Halloween! 2011

Aaden dressed up as a monster for his second Halloween.  He definitely fits the part :)

Halloween morning, ready for daycare. 

He loved the beads I was wearing

Trick-or-treating at Emmy's work

With Aunt Kerry

And with Emmy

(she was surprised that he wasn't afraid of her)

Trick-or-treating at Grandma & Grandpa's.

(He actually got to have some candy there)

Visiting Alivia! ♥

Aaden trying to kiss Alivia

 

And finally at Aunt Krissie's - here he is with Gam

Carving Pumpkins

Aaden wasn't really into carving pumpkins - maybe next year.  He did like taking the tops off and on (and eating them)



Ellie's Halloween Birthday Party!

My cousins, Ev & Liz's daughter, Ellie, turned 2 this year right before Halloween.  So naturally, they had a costume party for her.  We had a pirate costume for Aaden that was a hand-me-down so we decided to put him in that.  I racked my brain for a week trying to decide what Aaron and I would go dressed as.  Devil, Vampire, Witch?  Nothing was sounding right until I decided we should all just go as pirates.  After the decision was made, our costumes came together so easily.

We had a lot of fun at the party.  There were a lot of kids around Aaden's age (including one whose Mommy and Daddy were in our birthing classes (Brian and Marla Smith)).  Aaden had a great time playing with the other kids, eating cake, getting into new things as boys do and being cute as always.  He didn't even have his 2nd nap but he was still the life of the party (probably from all the cake!)

The Captain

 Not a fan of the bounce house at.all.

Pirate Family

Me and my little Pirate

 Havin' fun in the playhouse

(definitely something on his 2nd birthday wishlist)

 Wagon ride

 His butt slipped off the seat and he was stuck



He May Not Talk Much...

But he sure can communicate!

Tonight we were at Aaron's parent's house for dinner - towards the end of the evening and Aaden was tired.  I was standing, holding him and he started waving to his grandpa and then pointed to the door.

I guess someone was ready to go home! ;)

A Few More Words

Aaden's vocabulary is slowly but surely expanding - he has started to say, "Oh" and "Ooh" and "Hi" - mostly he says "oh", "nana", "dada" and "mama"

We've been trying to teach him animal sounds and ask him constantly.  On Oct 3rd he imitated a cow sound by saying "mmmmm" but ever since then, he says "ccckkkk" when we ask him.  Any animal we ask him, he immediately responds with "cccckkk" - it's so funny.  I don't know where it came from or what he thinks he's actually saying?  Yesterday though, he actually started to try the cow again by saying "oooooooo".  We are also trying to get him to say "rawr" for a monster since that's what he's dressing up as for Halloween. :)  A few others we are working on are: dog, cat, pig, duck - all with which he responds "cckkkk" - silly boy! 

Love this age!

Playtime.

I love watching Aaden figure new things out and learn new things.  Lately he's been really into stacking things like blocks or anything else that will stack and balance, putting lids on tupperware, pressing buttons on his toys that make them go or play music, putting objects in other objects, balancing on things and climbing.  He is getting really good at imitating activities and so I am taking advantage and trying to get him to start using a spoon.  He has started to "comb" his hair - he imitated this in the bath (on 9/26) when I was combing his hair with a little bath toy.  Now when we give him a comb or a brush and ask him to comb his hair, he puts it up to his head and makes a combing motion. 
When he accomplishes something new, he just has this look on his face that you can tell he is sooo proud of himself.  It's awesome.  It still amazes me how much they change and develop in such a short time.

Something To Keep In Mind...

On those long days...

Childhood Doesn’t Wait

(Author Unknown)

I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a young mother
with two children who were small.

The youngest one was whining,
“Pick me up,” I heard him beg
but the mother’s face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.

“Don’t hang on to me,” she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I’d had the courage
to go up to her and say…

“The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won’t ask for you to hold them
or won’t freely give a hug.

“The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can’t recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.

“Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we’ve known.

“So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer…

“When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can’t
`cause there’s no time to talk”
Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn’t wait.

“Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don’t wait another day.”
I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she’ll pick them upbefore her chances disappear

Sweet ♥ Boy

I love this age when they are really starting to show affection.  They can make your heart melt in a second. 

This morning, I was standing in the kitchen and Aaden walks in, looks at me, takes his paci out, blows me a kiss, pops his paci back in and walks off.  It was too sweet.

I LOVE his little "muuaaah" sound his does when he blows kisses and how he puts his fist up to his mouth instead of the palm of his hand.

He also loves to give my knees kisses and sometimes even wants to kiss my toes (gross!).  And believe it or not, he's becoming a tiny bit more cuddly - he's learning how to give hugs and it's so sweet.

This boy has our hearts on a string ♥

Pumpkin Patch

We've been wanting to go to the pumpkin patch and today we made our way there.  We hit up Swank Farms here in Hollister.  It's an awesome place with a corn maze, jump pillow, animals to feed, a little train ride, other fun games & activities, lots of produce, and of course pumpkins.  There wasn't a whole lot for Aaden to do this year (we could have done the train but my Dad was with us and I didn't really want to ditch him) but he did enjoy picking out pumpkins and people watching.  We only bought a few pumpkins since Aaron had grown some already.  Here are some pics of our day:

Aaden, Daddy & Pappy checkin' out the animals

 Aaden loving the chickens

Aaden & Daddy

Posing for a pic by the pumpkins

Trying to decide which one to get

Family Picture

Aaden & Pappy

Aaden in the cart with his pumpkins :)