AidAN MiCHaeL

Today is A.'s 5th birthday. I feel like he's reaching a milestone... but all I want to do is freeze time. I want to appreciate his developments and relish that I get to watch him grow and learn... but I don't want him to age AT ALL! Is that possible? So today all I want to do is walk down memory lane...

Fun FAcTs:

- A. was born in UT on July 24th, Pioneer Day. In Logan, it's celebrated with fireworks. And, appropriately so, at 10:22pm Aidan was born into the world with fireworks.

- A. always smiled as a baby, was always content. He skipped the terrible two's all together. And today when I see his funny, energetic personality... he still reminds me of the baby and toddler he used to be. Aidan is seriously funny and enjoys anything that makes him and others smile. He is a very active, all around energetic kid. I love and appreciate the boy in him :)

- A. was a toe-head until he turned 2. He was so, so blonde.

- A. was a terribly picky eater that luckily has gotten better with age

A.'s "FaVOriTeS" StaGEs: (In chronological order)

- dogs

- buses

- fire hydrants - In fact, he almost had my dad talked into buying one... seriously, what won't grandparents do?

- sprinklers

- trains, trains, trains - From "Thomas and Trains", to Train Tables, to Geo Trax, to the History Channel's "Extreme Trains." He can tell you a fact for any train.

FavE FOoDs:

pancakes, PBJ, choco milk, bananas, cheese, and yogurt until he was seriously 3...

NOW he loves corndogs, corn on the cob, fruits, and anything sweet.

Some foods to AvOId? Meatballs, potato chips, and soda ("Too spicy" he says)

MEmOraBlE WorDs:

- vroo vroo (early stage for a car)

- eye-da-bah (fire hydrant)

- sislas (sprinklers)

- duses (bus)

- Nama and Gampa

- wurget (yogurt)

AND... I'm glad I can still claim: "basghetti" and "Hevenwy Da Fader"

So... I'm pretty crazy about this kid. I love his big blue eyes, his ability to make new friends, his smile, his snuggles every morning, the sweet unsuspected kisses on my cheek. I love that he tells me I'm pretty and Mike is cool. I love that he's smart and that he's always trying new things.

AiDAn, we love you! Happy Birthday kidd-o.

Thena, Thena, Aunt Bena

Wow, our summer is full... and we wouldn't want it any other way! My younger sister (by only 15 months) flew in from ID with her son Dax to spend the week with us in Spokane. Because we had to share our time with her (thanks to a work related conference :) we took advantage of every hot, sunny minute.

Of course Green Bluff, Spokane's beautiful agricultural tourism location, had all the U-Pick berries you could imagine. The kids all agreed the raspberries were warm and yummy...

and we stocked up on freezer jam :)

Athena and I were thankful to soak up some sun after discovering a new public swimming pool (I don't know how I never knew it existed after the 3 years I've lived here)... and at $1 admission you can't beat it. However, the kids kept us too busy for sun bathing. Jack was a little too fearless for my taste. He loved, loved, loved walking off the waters edge to dunk his face in the water. And because he thought going under water was hysterical, he required every second of my attention. Aidan was a fish, of course, practicing his swimming abilities. Dax was content walking around where he could touch, lucky Athena!

We also enjoyed dinner out at Hu Hot (Spokane's local Mongolian Grill), BBQ-ing in the backyard, talking, relaxing, staying up way too late... and watching the kids play hard.

Thanks for visiting... see you again soon Aunt Bena!

Swimming with Minnows

Thanks to Grandma Sal and the Jackson family... Aidan is becoming a great swimmer.  

He is familiar  and comfortable with the water.  

He can tread water on his back and stomach by kicking his "paddles"

He can blow bubbles... and put his eyes in the water

He knows water safety such as: "If you fall in the pool you kick to the LADDER!" and "You never swim ALONE!"  

He can jump in without a tube and can swim the width of the pool, alone... seriously amazing with only two weeks of lessons.

  

AND... he feels confident to jump off the diving board without a tube

I love the confidence Aidan gained in his abilities through swim lessons.  Most importantly, I love that through a little encouragement and praise he wanted to try something new every day at swim... and he wasn't afraid to do it!  Way to go, Buddy!  

So... thank you Grandma Sal for teaching Aidan to love to swim!

Pool Moves

A.  and his really great moves...