All Smiles

Aiden has been so much fun lately with his personality showing through. He has been smiling up a storm, with a few giggles here and there. Developmentally he should be doing things a two month old would do, even though he is 4 months. So far he is ahead of what a 2 month old baby should be doing, but not quite where a 4 month old should be, except on a few things where he's really advanced! He has great head control, even when you pull him from lying down to standing. He LOVES to stand up in our laps when we hold him and sometimes doesn't require much support at all. He prefers a sitting position now instead of lying on his back or side, although he can't sit unassisted yet. He has started using his hands a lot and has been getting his hands in his mouth when he needs something to suck on! This past week he has really started grabbing for things that he wants, but his hand control isn't quite at the grabbing stage. Most of the time he punches things he wants and opens and closes his hands as if trying to grab the object--so cute! He has continued to roll over during tummy time, so I guess the first time on his due date wasn't a fluke!

He definitely knows that Andy and I are his parents, as he gets huge smiles when he sees either of us or hears our voices. We have been waiting for this milestone since the day he was born. I remember how hard it was for both of us to feel like parents when he was in the hospital and not in our care, especially Andy having to go back and forth to work each week. Even when we brought Aiden home it was hard for Andy to feel 'needed', for lack of a better word, since I am the one who feeds him and spends all day with him. But now, seeing the look on his face when he knows we are near, he melts our hearts. We know that he loves us and he knows that we absolutely adore him with everything we have. The look on his face says it all.

Last week a cousin of mine sent us a card that brought me to tears. I just want to share the message because I thought it was perfect:

'Someday, he'll be a big-time movie star or a fifth-grade English teacher.
Someday he'll marry, have a few kids. Maybe he won't.
Someday, he'll change the world as we know it.
Or maybe he'll travel, send postcards from China, phone you from Paris.
Someday, he's going to be a big, strong man able to carry you in his arms.

One day, he'll have his own hopes and dreams, not knowing that once upon a quiet time, you closed your eyes and made a wish to one day have him in your life.'

Maybe it's my hormones getting the best of me, but I thought it was so cute--thank you, Nancy!

Here is a link to our June album. We have been adding pictures throughout the month, so look towards the end of the album for the newer pictures. Check out what a happy baby we have been blessed with!

June 2009