Aaaah the joys of teaching...

In attempts to keep this blog mostly about Aiden I try my hardest not to talk about myself. Don't get me wrong, I know I am a huge part of his existence, but let's be honest... he's waaay more entertaining. ;) However, I think it's only important to talk about one of the things I love best about my job: time off! Don't misunderstand, I love teaching, it is truly a passion of mine. I feel blessed to have chosen a career that excites me (as this is not the case for everyone), this is not a job folks, it is a love. And whilst I love my job, one of my favorite parts is that I get to do it, and then I get time to do the thing I actually love best: being a mom. While I had aspirations to get to finishing up my years lesson plans and grading more I managed instead to fill every day with something fun. From trips to the museum, movies at the Dynamax theatre, park visits, a short Santa Fe trip on the Rail Runner, hanging out with Mama Talia, and time to simply relax and play with the many gifts he got for Christmas, we had a ball!





From our happy home, to yours...

A very Merry Christmas...

And the happiest of New Years!

<3 Teresa, Aiden, and Snowy the Snowman (yeah I know, we're original)

Things that I love about five year old Aiden

How do I accurately describe how incredible Aiden is? Every time I sit down to write one of these I know that I am trying to convey just how amazing it is to get to be the mom to this kid, and to be honest I know I don't do it justice. So with the holiday season upon us, and me feeling doubly sentimental I thought I'd share a story. It all started a couple of weeks ago when Aiden declared "I wish I could be a baby again." Naturally I prodded him a little asking the big "WHY?" question. His response was "Because baby Aiden never got in trouble and he was always good." Heart breaking I know. It is especially heart breaking if you spend any time around him. Does he get in trouble? Yes. Often? Not really. He is quick to learn and is the most happy-go-lucky child I have ever met. So in talking to him about this I, of course, let him know that while I loved his baby self, five year old Aiden is so amazing and fun, I wouldn't trade it for anything. We, of course, had to go through a list of things I love about him. So I thought, for the sake of that moment, I should really capture it down on here. So here it goes... the things I love about five year old Aiden:

1. I love that he always refers to himself by his full name.
2. I love that he asks questions, even if sometimes they seem too big for a five year old.
3. I love that he loves to laugh, and make others laugh.
4. I love that he tries new things without fear.
5. I love that he plays the "what if" game, coming up with the most wild "What if" scenarios.
6. I love that he loves learning and tries so hard to read.
7. I love that he likes to do silly things, like jump over cracks on the sidewalk.
8. I love that he has mastered a sly grin.
9. I love that he loves my made up stories at night just as much as his books.
10. I love that he cherishes our night time songs as much as I do.
11. I love that he is genuine in everything he says.
12. I love that he is kind hearted and gentle.
13. I love that he thinks of others and carries their worries despite how small he is.
14. I love that he finds joy in making others feel good about themselves.
15. I love that he knows what kind of person he is.
16. I love that he gets as excited for holidays as I do.
17. I love that he loves to help cook any meal with me.
18. I love that he will eat vegetables over sweets, especially broccoli.
19. I love that he calls the internet the invisible book store.
20. I love that he is a master bargainer at five.
21. I love that he already has decided that more than anything, when he grows up, he wants to be a dad.
22. I love that he is confident, healthy, and happy.

This list could go on and on, however for the sake of closing a blog, let me just say that I am blessed.

Koala, koala, koala

It is absolutely amazing how quickly time flies between posts. Just the other day I realized how long it has been since I put up a post and thought to myself "I need to do a quick update." Here's the problem though... how do you do a "quick update" when in the past couple of months everything has changed? Some might say: just pick the highlights... impossible. For if you know Aiden, that's pretty much most days. :) However, I'll go ahead and give it a shot.
















1. Aiden is loving kindergarten! I attribute it to a couple of things. First of all, he is the most social kid ever and school has finally given him that outlet of having many people to hang out with. Secondly, he has the greatest kindergarten teacher of all. We absolutely love her and she is amazing with her 22 little kiddos. Oh and I couldn't not talk about school without mentioning the amazingness of getting to go on field trips! Finally, Aiden has the smartz. We've always known Aiden as quite the conundrum. He's nonstop, in so many different ways, including that big ol' brain of his. He has big ideas, sometimes much too big for a five year old. He thinks about things like the possibilities of gas running out of the world, how to feed all the people who don't have food, and what the word "civic" means because he heard it in a dream (not the car folks, I asked). Now he finally has a place to help him learn more and it excites him a lot. Watching him learn to read, seeing him write things down, it's completely awesome.






















2. Aiden is in soccer! Of course right? I mean the kid never stops running, so naturally we thought this would be the sport. LOL. I'm sure time will really tell, but for now we have been enjoying the quirks of what soccer really is at age 5 - entertaining. Don't get me wrong, not all soccer teams are like this. However, for our team, which we've teasingly nicknamed The Bad News Bears, it's just plain amusing to watch. We've got the kid who is constantly acting like a superhero (that would be Aiden). Off in another corner of the field is the one sitting down looking at four leaf clovers, and then of course there's one kicking the ball the wrong way helping out the other team. So we all breathe. They're five and soccer is a fun excuse to wear cool clothes and be part of a team. :)






















3. Aiden is a nut! This brings us to the lovely title of this post. I woke up the other morning on a lovely Saturday. Now normally on Saturdays I hear him calling from his rooms that he's ready to start our pancake morning (gotta love the weekends!). Not this day. Instead, I woke up to a little kid whispering in my ear "Koala, koala, koala." Then, I'm receiving what seems like the biggest hug ever. Sweet right? That's when he declares "You've just been koalaed!" Thus starts his new trend of jumping up and latching himself onto me and declaring "KOALAED!" Oh me, oh my!


4. Aiden wants to experience it all and I'm happy to oblige. From trips to the corn maze, the dinosaur museum, movies (from the Imax tornado movie, to Lion King, to Smurfs, etc.), playing at the park, going tot he fair specifically for the ferris wheel (see below), going for hikes, or my personal favorite: going through the car wash just because we can. Yup, you name it - he wants to do it! I love his enthusiasm for going places. So what's next? Ask Aiden and it's the beach... looks like I'll be planning a vacation soon. =0)










On the ferris wheel -->













At the car wash -->
I know it's small, but doesn't he look SO happy?!






5. Aiden likes to conquer fears. This little tidbit is something I keep trying to figure out. I mentioned before how super smart I think he is, but this new development I am only assuming on. Aiden has a fear of snakes. Has he encountered one recently? Nope. However, they had really started to plague little mans mind. He dreams about them, frightening dreams, that just break my heart. So three weeks ago, on library day, he returned from school with a book about what else? Snakes! My thought was something to the effect of "REALLY???" The dreams continue, of course. The next week, once again he returns home with a new book about snakes. Geez kid. Dreams continue, though now he is beginning to ask a lot of questions about where certain snakes live. Then last week, again another snake book. At first I thought he is truly glutton for punishment. However, this week, he's had no bad dreams about snakes, his curiosity about them is still peaked, but it's as though he has worked it all out on his own through learning. Love it.



Alright folks, that's all for now. Sorry it was scattered and probably incoherent. Blessings to all. =0)

Aiden's weird things sayer

Lol, first off, to clarify, I totally let Aiden name the title of this blog. I thought it was fitting.

Anyways...I don't know if I've ever written my ultimate goal for this blog down. It is my hope that one day I will print out and bind all of the posts dedicated to my sweet little guy, and have it be compiled into this awesome book of things I think he should get to look back on. Call it a baby book, a memory book, whatever you will, it simply would not be complete without pages of some of the funniest and most entertaining things he has said in the past few months. So without further adieu:

1. At the grocery store yesterday Aiden and I were looking at lunch meat. As I grabbed a package of ham Aiden declared, very enthusiastically: MMMMM I am so excited for you to buy that camel meat.
Me: Ummm sweetheart you know that ham isn't camel meat.
Aiden: Yes it is.
Me: Sweetie ham comes from a pig.
Aiden: Well camel's have meat too and I think we should eat it!

2. Watching Star Wars with Aiden..
Me: Aiden do you know who that guy is? (I was referring to Jabba the Hutt)
Aiden: Abraham Lincoln?

3. Aiden, in his most concerned voice, one morning declared: I'll never learn all the words!
Me: What?
Aiden: All the words you know how to say. I'll never know them all and that means when I'm a daddy I'll sound crazy!

4. Aiden singing in the bathtub: "Once again... he's calling for some trouble.... in the bubbles... silly brachiasorous.... you're in for some serious, under water, bubble trouble...wweeeeooooo. WHAT ARE YOU ALWAYS IN TROUBLE DINOSAUR? Weeeoooo. TAKE THIS PIGGLE WIGGLE MOO!"

5. "What does my tongue look like today, tissue or toilet paper?"

6. "Your butt can't move now, the poo poo factory is shut off."

7. "If you throw up you have to tell me what it looks like and then I'm gonna turn your bed invisible."

8. One night Aiden's prayers included a request to God to "have the mailman bring us lots more letters and mail because we like mail so much..."

9. Aunt Nina once locked her car keys in her car. There was a spare set of keys at my moms so we were going to pick those up and then head them down to her. Here is the conversation that ensued:
Me: Aiden we're gonna have to get ready quick quick quick this morning so we can rescue Aunt Nina's car, okay?
Aiden: What's wrong with it?
Me: She locked her keys in the car and we don't want anyone to see and try to steal it.
Aiden: GRRREEEAT (This is where he shows his muscles to me) I will rip off the top of Nina's car with my strong muscles and get her keys out!
Me: Ummm we can just get grandma's extra keys and unlock her door hun.
Aiden: YEAH, and if that doesn't work, I can rip off the top of the car because I'm Super Aiden. Let's go!

10. After a short conversation about my job this is what ensued:
Aiden: But what do you teach?
Me: I teach English. Do you know what that means?
Aiden: Ooooh yes.
Me: What does it mean?
Aiden: It means you teach Spanish and talk like we talk, only REALLY different.

11. This is one of the sweetest. While talking with his dad, Maw-maw, and Paw-paw:
Aiden: Do you believe in Jesus?
Maw-maw: Yes we do
Aiden: Oooh good because that's how you get to Heaven.
Maw-maw: That's right.
Aiden: But, ummm, I don't know how we're going to get there, because it's really high up, so I think we're going to have to fly in a airplane.

12. Okay maybe I lied, this might be the sweetest. For weeks Aiden kept declaring he was going to marry me. Despite my trying to explain to him that he can't marry his mommy, or any family member for that matter, the conversation would become impossible and frustrating. Tears would be shed as he would instantly start declaring that he loved me most of all, and always wanted to be with me. Talk about melting a gal's heart! Then one day, after many discussions on love and marriage, Aiden declared: I'm going to marry Lexi! (She's a good friend of his).
Me: You are? Well that sounds great!
Aiden: Yes, because my heart will love her different than it loves you. But i will always stay with you forever. We can all live together!

13.Aiden: Mama, what if a banana ate a human? WOULDN'T THAT BE CRAZY?!

14. Me: Aiden don't pick your nose that is sooo yucky! Eeew that is so gross, can you think of anything grosser than that?
Aiden: Drinking toilet water would be more yucky than boogers.
Me: SPEECHLESS.

15. Aiden: Hey mama did you know that when you eat food it goes down to our bellies and then one day it becomes a baby?!
Me: LOL!!! No. No. I didn't know that, and bud... actually that sounds super.
*Lol I totally left that one alone for now...


Ahhh... this kid is awesome! Blessings to yours. =0)

Responsibilities

With feeling so behind on the blogging front I sat and wondered, with the first free moment I've had in months, what do I talk about? Aiden's preschool experience? That is an entire blog I need to post. Summer plans? Believe me the pictures will be plentiful with the adventures we have planned. His amusing statements? Yeup, there will be a full blog on that too. However, tonight something really struck me. In the past few months Aiden has been given a lot of new responsibilities, some he takes with a grain of salt, others he takes very seriously. One responsibility in particular are the chores he is learning to do at home. Today, after a weekend of fun, he knew it was time to clean his room. He even informed me after his swim lessons that he knew today was his room cleaning day. So after quiet time, my sweet little man, got to work. Now imagine my surprise when not five minutes later Aiden came out declaring that his messy room is all picked up! True to his word his room was picked up. However... his closet was suspiciously bulging outwards and upon further investigation there was no longer floor space underneath his bed. *Sigh* It's a start? =0P

2010 in pictures

As I look back on the year I realize I have really failed on the blogging front- hello 2011 resolution! So we are going to start by commemorating 2010, a year of many changes and challenges, a year of so many fun moments and milestones, with some of my favorite snapshots of Aiden.

Aiden and I at my graduation.




















First trip to White Sands

















































Nina and Kuma got married!





































































Aiden starts Preschool!


































Christmas time this year!




































































Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all have a blessed year! =0)

Mom-MAY

Well it sure has been a long time since I have ventured into writing a decent blog and there are plenty of reasons for it. Between my graduating, looking for a job, venturing to Idaho for my first trip away from Aiden longer than a weekend, moving, and starting a job - things have been busy and all the while my little boy is growing fast. It seems so weird to me that I haven't been on here in about five months. While to many five months is just barely half a year, for me it means five months that I haven't recorded the amazing things that Aiden has accomplished and done. So with that said - it is time to get to it! We'll do this numerically this go around...

1. AIDEN TURNED FOUR!!!!- Oh my gosh, where did the time go? I know it sounds cliche but really it seems like yesterday I was holding this sweet little boy in my arms and singing him to sleep. Now a days I'm lucky if I can get a word in as he's lulling himself to bed. Sure story time is fun, but really why listen to a story from a book when Aiden can so clearly dazzle me with his own imaginary adventures? And oh boy does he!

2. Aiden is British- I know right now many of you are thinking "Huh?" Yes, in the past few months Aiden has had this amazing nack for developing his own little accent on words, but especially when it comes to talking to me. I am no longer Aiden's mommy, rather I am his "mom-may" with this strong, thick accent. It's actually quite hilarious and while we all keep trying to pinpoint why he is saying it, or even where he picked it up from, it doesn't change the fact that every time he calls my name I have to let out a little giggle.

3. Aiden is starting preschool!- He has been waiting and waiting for the day he would go to Auntie B's school and it is finally here!

4. Aiden's imagination is unparalleled- I could be biased here because I am his mom... but that aside I can't even count how many times I have said "I wish I could spend an hour in his head" and it never rings more true than these days. From k'nex chickens, to keeping me safe from bad guys by shooting them with meat balls, really the kid has a rich inner life that I wish i could bottle and sell. I think name it "Happiness is meatballs." ;o)

5. Aiden doesn't stop talking - EVER!- Let me start by saying I have no idea where he gets this. =0P It's true though, he doesn't stop. If it's not a question as to why, what, where, who, when, how - he's talking ears off telling stories, sharing observations, and just making plain old conversation.

6. Aiden puts grown men's "game" to shame- Women beware, my son is direct, flattering, and has no shame. The other day he went straight up to a woman in Target and told her she was a princess because she was beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen a grown woman almost moved to tears so quickly. And this happens all the time now. He is constantly flirting with girls of any age. We are in such trouble when he is older...

7. Aiden has finally reached a mommy stage- It's true and it's intense. I'm surprised I have a second to write this without him attached to my arm. However, with that said, it is sweet and endearing and I'll continue to sop it up because well in a few short years his girlfriends won't think it's cool for him to always want to be around his mom-MAY.

8. Aiden is super-duper-uper smart- Ask him how he got this way and he'll matter-of-factly tell you that "God gave him a super-duper-uper big brain" - Duh. But really the other day he started a conversation on reflections with Dylan. As they sat there and contemplated the differences between reflections and shadows I couldn't help but wonder... maybe these are actually Nick's kids...

9. Aiden is doing GREAT!- It just has to be said - I am amazed by this little boy. At any given time you can ask him how he is and his response is always "GREAT!" Our crazy lives have taken us in a million different directions in the last few months, yet he is still so full of joy and wonderment - I feel so blessed. Here's to you my sweet little man, happy birthday, I love you!

Big surprises

Everyday the wonderful world of Aiden brings us wonderful surprises. However, today he told me something that none of us could have ever expected to hear. Because today Aiden uttered a phrase that contradicts the very thing that his world has revolved around for years. Today Aiden came up to me with the sole intent of sharing a secret. What could this shocking thing be? In the sweetest, most serious whisper, Aiden declared that "Bamboo trees are better than T-Rex's."

While at first I thought my ears had deceived me, for how could my dinosaur obsessed son ever think that anything is better than the fearsome, sharp toothed, meat eating, carnivore that he goes on and on about? My mind quickly focused on the two other thoughts that sprung to my mind:

1. What is with the bamboo tree thing? I mean really? lol.
2. What is sweeter than getting told one last secret before he finally lays his head down to rest?

I love this little boy.























T-Rex stomping in the snow

















Ahhh T-Rex, the perfect eating utensil!


I think he might just change his mind back when he figures out that bamboo trees don't roar.... ;)

Boom Boom Boom Aiden is such a boy!

Let me hear you say WayO? It is quite often that on our way to different places Aiden and I like to jam out to ourselves singing. One of our favorite chorus's to sing to is the song Boom Boom Boom (mind you not the rest of the song lol). One thing we do is change the end phrase (I know we're super cool huh). Well after going through a bunch of different renditions, such as: Boom boom boom, let me hear you say: dinosaur, green light, red truck, and finally Aiden came up with poop. Yeup. Poop. As I listened to Aiden sing "Boom Boom Boom let me hear you say Pooop, POOOOP, eeewy Mommy that's disgusting!" And crack himself up it was then that I realized what a boy he was and how lucky I am. ;)

To see Aiden showing off his new song at the camera check it out - what a ham! :)

Bamboo Trees

One of the funniest things Aiden does right now is constantly talk about bamboo trees. I attribute it to one episode (yes one mere episode)of Wonder Pets, in which a baby panda was rescued from a bamboo tree. Yet, even though it was one episode this particular tree has really stuck with Aiden. Whatever do I mean? Why allow me to share some examples:

Dinner Out: We've learned that entertainment when out with a toddler is essential. Our favorite past time usually includes a rousing game of I Spy. Well tonight at dinner Aiden miraculously spied - yeup you guessed it - bamboo trees (not really, but to him it was hilarious).

Prayers: Really I should write an entire blog on these alone, because really prayer time is one of my favorite parts of the day. However, since all of his latest prayers involve bamboo trees it fits here too.

Yesterday's prayers - "Dear God thank you for brownies, bamboo trees and lanterns."
Tonight's prayers - "Thank you God for letters, bamboo trees, Daddy's, brownies, penguins, Erik's, snowmen, fans, and mommy's." BTW he got the brownie thing from the word "bounty" lol - too cute!

Dinner Time: I often like to provide Aiden the choice of what I will make for dinner. However his suggestion is never on my menu, yeup right again, bamboo trees.

I have a secret: Every night before Aiden actually goes to sleep, he comes out because he has a secret he HAS to share with me right away. Tonight's secret? "Bamboo trees grow back."

Yeup, my son, the future botanist.

Dreams

Let me first start by apologizing for the lack of holiday pictures. By the time I finally got around to having a moment to post them, I can't seem to find the connector to move them from my camera to my computer - ugh! So soon enough, but until then I'll keep posting the pictures from the session we had with the talented Talitha Tarro.

Things here have been rather crazy, so we'll start with our best news. After six months of dealing with his massive blood clot, it looks like Dave has actually made great progress! We are so relieved and thankful.

In terms of other news, there is not a lot to report. I am finishing my last semester of college and student teaching full time now. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I've never been away from Aiden more than a couple days a week, and having to be at the school all day every day, and take a couple night classes hurts my heart. I miss all the time I had to spend with him before.


As for Aiden, he is (of course ;) ) completely amazing! His vocabulary continues to impress me daily, and the things he comes up with to say are hilarious. Perhaps, nothing is as hilarious as the dreams he shares with us daily. Let's move to some examples:

Dream 1
Aiden: "Mama, I had a weird dream."
Me: "What was it?"
Aiden: "There was a girl and she said something to me, but I don't know what."
Me: "Do you remember what it was, maybe I can help tell you what it means"
Aiden: "Yea she said 'blaauuuublalaaa"' - I don't know what that means!"
Me: (Laughing) "Wow sweetie, I don't know, I think it was just a weird noise?"
Aiden: "Yea it sure was weird what she told me."

Dream 2
In this one I woke up to hearing Aiden laugh hysterically in his sleep, something he does a lot.
Me: "Sweetie what were you dreaming about this morning? I heard you laughing a lot."
Aiden: "I wasn't dreaming."
Me: "Oh? Ok, then why do you think you were laughing in your sleep?"
Aiden: (In a matter of fact tone) "Because the bed was tickling me."

Dream 3
Aiden again laughing in his sleep, only this time he wakes up and calls for me.
Me: "Is everything ok?"
Aiden: "I had a dream I was flying!!!"
Me: "Wow, that sounds really neat! Were you flying with your arms?"
Aiden: "No! I was flying on a Pteranodon, way up in the sky! And when he tried to scoop up a fish I got all wet!"

So that is my very imaginative little boy. It's no wonder his dreams are so interesting, with as active as he is! Well that's all for now, I promise to try to be more diligent with the updates. Blessings to all!

Have I mentioned...

How truly blessed I feel? How everyday it feels as though Aiden is blessing us with gifts: the gift of love, of laughter, of a stronger and renewed faith, I cannot begin to express how truly blessed we feel. I hope you all had as merry and blessed a Christmas as we had!

Why Aiden is such a cool kid...

Aiden: "Ummm Mama?"
Me: "Yes, sweetie..."
Aiden: "Um we're omnivores, because we eat plants and meat. And a T-Rex is a carnivore because he only eats meat."
Me: "Hey, how did you get to be so smart?"
Aiden: "Because you gave me a big brain!"