and slobbery :P


Sporting his new sweater from Gremmy :)

After a good rest we headed out again for a late lunch/early dinner at Red Robin. I was bummed that the little arcade they have was full when we wanted to play and empty when it was time to eat :P oh well. We wore hats, Rowan had a smoothie and a bit of spaghetti, he got two balloons, and a small sundae!

There were a couple things we didn't do that I kinda wanted to cause I'm quite pregnant, a little bit crazy, and not a good planner this time around. But at the end of the day I find myself taking stock and counting my blessings. One year later our Rowan is bigger, faster, funnier, more opinionated, louder, and talks a LOT more. I'm so happy and thankful that the Lord blessed us with this little boy!

We could never ask for more and yet as I type I'm being reminded with kicks and squirms that before long we're going to get it. I know Rowan will be a good big brother and I'm excited for our family to expand but I have loved and treasured these two years we've gotten to have with just Rowan. I love my lil' bubby more than I can say and even though we're getting a taste of those terrible twos and it may be a challenge at times to have such a boy I wouldn't trade him for anything :)

A good walk

The trees around here have no consistency in fall. Some of them are bare already, others are still brilliant, and the rest are stubbornly refusing to accept the cold, rain, and wind as a sign that summer is over. Luckily the majority fall into the second category, which is my favorite so yesterday Rowan, Max, and I trekked around checking them out.

Here we are starting out on our walk
bright eyed on the left and slightly bushy tailed on the right ;)

I like the ones that have many colors at once :)

Every once in a while we'd stop and I'd ask Rowan which leaves on the ground I should take a picture of. Having all the feet in this shot was a happy coincidence :)

These next couple are a bit more special and so a bit bigger ;)

Our first sibling photos!

I'm sure most everyone already knows but just so it's official
we're having a GIRL!
Little miss Katelyn should be here around the 4th of March

Rowan is already a sweet and loving
big brother to baby "Kah-kee"(Katie)
I thought it was super cute to take a picture of them "together"

Yesterday evening I was in the rocking chair when Rowan came up and lifted my shirt to look at my belly. "Kah-kee? Hide?" he asked pointing to my belly, "Yep, Katie's hiding in there" I replied. We figure telling Rowan that Katelyn is "hiding" is the best explanation for why she's inside me at this point. After he made sure she was still in there he took his blankie and put it over my belly, straightened the bottom edge over my lap, and gave my belly and Katie in it a hug. Then he climbed up and we all cuddled. It was so adorable and sweet I just about melted :)

If that doesn't warm your heart I don't know what will ;D

pumpkin day 2009

Our little guy is almost two! Only a couple more weeks until birthday time and that means it's time to visit the pumpkin patch! :D

Getting ready to go

Rowan sporting the scarf the Max got at his last grooming. He didn't keep it on for pumpkin picking but it was so cute I had to put this picture in.

Running to the wheelbarrows

Strong little guy! :D

Peek-a-boo!

Not a grand shot of the pumpkins here but an accurate dipiction of their current state. Dirty and in the garage, soon to be cleaned and placed lovingly in front of the house.

We'll probably wait a bit to carve them so we don't have rotted shells come Rowan's birthday eve :)

At the park

There was a little slide/fort thing made of hay bales at the farm but it cost $3 a head so Logan decided we'd just go to the park. The park nearest our house has a dog run so we brought Max along to play. When we got there the play structure was deserted and Max was way more interested in what Logan and Rowan were doing than the toy I'd brought for him to chase. So after a bit of grumbling on my part about ungrateful little dogs we invited him on up :)

I don't think Max
enjoyed the slide
quite as much as Rowan
but he did go back up
at least once more
after this :)

Everyone but Mama
went down the slide.

A good day overall I'd say :) a bit of fussing when we left the park but it was lunchtime and naptime was fast approaching so it was understandable :) The only thing I was a bit bummed by was our practical decision to hold off on carving our pumpkins. So I devised a more shelf-stable route and today Logan and I snipped and Rowan joined in for the gluing and coloring as we made some long-lasting fun happy pumpkin faces! They make me smile.

oh yeah!

I forgot about our tour poster! Oops. Here's the artwork my mom referred to in her comment on the previous post about the one and only stop on the 2009 "tour" of Women and Children First (i.e. my sisters, Rowan, baby cousin Henry, and me hanging out in La Grande)

Thanks for the reminder mom :)

New camera Part 3

I feel like this "new camera" series is taking too long so I'm just going to pack this post full of photos from La Grande and call it good. It was a great sort of inaugural week for the new camera and we took a lot of great pics! It was hard to choose just some but I did it :) Here is part 3 "La Grande" it was super fun, if only our big guys could have been there too. Ah well, we had our little guys and they kept us pretty busy :)

Hanging out

Playing with toys

He's telling me there's a "ball" on the block.
He says ball like a kiwi :)





and outside!

In the backyard

and at the park























Even Henry got in on the action ;)


Rowan adored his baby cousin! Kisses all around!




After a wonderful week of playing and hanging it was time to hit the road again.

This time Rowan knew how to handle the drive ;)