Monthly Aidan: 2 years, 6 months

OK, I realize I've been the hugest blog slacker on the planet:( The days have passed faster than I can imagine, and out of nowhere we have a two-and-a-half year old. Aaron reminded me the other day that we're halfway to age five, and I just can't even handle that!

So here's a look at our sweet, sweet BOY who is no longer a baby...

At 2.5, Aidan:

-weighs about 33 pounds and is just over three feet tall

-knows all of his letters and the sounds they make

-can count to twenty

-speaks in complete sentences

-refers to himself in the third person

-can tell you his full name

-will tell you he's five if you ask his age

-goes to Kindermusik on Mondays, MyGym on Wednesdays, and Parents Day out on Wednesdays and Fridays

-loves cars, fire trucks and trains more than just about anything

-enjoys watching shows on TV like Super Why, Sesame Street, and Little Einsteins

-has absolutely no interest in potty training

-builds tall creations and calls them all "The Eiffel Tower"

-pretends to take (and teach!) piano lessons

-can name most instruments he hears on recordings or on TV

-wears 2T-3T shirts and 2T pants, size 7 shoes

-sleeps 8pm-7:15am and takes a 2-3 hour nap

-will eat most fruits and vegetables but is pretty picky about meat

-is not picky about Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets

-has developed an adoration for chocolate milk

-can tell us which streets to turn on to get to Grandma's house

-has a memory like an elephant

-likes to holler from his crib each morning: "MOM! MOOOOOOOOMMMM!" or "Open Aidan's Door!" or "MOM! MEATLOAF!" or "Moooom, where ARE youuuuu?"

-still loves Toy Story but also asks to watch Leap Frog Letter Factory daily

-has developed a new nighttime routine of laying in bed with us and singing songs. His current favorite is "Cheezus" - Jesus Loves Me

-loves to help in the kitchen

-knows that when he sits in time out, he has to put his hands in his lap

-prefers to put his toys in time out instead

-talks about the weather like an old man

-is a challenge but a joy, sweet to the core, precious, smarter than he needs to be, and perfect in every way. We are so blessed to be his parents.

Monthly Aidan

Aidan is 23 months old. Cue my tears...


At almost two, Aidan:
-is finishing up his first year of Parents' Day Out and has loved it
-loves to hug and kiss his toys and stuffed animals, but is still pretty stingy with humans
-is figuring out this whole gross motor thing. Thinks jumping, spinning, and demonstrating "UP" and "DOWN" repeatedly is the best
-throws the occasional throw-myself-on-the-ground-and-act-like-the-world-is-ending-tantrum
-protests diaper changes, triggering said tantrums
-says about 100 words. Current favorites include "Yeah Buddy" and "No Way"
-has two best friends named Buzz and Woody. Wears their clothes, carries them around, watches them on TV daily
-knows at least half the alphabet. Can identify the letter and what sound it makes
-will still choose fruits and veggies over meat
-has opinions and isn't afraid to express them
-sleeps 8pm-7:30am and naps from noon until 2 or 3
-wears 24-month and 2T clothes; size 4 diapers; size 6 shoes
-started role-playing a lot. Loves feeding, rocking, and playing basketball with his dolls
-is turning two a lot faster than we want him to!

Monthly Aidan

Aidan is 22 months old!
At one year and 10 months, Aidan:
-still eats everything we put in front of him. So far, the only things he's refusing are mandarin oranges and mashed potatoes
-is a busy boy, always on the run
-loves being outside and begs for wagon rides and basketball games
-wears 24 month and 2T clothes; size 4 diapers; size 6 shoes
-has definite opinions about things and isn't afraid to share them
-still has some problems with hitting - luckily it's only Mom & Dad, but we're working on it
-sleeps 8pm until between 7am and 8am; naps once per day for 1.5-3 hours
-has discovered television. Loves Toy Story, Elmo's World, and Super Why
-talks all day long. We can understand more of it every day
-is graduating from Kindermusik Village and is looking forward to Our Time this summer
-protests diaper and clothing changes - a point of frustration for Mom & Dad
-is getting braver at gymnastics and the playground, but still likes to have a grown-up with him
-has become more generous with hugs and kisses, especially at bedtime
-is the light of our lives:)

Monthly Aidan

Holy 2010 Batman, Aidan's 21 months old!



Right now, Aidan:
-wears size 4 diapers, size 6 shoes, 24-month and 2T shirts,and 18 and 24-month pants
-sleeps from 8pm to between 7 and 8am; takes a nap from noon until between 2 and 3pm
-goes to Parents' Day Out on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am-2:30pm
-goes to Kindermusik on Thursdays with Daddy
-goes to MyGym on Tuesdays with Mommy
-has developed a stronger appreciation for music this month, showing us all kinds of ways to dance to the beat
-still loves the American flag and surprises us when he finds the tiniest flags and immediately puts his hand on his heart
-will eat most anything we put in front of him, but has recently started refusing mandarin oranges and mashed potatoes
-takes us by the hand to lead us where he wants to go
-has around 60 words...I keep forgetting to count. New ones include "down" and "no hit"
-is putting together several words at a time, like "Bye-bye Mommy" and "up please"
-can say all of the words he signs, and usually says the word while signing
-is testing our patience by hitting when he doesn't get his way
-is spending a fair amount of time in time out after hitting
-loves going outside and is definitely ready for spring
-recently discovered Toy Story and loves Woody the Cowboy
-can match colors, identify several shapes (stars and hearts are his favorite), stack blocks, string beads, and put shape blocks through the correct holes
-has the funniest laugh, cutest smile, and sweetest kisses ever!

Monthly Aidan

At 20 months, Aidan:
-says about 50 words, and is speaking and signing two words at a time
-wears 18 month pants and 24 month or 2T shirts; size 6 shoes; size 4 diapers
-wants to be covered up with his sheep blanket to sleep
-goes to PDO twice a week, Kindermusik once a week
-loves it when Mommy sings to him
-has started doing hand motions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider"
-is an avid reader. Favorite books include Ollie the Stomper, Barnyard Dance, and his Elmo Halloween book with the doorbell sounds
-pretends a lot, especially talking on the phone
-is learning about time-outs. Typically he earns them for hitting. Yuck.
-is extremely curious. Enjoys pointing at letters and numbers and asks us to tell him what they are
-will watch TV for a few minutes at a time; favorite shows include Dinosaur Train and Elmo's World
-is still obsessed with the vacuum, American flag, Jayhawks, and basketball
-is the president of Grandpa P's fan club, and vice versa
-likes to read magazines
-has an infectious laugh
-is a great eater. He typically eats one large meal a day and won't eat much the other times, but still isn't picky and loves all of his fruits and vegetables.
-sleeps 8pm-7am (give or take 1/2 hour) and takes one afternoon nap
-has a mom who's having a hard time dealing with having an "almost" 2-year-old...

Monthly Aidan (catch-up version!)

I've been feeling sad that I fell behind on the Monthly Aidan posts. We've taken the pictures on the 17th of each month, but now the months have run together and I can't remember what happened when!! Here are the last four monthly photos, along with the Cliff's Notes version of Aidan's life!



October 17 - 16 months

At 16 months and 1 week, Aidan finally started walking! He took about 10 steps at Kindermusik one day, then the next day at Indoor Playground he walked the length of a basketball court. He hasn't stopped moving since!



November 17 - 17 months

At 17 months, Aidan started Parents' Day Out at Prairie Baptist Church. He went one day each week from 9am-2:30pm while Mommy taught Kindermusik. He LOVED it from the very beginning and never cried. Each week, he brought home crafts and reports of all the fun activities. It has been great for him!



December 17 - 18 months

At 18 months, we definitely started the "toddler" stage. Sometimes, Aidan was picky about what meat he would eat. He also started testing our limits - what happens when I throw my food? What happens when I hit? etc. Love & Logic Magic for Early Childhood has been a great resource for us during these new, trying times!



January 17 - 19 months
Physically, Aidan changed a lot this month. He is leaner, taller, and looks more like a BOY. He now attends Parents' Day Out twice a week while Mommy teaches, and still loves his teachers, Ms. Annye and Ms. Nancy. He will eat any fruit or vegetable we give him, and definitely wants to eat whatever we're eating. He talks ALL of the time! The words he says the most are "nope", "baball" (basketball) and "mama", though he also loves "dada", "up", "woof", "baa", and "bye-bye". At last count, he could say about 40 words.
Aidan is wearing 18-24 month clothes and a size 6 shoe. He wears size 4 diapers. At his 18-month checkup, he weighed 26 pounds (50th percentile) and was 33 1/2" inches tall (95th percentile). He loves to play with balls, cars, blocks, anything that stacks, and instruments. He has recently started moving to the music, and his favorite action is patting his head or tummy to the beat.
He still sleeps 8pm-7am with one nap a day that can range from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. He loves sleeping with his lovey blanket and has started becoming more attached to it, wanting to carry it around the house more and sometimes take it on errands.
Aidan's current obsessions are Jayhawks, vacuums, and the American flag. Whenever he sees a Jayhawk, he yells "BABALL!" - a correlation he came up with completely on his own! He uses his toy vacuums constantly, including at PDO, but nothing compares to the real thing, which he loves to help out with! Whenever he sees an American flag, he immediately puts his right hand on his heart and we say the Pledge of Allegiance together. That one really melts our hearts!
The most difficult thing we're running into right now is Aidan's strong will. He wants what he wants, when he wants it! We are doing our best to redirect and teach positive behavior - but wow, it's hard sometimes! However, it's really rewarding watching him remember rules and how proud he is of himself when he remembers them.
All in all, we're having a wonderful time, truly blessed by this smart, sweet, darling, adorable angel from above!

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

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!

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!

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

Monthly Aidan

4/17 - At 10 months, Aidan:
-rolls wherever he wants to go
-gets mad if we try to make him crawl
-has switched to his big boy car seat
-shakes every toy to see if it makes noise
-if the toy makes noise, he will shake it with one hand, switch hands, and shake with the other hand. Repeat. Repeat again.
-will eat pretty much anything we put in front of him. Favorites include grapes, avocado, and banana.
-loves to clap and wave
-recognizes the signs for milk, all done, light, fan, and more
-can say dada, hi, and all done
-maintains a very consistent schedule:
7am wake up and nurse, 8:45am breakfast, 9-11am nap, 12:30pm lunch, 1:30-3:30pm nap, 4:00pm bottle, 6:30pm supper, 7:45pm nurse, 8:00pm bed
-has six teeth
-will walk and walk and walk with help
-loves to be outside

Monthly Aidan

At nine months, Aidan:
-weighs 20 lbs., 4 oz. and is 29" long
-wears mostly 12mo clothes and size 3 diapers
-eats three solid meals each day, nurses twice a day, and has two bottles a day
-would rather stand and walk (with help) than sit or lay down or crawl
-can roll over both ways
-babbles all day, and says dadadadadadadadada
-can clap and wave
-sleeps eleven hours each night, loosely swaddled with a lovey
-takes a good 2-hour morning nap each day, and sometimes takes a long afternoon nap
-loves to feed himself, including waffles, scrambled egg yolk, cheerios, and grapes
-thinks rough housing with his dad is the funniest thing EVER
-isn't too picky about what he eats. He's even started liking watermelon, much to Mom's chagrin
-is busting out of his "bucket" car seat. We keep putting off transferring him into his big boy car seats because of the cold weather
-thinks turning his crib aquarium on and off, on and off, on and off, is wildly entertaining
-loves his grandparents very much and smiles and laughs at them
-waves at his food/bottle while he's eating
-has two teeth and is getting four(!) more

Monthly Aidan

At eight months, Aidan:
-sits up all the time and can correct himself if he starts to fall
-can stand up without mom's help if he's holding onto something
-could care less about crawling or rolling
-sleeps about eleven hours each night, plus a 2-hour nap in the morning and a few 30-minute cat naps throughout the day
-recognizes the sign language for milk, more, all done, light, and where
-loves to splash in the tub
-goes to Mom's Diner four times a day and has two solid food meals each day
-is learning to feed himself
-can click his tongue and blow raspberries
-thinks his dad is the funniest guy on the planet
-is almost too big for his car seat
-laughs at people he knows but is pretty serious around strangers
-believes that water bottles may be the "funnest" toy ever
-probably needs a haircut
-won't.stop.growing.

Monthly Aidan

At seven months, Aidan:
-sits up by himself
-thinks his feet are hilarious
-doesn't mind his car seat at all, but he's about to outgrow it!
-holds things with his hands and feet
-nurses four times a day and has two solid food meals a day
-prefers standing over sitting
-drinks from a sippy cup
-can hold his own bottle
-sleeps about 11 hours each night
-takes 3 naps each day, and they can range from 30 minutes to 2 hours long
-loves peekaboo and looking in the mirror
-enjoys yogurt, oatmeal, pears, bananas, avocado, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, and apples, and is still not a fan of green beans
-still has two teeth
-puts himself to sleep, swaddled with a lovey
-is incredibly happy lying on his changing table
-is a true joy!

Monthly Aidan

...and our 200th blog post!
Aidan is six months old today. What???

At six months, Aidan...
-sleeps 9-10 hours each night
-is finally starting to take regular long naps
-no longer uses a binkie - those are for babies!
-has a favorite blanket that he sleeps with
-has two teeth!
-visits mom's diner for milk 4-5 times each day
-eats cereal and homemade veggies or fruits twice each day
-loves carrots and avocado the most; thinks peas and bananas are all right; hates green beans
-weighs 18.5 pounds and is 27.75" long
-wears 6-12mos clothes
-blows raspberries
-thinks his jumperoo is about the coolest thing ever
-found his feet
-doesn't scream in the car anymore!
-sleeps on his left side
-is trying desperately to roll from back to tummy
-is learning how to pet Agatha
-can sit up with a bit of help
-really likes mom & dad's water bottles
-melts our hearts every day!

Monthly Aidan

At five months, Aidan:
-weighs around 18 pounds
-eats rice cereal twice a day
-has milk 5 times a day
-took his first plane trip (to Raleigh, NC)
-can roll from tummy to back
-can push his entire upper body off the ground
-prefers standing up to sitting or laying down
-loves pat-a-cake, jumping on Daddy's belly, and Aiken Drum (a Kindermusik song)
-goes to bed between 10-11pm and sleeps until between 7-8am
-started playing in his jumperoo
-chews on everything...we think he's teething
-thinks his exersaucer is pretty cool
-smiles and flirts with people he knows
-is acutely aware of his surroundings
-doesn't enjoy his car seat very much but loves his stroller
-belly laughs at his mom & dad
-is wearing 6-12mos clothes
-changes faster than we want him to:)

Monthly Aidan

At four months, Aidan:

-weighs 15 pounds, 10 ounces (70th percentile)

-is 26.5" long (94th percentile)

-rolled from tummy to back for the first time

-is starting rice cereal

-had his first cold

-knows he has hands and how to use them

-eats every three hours while he's awake

-usually sleeps 7-8 hours at night

-still doesn't nap much(!)

-laughs out loud

-plays in the exersaucer

-loves Jacques the Peacock

-sleeps really well in his crib or pack & play

-is wearing 6mos clothes and is outgrowing his size 2 diapers

-studies objects intently...then shoves them in his mouth

-sucks his fingers

-is happiest on his changing table

Monthly Aidan

At three months, Aidan:

-laughed for the first time

-enjoys talking to his "friends" who hang from the mobile on his swing

-is wearing 3-6mos clothes

-is figuring out how his hands work

-still doesn't nap much during the day

-waves his arms, kicks his feet, and squeals with delight when he's about to eat

-sits in his Bumbo chair but doesn't quite know if he likes it or not

-weighs 15 pounds

-watches Baby Einstein DVDs a few times a week

-flirts with anyone who will pay attention

-hates his car seat but really digs the Baby Bjorn

-eats six times a day and takes 30-45 minutes

-sent Mommy back to work full-time

-loves time with grandparents each week

-sleeps in his crib (no bouncy seat!)

-is getting super chubby, and we love it!

Monthly Aidan

At two months old, Aidan:

-is wearing 0-3 and 3mos clothes

-smiled at his mommy for the first time

-sleeps between 7-8 hours each night

-eats six times a day, and it still takes an hour

-giggles, coos, and smiles a lot

-is a cuddle bug

-is transfixed by ceiling fans, lights, and television

-started Kindermusik classes

-holds his head up almost all the time

-has to be be swaddled to sleep

-put himself on a schedule - wakes up at 7am, goes to sleep between 11pm and 12am

-hiccups less often, but still regularly

-is much chubbier than last month

-has trained his daddy to cover up his junk so daddy doesn't get pottied on

-doesn't love his car seat

-has started to enjoy tummy time

-is loved more every day, and is growing too fast!