Daily Aidan: This one's for you, Isaac!

Aidan loves the Halloween picture you made for us!

Monthly Aidan

Aidan is 15 months old today! Here's what's going on in his world. Aidan:
-wakes up between 7 and 7:30 each morning and goes to bed between 7:30 and 8 each evening
-is transitioning to one nap a day, against his mother's will
-only likes to ride in the car if it's for a short time
-pulls up, cruises, and pushes his toys wherever he wants to go. Will walk holding one of his parents' hands, but won't let go just yet
-loves to play peekaboo
-pretends everything is a phone. "Hello?"
-is full of words. New ones include oven, hot, bunny, dog, clock, out, and hat
-is going through some separation anxiety. Is fine when we visit other people and even if Mom or Dad leaves, but if we're at home, he does NOT like to be set down
-has started his fourth semester of Kindermusik classes, as well as sign language classes
-has started telling us what he wants, by crawling to his high chair to eat or going into his bedroom and pointing to the crib to go to sleep
-wears 18 and 24 month clothes
-has twelve teeth - four top, four bottom, and four molars
-is learning about facial features: eyes, nose, mouth, and his favorite, tongue
-loves pointing out all of the appliances in the kitchen
-woofs whenever he sees or hears a dog
-will eat as much fruit as we will give him. Has started being a bit picky with meat and a few vegetables, but is still generally a really great eater
-can stack blocks but prefers to knock over towers that we build
-is obsessed with buttons. The ones you push, not the ones you fasten:)
-likes combs and brushes and pretends to brush his own hair as well as ours
-is adamantly against diaper and clothing changes
-thinks it's hilarious to shut himself in a room for "alone time"
-can spend hours playing open close open close open close open close with the kitchen cupboards
-pushes the garage door opener button and says "UP! UP! UP!"
-has developed the sometimes cute but mostly frustrating habit of sorting through his toys and chucking anything unwanted over his shoulder
-has ticklish thighs and underarms
-weighs 25 pounds - we'll update height after his checkup Friday
-is the absolute light of our lives!

Monthly Aidan

Aidan is 14 months old, and I clearly do not update the blog often enough!
My apologies for being such a slacker. Hopefully there are some of you still out there...


(have you noticed that he's almost always in his pajamas in these pictures? It's because we forget to take the picture until bedtime!)


At 14 months, Aidan:
-pulls up and cruises wherever he wants to go
-talks up a storm. I need to write down all of his words, but off the top of my head, they include mama, dada, up, all done, hello, woof, no, and that (for "What's that?")
-flew to Texas to visit great-grandparents
-eats like an ever loving PIG!
-points to everything to ask "that" - what's that?
-will choose reading books over playing with most toys, especially those with flaps
-wears 18 month clothes, but can still wear some 12 month pants and some 24 month rompers
-loves pushing his walker everywhere
-pretends everything is a telephone and puts it up to his ear to have a conversation
-is obsessed with remote controls and anything with buttons
-sings "la la la"
-signs "more" then points to what he wants more of while eating
-sleeps 8pm-7am and takes two naps most days
-can sit down from standing without crying
-can pick things up off the floor while standing
-can climb all the way up the stairs
-loves doors, drawers, the oven, and refrigerator

Aidan needs more cowbell!

Daily Aidan

"When I grow up, I want to be a drummer just like my daddy!"

Daily Aidan

Monday, I had a ganglion cyst removed from my wrist, rendering me useless! Aaron has been a lifesaver this week, staying home from work and taking on my role here at home. I couldn't have survived this week without him!

Here we are, the night of my surgery:


This will make anyone feel better...look at those delicious toes! I'm surprised he has any left because I constantly munch on them!! Even cuter than his little toes is the fact that he still crosses his feet - just like did during our ultrasounds and has done since he was born:)

Monthly Aidan

At 13 months, Aidan:
-is wearing 18 month clothes
-thinks sippy cups are for babies. He'd like to drink through a straw, please!
-crawls on all fours, pulls up, and cruises anywhere he wants to go
-does NOT enjoy diaper changes. Can only be pacified with various kitchen utensils to pass the time
-sleeps 7:30pm-7:00am, plus two naps
-waves at anyone and anything
-prefers reading books over playing with most toys
-has eight teeth (top 4 and bottom 4), and is cutting four molars
-loves to play hide and seek and peek-a-boo
-will only drink his milk while we're standing and holding him
-LOVES the remote control and points it at the TV as soon as he gets it, clicking away
-can woof like a dog and crow like a rooster
-asks for mama when daddy goes in to get him in the morning, LOL
-likes to pick out his clothes from the closet
-is obsessed with Grammy's purse
-went swimming and playing in the sandbox for the first time
-thinks swinging at the park is great, but isn't so sure about the slides
-eats a LOT...more than we expect him to. The only thing he's refused lately is macaroni and cheese, forcing us to doubt if he's really ours
-eats every fruit and vegetable we give him
-is learning a lot about limits and the word NO, which does not make him happy
-has become quite the little charmer, who makes mom & dad (and everyone else he sees) fall in love with him more each day!

Daily Aidan

Thursday, July 2: Aidan's first time in his baby pool!

All set to go, modeling his banana hammock:


Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all...


Once Daddy hopped in, it was all laughs and smiles!

Daily Aidan

We had great weather today, which allowed us to enjoy some time in the front yard blowing bubbles! Aidan was brave enough to leave the blanket and crawl ALL over the lawn. We had a great time:)

Daily Aidan

Aidan had a fun July 4th!

He played with cousin Kyle,

went on a walk in his wagon,

went swingin' with Grandma P,



and got lots of hugs from Mommy & Daddy! (by this time, he was DONE with the camera...)



We were talking today about how much he's grown. For a look at last year's July 4 picture, click here. WOW!

Bittersweet

It's very bittersweet, this one-year-old business.

This week, we gave up nursing, bottles, and formula. Now, Aidan drinks organic whole milk from a cup. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tiny bit sad about not nursing him anymore - though we were down to only one time a day, it was our special time together first thing each morning. However, I know it is what's best for him and it is a freeing feeling knowing that if I'm rushing around in the morning, Aaron can feed him.

I am so proud of this big boy. He has handled these transitions with a minimal amount of protest. He goes with the flow and is such a blessing. We are so lucky to have a healthy and happy baby boy - one who waves at anything and everything, thinks his daddy is the funniest human being on the planet, and who loves his mama so much that her name is the word he utters more than any other.

I'm not sure why we got so lucky, but for this Nugget I'll take the bittersweet parts any day.

Happy Father's Day!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

One Year Pictures

Aidan's one year pictures are online! We are in trouble!!
To see them, click here. The password is pennington. Enjoy!!

Remember this little guy?

Monthly Aidan

It's Aidan's birthday!

At one year, Aidan:
-talks all the live-long day. Can say mama, dada, all done, hi, no, and sounds starting with ba, pa, la, and more
-does the sign language for more, light, fan, and milk
-claps and laughs all the time
-has six teeth; two more (lower laterals) poked through and halfway up
-shakes the daylights out of his toys
-can crawl on all fours, pull up to standing, and cruise along furniture but really just prefers to army crawl
-loves books and anything with wheels
-still laughs when he eats carrots - though now they are cut up instead of pureed
-will eat anything we put in front of him
-Typical breakfast: waffle, pancake, or oatmeal with fruit
-Typical lunch and dinner: hot dog, Boca burger, pinto beans, or chicken nuggets with fruit and veggie
-nurses first thing in the morning and has bottles in the afternoon and right before bed
-sleeps 8pm-7am each night, and naps 9-11am and *maybe* 2-4pm
-loves knocking towers over and has recently started putting things away!!
-weighs 21 pounds, 11 ounces (40th percentile) and is 30 5/8" long (75th percentile)
-wears 12-18 month clothes and size 4 shoes
-has learned how to stick out his tongue
-is truly the greatest blessing we could have ever imagined!

Dramatic Pause

OK not so dramatic...just thought I'd give you an update! We are house sitting for Max the Wonder Dog this week, and I keep forgetting to take pictures. Also, the motherboard on my laptop crashed Tuesday night and I just had it fixed today. So hopefully this weekend we'll be posting more pictures!

Daily Aidan

Tonight we attended a preview class at MyGym. We were excited to try out all of the fun activities that will enhance his gross motor skills. We couldn't believe how brave he was - jumping in the ball pit, flying on the zip line, going down the slides, and swinging! He had a blast, and so did we :)

Daily Aidan

We have been reading to Aidan since before he was born, but he has really started to enjoy it recently. Currently, one of his favorite books is Look, Look!

I love reading Aidan this book, and it's really cool to see him develop his own rituals with it. For example, I can guarantee you he will laugh at the cover and first page. He'll enjoy the next few pages, then study the cat page for a long time. Once he moves onto the next page, which has fish on it, he whips right by it. No time for fish. Then the last page has stars and a moon on it and he always gets a big smile on his face. Then he'll close the book, turn it over, and do the sign for "more" and we'll read it again. This typically happens about half a dozen times at each sitting.

I am SO loving being his mom!

Daily Aidan

being in the tub makes Aidan happy. He's feeling okay today - but you can still see those swollen eyes:(

Fun stuff today: Aidan started giving high fives and cruised all the way around his activity table!

Daily Aidan

Sick mommy + sick baby = no fun

Monthly Aidan

Aidan is eleven months old today! We're on the countdown to his birthday...
Right now, Aidan:
-army crawls and rolls wherever he wants to go
-will eat anything we put in front of him
-claps, waves, and is the happiest baby ever
-plays with an empty water bottle in the car to keep him happy
-loves riding in shopping carts
-says hi, mama, dada, all done, and the occasional NO
-is still a great sleeper - with his lovey and a sleep sack

Daily Aidan

5/16: first kidney beans. Yum!

I heart Trumpette

In a previous post, I talked about my love for Trumpette Socks. Aidan has had more than his fair share, and when he outgrows them, they still look like the day I bought them.

Unfortunately, one of his new pairs started to fall apart after the first washing. I called the company and they said they would send me a replacement pair. They lied. THEY SENT ME A WHOLE NEW BOX! Unbelievable!

There are so many places that have horrible customer service, so I want to tell as many people as possible about my great experience. Next time you're looking for a baby gift, buy Trumpette socks!!!

Daily Aidan

5/15: New obsession: the floor vents

Daily Aidan

5/14 - it was our first trip to Deanna Rose as a family. We had a great time - Aidan loved the animals and we had perfect weather:)

Daily Aidan

5/13: One of Aidan's favorite activities is taking his finger to his lips while going babababababa...it is so funny!

Daily Aidan

5/12: First bread. Yummy!

Daily Aidan

5/11: We lowered Aidan's crib. Just when he wasn't looking small in his crib anymore...he looks so little again!

Daily Aidan

My first Mother's Day! Aaron gave me these beautiful roses with the sweetest card ever, and a mold of Aidan's footprint. Isn't he thoughtful??

Being a mom rocks!

Daily Aidan

5/9: Our man has figured out how to army crawl! He is all over the place now:)

Daily Aidan

5/8: Trying to get out of jail free

Daily Aidan

5/7: Aidan's second haircut. Before...
...during...

...and after!

Daily Aidan

5/7: Aidan and his friend Elliott think riding in the wagon is COOL.

Daily Aidan

5/6: Who needs the table? Aidan shows at an early age he is a leg man.

Daily Aidan

5/5: Cute boy waking up from a nap

Daily Aidan

5/4: Aidan's last day of Kindermusik. Thanks, Miss Heather, for a great semester!

Daily Aidan

5/3: First in a series of knitted friends

Daily Aidan

5/2: First kiwi. Um, he ate a WHOLE one.

Daily Aidan

5/2: A visit from Aunt Kathi at Grandma's house. Thanks for the cool Las Vegas shirt!

Daily Aidan

5/1