Rowan's 1st Birhtday August 22, 2009

HAPPPY FIRST BIRHTDAY ROWAN!!!

How can you already be one year old, it seems like just yesterday we brought you home from the hospital. You have brought more joy to Dada and I then we ever imagined possible and we love you more than anything. Your personality has really begun to shine. You love to make everyone laugh.....for no apparant reason you will just start laughing until everyone in the room is laughing with you. You love to jump and fall face forward into the couch, this is the funniest thing in the whole world to you. You are a monkey in everyway...climbing on everything and your favorite fruit is banana. Your two favorite words are "Hi" and "Up". You want so badly to walk but we think it will be a couple months until you can do it on your own. Your "scootch" is the most precious thing...I get a sense you'll be coming up with your own ways to do things in life instead of the way everyone does them. You love Ramsey and I often find you playing and jumping on him....luckily he doesn't seem to mind. You love to point to things and say "b". The other night Dada and I went in to check on you while you were sleeping and you pointed up and said "b" in your sleep....we were beside ourselves with laughter. We love you so much Rowan and can't wait to see you continue to blossom this year.

Dawg Days of Summer...Minnesota

Many THANKS to Gretchen and Mike for hosting us in MN and Congratulations on your beautiful new baby boy! What a great end to our trip. It was so great to have the whole Chamberlain family together....and isn't it so beautiful how our family is growing? In true Chamberlain fashion we played many a games....usually it's Pinnochle but we have found a new game....Settlers of Catan. We were all hooked and stayed up into the wee hours playing most nights. While we all love this game and eachother, it may turn out to be a bad thing for us.....you see, it's quite competative and well, there were a few fights!

It was great to see Allie, Emma, Grace, and Savanah...Rowan had fun playing with his second cousins.

All in All it was a great trip....two whole weeks! We came home to 116 degrees and wondered why we came back!!!!

Dawg Days of Summer...Iowa

Many THANKS to Larry and Dianne for hosting us in Iowa and Thanks to Gretchen for surprising us with you and Calvin's presence!! Cal is so adorable and your are such a trooper for making the trip to IA a week after giving birth...you are my hero! Rowan had so much fun hanging out with everyone. There was never a dull moment and he was constantly entertained. He even got to go to the Allamakee County Fair. It was the staging day for the animals, so the fair actually wasn't going on yet, but we got to see lots of cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and sheep. Blake and Uncle Hall had some animals they were showing...steer and pigs. We got to see GREAT Grandma's Ramona and Marge and GREAT Grandpa's Clarence and Wayne....what fun it was to see their faces light up when Rowan and Calvin were near! Thanks to Grandma Ramona for hosting a dinner party with all of the relatives, Trudy and Rowan had fun stealing eachothers toys!

Dawg Days of Summer...Wisconsin

A big THANKS to Nonna and Poppa for having us in Wisconsin for the 4th of July! Although it felt like our visit was way too short, we had a great time none the less. Rowan got to sleep through his first fireworks display! In Delavan, we all go down to the boat around dusk and head for the eastern side of the lake, anchor down, and wait for the display. This was Rowan's first boat ride and he hated wearing the life jacket. Since it was well past his bedtime, it's no wonder why he was asleep within 10 minutes of being on the boat. How is it that he can sleep through a fireworks display which sounds like what I would think a war zone sounds like, and yet me closing a dresser drawer in the room next to him at home can wake him up?

Thanks to Grandpa and Ann for coming to visit us and meet Rowan, we had a great time visiting with you. And a big thanks to Steve, Miles, and Mason for making the long trek from KY to see us again.

Unfortunately the fish were not bitting for Dad and Theo this year, but they sure had fun trying. I think Miles was ther only one to catch anything this year...good work Miles!

And finally, a big THANKS to Ken and Carol for coming to pick us up and take us to IA. It was so cool to finally have you guys up to the lake!

Dawg Days of Summer...Kentucky

A big THANKS to our Kentucky hosts...Steve and Tina in Erlanger and Jesse and Kelly in Louisville. Rowan did great on the plane. We even had lunch with Nonna in Chicago during our layover. In Erlanger we experienced Americana at its finest....neighbors out, kids playing in the streets, and lots of good 'ol fireowrks being lit off. We had a great time at Parky's Farm. Miles (my nephew) and I even milked a goat! Rowan LOVED all the animals. In Louisville, Daddy bought Rowan a real Louisville Slugger straight from the place they make them...with a D-Backs logo on it no less. We got try a "Hot Brown" the local fare of Louisville, and toured the downtown area on foot....what a sweet city, I had no idea!

10 Months

Rowan is officially 10 Months old this week! Where has all the time gone?

Here are some cool facts about Rowan at 10 Months Old:

1. He is a very curious boy.

2. He "scootches" instead of cawling and man can he move fast.

3. He likes to roar like a lion.

4. His favorite foods are chicken...mixed with avacado or sweet potato, mango, bananas, pears, yogurt, and puffs-still prefers pureed foods spoon fed to him.

5. He loves bathtime and now likes to stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down in the bath.

6. He loves music and bobs up and down when it comes on.

7. When we sing the alphabet now he tries to sing with us.

8. He loves putting objects inside of other objects.

9. He loves books.

10. He tries to give Ramsey his food when he's eating (and Ramsey is now trained to come to Rowan's side at mealtimes....he knows he'll get treat from Rowan).

Ciao......

Adventures with Nonna

Thank you to Nonna for coming to visit from Chicago! Rowan had so much fun spending time with you. We have been busy going to the park, but now that it's 110 degrees we may not be going too much for a while.