Not Much of a Baby Anymore...

Aaden's "babiness" is slowly fading away and he's becoming more and more of a toddler everyday.  Pretty soon he'll be full on boy.

• He is standing on his own very well.  He can stand from sitting now without pulling up on anything.  Just this week he has been trying to take a step.  Walking is not far off.
• He climbs on things now.  Oh crap.
• He is pushing his push toy all around the house.  He's like an old pro.  He gets so happy when he's walking with it - you can just see the pride exuding from his face.  It's hilarious to watch because he looks like an old man pushing a grocery cart or something.  I don't know if that's the best comparison but it just looks funny to me - I guess because I'm not used to seeing my baby as a walking little boy! (And I should mention he loves to push anything around - his CAT truck, his Leap Frog table, a bucket turned upside down, anything really!)
• He likes to crawl OVER things instead of around them.  I think he likes the challenge.  If we're sitting in the floor he'll crawl over our legs any chance he gets.  He also likes to crawl over the old suitcases that we have as decoration in the living room (he loves these suitcases for all different activities - pushing around the house, climbing on, pulling up on, banging on, opening and closing, playing with the straps - who knew they would be his favorite thing??)
• He just started bathing in the bath tub like a big boy - no smaller tub inside the regular tub - and he loves it!  It's much easier on us too so we're loving it as well. 
• He seems to be playing peek-a-boo all the time now with anything he can cover his eyes with - yesterday it was his blankie, today it was his sippy cup. 
• He is keeping himself entertained longer and longer.  I love spying on him when he's playing - he giggles and laughs and he just has a great old time.
• Today we were playing "catch" with him with one of his little balls and he's getting pretty good!  He can throw it and he even caught it a few times!!  I had him on my lap and Aaron would throw the ball and I would help Aaden catch it and after a few tries Aaden started putting his arms out and when the ball would hit his arms he would pull it in!  I couldn't believe it!  I was super impressed and amazed!  Maybe our dream of him growing up to be a SF Giant isn't too far fetched ;)

I know some people are sad when their babies grow older but I love it.  I love that he's more interactive and loves to play.  I love that he's becoming more independent and becoming his own little person more and more everyday.  It's very exciting and enjoyable!

Aaden in the big boy bath.