Update on Ayden

Ayden is getting so big and his personality comes out more and more each day! He brings us so much joy and laughter every day! Just yesterday after his bath he played in the bathroom in front of the mirror for 1/2 an hour. He was 'singing' and dancing and trying to jump! I just sat back and laughed!!!

Ayden has really started talking up a storm! Some of the words you hear often are
"nack" for snack
"dr" for drink
"ea" for eat along with the sign language
"elp" for help with sign language
ball
"fball" for football
"baball" for basketball
"Tadown" for touchdown with actions
Boo
"Hi" for Hide
"Bobo" for Elmo
"Wa er" for water
What
What's that!
Mom
"Dada" or "Dadee" for Dad
"Bebe" for Binky and once he has his binky it also means blanket
Baby and either points to my tummy or his
"Ti Ti" for tickle

Ayden also is very active! He can run rather quickly now. We went to the Tiger Basketball game on Friday night and during half time I thought I would let him run around well there was a basketball under the hoop and he quickly said ball and was off...by the time I got him he was right under the hoop and it was shoot around for the team... He also loves to climb on the couch. We got him a step stool so he would stop climbing on his toys. This has given him just enough height to get on the couch. We just moved the couch in front of the bay window (I thought he would like to watch the school bus and garbage truck) I didn't think he would like to climb over the couch and make the bay window a stage where he could dance :) He learned this while I was at work while Brett was home getting lunch. I am trying to teach him we don't do that but sometimes its just to funny to say no :)

He loves to play hide and seek. If you run into another room he will run after you to find you. He loves to yell boo! Its so fun for to watch him play hide and seek with his friends! I would say this is his first really game he plays!

He now can eat with a spoon with quite a bit of accuracy and is starting to understand how to use a fork. But when he is done he still picks up either his bowl or plate to slurp the rest. :) Oh he makes me laugh! He also has learned how to follow directions. I sometimes give him a snack in the living room and when he is almost done he will dump out his bowl. I ask him to pick it up and put it in the bowl and he will. It might take 5 minutes but he is following directions he is just not the quickest. I try to make him do it rather than pick it up quickly for him so he will learn. He also has to pick up his plate and cup after dinner if he throws it on the floor.

We all just had a round of the flu. This was the first time he threw up. I had been rather sick and poor Brett was taking care of me and all of a sudden at 11 Ayden wakes up and was screaming then Brett heard a funny noise and more crying. Yep he had what I had. But after he was so hyper Brett had to put him in my room so I could keep an eye on him while I was laying down so Brett could clean the floor. I wish it could go through adults as quickly as it did Ayden. Although he was over the throwing up he was sick for about 2 weeks off and on. I think he is finally feeling better and gets to have some friends over tonight and we are all excited to play with friends again!!

Well I think that is some of Ayden's newest things! He amazes me with what he knows everyday! He is like a sponge and will show me so many new things all the time! I just love watching him learn!!! We are so proud of our little boy!!

Now on for the baby! We are 19 weeks today! I have my ultrasound next Monday! We are very excited to find out what we are having! What do you think? Boy or Girl? Also, today I was at my desk at work and felt the baby moving. I felt my stomach and I could actually feel it from the outside! I don't remember this happening so early with Ayden. I forgot how cool that feeling is!!! I just wish Brett could have felt it. I remember how excited he was when he felt Ayden for the first time!

Just Like Daddy!

A few weeks ago Ayden and I were outside playing while Brett was taking care of all the leaves. After a little while of playing with his toys Ayden went over and found this plastic rod that goes to a yard game and started walking around running one end through all the leaves... He loves to walk around with anything that looks like a stick or bat so didn't think anything of it until he was right next to Brett doing this. Brett uses a leaf vac to suck up all the leaves and holds it under his arm just like Ayden was holding this rod thing... I stopped Brett and was like do you think he is trying to do what you are doing? While we were talking he continued to walk from leaf pile to leaf pile.

It was so cute seeing him act like his dad! I was surprised to see it come out so early but it shows he is watching what we are doing! So cute and I wish I would have gotten a picture of my two boys cleaning up the yard!

"Bobo"

Ayden has really started talking a lot more these days. One of his latest words is "Bobo" (Elmo). He learned this word on our way to Chicago in the beginning of Oct. We borrowed our friends DVD player to help with Ayden on the long car ride and he LOVES to watch Elmo. For a while after our trip every time we got into the van he would say "bobo"

We recently have been hearing bobo a lot again! I have been using target brand diapers for awhile now but I felt they were getting a little tight but not quite small enough for the bigger size... So I bought a box of pampers diapers to see if they would fit better while we were between sizes. While, Ayden does not like to get his diaper changed so we started showing him that Elmo was on his diapers...NOW we are back to target diapers and every time we go to change his diaper he yells "bobo" "bobo"!! I should have saved just one diaper for him to look at while I change him with the other ones! :) Is it worth the extra 5 cents a diaper so Ayden will sit quitely and find Elmo while I change him? It is pretty cute to watch him lift his belly so he can find Elmo on his diaper!!! :)

Ayden's Pumpkin!

We are very excited to announce Ayden is going to be a Big Brother sometime around May 2nd!!!

A Prayer Request

I am posting this for my cousin Julia's Family! She has always been someone I look up to as a woman, wife, mother, teacher and Christ follower. Every doll I owned was name Julie after her! I believe I became a teacher because Julia was a teacher. I was in her wedding and her oldest daughter was our flower girl. With all that said, she is now in a time of need and I am here in Iowa and she lives in North Carolina. It has been very hard to be so far away from her and I keep racking my brain on what I can do for her. All I can think of is PRAY! And, what is better than one person praying...Lots of people praying! So I am asking you to pray for her family. Here is what has been going on...

On September 1st she was blessed with her 3rd child, Zachary. He was born healthy and everything went great! On October 1st in the middle of the night they took him to the hospital because he was having a hard time breathing. When they got there his heart was racing and they admitted him to the PICU. He has been there ever since. They have run every test and have not been able to figure out what is wrong. They are treating him for infection. Here is what Julia posted yesterday morning.

"Zachary is still in critical but stable condition in picu. Heart, liver, spinal tests but nothing conclusive yet to explain his system shut down. Treating for infection. Our precious baby is a gift from God and we are praying for healing so we can keep our little boy. Please continue to pray_ we are so grateful for your prayers and offers to help. Expect to be here a long time so will reach out when we can"

We ask for prayers for healing of Zachary, Peace and Strength for Julia, Brian and their daughters Ava and Hannah. And wisdom for the doctors.

THANK YOU!