Wrapping up 14 months: talking up a storm

Mr. Independent! He is really coming into his own and he just keeps surprising us everyday with something new. His back molar came in on the right side and now a top one is coming in too! He has been eating so much more now that he has some big chompers! He is able to tell us what he wants now and he is not shy when it comes to his needs. He knows more than he can say, but he is saying a lot of words now. He doesn't say the words correctly, but he is saying them consistently. Now we have to be careful what we talk about in front of him, because even mentioning going outside or saying "bath" gets him all excited, and he either runs for the front door or bathtub.

He can say:

car, bath, duck, quack, woof, dog, meow meow, go, sit, car, fish, mama, dada, shoes, roar (when we ask him what a lion says--its so cute, my favorite thing he does). He is so social and he gets a kick out of making people smile and laugh, so he of course is always smiling, waving and laughing when he sees someone. 

April 21-22: Auntie Bri came to visit on one of the hottest days in Pacifica, so we hiked to the Linda Mar beach. All Aiden wanted to do was dig in the sand and play with other kids. He also can't get enough of his little flip flops. They are the only shoes he wants to wear! We brought over a pool to my parents house so that Aiden could keep cool. He loved splashing around and getting sprayed with the hose.

April 23-25: The sunny days mean AMAZING sunsets. We made sure to walk down to the beach to watch the sun go down. He loves his evening walks. He is such a water baby, as you can see he is wading in Grandpa's river! Aiden also got to be a baby model for my company's rebrand, so you can see him sporting the new logo. His photo was all over our company Facebook, Twitter, and Newsletter :)

April 28-30: Giants Game for Martin's Bday!
Aiden's first Giants game, he loved it. All the people, all the fried chicken and fries, and oh yea the game too- they won! Erica, Rob and Emily came to visit that Sunday and Aiden couldn't get enough of Emily. He wouldn't even let her eat! He would pull at her shirt or grab her hand because he wanted to play with her...aww cousins :)

May 1-15: While Martin goes to the gym on Saturday mornings, I take Aiden to our neighborhood park. He loves the slide and hiding under the play structure to dig in the sand. Martin and I took him to Lomo Farms in Half Moon Bay and he got to see a bunch of animals (goats, horses, roosters). We thought he would ride the pony, but he got scared. He liked the fountain the best. Now he is interested in the TV and he even snuggled up with me in bed one night, grabbed the remote and handed it to me. I turned on the Disney channel and we watched Bolt until he fell asleep. He also has Martin doing the Mickey Mouse Hot Dog dance every morning! Oh Aiden, we love you so much!

Social and Silly at 14 months

At first it was weird to adjust to the fact that Aiden is his own little person now. He has his own agenda and he knows how to put it in action! The things he can now do on his own, as simple as they are, blow our minds. We constantly say, "Look! Look, what he is doing, its like he's a little person, he is putting shoes on himself!" It happened so fast. He went from being completely unaware of his surroundings to taking charge of them. Its so exciting! I get such a thrill watching him discover new things and seeing him laugh and giggle. Even though he makes huge messes, can get a little loud, makes a quick trip to the store take over an hour, sometimes falls down, tastes something icky, or gets completely dirty...I let him go for it. I let him be him. And it is so much more fun that way-for the both of us. "oooh!" I love it when he says that when he figures something out. "mmmm-num num," when he eats something he likes. "Aaah-ha-ha!" when he wants to get someones attention. When we go out in the stroller, he will point and reach for practically every flower or leaf and will say, "mama! mama!" until I pick it and hand it to him. By the end of his walk, the front of his stroller is filled with flowers and leaves (and so are his hands!). 

He is becoming such a love bug. He gives me the best hugs when he is sleepy--just squeezes my neck and pulls my head into his body and smiles. He has started to give other kids hugs to when he is trying to make friends. He is such a little giant though! I swear he has grown taller and heavier this month. 

He understands far more than he can say at this point and he follows instructions pretty well. "Want to take a bath?" He will run to the bathroom and start pulling at his clothes. One morning, I grabbed a cracker for the dogs out of a drawer and then I threw it out the sliding door so they could have a treat, well, Aiden remembered that. For the last 3 days, he has woken up, ran to the kitchen, "Dog! woof! Dog" and he will open the drawer and wait for me to give him a cracker. Then, he runs to the sliding door, I open it, and he throws the crackers to the dogs.

He even recognizes our house. If I try to pass our house after walking around the neighborhood, he will point and yell, until I turn into our driveway. In the mornings, before I go to work, he hands his Abuelita the remote so he can watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He is active, he is social and silly and I love him more and more each day.

Easter- April 8th 

 April 20th:

We Made the Most of March

Bigger, smarter, and sillier! In just one month, Aiden picked up some new words, "fish, woof, and No!" He also says night-nite and runs to the bedroom. He is communicating with us on a whole other level. He plays peek-a-boo when we say, "where's Aiden?" by hiding his eyes behind his fingers, or a curtain, or a toy. Even if he can't say the words to us, he understands what we are saying to him. When we open the animal page of his book and point to the horse and say "caballo," he jumps up and grabs his rocking horse.

He fights sleep like no other, he wants to be up and out and about. The cutest thing that he does when he starts to get sleepy is he will lay his head down and when we say, "awww!" he will laugh, lift his head and then slam it down again. He is such a goofball. I love it when he wakes up, half asleep, smiles with his eyes shut and flings his arm around my neck and pulls me in close to him. Sometimes he giggles in his sleep too. 

I took Aiden to an indoor gym early in the month to play with some kids. He had so much fun running around under the parachute and pushing kids in the little cars. We also made sure to take advantage of the beautiful weather and made our way to the beach. Aiden even helps out with the cleaning now, you can see him vacuuming in his spiderman shirt! 

A day at the beach!

When Aiden isn't outside, we are goofing off inside. He is constantly making up games and will do things that make me laugh over and over again. His dancing skills have gone to a new level, he loves to get down and stomp all around. (he also gives me lots of hugs and kisses!)

Rain! Aiden was stomping around in all the puddles and ran up and down the drain gutter! He loves to grab our hands and drag us around (usually to take him on a walk, or to find his toys). He is confident and social and becoming quite the ladies man. Anytime he sees a little girl, he grabs her hand and begins to lead her around. Adorable.

First time in the snow! We got a cabin in South Shore Tahoe. 

Aiden is too much fun, he fills our life with love and laughter.

Videos:

Wrapping up February

20-29th, yep a leap year!

The day after his party, we took Aiden to Frontierland Park. He loves the sand, running in the field, and throwing tanbark. We can't keep this guy indoors. He is a an adventurer and outdoorsman (got the Rotondo blood running through him!)

On a very hot morning, I took Aiden to the beach near the Pacifica Pier. He loved the sand beneath his feet and the sea breeze in his hair. He couldn't get enough of the sea gulls or the dogs that were constantly passing by us. After he got his beach fix, we headed to San Jose to grab some lunch with Uncle Chris and  Toddy. Aiden had his first soft serve ice cream cone, which he loved! He also enjoyed sharing his toys with Sugar and grabbing some mexican food with Grandpa and Great Grandpa at Adelitas before heading back home!

Family day! We took Aiden to the SF Zoo. I was fascinated with the Gorillas and Aiden, well he just thought everything was a giant dog. The only thing he really seemed to like was a seagull by the fountain and a giant cement hippo. He also loved the store, and of course we were tempted to buy everything he pointed at, but we refrained and only left with a $30 keychain! haha. Yes, we are suckers, for anything with our Angel's face on it, and he was waving in the picture, so how could we resist!

Our little big guy is definitely a handful, but we wouldn't want him any other way. He is smart, hilarious, and handsome! He also took his first bath in the tub without his big ducky and spent 40 minutes just playing in the water, so yes, he is a water baby. He can open doors, turn lights on and off (on and off, and on and off...he loves pulling the chain on the lamp) and he understands most commands in both English and Spanish (even though he will ignore us most of the time!). Almost forgot, his well check! He is 28.5lbs almost 3ft tall and as our Dr. said, "he is very verbal, and very active. He sure knows what he wants. He is doing Great! Keep up the good work!" Oh, we will and we are. We love you Aiden!

Aiden is One! Happy Birthday

Feb 1-16:

Dear Aiden,

First I have to tell you, you are the most amazing, most beautiful, most interesting and the sweetest and smartest little boy in the WORLD. Yes, the world. I love absolutely everything about you (yes, everything!) My heart grows with you each day, and the bigger you get, the more my heart is filled with pride, joy, and love. You are such a sweet little soul and I am so blessed to have you as MY son. Just writing that you are mine, literally makes my eyes fill with tears (happy tears). A year ago, I was bringing home a fragile, tiny baby boy and I was naive and clueless as to what came along with my sweet baby boy. So many changes! I was so scared and nervous. But like all parents, I am learning as I go and I am very proud of how far we have come. You are one year old today. Already one! And at the same time you are only one. One, and you have changed me and my life forever in ways that I never imagined and ways that I will forever be thankful for. You are no longer a baby, but a little boy. My little toddler. You are truly a miracle and a blessing and I will always pray for God to protect and bless you with a healthy and happy life that is full of love.

Now back to the point of this letter….Happy Birthday!  Your dad had to go to work at 6am so he kissed you and whispered Happy Birthday as he blessed you with the sign of the cross. “Awe, Babe! He opened his eyes.” You melted your dad’s heart and all you had to do was open your eyes while he was kissing you goodbye!

I had to leave for work early, before you woke up (very rare!). You were snuggling with me and I held you close and smothered you in birthday kisses while you slept so peacefully. I hated the thought of having to go to work on your first birthday. I am selfish and want to soak up every single second of your life while I can (it truly does go by so fast!). But I had to leave, and before I left, I snapped a birthday shot of you:

It still amazes me that in just a year you developed into a little person! Here is a list of just some of the things I can't get enough of:

You are your own little man now. You are so independent. 

You love being outside and you bang on the front door and groan until we open it for you.

You dance- you will grab furniture and will rock side to side with a giant smile on your face (especially when “Pumped up Kicks” or “Love Song” comes on).

I love how you wave bye-bye and blow kisses. 

You LOVE dogs. Even small pictures of dogs on product packaging on a shelf in a store (you will find it). You point and chant “dog, dog dog!” with such excitement and enthusiasm. If there are multiple dogs, you will point to each one. You even recognize dogs on tv now. 

I love how you open your mouth wide when you clap your hands.

You are so smart! You recognize objects and you know many of them by name and you love to read your books.

I love your little language and all the little sounds you make. You have a sound for when you want to eat (sounds like hiccups), when you are singing yourself to sleep (sounds like humming). You love it when I hum in harmony with you.

You capture the hearts of strangers. Everybody comments on how big you are, how cute you are, how much hair you have, how smart and how social you are.

I love your silly viejitos faces. 

I can wrestle with you and tickle you on your thighs, on your ribs, and daddy always gets you on your neck—and you laugh so hard and squirm around.

I love how you make up games. You have your own silly sense of humor and it cracks us up. It’s safe to say, we “get” you!

You can kick and you can throw balls and you can figure out how to work any toy.

You are outdoorsy, inquisitive, intelligent, and interesting. Smarter, sillier, and sweeter each day. 

Its obvious I love every part of you.
But, most of all, I love your kisses, laughs, and giggles!!

Here's to many more Happy Birthdays! God bless you my sweet little soul. I love you more than words.

Love,
Mama

Photos from your FIRST BIRTHDAY!

Aiden is 11 months!

Jan 1-17: Yesterday, Aiden turned 11 months! It has been an action packed month so far and it seems to go by faster now that Aiden spends more time awake and active. He is always on the move. The only time he is still and quiet is when he is nursing or sleeping. He has started to demand food. He opens his mouth like a bird and makes a fire alarm sound until whatever we're eating makes its way to his mouth. Aiden now gives me kisses and hugs when I get home from work or back from an errand. The kisses are slobbery, and sometimes more bite than smooch, but they are the sweetest kisses ever :) Aiden stares at my face so intently when he is eating and he reaches out and rubs my eyelashes very gently and giggles. I can't help but laugh back at him, he is always doing silly little things that crack me up (like his veijitos face). He is walking around more than crawling now and has started to shake my hand loose when I hold it. He is becoming more independent but still needs his mama (or papa) within eye sight. Not only is he getting more independent, but he has become more curious and interested in his surroundings. He notices everything and loves feeling different textures- even the smallest spec or crumb on the floor can't escape him. Even though he is getting bigger and older, he is still the cutest baby, "look at those cheeks! what a cutie!" I can't even count how many times I hear that when we go somewhere. Oh Aiden, my sweet boy, I love you so much!

Some of his loves:

• Dancing: anytime he hears music he stops what he is doing and rocks side to side
• Waving: he has started to wave both hands simultaneously while he walks around
• Crawling on me: he loves to lay across my lap to sleep and he crawls in my lap to play
• Reading: Aiden will sit and read his books all alone but he loves it when I sit him in my lap and read to him
• Dogs: he loves to say, "dog," and watch them out the window and visit them in their room
• Kids: he is so curious about other kids--touches them and follows them around
• Pelotas: "Donde esta tu pelota," he knows that means "where is your ball" he will crawl or walk to his ball and will kick, throw, and carry it around.

Jan 3- kicking the ball while walking. He can dribble the soccer ball like a little pro.
Jan 4- he was fussing and rubbing his face in my shoulder, and then I said, "Say bye, bye to Alex (his babysitter), and he popped his head up, became very quiet, and very seriously waved her goodbye. So funny!
Jan 5- facing forward in carseat and loving it, and so am I! Makes the drive sooo much better!

(Thanks Aunt Freda and Uncle Mike! He LOVES Elmo!)

See all his videos: Aiden's YouTube Videos

Aiden is 10 months!

Dec 1-23: On the 8th, Aiden started blowing raspberries on my arm. Now, he blows them on everything--the floor, the furniture, and even while he is eating sometimes! He loves playing peek a boo games and does anything that makes us laugh, over and over again. He is also copying things that people do (sticking out his tongue, waving, clapping, laughing, dancing). He recognizes the names of things now. "Donde esta tu pelota?" --And he will go get his ball. He has 6 teeth, is 27lbs, sleeping through the night, takes two 1hr naps a day, is eating more solids (whatever we eat), and is just the happiest little guy. He is standing and has started to take a couple steps before falling into my arms. Everyday he cracks us up and every day he does something that I want to burn into my memory and remember forever. But with so many new things he is learning and doing, my brain just can't keep up (and neither can this blog!). Oh Aiden, we love you more and more each day. My heart grows with you--bigger everyday.

What a month so far...mini vacay, emergency surgery....oh my!

Sept 1-16th: My parents came and visited us on Friday and we went to lunch at Nick's. It has a beautiful view of Rockaway beach. As you can see, my dad was checking out the waves and Aiden had his lunch before we left.

The mini-vacay: We started off the month with our first mini vacation. A trip to Santa Cruz over the Labor Day weekend. We packed everything but the kitchen sink as you can see in the picture below. We decided we would see where the trip took us, we had zero plans. We cruised downtown Santa Cruz and stopped in a "learning" toy store where Aiden got to play and pick out a new puppet and recycling truck to take home. Aiden ate a lot of solids, he had avocado and oatmeal at brunch, mangos and peaches for a snack and then some rice cereal with dinner. We were impressed at how much he ate, but then he started vomiting and wouldn't stop from 9pm-midnight. We were freaking out and had Kaiser on the phone until they convinced us it would be better to stay where we were since it was likely a stomach virus. They had a Dr. call us on Sunday to check in, but since he had no fever, and hadn't vomited again, she said that he probably just ate too much food and it overwhelmed his system. He seemed to be doing ok, so we visited the Wharf and Boardwalk before heading to San Jose for Uncle Rod's birthday bbq even though Aiden was sort of fussy and not acting like himself.

Emergency: On Monday, he vomited one time and then on Tuesday he got sick 5 times in a row. I checked his inguinal hernia and it was purple, enormous and it looked incarcerated. We rushed him to the ER in SSF and thus began the worst week of our lives to date. They had us hold him down while the Dr. tried to reduce the hernia. She was unsuccessful and wanted to run labs and get xrays before ordering us an ambulance to take us to SF Kaiser where they have Pediatrics and Surgeons on call. They had us hold him down while they secured an IV (it was horrible watching him be in so much pain, it made me hurt all over). But despite the paid, Aiden managed to flirt with all of the nurses, flashing them his big smile and "talking" to them. Nobody could believe that he was 6 months old. Everyone would gather around him to pinch his cheeks and smile at him. As usual, he drew a crowd of admirers :) When the ambulance arrived, Aiden was asleep. We thought he would stay asleep, but he woke up when we put him on the stretcher and then he stayed awake the entire ride to SF. He was so calm and he just started at this one EMT the entire time. The EMT was laughing and told Aiden that he had never had anyone stare at him for so long and that it was starting to creep him out! They also told him that he was their best and most handsome passenger that they have ever had. At SF, we had 2 doctors try to reduce the hernia again before they called Dr. Lee the Pediatric Surgeon in. It was horrible. I cried so hard as he pushed and pushed. I had never heard Aiden scream like that in my life. It killed me. But once he got it back through, Aiden passed out. Just fell asleep instantly. In total peace, like an Angel. It was freaky, but a huge relief. I was still trying to catch my breath and was wiping tears as Dr. Lee told us he wanted to move his Surgery from the 16th (today) to Friday. He told us that it was unlikely to get incarcerated again before then. After Aiden ate and held it down we went home. He started antibiotics because they found a UTI and then Aiden and I both caught a cold and were sick on Wednesday. I called to ask if surgery was safe and they scheduled a physical for Thursday. Everything was going great until Thursday evening. They cancelled surgery due to the UTI and risk of further infection. Then, Aiden started vomiting again. Martin and I panicked...NO! not again! I looked in his diaper, and yes, it was incarcerated, again. We jumped in the car and headed to SF emergency. Poor Aiden had to endure the same trauma he did on Tuesday. 2 attempts before they had to call Dr. Lee. We got admitted and put on the books for the next day to have his hernia repaired. He finally had surgery at 2pm on Friday by a wonderful and very prestigious, Dr. Farmer. She did a wonderful job and they even hand drew baseballs on his bandages since he was wearing a Giants shirt that day. We got to go home that night after he held down his food. Now, he is doing wonderful, you can barely see any scars or bruising. He is healing great as you can see below. Martin took the week off work to spend time with Aiden after the surgery :)

Dear Aiden, 
Happy Birthday to you, wow, 7 months today! How fast time is flying by. It seems even faster because you are growing so fast and so big! You are wearing 18-24 month old clothing and you are 26 lbs. When I hold you now, you rest your head on my shoulder and you play with my hair. Your feet dangle down to my thighs and I am bear hugging you because you are as long and as wide as my torso. It is insane to me that just 7 months ago you were only 8lbs and 20in.
I am so glad you are doing better. It was so rough at the hospital last week mostly because I love you so much that it physically hurts me to see you in pain and it emotionally destroys me when I can't make you feel better. Just 7 months ago, I was bringing you into this world and I felt so excited and so happy to have you in my arms and I thought I could always keep you safe. But, last week in the hospital, the same one you were born in, I held you and felt helpless. Tears ran down my face uncontrollably as I tried to comfort you. I was scared, worried, and sad. All I could do was hold you and sing to you and pray. I prayed that God would give me strength and that He would take away my worry and keep you safe and take away your pain. And He did. I want you to know that when you hurt, I hurt, but I will always be strong for you and together we can ask God to make things better and He will.

Love,
Momma

Photos from the 12th-16th:

Milestones: Clapping: Aiden can clap on demand! (Sunday 11th) He perfected this in the hospital. We kept saying, "Bravo!" and he would smile real big and clap.


Balance: He is getting so frustrated that he isn't moving yet, but he sure is trying! He can pull himself into the crawling position and will just stare at his hands like...move, dangit! He will now steady himself and will balance his weight with his hands when he is sitting.

Object Permanence: Peek-a-boo! Aiden can participate now. This was his favorite game to play with the nurses. He anticipates when he will see something now. I will stand in front of the hall mirror and before he can see himself, he will start kicking and clapping as he smiles. Then I raise him up so he can see his face in the mirror and he cracks up. So...adorable. It's one of his favorite games. He has also learned how to lean and stick his neck out when something is moving out of his view.

2 sharp bottom teeth help him tear into this broccoli!

August--it's a wrap!

8/9-8/31: "Da-da-da-da-da!" That is Aiden's new favorite word (Martin says its his "first word," I'm not convinced ;) haha). He is making more complex sounds now as well as throwing some little tantrums. He literally learns something new everyday. He rolls over flawlessly now, he gets into the crawling position and his two bottom teeth are coming through. He is still singing himself to sleep and loves to talk and be talked to. He needs constant attention and affection and we don't mind indulging him. He gives hugs and kisses and will snuggle with me. I can't even explain the love I have for this big-little guy. We had so much fun with him this past month...its hard to believe it has passed!

4 months was fun, now its done! Aiden is 5 months today :)

He is getting bigger by the day, I swear, he must be close to 25 pounds now. He still eats every 3 hours and about 5 oz each sitting, which I think is insane, but he is totally happy and healthy. I love our morning routine. He has started to grab at by face (grabbing my nose or lips) when he wants me to wake up. When I open my eyes, I see a big toothless grin—adorable. I reach over and sit him up on my stomach and we “talk” and smile at each other before I change his diaper and start his day. He has been screeching a lot lately—yes, screeching! We went to Georgios in San Jose for Father’s Day and Aiden was belting out some high pitched squeals. I had to take him outside so he could get some air and he calmed down to his regular coos and sighed with relief. He will also pick stuff off the table now and of course, will try to put it in his mouth. If he isn’t trying to pick something up, he is usually smacking whatever it is—be it a toy or a spoon on the table. He started to give me kisses! He grabs both sides of my face (or my hair) and pulls me in, and lays a big slobbery wet one wherever his mouth lands. Martin said he is just trying to eat my face (since his mouth is open), but I insist that they are besos! When he is fussy, all I have to do is lean over him and give him a kiss on his mouth while saying, “MWAAA!” He will instantly start smiling and cooing. It is so exciting to see him play and to watch his little head rotate around while his eyes scan the room. It makes me swell with pride and happiness that he is starting to interact with the world. When we are driving around, Martin and I can’t help but laugh as we hear the rattle of the toy that hangs from his carseat, “He’s playing with it all by himself!” we will both say at the same time…dorky! Yes, we are already such dorky parents—ecstatic (and sometimes paranoid) about every single thing…but that just means we are head over heels in love with our boy.

So much is new, he grows bigger and gets smarter every day. He got the giggles yesterday and just kept cracking up as he stared at his Daddy. He grunts and coos himself to sleep when he isn't nursing to sleep. The last few nights he sleeps not next to me, but on me! He loves his bath before bed and kicks and splashes around and even sticks the washcloth in his mouth. When we walk past the window, he pulls the blinds down to peek outside. He is grabbing everything now. Speaking of outside, he loves the outdoors and he sits in the stroller like a big boy. We even had to buy a new carseat! He is growing out of everything, his clothes, his swing, and his bouncy seat. He is starting to respond to his name and he interacts with everyone. The only bad news so far... we had his consult with the Pediatric Surgeons and found out that he needs to have his hernia repaired as soon as possible. We know God will be watching over our Angel, but we wish he didn't have to go through it.

The past month:

Today

Letter to Aiden: Bye Bye Newborn

A-Ball,

I just disassembled your bassinet. The one we used to lay you in when we first brought you home. It has been sitting in the corner of our room now for four months, even though you haven’t fit in it in over two months. I got a little choked up as I pulled the pieces apart. First, I unscrewed the mobile that you used to stare at with your blurry, newborn, grey eyes and it made me remember how your dad and I would desperately try to keep the mobile running for you. You loved the vibrations, music, and lights. So we had to make sure we had all three running to keep you calm. You only “rested” in the bassinet. We couldn’t keep you in there for long because you wanted to be close to us. I think you only slept in there two nights on your own for maybe three or four hours! I always let you sleep next to me, or on me, but when we first brought you home you were so small that I was afraid that I would somehow hurt you so we would lay you in there and would rock the cradle until you fell asleep. Sometimes, I would wake up in a panic, looking for you, only to find that you were in fact safe and sound asleep next to me. Relief would overcome me and I would rub your sweet little head, which at that time was as big as my hand and I would go back to sleep. But other times, my panic attack would last a bit longer because you weren’t next to me and I would have to peek inside the bassinet to find you swaddled and cozy because your Daddy had put you in there after he spent over an hour in the living room playing Cold Play on the iHome until you fell asleep.

Then, I removed the base. We would push the bassinet right up against the bed so that we could peek in every two seconds--not just because we were paranoid or because you were waking up crying to either eat or to be sung to, but because we literally couldn’t  (and still can’t) take our eyes off of you. You are so perfect, so handsome, so adorable, and so amazing. I remember rocking and shushing you. I remember Daddy swaddling and singing to you. And I remember both of us stubbing our toes on the base of that cradle!

I feel like I have been packing up things you have outgrown as quickly as I have been bringing home new things for you to play with. I have packed up loads of clothes and your infant bathtub too. You are no longer my fragile, little newborn. You are my body building infant! As much as I like to reminisce about you being so small and even though it makes me a little sad that it went by so fast—I have to admit I love and am so excited about you growing up. So big, so strong, so happy. You are so playful and curious and you always have the biggest smile. Every stage of your life so far has been more exciting and rewarding than the last.

As I packed up your bassinet, I said goodbye to you being a newborn. I never imagined a baby was such hard work, everyone said it was, but I didn't fully comprehend until you were in my arms. You slept so much, but you ate so much too--every hour! I had never been so challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally (but I would do it over a million times). Well, my sweet angel, it wasn’t easy but it wasn’t unbearable either. There were so many changes that came along with you—things I couldn’t have possibly prepared for, but we did it, we made it to infancy! 

Love, 

Mama

A month's worth of photos and videos...we've come a long way baby!

Wow, a whole month FLEW by and so much has happened. I am back to work full-time, but I am lucky to have 2 days to work from home so I can still be with my little-big guy. Aiden is 21 pounds and he has a big personality to go along with all those pounds. Lately, he smiles as he squeals at the top of his lungs and talks to himself. Abuelita Sonia thinks he is going to be a singer since he loves the sound of his voice and he has quite a range. It is hilarious. He has been hitting all of the milestones...he can roll over from his back to his stomach and he is putting everything in his mouth. He discovered his thumb, he laughed for the first time (Uncle Mike tickled his feet, and since then I have only gotten him to laugh once!) and he has become sensitive to his environments. He will let everyone know if he doesn't want to be somewhere, and so far his favorite place is home. He is wearing size 4 diapers and 9-12mo clothing! I can't believe how big he is and how fast he is growing.  Before I began to type this I rocked him to sleep and laid him on my chest. His head was resting on my shoulder and his body was like a ton of bricks stretched across my torso with his toes dangling on my thighs. As I rubbed his back, I began to remember how he used to lay on my chest like a little ranita. How I could lay my hand on his back and my fingertips could rub his back while my palm supported his bum. And I have to admit, I got a little sad. I already miss him being little(er)...he is still barely 4 months. Martin and I always give him kisses and he always tells Aiden, "I gotta get all my kisses in now, because pretty soon you won't let me!" So, here's to our little man--we love you so much.

May 12-May 18: This is the week he found his thumb. We bought him a Bumbo seat to help him sit up, but we had to take it right back to the store because his legs were too big! He also figured out how to play with his toys.

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May 19-25: We spent the weekend at my parent's house and Aiden laughed for the first time on the 21st.

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May 26-June 1: Aiden pretending to eat in his high chair (he's so smart, already knows what to do!). He went to his first wedding (congrats to Rodrigo + Janet!) and he wasn't even bothered when the mariachi's played--he slept through it!

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June 2-8: I miss Aiden when I am working! We think he started teething. He hasn't been sleeping well and he has been drooling so much. As you can see in the video, he loves the toys on the bouncer that Hazel gave him (thank you!). He stays awake and plays a lot longer during the day and only takes one hour naps.

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2 Months Already!

Wow, I can't believe it has already been 2 months! Aiden is starting to develop his personality and it is adorable. He laughs and holds conversations (even though all he is saying is coos). He plays with the volume of his voice and he tries out different sounds while he smiles. I can't get enough of him! He is changing so fast. Brittaney met us at Church one Sunday and we went to the mall after to get some clothes that I could wear to work. Martin and I are taking him out more, now that he is more predictable, can go a bit longer without eating, and is less fussy.We took him out to dinner with us, we went to the mall and he met the Easter Bunny on his 2 month birthday. He didn't cry, but he didn't smile for the camera either. He was too fixated and fascinated by all of the lights they had up. He had his 2 month check up and we found out that he is, as suspected, a healthy boy. A very healthy, very big boy. His weight is literally off the charts. At 16lbs he has already doubled his birth weight. He is 24 3/4" long and the Doc said his head is average and looking good. His lower body is incredibly strong. He can climb up your body and he can stand straight up. We need to start working on his upper body, so the Doc said to give him some more tummy time. On Monday, Martin had to go into work, so Aiden got to spend the day with Grandma Jamie and his Uncle Ricky also stopped by and Aiden just slept in his arms. After his Dr. appt, he got sick from the shots and spent the first night screaming until we got him Tylenol and then the next day he slept the entire day. It freaked me out, he has never slept that much, he was even sleeping through diaper changes, eating, and burping. It was insane, but the advice nurse said it was fine as long as he had no fever and was eating well. Aiden isn't the only one changing fast. I am changing too. Becoming a mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love him so much!

April 7-13: Pics from week 8

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April 14-20: Pics from Week 9

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Week 7 photos and Video

March 31-April 6: This week was busy! We usually give Aiden a bath together because he is so slippery and he doesn't like bath time that much, but Martin was working 16 hour days this week, so I gave Aiden a bath by myself so that he could be all clean for his Daddy. We went and got him a new outfit since he is outgrowing his clothes so fast. On Sunday, we went to Campbell for my Dad and Uncle Mike's birthday. A lot of people came over (Aunt Marilyn, Dee, Patti, Britt, Rod, Kathy, Toddy), so Aiden got a lot of love that day. I went back to work on Monday, so Aiden was with his Dad getting in some "man time." I cried on the way to work, and I found out later that Aiden cried as soon as the front door shut. Guess we will both have to get used to me leaving. I am still nursing him, so he also has to get used to the bottle while I am gone. I am pumping while I am at work and I am lucky that they have a "quiet room," which has a big comfy chair in it. The rest of the week he was with me since I only work in the office one day a week. He is still eating every 3 hours and growing like a weed. 

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Here is a video of Aiden smiling and laughing

Letter to Aiden (faith and love)

I was reading about my co-worker's journey through open-heart surgery. Her outlook on life is incredible and her faith is unshakable. She is so committed to her faith and she really lives each day genuinely happy and free of fear and worry. When the thoughts started entering her mind that she might not live through the procedure, she thought of writing letters to her children and husband. She thought of saying goodbye, she wanted to share all the words that she had in her heart for everyone she loved. But just as she grabbed her stationary, she felt the Lord's presence, she knew he was there. And, she thought to herself, "why am I fearful now? I need my faith to be strong now more than ever." So she put the pen and paper away, and prayed. She wrote about how she felt his love and even saw "signs" that he was with her and her family the entire time. Her admittance number was 143143 (I love you, I love you), little "signs" like these brought smiles to her loved one's frightened faces. I cried as I read her letter (she sent it out to the entire company). She even sent out her daughter's blog post, which also made me cry. Not because I was sad, but because I was touched by her (and her family's) faithfulness, devotion and love for God and each other. It inspired me to research some psalms to remind me, each day, to practice faith, show my love, and to let-go of worry. She wrote about lessons she learned and I included some of them below. Each day is a gift and as I prepare to be a mom myself, I want to be able to share God's love with my son and instill in him the positive outlook, faithfulness, devotion and love that she practices and shares with her family.

Fear is the absence of Faith-- "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' John 14:27.

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. --"Don't worry about anything instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"The LORD is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The LORD protects me from danger - so why should I tremble." Psalm 27:1

"Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." Psalm 50:15

Set your worries and troubles aside, God will provide. -- "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." 1 Peter 5:7

"Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." Psalm 55:22

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea." Psalm 46:1-2

"They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them." Psalm 112:7

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Someone once wrote, "Worry is an old man with a bent head, carrying a load of feathers he thinks is lead." --"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not...Your heavenly Father already knows your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6: 27-30, 32-34

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us - they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation." Romans 5:3-4

"So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter 1:6-7

My sweet Aiden,

When you feel overwhelmed, fearful, or worried, you can look back on these words for comfort, faith, and strength. I hope you have a strong relationship with God. That you keep him close to your heart and that you follow the Lord’s example as you move through life. When you are scared, I hope you pray to him. When you need strength, I hope you hear his voice, for he (like me) will always be there for you. Life is what you make of it and your attitude towards it will determine your happiness. Aiden, I hope that I can provide you with everything that you need in order to make your life full of opportunities, happiness and most of all love. Your Daddy and I love listening to the Beatles, especially after we watched the musical, “Across the Universe.” He sent me flowers one day with a card that included one of their lyrics, “Love is all we need. Love is all we ever need. I love you, Martin.” I still treasure the note and the sentiment because it is so true, love is all we need and we get it from family, God, and our friends. Love always remains. My hopes for you are; that you trust in God and yourself, that you follow your heart and stay true to yourself, that you are a loyal friend and that you grow into a good man. I’m not worried that my aspirations for you are unattainable; you have a wonderful example to learn from, a wonderful man—your Dad.  

All my love,
Mommy