It's not always easy to find the time or the right words, for me, what comes to mind is amazing.  Aidan, you are amazing!  You are changing so quickly, you are growing, learning at a rapid pace.  There are a million things I love and adore about you but what I would like to share is this:

.....one night last week.......
We managed to get through step 1). wash your hands for dinner, 2.) eat the main entry at dinner, 3) eat your corn which seems to take 25 minutes to eat 20 kernels of corn, 4). get you upstairs, 5). get you to undress yourself, 6). use the potty, 7). bath (without soaking me or the entire bathroom), 8.) brush your teeth......yep those are the challenging parts of the night and when it's all said and done, Daddy and I are pretty tired.  So we both read to you and you're all cozy and tucked in to bed and then you get out of bed......so......I put you back to bed, tuck you in (again) and as I'm walking out of your room, I step on one of your toys, hurting my foot and I say ouch as I simultaneously close Aidan's bedroom door but then I stop because I hear that precious little voice say "are you ok Mommy?"

I walked back in his room, gave him about five more kisses and said, "Aidan, you're the sweetest boy and I love you so much".  To which he replied "I love you too Mommy".  I know I know.....I'm a big ole sap but as I sit at the end of the day, like I always do, contemplating how I can be a better mommy the next day, I realized, my little boy is learning kindness and that makes me a very happy Mommy.

He's not potty trained yet but we're making progess.  What at Christmas time caused serious headaches, is now an everyday routine.  That's how fast he changes, adapts, learns, matures......just at Christmas time, less than 2 months ago, we were facing some very difficult struggles in our daily routines with Aidan.  Asking him to go wash his hands before dinner would result in 1). screaming by Aidan, followed by 2). timeout given.....followed by 3). battling at dinnertime because all our nerves were rattled.  Fast forward a month later....followed to our current date and much of that is a distant memory.  Every once in a while, we will see that little crazy pants come out but Aidan goes and washes his hands, eats dinner (although funny enough, saying "corn....again"  cracked Tim and I up) and then gets down to play.  We love having dinner together because it's so much easier and pleasant when your three year old cooperates.  It really does prove that being consistent, being patient during the tough times and showing your child love even when he's a crazy pants (when it's the most difficult), will pay off.

I try to help him grow and be more independent by giving him as many choices as I can....what shirt do you want to wear, applesauce, yogurt or train toast before preschool, milk or juice, milk or water, grilled cheese or chicken, blue or white wash cloth for bath, monster truck or thomas pjs....well you get the idea.   I want Aidan to know that his opionion matters, I want him to be a strong minded toddler, kid, teen, adult who makes good decisions and I believe if we give him every chance to make his own (good) decisions this will mold his self esteem and he'll be alright!!!!

Enough philosophy for one night....getting a little ahead of myself...but hey, life moves quickly. Stop...enjoy....admit diffuculties, move on and take each day as a new day.  All I really do know is that my life is truly awesome and blessed because Aidan is in it.

Happy Birthday Grampy!

Happy Birthday Grampy!  I hope you know how glad I am that you are my grandpa and how much I love you.  You always spend time with me, doing fun things that I like to do.  Just last week, you were waiting for me and as soon as Mommy brought me over, you told me to get in the baby bus and just me and you were off to our favorite breakfast place.  After breakfast, you took me on the city bus and patiently rode the bus for an hour while it made its full route.  You take me to the park, to Costco and all sorts of places.  I am a lucky kid to have a Grampy that loves to spend so much time with me!

Happy Birthday Mamo/Mom!

Happy Birthday to the best Grandma and Mom.  Of all the people in this world, I think my Mom is the nicest and most caring woman.  She is nice to complete strangers and it's not just a fake nice, no it's a genuine sincerity.  My Mom is the type of person that will do anything for you and even if you don't ask for help, she's always there, willing.  As a little girl, that's what I remember most, her constant caring ways.  She always, always listened to me and made me feel like I was the most important person in the world.  If I was sick or didn't do too great at my speech meets or didn't get the grade I thought I deserved, she was always there supporting me.  I always got the feeling that Mom liked spending time with me and Cyndi because she'd always let us tag along and go with her.  Maybe that's why both Cyndi and I love to spend time with her today. 

I can always count on my Mom, I knew it when I was a kid, in high school, in college, in facing difficult times in my adulthood and now being a Mom myself.  My Mom doesn't know this but I strive to be like her.  I think about my own youth....all the love and support, believing in me, encouraging me, disciplining me, making time for me, demanding I take responsibility for my own mistakes and making me work hard.....all these things I got from my Mom.  So I strive to be just like her everyday when I wake up and hear Aidan's voice.

Aidan is very lucky to get to spend his days with Grandma.  He already has a kindness about him that has to be attributed to his "Mamo".  Mom and I don't agree on everything and we have struggles but I respect and love her so much and we always find a way to work through things.  I guess Mom did forget to tell me that parenting is not easy and it's not for wimps! 

Happy Birthday Mom, I love you.

Aidan's first week of preschool

Aidan started preschool this past Tuesday, November 29, 2011.  For now, he goes Tuesdays and Thursdays for five hours in the morning.  Ideally what we would like is for him to go Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.  Aidan did really well this week and loves to go.  Being around kids his own age, learning to share and get along with many kids, not constantly being the center of attention, learning to be more independent since there is only one teacher and two helpers and getting use to a structured learning time, song & circle time, playground, arts/crafts and designated snack/lunch time are wonderful for his growing and development.  He eats lunch at preschool and they decide and provide the meals.  For his first day, the kids had bean/cheese burritos, broccoli and peaches.  Aidan has not successfully ate these items before but on Tuesday, he did eat part of the burrito.  Apparently all it takes sometimes if for kids to be around other kids and miraculous things happen!

Papa's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Papa!  I hope you had a great birthday, I had fun coming to see you and Grandma.  It rained all day but I like getting out plus Mommy sings me the "It's raining, it's pouring song" the entire drive to your house....plus I really liked going to eat at the pizza place and keep telling everyone how big that fan was above us.  Thanks for letting me blow out your candles and make a mess eating your carrot cake.  I like coming over to your house and getting all kinds of snacks and love driving my trains around your table but I love you even more.

Mommy says you have the best, most youthful smile and that when I'm driving my trains around the table, you are always smiling at me and that when you chuckle at something funny I'm doing that your inner kid comes out!

Gymnastics!

Aidan tried out a gymnastics class for the first time back the first Saturday of November.  The session was 45 minutes long for three Saturdays in total.  This past Saturday was his last class and after three classes I have to say that Aidan really liked it and was pretty good at it.  He had the best instructor, Ryan, but unfortunately is moving back to Connecticut so I'll try and find another class for Aidan.

Happy Halloween!

Aidan loved trick or treating this year!  Mom, Aunt Linda, Tim and I walked with Aidan while Grampy passed out candy at home.  Aidan did it all, carried his candy pail, knocked on the doors, said trick or treat and thank you and then would say "more house" or more "trick or treat".  He went in a scary haunted house with Daddy and didn't cry.  We had so much fun going with him.  It's great being able to see your kids face light up because he's having such fun.  Aidan trick and treated for about an hour and a half and then dumped out his candy and  enjoyed sitting watching tv and eating it!  We sang happy birthday to Aunt Linda and Aidan got to help blow out the candle! 

Aidan stayed up pretty late, I think it was about 9:30 when we got home but worth it!

Happy Halloween from the world's cutest train engineer!

Happy Birthday Aunt Linda!

As Aidan would say "happy Aunta".  He also practiced singing the "happy" song this morning.  He is very excited to eat Aunta's cupcakes and go trick or treating!  I love it when my Aunt Linda and Aunt Cathy come to visit.  We've been really lucky because Aunt Linda has got to stay for over two weeks.  I might not get to see her or do something with her each day but it's just a great feeling knowing that she is here.  My Aunt Linda really listens to me and always does, always has made me feel special.  She loves helping take care of Aidan and just being around all of us.  Tim, Aidan and I love it when she comes to visit.  I'm so glad she's here to go trick or treating with us and that she's spending her special day with us.

Happy Birthday, we love you!

Halloween at Papa/Grandma's house

Aidan and I went and visited Papa and Grandma yesterday.  Aidan was a good sport and wore his costume to Papa/Grandma's house.  Right when he pulled into the driveway, I said "Aidan, can you put on your train hat" and he said "ok Mommy".  He had so much fun at their house.  They put together a goodie bag with all kinds of treats from candy to glow in the dark Thomas stickers, coloring books, stretchy froggy, Mickey Mouse Halloween book and a few other things.  He played "baseball" with Grandma and Papa (whiffle balls and bat), ate lunch, played trains at their dinner table, popped bubbles outside, had storytime with them and just a lot of fun. 

Thanks Papa and Grandma for a fun afternoon.