An October and November to remember

This October was an eventful one to say the least!! We started by celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary on October 8th with dinner and a movie. We picked a 10pm movie and I think when I agreed to that one I was still under the delusion that I could actually stay up that late.....yea, I not only feel old - I AM old!! After that it became the month long celebration of Aiden's birthday. Our amazing little man turned 1 on October 14th. It was very surreal to celebrate his birthday as a healthy and advanced little guy when we thought about the fact that just a year ago he was in the NICU and we couldn't even hold him and all we were being told was that he was a VERY sick little boy. As a parent all you think about at that moment is doing what you have to do to get through it and as things started to calm down and we knew that Aiden was heading "out of the woods" so to speak and your head goes through all the questions like what are the repercussions of all of this? Will there be delays, will there be immunity issues in the future? Flash forward to Oct. 14th 2009 and Aiden is one of the happiest, healthiest and most active kids. He has been walking for 2 1/2 months and talking up a storm. Not only are there absolutely no developmental, social or cognitive delays, he is actually quite advanced in those areas for him age. God is good! His Birthday party was a blast!! Elmo themed of course and at Grand Park here in Aliso Viejo around the corner from the house.

Opening gifts on his actual birthday

This was Aiden's birthday cake and my first attempt at baking....EVER!!!!

How spoiled is this child?!?!

He had his one year well baby check up on Friday the 16th
12 Month Stats:

• - 23.5 lbs.
• - 32 1/2 inches long
• - wearing 18-24 month clothes and in a size 5 shoe!! This kid is huge!

The weekend after his birthday we took Aiden to his first UCLA game and although we wish we could have been able to have his first game be a win, we were happy to be there none the less. At the game we also met our new cousin Tommy who is the cutest little thing!!

Aiden's first game and first trip to the Rose Bowl...won't be his last :)

Amy, Tommy, Aiden and Drew

We went to several pumpkin patches and Aiden thought he was in a one man world's strongest baby contest as he tried to pick up every HUGE pumpkin he could get his hands on and it just confirmed that he is freakishly strong - he actually moved some of them.

These aren't the HUGE ones...we were too busy making sure he didn't hurt himself to take a picture of that

My favorite pumpkin!!

We closed out the month with two Halloween parties (one for us and one for Aiden) and then hung out at the mall with the gang. It was Aiden's first time in a costume...he was too little last year. How cute is my little Elmo!?! Yes, he was Elmo....imagine that :)

Trick-or-treating at the mall

Kim, Aiden, Elisa, Avery, Becca and Andrew

Fred and Wilma Flintstone

November was a whirlwind as well. We did our first family road trip...and our last for a long time! :) Next time - we fly! We drove up to Fortuna in Northern California so that Aiden could meet his Great Grandma and Grandaddy on Drew's side. They live right on the coast in a beautiful relaxing little town and Drew's Aunt Susan lives up there too. So the first day we drove up to Northern California and got to meet up with Josh for breakfast and then went and had coffee with "Jersey Girl" Linda in San Francisco before ending up in Fortuna. We spent a few days with them and Aunt Susan was an awesome tour guide for those few days! We then drove to Beaverton Oregon (just outside of Portland) to visit with Drew's brother Tyler and his wife Debbie and Drew's sister Keri. We had thanksgiving with them and then headed back. Aiden was a real trooper....most of the time. He had an uncanny sense for knowing when we were about an hour out of each destination and made it well known that he had had enough of the car seat and he was done being in the car period! Drew did all the driving God bless him. Lucky for me he really likes it because I don't . Drew drove the 1050 miles home in a matter of 25 hours! We all wanted to get home and beat the traffic - plus driving early in the morning was best for Aiden so he would sleep through most of it.

Grandma and Grandaddy

Multnomah Falls

Aunt Keri gave Aiden his first haircut :)

We played some intense wii games

Aiden loved learning about shapes with Aunt Debbie

and wrestling with Aunt Keri - he loved playing in the curtains with Uncle Tyler but I think Uncle Tyler has those pictures

This was Aiden's least favorite place of the whole trip!!

Here is a little bit of where Aiden is at.....

• says "Dada", "Mama", "dog", "duck" and tries to say quack, "turtle", "touchdown" with his arms in the air, he says what sounds like "yea" and uses it in the right context and it cracks me up. He tries to repeat what we say but it comes out a little like Phoebe trying to tech Joey French. Calls his Grampy GA and calls out for him when he leaves the room. I drive past my dad's work everyday on the way to his daycare and I will point and say "GA works there" - so one day I am driving and forgot to say it and Aiden points out the window and says "GA" - I swear we have the smartest kid ever...but we might be bias
  
• - says "uh oh" when he drops something
• - says "all done" when he's finished
  
• - says "up" and puts his hands up when he wants to be picked up
  
• - says "out" when he wants to get out of his high chair or car seat
  
• - He and Drew pat their stomach when they are full
  
• - says "d'oh" and puts his hands on top of his head
• - says "hi dada" when Drew comes home from work
  
• - he signs dad, more, finished and sit
• - waves hi and bye and blows kisses
• - gives hugs and kisses and when he hugs you he pats you on the back - precious!
  
• - plays a game where he says his version of "1,2,3" - so cute!
  
• - he is so comfortable walking he is practically running.
• - he has 8 teeth
  
• - tries to put his own clothes on and knows where they should go
  
• - we swore he said "Aunt Debbie" over Thanksgiving but couldn't get him to say it again
  

So that brings us to December. Can you believe it's December already??? Bring on Christmas and all the fun that goes along with it. The holidays are so much fun when you live them through the eyes of a child. He loves the lights and the music. It's hard to be the parents of the cutest kid in the world....but hey, some one's gotta do it! :)