Twas the night before Kindergarten

Dear Aiden,

Tomorrow is a big day. A day I’ve been thinking about since you were born. It always seemed so far away but now it is upon us. It really snuck up on me too; probably because I’ve been in denial all Summer. Tomorrow you become a Kindergartner. Such a big word for a little boy. A little boy who I’ve put every ounce of myself into for the last 5 years (and the 9 months you grew inside me.) It’s such a huge day for a parent and I’m realizing this just might be the biggest milestone in your life so far. It’s the end of your baby/toddler/preschool years. The years of such innocence and dependence. The end of the days when you would just play with me at home all day while we explore and learn new things together. The end of a slow pace schedule and jammies until 9:30AM. Tomorrow marks the beginning of many new and exciting things for you. I have such fond memories of my elementary years and still have friends from that time in my life; and because of that, I’m super excited for you. I had amazingly wonderful teachers and I hope you are blessed with the same kind of love and guidance I remember in elementary school. I know you can’t wait to make new friends and learn new things. You’re so excited to be a big kid, just like your cousin Ethan. I’m pretty sure when Daddy and I drop you off, you won’t look back…you’ll only look forward. You approach life with such excitement and eagerness and I love this about you. There are a lot of changes that will happen to our family now that you are in elementary school. New routines, PTA, volunteering in the classroom, packing a lunch every day, homework at night, projects, progress reports, mean kids and field trips. And because I’m your mommy, I worry about you too. I worry that you won’t eat your lunch because you’ll be too excited to play at recess. I worry that you’ll walk up to a kid and introduce yourself and ask if they want to play and they will snub you and walk away. I’m hopeful that you will make a friend the first week who you really click with, because when you find a kid that is the right fit, that child will learn quickly how loyal, kind and thoughtful you are and you will be a gift to each other. I hope you find your friend Allie on the playground or at lunch on the first day because I know finding a familiar friend will make the memory of your first day that much better. It’s very likely that mommy will have a few tears running down her face when you start to walk away but that’s just what mommies do when they realize that their baby is growing up much faster than her heart can handle. Daddy and I are so proud of the young man you have become in the past 5 years. It is so fun to watch you grow and become your own individual with your own likes and dislikes and we are excited as you start this new chapter in your life. Now I pray that I’ve given you just the right amount of love and guidance and instilled a strong sense of self confidence in you as you begin this new stage in your life. I hope won’t be too tired when I pick you up after your first day of school, because I’m going to be so excited to hear all about it.

Love,

Mommy

Ashton turns 2

Our baby is 2 today! Ashton is such a fun and mellow little boy. Very little bothers him and he's an observer by nature. He's a boy of few words, just like his brother was at this age. He loves to play just like his brother and by his side. He idolizes Aiden for sure. It's amazing how young that starts among siblings. Ashton loves Reagle and always has time to stop what he's doing to give him a big squeeze around the neck. He likes to make new friends and is just starting to play with kids by interacting with them, rather than side by side.

He's much less emotional at this age than Aiden was. He doesn't cry when he's tired or hungry, he just gets quiet or says "eat." It's fairly easy to figure out what he wants and needs from us. His favorite shows are Caillou and Curious George and he loves to listen to Kids Music in the car. We're so anxious to see what the 2's bring. So far, so good!

Aiden turns 5

Today is not only Aiden's 5 year birthday but it's the 5 year anniversary of the day I became a mom. The day our lives changed with the snap of a finger (or 1 last push!). Life got better, more challenging, more rewarding and in an instant Ron and I discovered our true purpose in life. Our first son, Aiden, is such a blessing and he's given us so much. He's taught me the true meaning of love, patience, the ability to think in an instant (he's very inquisitive) and so much more!

Aiden is funny and smart. He loves to learn new things and has a natural interest in anything science-related. Animals, planets, nature, the ocean, etc. He enjoys learning the map of the US and learning about different countries on his globe.

After we had Aiden we learned that his name means “fire,” which fits him perfectly. Aiden is short tempered and easy to frustrate. He knows what he wants and he wants it now! He’s a perfectionist and expects a lot from himself. He’s good eater and craves sushi. He’s tall and lean just like his daddy. He loves sleep and always falls asleep quickly when it’s time for bed.

Aiden enjoys playing soccer and riding his bike. He wasn’t too crazy about his bike but over the last several months he is becoming more interested in it. He like karate too. He loves reptiles and amphibians. He has toy snakes that he sleeps with and he’s given each one a name. His favorite TV show is Dinosaur Train.

Aiden is a fantastic big brother! He’s very affectionate with Ashton and is always aware of his whereabouts. He enjoys making Ashton smile and laugh and kisses his boo-boos. He boasts with pride when he teaches Ashton something new. He looks after Ashton and wants Ashton to have the same things he does. When Aiden got a trophy for soccer he wanted Ashton to get one too and he cried when we explained that Ashton will get one when he is big enough to play soccer.

He’s well mannered, loves God and the USA, is affectionate, thoughtful and enjoys cuddle time with mommy. His favorite thing to wear is his PJs and he calls them his “comfy cozies.” He has a kind and giving heart and he’s sensitive and caring. He always notices homeless people when we pass them on the street and says a prayer when we see a car accident.

As he grows and turns into his own person it’s fun to see little personality traits that he’s picked up from Ron and I and those that are all his own.

I really enjoyed 4 years old. This was the year that he really absorbed our family values and beliefs and acted on them. Makes mama proud! We will be having a joint birthday party for the boys on June 12^th. I’ll post pictures soon!

Ashton playing garbage

Brown Bear

Aiden & Ashton

The OCD in me

Organizing makes me so happy! We had our handyman build these shelves for us in our garage this weekend. Now I'm asking myself, "Why the heck didn't we do this 2 1/2 years ago when we moved in??" While cleaning things out I found 2 big tubs of maternity clothes. Ron's response was "Well, let's put them to good use!" He seems to have forgotten that this baby factory is C.L.O.S.E.D.! So, if you need any maternity clothes, I've got quite a selection for you!

Baby Gets a New Pair of Shoes!

Ashton is almost off and running so it was time to get him his first real pair of shoes (at my favorite kid's shoe store - the Stride Rite outlet). To most, this seems like an ordinary picture in front of a shoe store, but to me, it's a memory. Ron took the same picture of me when we got Aiden his first pair of shoes. We are now entering what I consider to be the most physical stage of parenthood, which is when the child is 18-36 months old. It's pretty much constant running, chasing, falling down (kissing lots of boo boos) and physical exhaustion (me not him!). Until he's 3, I know I'll feel like I'm in a sprint which is actually a pretty accurate of this stage.