Friday, May 29, 2009

Happy Belated Five Months Aiden!

Wow, our little baby boy celebrated his five month birthday on May 19, 2009!  Here's a slideshow of his fifth month of life:

It's been another fabulous month of watching Aiden grow and develop!  We started out this month with a visit from Grandpa Ruff, Aunt Jen, Uncle Paul, and Clem.  We enjoyed a great weekend outside where Aiden took his first trip to the beach-even stepping his little toes into the Long Island Sound.  We hope to instill the same love for the ocean that his mama has.  This month, we also had a Ruff sibling get-together.  We enjoyed a rare visit from Uncle Andy who flew from California for the occasion!  All three of the Ruff sisters' babies were born in the past six months (Aiden, Jackson, and Clem) and got together for their first cousin playdate-it was a CRAZY time.  
This month, Aiden started the steps toward eating real food.  He eats like a champion and enjoys food just as much as his mama and daddy do!  This month, he started eating rice cereal, oatmeal, bananas, pears, carrots, and peas.  He also loves to sit in his high chair and watch his mommy work in the kitchen:)  Some say that once a baby starts eating solids, then they will start sleeping better at night...hmmm, that's not the case with our little one!  This month, Mommy and Daddy were worn out from many sleepless nights from our little boy waking up.  Towards the end of the month, Aiden started to wake up less often either searching for his pacifier or for a 3 am snack!  He STILL loves being swaddled with one arm out, but has started to sleep on his side.  

Aiden continues to LOVE playing.  He loves to play in his exersaucer and can finally reach the ground so we don't have to put blankets under him anymore!  When you put him on the playmat, he loves to roll over and rotate around to different toys on the floor.  No more lying on his back!  He likes to bat toys off of his Bumbo, just to watch Mommy pick them up and place them in front of him, where once again he knocks them down again.  What a way to give Mommy her exercise!  Aiden continues to enjoy looking at his books and sometimes chewing on them as well-YUM.  Thank you to Uncle Andy for the monkey lovie and special Sophie teether that allows little Aiden to chew on giraffe ears all day long.  Aiden also loves to roll his piano keys on his mini rainforest piano as he can now sit up for longer periods of time.  He continues to love the outdoors, especially long walks with Mama, and somtimes with Cobi and Sheffield too!

Aiden is becoming more vocal with little squeals that sound like parrot calls!  And even cuter are his BIG giggling sessions...especially those that happen when Daddy arrives home from work!  It's so fun watching Aiden grow everyday and we are so excited to see what another month will bring!!






Tuesday, May 26, 2009

What A Fun Weekend!

We braved the holiday traffic on Friday to head down to Pennsylvania to my sister's house!  It was a long drive, especially with little Aiden who decided to stay awake almost the whole time.  Trying to entertain a 6 month old for 6 hours in the car is a lot of work...I think I am going to have to start bargaining with Chris to have a turn at the wheel!  But it was worth the long haul because we not only got to spend time with Jill, Tom, and Jackson, but my mom flew up from NC as well.  We had a GREAT time with everyone and can't wait to hopefully see them all again soon.  

Grammy loved to play with Aiden

Grammy had her hands full with her two little grandboys!
The boys had some time to play!
And the sisters did too-and we were SO much better at the beanbag game!
All ready to eat with everyone...if only Aiden could have those steak sandwiches and cake!
Yeah for family!

Friday, May 22, 2009

What a Fun Week!

We have really enjoyed some nice weather this week!!  I LOVE sunshine and outdoors...and hope to instill the love of the outdoors in our son:)  We have been keeping busy with brunch with Uncle Andy, a trip to the park with our fabulous neighbors, playing in our new pool, going on walks, a visit to the library, a short trip to see Clem one more time and say good-bye to Uncle Andy, and much more.  Here are some shots from the week:
All smiles in his Mr. Mischief outfit:)
Playing with Daddy!
Learning to sit on my own!!
A Proud Hawkeye fan!
First time in the swing:)
All tuckered out after the park
Playing in the new pool
Look, I am almost swimming!
This is fun!
All tired out after playtime in the pool!

Monday, May 18, 2009

The three cousins meet...

We had a fabulous, but CRAZY, weekend with three new babies around!  We finally had the chance to get all of my siblings and new babies around.  Andy flew in on Thursday from San Francisco and the others arrived on Friday.  We spent the weekend with some yummy food, listening to baby cries, and enjoying one another's company.  

Below are some pictures from our weekend:
Aiden and Clem playing together!
Uncle Andy and Aiden:)
Aunt Jill has her hands full with little baby Jackson and squirmy Aiden!
Aiden watching Uncle Andy at the breakfast table
My new nephew, Jackson, who just turned a month old!
Clemmie is now 2 months old:)  It's so cool to see how much she has changed in just a few weeks!  If only I could have got a picture of her little smile...
Aiden LOVES to play!
The three cousins-Aiden, Jackson, and Clem.  Can you believe they are so close in age but yet so different?
Another cutie picture:)  Not too long after this picture, Aiden tried to chew and play with little Jackson...too cute!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Just some cute pictures...

Here are some pictures from a fun week around the house:
 
Let me play too, Daddy!
I can roll over any time, any place!
Hello:)
I love looking at all of my books!
Getting ready for our nightly walk with Cobi and Sheffield!
Don't tell Mom and Dad, but my favorite place to sleep is still the swing.  
I love kisses from Daddy!
I love getting wet!!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!


Sometimes, it's so strange to think of myself as a mom...but it's true!  So yesterday, we celebrated my first Mother's Day!  It was filled with:
1.  fabulous homemade food cooked by Chris-ham and cheese omelets, steak sandwiches, and even a chocolate cake!
2.  a trip to Wal-Mart to pick out some plants for our back porch
3.  and a very exhausted baby that chose not to nap ALL day long!  By 9:30 pm, all three of us were in bed!!!

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Some family pictures...

I am finally posting some pictures from our weekend with Jen, Paul, Clem, and Grandpa Ruff! 

Aiden and Clem
Daddy and Aiden
First trip to the beach:)
All tuckered out after the beach!
Sand!!!
CHOMP!
Enjoying the nice weather:)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The baby that never stops moving...

So we have one VERY energetic baby on our hands...he doesn't stop moving!!  Since I have known Chris, I have always run him ragged with my active lifestyle.  For me, I like to make the most out of my weekends by doing things-going places, exercising, seeing people, etc.  Rarely, you will find me parked in front of the television for a long period of time or just laying around.  Well, I have finally met my match in our son, Aiden.  Chris says it is payback for all of the years that I have run him around like crazy.  Aiden never stops moving-his arms are thrashing and his legs continually kick!  And now we have the king of rolling-he never stops rolling over now that he has mastered this milestone.  So our days are full of entertaining our little boy and fighting him to take short-lived naps!  
So by the time we roll into bed, Chris and I are exhausted!  A couple weeks ago, we could enjoy six or seven hours before Aiden woke up for his nighttime feeding.  But, we have hit a SLEEP REGRESSION and it is wearing his mama out!!!  Seriously, as soon as I fall into a deep slumber about 11:00...I am woken up by the sounds of Aiden's loud cries.  So I trudge off to his room and stick the pacifier in hoping that it will keep him asleep for a couple more hours.  Nope, not so much!  After a few more times of doing this, I feed him and put him back down just hoping that he won't wake up again until morning.  About three or four in the morning, we go through the same process all over again!  Finally, he gets back to sleep only to be waking up with lots of smiles and cooing for the day around 6 or 7 right as his daddy heads to work:)  And the day begins all over again with an active, but exhausted mama taking care of her one spirited, energetic Aiden!
As I am typing this, Aiden is falling asleep in the swing so I better go get in the shower QUICK!
Rico Suave Aiden:)
Aiden loves the doggies-BIG smiles for Cobi and Sheffield!
Wow, Aiden LOVES to roll over:)
Starting to figure out the exersaucer!
So cute!
Cuddly Aiden after bathtime!
Starting to fight the swaddle-must be some Cubs strength he has!

Hi Mama!