Pumpkin Patch :)

Today we took Aiden to the pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins. This is the same pumpkin patch that we took Aiden to last year right before we bought our house.  The pumpkin patch is located next door to our neighborhood so we are excited to build this into one of our fall traditions.

 

We walked over to the pumpkin patch this morning.  When we got there we looked and got sort of close to the goats as daddy tried to point them out to Aiden.

 

We then headed to the front porch where they had rocking chairs, haystacks, small gourds and we took these pictures.  A gorgeous little area. 

 

We then explored the “corn crib”, a big enclosed area with corn for the kiddos to play.  Think of a big sand box with toys inside.

 

After playing and exploring other things we were able to head towards the hayride.  The hayride takes about ten minutes out to the pumpkin patch where you are able to pick your own pumpkins out.  We were the only people on our hay ride, which was really nice.  Aiden was not too sure after first.  He wanted to stand and hold on to mommy’s leg.  After a few minutes he was ok to sit next to mommy.  Then proceeded to be intrigued by the straw.  It was so much fun to watch his little brain churn and try to figure out what exactly he not only had in his hand but was also sitting on.  When we got to the pumpkin patch he seemed to have fun walking around the whole area and trying to pick up all different pumpkins.  We picked out a few smaller ones for him, held him up to him and he kept pointing to the same one, so Aiden was able “to pick his pumpkin”.  Then it was time for the hayride back.  He was more prepared and ready this time.  He walked right up to the stairs, we loaded him up there and he walked right to where we sat the first time.  After the ride was over, he got down and walked right to where he was to step down.  I think once he figured it out he liked it!  Every time he hears or sees mowers, tractors, or other farm machinery he loves watching them so he had a ball being on a big tractor!

Becoming a Big Boy

Aiden is becoming quite the big boy this week!  (makes for one sad momma!)

 

Earlier this week we bought him a big boy potty so he can get used to it being in the bathroom and the look of it.  He has sat on it a few times to learn that is what you do.  I have read several blogs of people potty training their 18 month olds.  While I think that is good for them (and wish I could) I think listening and understanding your kids needs is the best way to go.  Right now Aiden can not say the word potty, so it would be hard to understand his need and help him go to the potty in public.  So we have chosen to have the potty for him to get used to looking at it and talking to him about it in the meantime.

 

Aiden has learned a few new words this week.  He has said thank (for thank you), wawa (for water), and baby (in reference to a baby book, nothing else!)  He is becoming quite the vocal man sometimes and I love it! 

 

We have decided to put Aiden into a new car seat.  Now whether the car seat will become forward facing or rear facing is still being decided, he is moving up into a big boy car seat.  For the last 18 ½ months he has been in his very first car seat (the pumpkin seat as many refer to it).  Our small boy has finally gotten to the point where his little legs are starting to get squished so it is time to move him.  This whole time he has been in that recline baby position, so he will now be sitting up like a big boy!  I hope this will help the next time we take a longer car ride.  He is not a good traveler right now!

 

At his 18 month appointment today Aiden came in at a whopping 20.15lbs and 30 ¾ inch (this one seems pretty off from his last appt).  He is still chugging a long in his 5^th percentile range.  Since he is following his own growth curve the doctor is quite happy with this.  She was quite impressed with his climbing skills, as he was climbing all three chairs and using the stepstool to get on to the table during the appointment!

 

This weekend if the weather stays nice we will head to the pumpkin patch to pick out hus pumpkins!

Painting

On Saturday we tried out a new adventure for Aiden.   We started painting.  So I made some home made paint (non toxic and edible just in case) and stripped him down to his diaper and we headed outside.

He seemed to know to put the paintbrush in the cup right away and then on to paper.  And then he started "painting" his shoes, towel, body, Adam and I.  We were prepared for this so it made it even more fun :)

Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!

Words Words and more Words

Aiden has been quite the social bug with lots to say lately!  We have learned some new words in the last 4 or 5 days.  He is really all about the "b" words right now.  He says Bible and will bring us the Bible we read to him every night (at bedtime he gets a bible story and then another book) and then he will say book and bring us one of his many! I am especially proud that he knows his Bible is not just a "book"  :)  He will continually say belly button and lift up our shirts to point it out!  Now its not a perfect sounding belly button but definitely two words and that's what he is saying!  He still says ball all the time, and his bye bye are much clear when he speaks.  He loves his bye byes! He waves to every car that passes (even if we are inside the house and he is looking out the window!)  He has also started "bumping"  and gets very excited every time! If we try to high five him he will take our hands and try to make a fist and they say "bump", and you gotta make sure you bump with both hands!  If you only give him one he will start reach for the other.  He has also starting saying bite.  So feeding him and knowing his hunger has gotten a little easier that way.  He still hasn't quite understood the difference between bite and drink (he will point to his milk and Say bite, but we are getting there!)

Every week day we head to the high school to work the bookstore during lunch.  For this we go down to the main office first and then our lock boxes go into a shopping cart that he rides in down to the gym lobby.  This is his new favorite thing!  We walk into the office, he blows his kisses, then points to his shopping cart and he is ready to go!  A few days ago I had Aiden all loaded up and I was still there talking to Penny.  He looked directly at Penny and told her bye bye a few times while waving, he was ready to get his ride going!!!

Today we played with chalk for the first time on the driveway. I wrote with it once then he knew exactly what to do!  He colored a little bit.  Tasted it once and then went back to coloring!  Then he became the boy I knew, threw it down, watched it break and giggled!  Haha love him (as long as its not my dishes!)  On the driveway he also pulled out the bubbles (like he normally does) but today he called them bubbles!  So we can add that to the list.  This last week he really seems to be learning the "b" words, and I cant wait to see the next one he learns, whether its a "b" or not!

Amazement

Hello All,

I think my main word for motherhood right now is amazement.  Aiden literally amazes me everyday.  He has seemed to pick up so many things since this past weekend.  He now gives bumps (fist bumps instead of high fives) and will say bump when he does it. I think this just melts Adams heart :).  Aiden has started saying bite and seems more in tune with his actually hunger and letting us know.

Earlier today I said lets go out so he brought me his shoes and sat down for me to put them on and then got mine like her normally does.  But then for the first time today he grabbed my car keys and gave them to me so we could go out.  He just picked that up on his own!  So we headed to the park.  He walked down to the sidewalk and right to the water fountain to get a drink.  After that we headed around the building to the park (and he knows right where to go!).  The park we go to has two little swingsets I guess you would call them,.  They are two separate ones, each one enclosed by landscape pavers.   He played on the first one for a few minutes and then headed to the second one.  I guess its the simple things but it amazes how he walks over the little entrance to walk out and then walks over to the entrance in the other playset to play.  There is a little wall (think rock climbing wall for teeny tiny kids), on the bottom "step" there is a bunch of mulch, before he even steps on it he takes his hand to clean off the mulch so he can step on it.  So smart!

Aiden is at such a fun, exploring, climbing age!  It truly amazes me how he picks up on every little thing (which means Adam and I need to be more careful!!).  It is so cool to watch our little baby boy change and become *sniff* a full grown toddler.