Aiden Grace,

I've been putting this off, because I really don't understand how I'm supposed to sum everything up into a blog post. At this moment, I just wrapped up some work and you're currently playing "mommy and baby" alone in the bathtub with a water bottle. I believe the cap of the water bottle is the baby. I want to laugh and cry at the same time. Laugh because... what in the world?? And cry because witnessing your imagination come to life makes my heart want to explode.

You are pure JOY. You are the sweetest little girl with the most tender heart. I want to bottle up your little voice and play it on repeat. You love your sister (Ems!), even when she's not doing a great job learning how to share. You do the cutest little finger dance when you're excited about something. (For example, when you know you're about to get some M&Ms.) You could spend all day dancing and singing to just about any Disney Princess song, but especially "Let It Go" from Frozen. You always want to see yourself in the rear-view mirror in the car, and I have to remind you that's not exactly its purpose. You love "dips" - ranch (or as you call it, branch), salsa (my girl!), sour cream... I guess anything to make my cooking taste better? You love baby dolls and are the cutest little mommy. You are shy when you first meet someone, but if you're comfortable with them you are so silly. You are the most hilarious person I know (my current favorite statement of yours... "oh, gosh."). You keep us laughing all day (Tonight on the drive home, you were playing with your hair, which you just got cut today. "Mom, my hair is being crazy. Make my hair stop! My hair is being funny."). You can be cautious about some things, but are typically very brave. I'm always trying to talk to you about Jesus and I love to hear your sweet little voice recite the bible verses you're learning in church. Since you've turned 3 (literally the past month), you have started to throw whiny temper tantrums which are driving me crazy. But oh does the good outweigh those frustrating, teachable moments.

It is my greatest honor to be your mom. I think I tell you about a thousand times a day how much I love you. And why do I love you? Because you're MINE. There's nothing you could ever do, say or think that could change that. It's that simple. I will always love you, because God was kind enough to trust me to be your mom. You are such a gift and I thank God every day for finding me worthy to be your mom. But that's how God works. His grace is unending. He loves to give His children good gifts, simply because you are His.

Well, I guess I'll wrap this up because I don't know how to end this. YOU ARE AMAZING, CHILD.

(Now you're out of the bath, running around my room and shutting the blinds yelling "It's too sunny!")

A few quick highlights from your birthday. We celebrated with family and your neighbor friends donut-style a few weeks later.

Nonna and Papa stopped by with your birthday present before they headed off to Europe.

Morning fun with Anna Kate and Lainey.

Build-A-Bear!

Uncle Mitch surprised you and bought Skye some fun outfits.

Fun cake by Daddy!

Happy birthday, my angel.

We celebrated with the Baker fam at the beach the next week!

Your dreams came true! Grandma and Grandpa bought you a Cinderella dress.

For future reference, at your 3 year appointment you were 30 lbs (50%) and 39.25" tall (95%).

Aiden: Two and a Half

Oh, Aidy. You're TWO AND A HALF! (Actually, you're now closer to THREE.) I honestly didn't think I'd write a half year post this year, but man have you grown up since turning two. Every time I look at you, I'm just in awe. What a gift you are. Some of my favorite things I want to remember:

• You are so independent and want to do everything yourself.
• You are the BEST big sister. Truly, more than I could have ever imagined. You have more patience with Emerson than your dad and I combined, and no one makes her smile like you do. 
• You love to help out in the kitchen. Daddy built you a little stool so you can help us cook and bake. Of course, you would much rather us butt out of your experiments. :)
• Your imagination is starting to show and I teared up a little bit today watching you pretend with your baby doll (her name is "baby"). 
• You love to be outside and love bugs! On our walks, you really enjoy picking up all of the dead worms you can find.
• Your chubby baby cheeks are gone and you now look like a kid. (I'm fighting back tears.)
• I tell your daddy all the time that I can't imagine you getting any older. You're two and a half and I (of course) think you just couldn't possibly be smarter. 
• Your vocabulary has exploded the past few months, and you're really starting to put some sentences together. Just as we imagined, you are HILARIOUS. For example, you accidentally locked yourself in your room after your nap today. When I came to rescue you, you said "Mommy, it's tricky!"
• Daddy took you to your first baseball game at Lassiter last week, and I'm pretty sure it was the best day of his life. You had no interest in the game, but loved everything else going on! (And you ate 1.5 cheeseburgers....my girl.)
• You love chips and salsa (yesss!) and any type of dip.
• You LOVE your family. Not just us, but your extended family, too. You're especially fond of your best friend/cousin, Jude.
• You give the best kisses.
• You have the best laugh. Hands down. The BEST laugh.
• I love seeing your heart for Jesus already. You always remind us if we forget to pray before a meal (or a snack), and you're already teaching Emerson how to pray (you get frustrated that she can't fold her hands, yet). Papabear died a few months ago, and you always remind us that he's with Jesus in Heaven. Melt my heart. 
• You love Disney Princesses, and LOVE to sing along and dance. Current favorites: Frozen (Anna and Elsa), Mulan, Moana and Cinderella.
• You could listen to "Let it Go" all day long and it still wouldn't be enough for you.
• You really just love to sing and dance, period. It's the cutest thing in the whole wide world. You learn lots of songs at school and I love trying to piece together what they are.
• You are potty trained! (ish) It only took you a couple days to catch on (most frustrating days of parenting, to date), and you're doing a great job. 
• You love to tickle! It's adorable, except that I hate being tickled.
• Lately, a red lion named Kelsey has been sleeping in your bed. But don't worry, she protects you... and sometimes pees the bed (apparently).
• Some of my favorite little Aidy phrases...
• "Mom, come onnnn." I had to fight back laughter the first time you said this, because it was with a 'tude.
• "Toast ready!" When the toast pops up for breakfast in the morning.
• Your macarena months of the year song.
• "I tooted!"
• "You got it girl"

Everyday you teach us something new. I'm glad you don't notice yet, because I would probably creep you out how much I just stare at you. You are unbelievable. You are going to be a FORCE and I pray you use it for God's glory, little one. I've said this since the day you were born, but my gosh - it is my greatest honor to be your mother.

Fun video clips:
Let it go!
Tickling Sissy
Tooty Fruity
First Pony Ride
Hi Ho! 
Worms!
More worms...

Aiden is 2

We have a two year old! I know I've said this since her one month update, but truly - HOW?! She is everything. I don't know how we ever lived without her! Here are a couple of my favorite pictures and updates of her lately...

• She does a fake sneeze that makes me want to die of adorableness.
• She has the best laugh and run (I'm not biased.)
• She's hilarious and makes us laugh constantly.
• I caught her climbing out of her crib, so we moved her to her big girl bed/room on July 1. She had a couple rough nights, but now loves it! We have a gate at her door to keep her from going exploring in the middle of the night. 
• When I was pregnant, she would lift up her shirt, point to her tummy and say 'bee bee!'
• If you asked where the baby was, she pointed to my tummy.
• If you asked if she's having a brother or sister, she always said sister. (From the mouths of babes, I tell ya!)
• Watching her with her baby sister is more than my heart can handle. She loves Emmie so much! 
• She also really loves stealing Emerson's pacis and hiding so she can use them. Little stinker.
• Since she's two, she's really mastering the temper tantrum. It's kind of hilarious. She will just throw herself on the floor silently and look up to make sure you're noticing her.
• Her favorite color is "PINK!" She's currently learning her colors - before everything was either BLUE! or PINK!
• She loves to sing. Her current favorites are: ABCs, Skidamarink, Row Row Row Your Boat, Open Shut Them
• High five to Adam who has been teaching her the alphabet during bathtime. She's getting so good at it!
• She hasn't found a movie she doesn't love. Trolls (Poppy!), Sing, Moana, The Secret Life of Pets, Cinderella...
• She loves to color and "write". She's constantly asking us to write her name, and she can spell it on her own.
• I have to say I was getting kind of concerned about her speech. She talks all the time, but I'm pretty sure anyone other than family would have NO idea what she's saying. She's not the best annunciator. But her pediatrician (and Adam) wasn't concerned, so neither am I!
• She says 'Huh' instead of 'Yes', a trick she learned from Jude but hasn't grown out of. I'm trying to just soak in her adorable voice and babbling while it lasts, because I know it won't!
• As of her two year appointment, she's 35.75" tall (91%), weighs 26.9 lbs (68%) and her noggin comes in at the 89% at 19.25"

We celebrated her birthday with a Bubble Guppies party on Sunday, August 20! She is so very loved.

A couple videos from her big day!

Donut Date on her actual birthday

Icing Sneak

Happy Birthday! (She loves watching this one and will say "Happy to Aidy!")

We love you, little lamb! What an honor it is to be your parents!

Aiden: 18 Months

Holy cow, we have a legit toddler. Aiden Grace is 18 months old... one and a half! (Well, technically now she's 19 months, because #life.) There is hardly a hint of baby left, she is officially a little girl. I don't even know how to do an update since the last one on her first birthday, she is so different - but also the exact same. That makes sense.

First haircut!

Getting her passport picture taken for the big cruise in April!

Coolest girl at the ballfield

• She's a running, dancing, stomping, clapping mess. If she's awake, she's moving. The girl does not stop. 
• The good news is she wears herself out and is a great sleeper. She takes about a 1.5-2 hour nap in the afternoon and sleeps from about 7:30/8pm - 8/8:30am at night.
• She's a chatter box! It's been fun to hear her really start trying to figure out words. She's got a handful down, although almost none in actual English. :) Mama, Dada, Papa, Nonna, thank you, please, cracker, all done, more
• Animal sounds are a favorite past time! She can do a monkey, elephant, cat, duck, sheep and goat. She loves trying to do a rooster (cock a doodle doo!) and it's about the cutest thing ever to hear her try.
• She loves music and dancing. Her favorite jams are her Bible CD from Grandma, her Aiden CD from Nonna, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, the Wheels on the Bus and Jesus Loves Me. She's also obsessed with Alexa, which we ended up having to hide from her. 
• She loves Sesame Street, Thomas & Friends and sometimes Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.
• She got her first haircut! She looks like such a lady, and also still has a weird mullet going on. She did so well, considering she's a toddler. 
• She knows exactly what she does (and doesn't) want, and has quite the forceful "no" head shake.
• She is strong-willed, to say the least! She loves to test (and break through) boundaries, which is both exhausting (temper tantrums, yay) and so interesting to watch.
• Disciplining an 18-month-old is.... tough. The whole "redirection" thing is exhausting when it's what you're doing all day long.
• Dog food is her snack of choice. So is crushed ice in a bowl. Being a typical toddler, some days she's a great eater and some days a granola bar is a success.
• She loves to play with zippers and climb up and down stairs.
• Jude is still her bestest friend and they are so fun to watch! She's also a big fan of Ruthie and Hank, and constantly tries to sit in Ruthie's 'lap'. They're good sports!
• She thinks she can jump, but she can't. And it's HILARIOUS. I laugh so hard every time. (There's an attempt at a video below.)
• At her 18 month check up, she clocked in at 24.5 lbs (75%) and 34.25" tall (98% - which the doctor said must have been a mis-measurement, so who knows how tall she is??). Her head is still holding strong at 19" (93%). Praying my next baby's head is a smidge smaller, at least coming out!

She's still the happiest kid, ever. She's curious and sweet and hilarious and loving. She's just the best.

Some fun videos of the past few months:
Bath giggles
Man down on the ice
Can I still be a baby?
Trying to jump
Her little voice! I hope I always remember it.

We'll finish this one off with a picture of her at her 18 month doctor's appointment - just enjoying a quick snack! #thatbelly

Aiden's Wild One

We celebrated Aiden's "Wild One" birthday on August 20 with a little safari party. I am overwhelmed by all of the love that surrounds our little girl. It kind of hit me when we were singing her happy birthday how lucky we are to have such an amazing tribe around us who love our girl so, so well. They're the greatest.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. (It only took me two months to finally upload these. Oops.)

Baby's first Kate Spade! (Thanks Aunties Kelly and Vann!)

I got her invites from Etsy, and thought they turned out so cute! The back of them said "Born to be wild". (What did people do before Etsy?? Not spend a ton of money on a birthday party, I guess.)

While I didn't want to do the pink and gold theme, I knew she had to have a tutu! Meagan was originally going to make it, but I found one on Etsy for $27 that also came with an adorable hair clip. STEAL!

Meagan did make this adorable sign! I love how it turned out.

I made the rest of the decor - kudos to Pinterest for all of the ideas.

Adam made her cake, and it was a hit! This was her first "sweet" - a day her grandparents have been waiting for! The seal has officially been broken.

Here are a few snippets from the day....

Happy Birthday! https://vimeo.com/179923692

Her first cake! https://vimeo.com/179923692

It was such a beautiful day celebrating our babe! I know I said it before, but I can't say it enough - we have the most amazing support system who love our girl. (Might I add, Anna flew in from Houston, Kalyn flew in from LA and Maggie drove up from Florida to celebrate! Seriously, this chick is spoiled with love.)