Two and a Half Year Old Aiden-Guy

For a while I've been meaning to do a post on Aiden at two and a half.  He's just the most awesomest little guy and this is such an enchanting age.  I've been waiting because I didn't want to forget anything but if I wait any longer I will surely forget it all!

Ahhh...where do I begin?  Aiden is full of life and big, huge melt-my-heart smiles.  He gives my neck big squeezes and loves to sit on my lap or have me hold him while we are walking.  I'm usually more than happy to indulge in such "babying".

He talks clearly and often.  Sometimes I think he is more chatty than the girls were, but maybe that is a product of having sisters?  Oh, how he loves his sisters and in such different ways.  He and Avery never fight...she loves to cater to him, watch over him, indulge him and she thinks he says and does the cutest things.

Amanda sometimes chooses to cater to him but usually she chooses to push his buttons, which she knows well.  They are together all day, just the two of them.  Sometimes they will fight, fight, fight, but other times, thankfully more frequently, they will get into a project of some sort and work together.  Things like digging a hole, collecting ants, lining up blocks.

He has an innate work ethic that will only grow as he watches the example of his dad.  It is incredible to watch him around the house...he notices things that need to be fixed....a loose screw, a crooked board, a broken handle.  He notices and tries to do something about it. Or, more recently he'll tell me Bye Mom...I'm going to work at H&R Block to do taxes!

I thought because he was a boy I'd be picking out his clothes for him until he was 12.  Not so.  He has very strong opinions about his clothes.  He loves his "bassetballs" which are any athletic looking shorts (this hasn't been very practical for the winter, so he can often be found wearing shorts over pants).   He also decided he doesn't like pullover sweatshirts.  He'll tell me Mommy, I will be too hot or Mommy, I will be too cold.  He even knows exactly which pajamas he wants to wear.

He sleeps awesome and loves his beloved blankie.  After he gets "warm and cozy" under the covers he stuffs that blanket in his mouth and that's where it stays for the night.  Anywhere from twelve to fourteen hours is the norm for the night and then a two to three hour nap in the afternoon.  So very grateful all my kids have been excellent sleepers!

Eating is a different story.  I only went 2 for 3 in the good eating department.  He is a terribly picky eater. The things he likes and eats on a regular basis: cereal with milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, bread with butter or fluff, hummus, dried cranberries, raisins, french fries, cheese pizza, chicken nuggets (but sometimes not), crackers, pretzels.  He also likes most any kind of junk food, but rarely gets it.

I feel like we could be doing a better job in this department but for now it is what it is.  We did a 30-hour food standoff with him not too long ago that was terrible.  I think with more time some of this will just change on its own.  The doctor gives him the stamp of approval, so I'm going to keep doing what we are doing.

Funny story...he was at Shaun's brother's house a while ago and they were trying to get him to eat some yogurt (on his approved food list).  He kept refusing and insisted that "my dad said I can't have yogurt".

Speaking of his dad...I'm SO happy Aiden has Shaun for a daddy....that Aiden gets to witness first hand, and behind closed doors, a man who has such strength of character.  Very often, whether its at the park, in Sunday School class, to the neighbor, etc, Aiden can be overheard telling stories about his dad.  My dad...has a big truck, has lots of tools, my dad dumps the ash in a bucket...


He loves to pray and he loves all the action bible stories, among his favorites are David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lions Den.  He enjoys his class at church and can always tell us what his lesson was about.  He pretends to fight the mouse king or sometimes he is the mouse king (from the Nutcracker....so funny to me that he has seen it so many times and picked that part out as something redeeming with the ballet).  Such a boy.

Current nicknames: Roo, Roof, Aiden-Guy

Some funny things he says...

hos-a-ble (hospital)
Di-lego (Diego, which is referring to his potty seat.  I'll take him in to go pee and he'll say No Mommy, I need Di-lego).
Yesterday he told me he was "disappointed in Amanda".
Momma, I have to tell you a tory (story).

Wow...this is long...just wanted to make a feeble attempt to capture him in all his boy-ness that he is right now.  So I can remember in two days, two years or twenty years.  I think I'll remember it all, and then I don't.

Suffice to say he is loved and adored by us all.