It took me forever to even get just these few photos to use. This is one wiggly baby! You turn your back for 2 seconds and she’s wiggled, rolled and inched her way to some other new place. Usually it’s to grab something in view to put in her mouth. Anything that she can see is grabbed and instantly shoved into her mouth. She even reaches and wiggles her little fingers trying to get things that are way out of reach. It’s really funny to watch. Today she was trying to eat the mail as I walked downstairs to put some envelopes in the mailbox.
Rowan has become super aware of our cats. She loves them! As soon as she sees one of them, she stares them down and usually is stretching out her hand to try to pet them. It is super cute, but I don’t think the cats are thrilled by her yet. They aren’t aggressive or anything. They just don’t want to be anywhere near her.
We have been struggling with sleeping thru the night again. It’s hard when you went almost 5 months of thru the night sleeping, to now waking up at 4:00am every morning on the dot. It just started last week, so I am hoping it will be short lived. We’ll see though.
This stage is so much fun. She is so interactive and funny, she makes me laugh all day long. We are still waiting on that belly laugh. She does this short kinda laugh thing but I am dying to know what it will be that makes her full on laugh one day. Please let it be soon!!
I was away last week and I have to say it was really weird feeling. I totally enjoyed my time with my dear friends but I felt like something was missing all week. Like I was in some weird reality that was slightly off. I would wake up thinking I heard Rowan, but of course I was just hearing things. I love the little routine Kev, Rowan and I have. I love the way our lives have changed and molded together with her and the love that is shared each day. It makes me feel whole.
Rowans Sweet Valentine’s Day outfit:
Vintage Dress: Etsy via Teacher Girl Designs
Heart Headband: Made by me
Sparkly Shoes: Babies R Us
Diapers: Bum Genius 4.0
Maybe, just maybe you won’t mind voting for me one more time today? I promise to stop bothering you soon. 
This is just TOO TOO adorable.
That last picture of the two of you is precious (the others are super cute…but the last one…. 🙂 )
Jen she is gorgeous ! Such a pretty little thing! And these photos make me want a little baby to dress up!!
The photo of you both is perfect! x
I find it interesting that you say your life was shallow without Rowan. I know that I cannot know what love a parent feels, and so I hope I don’t sound too forward, but I’ve always believed and felt that life even before the most wonderful thing you’ve ever known was still beautiful because it lead you to that point. I hope I don’t sound critical (I love this blog, how much you talk about Rowan, and your love for her!), but I’m intrigued that you feel like renouncing what seems like it was real love and joy in your life, pre-Rowan, and labeling it shallow. I suppose I’m just somewhat surprised and intrigued by the harshness of that word.
but to end on another note: Rowan’s cheeks are so adorable! They must be irresistibly kissable 🙂
oh my goodness, those legs are so delicious!
i loooove your matching hair-bands!
AHHHH you’re no. 1 on top baby blogs!
I hope it lasts!
You’re #1!
She is too cute! I’m glad the dress fits her, it looks adorable with that headband!!
Jen, I know what you mean about life before children not seeming as important as life after. I feel like once my daughters were born my whole life took on a new meaning – it just cemented everything I had been working on up to that point.
As for sleep, I remember when my girls really started moving it took them a while to sleep through the night again … I think when they realize they can move, move, move they want to do it all the time! (Even when they should be sleeping!)
This is a bit surreal. My one and only Cabbage Patch kid that I had growing up (Ardella Cherry) had that EXACT same outfit and I had a larger one to wear with her.
80’s flashback from a modern baby.
That last picture of the two of you is the stuff of dreams 🙂
those cheeks….so cute!
she is a doll, jen! will she be at TxSCC? 🙂
That last picture of the two of you is too precious for words. What a beautiful pair of ladies!
i agree with above – the last picture with her looking right into the camera – oh my goodness! makes my heart skip a beat. shes perfection. <3
I can’t believe you actually have to write a disclaimer at the bottom of your post. I can only imagine why you felt to do that. Shallow, for lack of a better word, i know what you mean… She’s so adorable I love those thighs. It’s great that you got to go away. I’m sure you missed Rowan but she’s still there waiting for you when you get back. And I love the matching headbands. xo Can’t wait till next week!!!!!
Oh i remembered what i was going to say… Anthony did that too, where he started waking up in the middle of the night again after sleeping thru the night for a long time. We started putting a little bit of rice cereal into his bottle and he slept like a baby again. The pediatricians will tell you “we don’t tell you to do that anymore because it’s not proven to really help them” because of the whole child obiesity thing they can’t reccommend anything like that. But it def helped him stay full longer and sleep better.
Life before my children truly seemed similar in my experience. It was somewhat irrelevant, and internally (self) focused. I can appreciate why others may feel somewhat confused by your statement, but the joy of being a mommy often cannot be expressed {with the right} words.
Ardella Cherry. Oh Gina-Marie I am dying! What a name.
My daughter Wynne has started waking up at 2:30am talking and talking and talking. Little stinker. She’s always scooted way up in her crib when I go in. It’s like she’s saying mommy everything’s moving! If I only knew to enjoy her nighttime immobility before! 😛
Jen, this was a great post. You and Rowan are so beautiful… love that bottom photo. It has been such a neat thing to read about (and see) the way she has changed you and Kev’s lives. It really makes me excited to one day have the same experience. As always, thanks for sharing your life on here!
Jen, I think you’re right that being a parent must be a tough thing to describe. Your life DOES have more depth now than before – you’ve taken on a new role, a new responsibility that is utterly life changing. I appreciate your willingness to express that.
I’m relieved after reading through the comments thus far that no one is particularly insulted by it. I’ve seen people misinterpret these discussions as saying that people who don’t have children are shallow. People, women in particular, get offended when mothers say that they feel that in their pre-parenthood years that their life held less meaning and significance, as if you’re saying that THEIR life has less meaning and significance, when that’s not what you’re saying at all.
Thanks for blogging about your experiences with motherhood. I’m excited for the day when I finally understand that depth of experience for myself. (Someday, a long LONG time from now. My husband are trying NOT to get pregnant right now. Lol.) 😉
Awww this makes me sad…. we have been trying awhile to have kids but can’t so….. shallow is a harsh word. If this is the life god hasplanned for us, I intend to cherish it. And if we do end up with kids, our life will be richer but I hope it would never cause me to disdain my life before.
She is just gorgeous!
She is too precious. I love her little red dress and the shot where she is going for the toes – so cute!
*dying* over the cuteness of this outfit!!!
she is beautiful! i’m so happy for you and your little family. she looks like kev, yes?
this dress is perfect. my niece will be 5 months old in one week. such an awe inspiring age.
j.
If baby girl is already on solids, she may just need more to have her sleep longer!
My husband and I wake up for work every morning at 3:30 a.m. So even though our daughter wakes up between 3 and 4 every morning, we actually consider it sleeping through the night lol… It’s weird, but I guess she’s actually not by normal standards. 🙂
Wow, she looks like Kev! Her eyes look like his 🙂