Pic Overload!

 Merry (late) Christmas All!!!

Our Christmas card picture.

I know I am late with this Christmas post, but it was a busy weekend and then I got sick early this week.  :(

We are enjoying the last few days before med school takes Aric away from us again [UGH!], so this is going to be an (almost) wordless post.

Here are some of my favorite pics from Christmas! : D

Aidan and Dad after Christmas Mass.

Mama and Aidan. :)

Looking sharp... :)

Opening one of his MANY gifts!

Santa was good to Aidan! We def couldn't fit all of his gifts in one pic!!

Finally... all Christmased out! : p

I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Double Digits!

Aidan is now 10 months (as of yesterday)! Wow, time has flown by!! He gets cuter, he is learning more and more, and he is so much fun everyday! :)

So handsome! :) 

Stats

Weight (guesstimate): 21 lbs. 4 oz.

Height: Not sure, but at his 9 month check-up he was 29 in.

Food: Nursing about 3-4 times a day, but still not as interested in it as he used to be (during the day). 2 solid meals a day, but not eating as much of that either. :( I think he's teething which is making him less interested in eating.

Sleep: about 10-12 hours with 1 or 2 wakings. He is doing so much better than he was 2 weeks ago **knock on wood**. He regressed back to newborn sleeping... I was so tired!

Milestones: Not much has changed since his 9 month update, BUT he has learned to clap!!! It is the cutest thing ever! He does it all the time now!


A couple of in-action clapping pics... 

Side-note about teething... I hate how much of  a guessing game it is! I have been thinking and saying he is teething since he was about 5 months old and he only has 2 teeth! Hmm... something doesn't add up. He has so many teething symptoms lately and still no new teeth. Come on teeth, hurry it up! : p

Mommy Monday

Nursing Strike = Blog Hiatus

Please forgive me for neglecting my blog this past week. With Aric finishing up finals, a visit from Grammy and Papa [Aric's parents], and last, but definitely not least, Aidan's recent nursing strike I have been just a tad bit busy. Whew... I'm tired just from thinking about it all again!

First off, Aric is d.o.n.e. for the semester!!! That means we get him all.day.everyday for 2 whole weeks. It is going to be ahhhmazing. : D I am definitely a happy wifey!

Aidan [and Mama] are so happy that Dad is done for 2 WHOLE weeks! Wahoo!!

Aric's parents made a surprise trip down here bearing suitcases full of presents from Santa for all three of us. It's been great to have some family here somewhat close to Christmas since it will be our first one away from everyone. We all were quite spoiled by Santa this year... and that's just from one side of the family.

Look at all that 'loot' behind us! Thanks Grammy, Papa, and Grandpa Guerrero!!

Finally, Aidan's nursing strike. Yeah, not fun! I was blind-sided by it. One day he was nursing like he always has and the next he was fussing and pushing me away when he should have been eating away. By the third day, I was sure he was weaning. : ( I know 10 months is a great run for nursing, but I really had my sights set on 1 year and was not prepared for our nursing relationship to end. After talking to the pediatrician and consulting the all-knowing interwebz, I was slightly relieved to hear that it was more than likely a nursing strike and not weaning. 

Since Aidan refused to nurse during the day [he nursed like a champ during his normal night feeding], I had to return to the the dreaded pump. Ugh! I was pretty sure that I was not going to pump everyday for the next 2 months so I started to prepare myself for Aidan to wean. Fast forward to today, Aidan sort of 'snapped out of it' and started nursing regularly again [thank, thank, thank you]. He isn't completely back to his normal nursing sessions, but we are making progress. I will not push him to continue if he decides he is done with nursing, but as long as he seems to want to I will keep at it. Praying for 2 more months of interest so we can go straight to whole milk. Wish us luck!

Truer words were never said... and look at his face, "Who me? I would NEVER keep Mom up at night!" : p

If you read this, you must have stuck with me through the hiatus. Thank you for forgiving my absence! <3

'Tis the Season...

... for gift-giving! I changed the lyrics a bit.

I currently have an obsession with Babycenter.com. It is a place where I can go to waste time get advice and camaraderie from other mamas with children the same age as Aidan. It was mostly for fun and entertainment... until a few days ago. I am part of a close knit group of awesome women on there and we have developed great friendships.

We recently decided to do a Secret Santa for the moms and babies of the group. I was so excited as I usually am for Secret Santa gift exchanges! This one; however, turned out to be extra special.

The Mama and Baby Girl I 'played' Secret Santa for are two great people. I won't go into much detail because their story is not mine to tell, but they have had their share of struggles. I really wanted to do well with their gifts! Mama requested any red clothing item for her Girl... easy, right? Wrong. Non-Christmas red baby clothing is hard to find. I looked and looked and found some plain shirts and onesies that were red, but they just weren't good enough. I wanted to find the perfect red something.

Store after store... I saw nothing that caught my eye. Then finally... I found it! I don't know why, but it just seemed like 'her.' It was a super cute red, corduroy dress with a Scottish dog on it. I am SO not good at explaining things, so just trust me that it was oh.so.cute! I excitedly bought it, shipped it, and anticipated the response!

I was not prepared for the response. The beginning of the post started with the sentence, "Ashley!! I love you!" {I'm elated} She explained that her late Aunt that was very dear to her gave her a skirt with a similar Scottish dog on it when she was little and she wore it all.the.time. She was so touched!

My stress over shipping it a day late was quickly washed away when she let me know that they received the gift on her late Aunt's birthday! WOAH! Goosebumps rushed over my body... Coincidence or Fate? Who knows, but I believe that all of this is why I got the feeling that the dress was so perfect for her Girl when I found it.

As I tearfully read her grateful response, I was overcome with one of the best natural 'highs' I have ever had! The kind of high you can only get from doing a good deed even if it was by complete accident.

I am sooo very happy I sent such a perfect and special gift to such a special girl. It's so true when they say that it's better to give than to receive!

The totally AWESOME t-shirt Dr. Aidan received from our Secret Santa! Love it , A! Thank you! :)

I hope this post does not come off boastful. It was not written or posted in that spirit at all. The extra specialness of my gift was an accident and I know that, but I thought it was great story to tell and thought it might spread some Holiday cheer! Happy Holidays All! : D

Mommy Monday

The 'Little' Man is 9 months old!

I'm a little late with his 9 month update so I had to rain check (sort of) Mommy Monday to post this. I say 'sort of' because I wouldn't be a Mommy without this guy around!

He's growing like crazy! So bittersweet.

~STATS~

Weight: 20 lbs. 15 oz. (52%ile)

Height: 29 in. (70%ile) <---- I am pretty proud of this one considering his Mama's lack of height; he's definitely getting that from his Dad.

Food: Still nursing 4-5 times a day (hoping to make it a year), 2 solids meals (breakfast and dinner), and sometimes a snack around lunchtime.

Sleep: 7ish-6:30ish with a night feeding around 4ish. The last couple of weeks he was waking up every 3-4 hours... I am still recovering from that.

Milestones: Not as many as last month, but still a couple of biggies...

Cruising... he will pull up on anything and use it to walk around.

The couch and coffee table are his favorite cruising 'devices.' : p

Climbing... he has discovered the stairs. We will be getting a gate pronto!

He's practicing for the climbing he'll be doing in the Rocky Mountains. :)

Funny story about his discovery of the stairs... He normally wouldn't climb them without Aric or I behind him. Well, on Saturday I ran into the kitchen real quick to make a sandwich. I didn't hear him making noise at all... never a good sign, right?! I went into to living room and Aidan was no.where to be found. All of a sudden I hear a little squeak coming from the stairs. Yup, Aidan was halfway up the stairs. I had a minor heart attack. I promptly told Aric that we NEED to get a gate ASAP!

Holiday Hangover

Not the had-way-too-many-drinks-last-night kind of hangover, but the I-got-a-taste-of-what normal-couples-have kind of hangover. Ok, I'll stop with the hyphens. 

All you other med school students' wives know that we don't get to enjoy our husbands nearly as much as most wives do. If they are not in class, sleeping, showering, or eating they are studying. Heck, sometimes they study while they eat or shower (yes, Aric taped a few study pages up in the shower) and I'm sure they would study in their sleep if they could. 

Aric took most of last week off and it was just heavenly! I L.O.V.E.D it and I know Aidan really enjoyed it as well. It was so awesome to do family stuff together and it is so helpful to have him available to help with Aidan.

BUT now... I was spoiled and I miss it! It was such a tease. What I wouldn't give (sometimes) for Aric to have a normal 9-5 job. A job that when he came home from work he was d.o.n.e for the day and the weekends were really weekends! 

I have been feeling pretty down the last few days and I know it's because I went from having my husband with me non-stop 24/7 to seeing him very early in the morning before he leaves and at dinner really quick before he locks himself in his dungeon study. It's rough. 

I know someday these 'hangovers' will all be a distant memory and very much worth it, but right now I miss my hubby!

Thank God for my fellow wives out here! I would go crazy without them. It's so comforting to have people to talk to that totally get what you are going through because they are going through the exact.same.thing! [Thanks Marissa for the 'you are not alone' convo!]

One of our few family pics from our Orlando trip. Apparently, Aidan didn't think the camera was very interesting to look at. : p

My 'Sanity Keepers' aka the other med school wives at the baby shower they had for me! <3 them!! :)

16 days until Aric's semester ends!!! Not that I'm counting or anything...

Mommy Monday

Who knew our child was laid back and can go with the flow?! Yes, Aidan. The same baby that I described in my very first post as a lover of predictability. He has never been easy going and definitely preferred to stick to his daily routine... until now.

There are so many things he did, or didn't do, this weekend that pleasantly surprised me so I won't list all of them, but will share the biggies with ya. :)

~Pleasant Surprise One~

On Thanksgiving, he was an angel. We had some friends over for dinner and two of the guests are a couple that have a daughter. Although Aidan has spent plenty of time around her, he was less than fond of her. Anytime they were around each other, Aidan would cry and cry. No idea why, but it was definitely stressful and sad for me. This time Aidan was fine and even seemed to enjoy her company. I was ecstatic, to say the least! Also, he was fine with all of the 'strangers'. He let anyone hold him or get close to him and was totally friendly with all of our guests. I was so proud of him! 

Before you start thinking that I am 'That Mom' who thinks their child is perfect, I will confess that Aidan had a terrible morning on Thursday. He cried worse than ever before and fought his morning nap for over an hour. But this post is all about the positive so were gonna overlook that part. : p

~Pleasant Surprise Two~

We took a mini-vaca to Orlando Friday through Sunday and as excited as I was for the trip, I was also pretty anxious about how Aidan would fare with being out of his element. Well, all that anxiousness was unnecessary because Aidan was a superstar! He napped in the stroller while we shopped at Downtown Disney; he napped in church with a loud, boisterous, and echoing choir singing off and on throughout mass; AND he was fine with only getting a couple of cat naps each day. He didn't freak out about sleeping in an unfamiliar hotel room. I was in awe of him every second of every day this past weekend... I was so happy, but also feeling a little guilty about how much I underestimated him. Have I mentioned that I need to work on being more optimistic?!

Now, I know for some of you these are all things that your children do everyday and have done for weeks, months, or years, but Aidan hasn't and I never thought he would. It gave me confidence that maybe I have done a thing or two correctly in my career as his Mama and that I haven't completely screwed him up. I have new hope that he did get some of his dad's go-with-the-flow attitude which would be a true Godsend!

 To all the other mama's with less than easy going children that are worried about venturing out of the comfort zone, just try it.... you might just be pleasantly surprised when you discover that your child is more laid back than you think. Good Luck! 

Every post needs at least one pic, right?! Here's a couple from our Orlando trip...

He may be laid back now, but he's still our Tigger... bouncing all over the place and can't sit still for long!

We HAD to document his stroller nap!

Mommy Monday

I have a fever... 

Belly Fever that is! A slight variation of Baby Fever, this Belly Fever I have is making me want to be pregnant again. Someday, when I have recovered from the sleep deprivation I have endured since having Aidan I am certain I will have Baby Fever, but for now it's just Belly Fever. 

Because this fever could be highly contagious, I'll list my symptoms so you all know what to look out for:

• I am very interested in all things pregnancy. My love of A Baby Story has been reignited and I watch it anytime it's on tv, even if I have already seen the episode. I love talking to my pregnant friends and family members about their pregnancies and always want to hear every.little.detail. I stalk follow any and every pregnant ladys' blog I can find and check them daily for updates. 
• Pregnant women are all around me lately. Everywhere I go, I see pregnant women. This might just be a coincidence; however, since I love to people watch I think I still would have noticed them before I came down with The Fever. Is this a sign?! 
• I SO miss rubbing my pregnant belly. My (no longer) pregnant friend (Congrats Katie!) was recently at my house hanging out and she kept rubbing her cute, little belly. While mine was not little, it reminded me of how much I loved rubbing my cute, big belly! 
• I have been taking trips down memory lane more and more often, by looking at my maternity pics. Every time I look at them, I think... "Hmm, I wasn't as big as a house I thought. Maybe, just maybe, I was even a cute, pregnant lady." <---- Something I definitely did not think once I hit the third trimester. I was so, so happy to get my waistline back after Aidan, but now, I think I'd be ok with having a half-moon shaped belly.
• Finally, the most important symptom... I REALLY miss feeling the baby's little love taps. :) I miss the first oh.so.subtle flutters. I miss the hard, startling jabs that almost knock the wind out of you. I miss the slow, rolling waves of movement that come towards the end when there's just barely enough room for those limbs to move. I miss this awe-inspiring part the most! I could watch my belly move for h-o-u-r-s and h-o-u-r-s when I was pregnant.

Jan. 2009 (a little over 8 months along)

If you have at least one of these symptoms, seek out a pregnant lady to befriend so that you can live vicariously through her immediately! BUT... If you're ok with developing Baby Fever, then let the Belly Fever symptoms progress on their own. ; p

Here's a couple more belly shots of Taquito and I just for good measure. Taquito was Aidan's name in utero because we did not know his gender beforehand (by choice). :0

Dec. 2009 (about 7 months along)

Feb. 2009 (about a week before I had Aidan)

This post is to Mommy Monday like a tangent line is to a circle... not exactly on the same track, but comes from the same idea. Oh yeah, you better believe that I got an 'A' in Trigonometry. : D

I really wish...

... the auto-tune craze would stop! What is so appealing about making your voice sound like a robot? Even if it is a robot that can sort of sing well.

Ok, I get why the 'singers' that can't actually sing are doing it. Ke$ha, I was looking at you as I typed that. But I can't understand why real singers are doing it. For example, Usher uses it in DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again.  Why Usher? We liked YOUR voice! Well, I did.

Maybe I'm jealous because I, as I have recently been told in so many words, couldn't be made into a good singer ever... auto-tuned or not. Hehe. : p Hmm, nah I don't think that's it. I just miss good 'ol, non-altered, human voices! 

Ok, rant over. I feel better now, thanks so much for letting me get that out.  Here's a funny video for all my fellow non-fans of Ke$ha:

Why is she famous?!
You might have to click in the viewing box and then click the play icon for the video to play. Ahh, my less than computer savvyness is showing... 

Please excuse the randomness of this post... :)

Mommy Monday

Happy Monday All! Today, I am starting a new weekly-featured post about my random thoughts on motherhood. Lately, I have had writer's block which has made my blog posts few and far between. I am hoping that this weekly post will keep my posting on track. Because motherhood is a 24/7 job, I'm pretty sure I'll have tons of ideas for once a week postings. Hope you all enjoy it!

Since this is the first Mommy Monday post, I figured I would start with the 5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Motherhood:

{UNO}

Have an open mind. This was huge for me! I was way too concerned about all the preconceived notions I had about what kind of mom I should or wanted to be. I was so stressed about trying to keep Aidan from using a pacifier that I got super anxious anytime he wanted to suck on something. Because I was so worried that Aidan would become dependent on being held all the time, I missed out on so much cuddling time with my newborn son. I think this is part of why he is not cuddly at all nowadays. 

{DOS}

Get educated before baby. I was an expert at all things pregnancy and labor by the time Aidan made his debut, but hadn't done much research about some of the big parenting decisions I would be making. The most important one for me was breast feeding. I knew that I wanted to at least try to nurse Aidan and that's about as far as my knowledge of breast feeding went. Ok, I knew a little bit more than that, but I definitely didn't know how hard breast feeding can be. Even though it's natural, it doesn't always come natural to everyone. Aidan and I really had to work at getting a correct latch in the beginning and then my way-too-fast-flow and his lack of the yellow-seedy looking BMs really put a wrench  in our early nursing relationship. After hours of reading and countless tears, we got the latch down and I learned that our problems had names (overactive letdown and foremilk-hindmilk imbalance) and were pretty common. PHEW!

{TRES}

When it all comes down to it, you're the parent. This is sort of an extension of numero dos. Once I did start getting educated about all things parenting, I realized that ev.ery.one is an expert on how you should raise your child. While it is good to get a motherload (pun intended) of info on any subject, in the end you should go with what best fits your parenting personality and your baby's needs. Period.

{CUATRO}

You are not alone. Now at 9 months postpartum, I am finally realizing that I wasn't alone in pretty much every single feeling and experience I had as a new mom. I REALLY wish I would have known this during those first few weeks of Aidan's life. The majority of moms have the Baby Blues, doubt their decisions, and feel like they are drowning in all the new responsibilities that come with being a rookie in the mom game. I could go on and on on this subject, but I'll save you all the boredom and rambling that would ensue. I just hope every new mom has another mom that they can reach out to because it will definitely be comforting to hear that you are not alone when you are covered in spit-up, haven't showered in a couple of days, and crying for no reason what.so.ever for the umpteenth time.

{CINCO}

Savor every moment. I missed out on so many good moments because I was so worried that I wasn't doing this or that right. New Moms: If you baby is fed, rested, and happy you are doing everything just right! It doesn't matter if there's breast milk or formula in that belly. It doesn't matter if they are sleeping in a crib or next to you in bed. All that really matter is that they are getting loads and loads your TLC. :)

A picture of 2 month old Aidan... just because. I mean, everyone wants to see pictures of babies, right? : p

Disclaimer: I am SO not an expert on motherhood. These are just the things that would have made the first few months of MY motherhood journey go more smoothly. I would love it if fellow moms added more to the list...

You Still There?

Did you think I deserted my four friends that read this blog? : p Don't worry, I didn't. It's just been a busy week.

Grammy (Aric's mom) visited us from CO most of last week. It was a fun and busy visit. She had not seen Aidan since July, so they had a lot of catching up to do. We went on a few outings, some lunches, and she definitely showered Aidan (and his parents) with lots of gifts, food, and love! Thank you for everything, Grammy!

Unfortunately, last Wednesday evening Aidan got sick. : ( At first it was just a fever and nothing else... not even a little fussiness. On Thursday, Aidan felt way too warm for mom's comfort. Sure enough, when we took his temp it was 104.2! Whoa! I promptly called his doctor for an appointment.

The wait seemed like it was for.ev.er long at the doc's office, but once Aidan was finally examined nothing turned up. Doctor's orders were to keep an eye on him and call if the temp went above 107 or he looked/acted more sick. My poor little guy was pretty tired and just feeling crummy so we just napped and cuddled on and off for the next couple of days. Aidan NEVER likes to cuddle, so this was one of the few positive side effects of him being under the weather... I was eating it up!

Finally, on Sunday morning he woke up with no fever. I thought it was a little strange that he had a high fever, with no other symptoms, that came and went so suddenly, but I didn't worry too much because the doctor wasn't concerned. Well... fast forward to Sunday afternoon... Aidan broke out in a rash. That's when I knew what it was. Roseola! How did I know? I have a degree in Google Search, duh! The doctor thought that it might be Roseola and I had heard about it from a friend on Babycenter.com (aka Facebook for Mom's that Love Drama and Occasional Advice).

What is Roseola? It's a strain of herpes. Eww, I know. Apparently, it is pretty common and children usually get it sometime between 3 months and 4 years. Luckily, once they get it they have a lifelong immunity to it. Since I am not a doctor and Aric is only a student doctor, if you want more info on Roseola click here.

Aidan handled the fever very well for how high it got. However, after the fever broke, he got extra fussy (and still kind of is). I can't wait for him to be completely back to his old, smiling self! I was also pleasantly surprised by how well I handled it all. I was fairly certain that if his temperature was ever anywhere above 102 I would have been dialing 911 while speeding driving to nearest ER! Over dramatic and anxious, much? Luckily, I remained calm and collected the whole time which I really think helped Aidan stay calm and relaxed. I guess Aidan is not the only one growing up. I am growing into a more confident and much less anxious mama than I was 8 months ago. I can only hope and pray for this trend to continue.

Sorry for rambling. This felt more like a diary entry than a blog post for me. I hope I didn't put everyone to sleep. If you read this whole thing, bless and thank you! :)

Our Little Frog Prince



HAPPY late Halloween!!!



Plastic Pumpkins.. yum! ; p

It has been a little hectic since Halloween so I am just getting around to posting this... my apologies. As you can see, Aidan was a little frog for his first Halloween! He was just too cute in this (borrowed with much thanks to Story) costume! We did not officially go trick-or-treating because he is too little for candy, but we did celebrate.



Too cute and a little funny as well!



On Friday night, Aidan and I joined our friends for a trunk-or-treat at their church. This was a cool idea and all the trunks and costumes were quite festive. It was a little too late in the evening for Aidan though, so he didn't like as much as his mom.



What are you making me wear now, Mom?!



On Sunday, we visited a few friends that lived close by to 'trick-or-treat' and show off Aidan's costume. He didn't enjoy it very much at first, but by the second house he was having lots of fun. I think he enjoyed being in the limelight a bit.

All in all, it was a pretty mellow Halloween, but we did get a little bit of candy and some super delish spice cupcakes (thanks, Rach). Also, a magical thing did happen at  the end of the night... When I kissed that little frog goodnight, he turned into a little prince! : D

Little Prince :)

NOTE: I made a rookie mom mistake forgot to check the battery on my camera so all these pictures are from my iPhone... good thing the quality is still pretty good.

I'll Never Let Go...

   What's the first thing that comes to mind when you read the title of this post?

If you said Titanic, you read my mind. If not, try again next time. ; p I am watching this on TV as we speak... er, type. I am having so many flashbacks from 7th grade. <--- I'm showing my age with that sentence. Hehe. Any who, I saw this movie three times in the theater; I was certain that Leo was the just the oh-so-cutest guy on the planet; and 'My Heart Will Go On' was on repeat in my Discman.

Wow, how the times and I have changed. What do I think about Titanic now? The movie is still pretty good and Kate Winslet and her wardrobe are gorgeous; this is something I my hormones failed to notice back in the day. Leo; however, is just so-so now. As I watch, I keep giggling about how much my childhood reaction and my adult reaction to this movie differ. I almost feel like I am watching a totally different movie.

That being said, I still recognize my adult self in my tween self memories. I still have certain things (usually food these days) that I will obsess over for awhile and then be done with. I still have that celebrity that I think is to.die.for (right now, Ryan Reynolds). And I still have that song that is set to perma-repeat on my iPod until Aric goes insane from hearing it too much. It's nice to know that I can change so much, but still stay the same simultaneously. Even though I could do without some of my weird quirks sometimes, they make me who I am and I wouldn't change that at all!

So, what's your "I've changed, yet I'm still the same" moment?

Fall, I Miss You So!

Where is Fall in FL? Whenever I am out and about these days and see Halloween candy and Fall-themed wreaths hanging on doors in the neighborhood, I am reminded that Fall is the current season. Florida's Fall is so foreign to me; in CO, Fall oozes from every square foot of the landscape. I'm sure to all the Floridians reading this, my description of fall is foreign to you. The yellow, orange, and brown leaves all over the landscape partnered with the crisp, cool air that hits you as soon as you walk outside make it seem like it was never Summer in the Rocky Mountain Region. So many times this change seems to occur overnight! There are so many things I miss about Fall in CO; however, in my efforts to be more optimistic, I am noticing that there are a few perks to Fall in Florida. To counteract my longings to be surrounded by the sights and smells of true what I consider Fall weather, I compiled a list of the pros and cons to Florida's Fall...

{{PROS}}

• Flip-flops are A-OK still! I love flip-flops and own way too many pairs of them, according to Aric. They are just so easy to slip on and off and quite comfortable; so the ability to wear them longer because of the warmer weather is a definite plus for Fall down here.
• More pool time! I love swimming and laying out at the pool so being able to do these things long after Labor Day has passed is pretty awesome. Also, Aidan loves the water so I think he would give this a big thumbs-up as well.
• No extra luggage! And by 'luggage', I mean heavy coats, scarves, and gloves. It's so nice to not have to lug around a coat while you are at the grocery store or mall because you can't wear it indoors without roasting, but you need it for the trip to and from the car. In addition, Aidan has been able to wear the many of the same clothes he wore this summer which has been very economical for us.
• NO SNOW OR FROST!! This is the biggie! I love that I don't have to freeze my bum off while out and about. I love that I don't have to stress about driving conditions when I have somewhere I need to go. I absolutely and positively L.O.V.E that there is no frost here. There is nothing worse than when you already running late and you walk out to your car and see frost on the windows.. ugh! As a result, you spend an extra ten minutes, in the freezing cold no less, scraping frost off of your windows. Yeah, not gonna miss that this Fall/Winter in CO!

{{CONS}}

• Fall fashions! As previously mentioned, I don't mind skipping coat, scarf, and glove season, but I do miss cozy and cute sweaters and awesome faux leather and suede boots. I have so many sweaters that I am just itching to wear. I have a pair of fun fringe boots that are collecting dust in my closet back home in CO. You better believe that I will be sporting a sweater on the day when the forecast calls for a temperature lower than 65 degrees here in FL. If that day ever comes.
• Cold weather comfort foods! My favorite comfort foods for cold weather are grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, chili, and any hot Starbucks beverage. I know that I can still eat and drink all of these things in FL, but it's just not the same when it's 80 degrees outside. For some reason, they all just taste so much better when it's 50 degrees or less.
• Fall colors! Since I can remember, my family would pick a day in early fall and drive up to the mountains to look at the color change of the leaves. It is truly awe-inspiring; Crayola cannot do it justice. I cannot do it justice; all the different shades of gold, yellow, red, and brown are such a sight to see. I am sad that I will be missing out on that sight for the second year in row this Fall... also, no crunchy leaves to rake into piles and jump into?! : (
• The overall aura of Fall! This is probably more of a summary of all that I miss about CO Falls, but it's my list so I can do what I want. ; p I want to smell that almost indescribable scent of Fall. It's as if you can smell the cold air and that combined with cinnamon, nutmeg, and burning firewood makes for such a heavenly scent. I keep longing for that first chilly night when Aric and I can cuddle under a blanket with hot chocolate and watch a movie. I want to feel the exciting anticipation of that first snowfall of the year which seamlessly transitions into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Now as I step out of that pretty Fall picture I just painted,  feeling like I would give anything to be THERE, I realize that right HERE is where I belong because this is where the two most important people in my life are! No sweater or gingerbread latte would make missing out on time with Aidan and Aric worthwhile; which gives Florida's Fall an unyielding edge in the competition... 

8 Month Milestone Galore!

     Another month has flown by and Aidan is 8 months now! Technically, he turned 8 months yesterday, but we had a very busy day and I did not have time to post this. The past month was a BIG month for Aidan; he's growing way too fast and learning so much these days.

Can you tell what big changes Aidan has made since last month?

His (very) approximate stats...

Weight: 20 lbs. 8 oz.

Height: 28 in.

Food: Nursing about 5 times a day and one solid meal in the evening. He has tried pretty much all the Gerber fruits and veggies and I am proud to say he prefers the veggies over the fruits.

Milestones (there quite a few this month):

We have a crawler!!!

(I know I will regret this excitement when he starts cruising around the house, but for now I am ecstatic.)

Aidan is officially crawling. When I say crawling I don't mean army crawling, crawling backwards, or scooting, but real, honest to goodness, crawling. He isn't super fast yet, but he does give me a run for my money if I look away for a few seconds... ; p



Ok, he's not crawling in this one, but it's the closest I had... bad mom.

Not tooth, but Teeth

Aidan has not one, but two, teeth now. The first one broke through a couple of weeks ago and the second followed a few days later. I am definitely enjoying his new smile, but it has made nursing a little more interesting... He has not been as bad as I thought; however, I have had to remind him a few times that I am not a teething toy. Hehe.

How cute is that smile with the new pearly whites?!

Haircut

Yep, Aidan no longer has his signature long locks. Our good friend, and fellow medical student, gave Aidan his first official haircut. It was bittersweet because it was very much needed, but I did love his crazy, long hair. It does look awesome though, thanks Luke!





Before...




He was very patient throughout the process...





The final product... you like?

Phew, there were so many new developments this month for Aidan. It is so exciting to see him grow, but it does happen a little too fast for me sometimes. There is definitely a part of me that wants him to stay little forever. Aidan, you amaze and excite me everyday and I love you!



New Perspectives

     This evening as I watched Aric wrestle with Aidan, I saw things from a different perspective. Usually, when this (almost) nightly ritual takes place and Dad takes over I think to myself, "Ah, I can finally turn off 'Mommy Mode' and take a moment for myself." I think most moms know that when I say 'moment', it really is only a moment because bath time, pj's, and bedtime start calling way too soon.

    
     On Aidan's less than happy days, I have definitely found myself daydreaming that I could trade places with Aric. I begin to think that I would gladly take all the horrible study marathons and killer four-hour tests just to get a break from the fussing baby in my lap. However, tonight I silenced my thoughts and opened my eyes and ears...

     Tonight as I watched my two favorite guys interact, I noticed that Aric was so happy to hold, kiss, tickle, and just soak up every ounce of that short moment he had with his son. Aric was so grateful to see Aidan smile, to hear him laugh, and watch him do all the little things that I see him do all day.  I was so touched to see how much he cherishes those oh-so-sweet morsels of time with Aidan that, even right now, I am getting a little choked up just writing about it. There are many days when Aric barely sees Aidan and there are some days when he doesn't see him at all. Needless to say, the time he does get to spend with Aidan is very precious to him. I always knew how special these father-son moments are for Aric, but was too caught up in my 'me-moment' thoughts to notice how special my mother-son days are.

     To see how grateful Aric is to witness all the little things that I, somewhat ungratefully, get to see him do everyday, really reminded to count my blessings. I was reminded just how lucky I am to be in 'Mommy Mode' all.day, ev.ery.day. I am so lucky and blessed to be able see all of Aidan's smiles, to hear all of his laughs, and to witness all of his milestones. This new perspective reminded me that I am even lucky and blessed to have either spit-up, breast milk, or baby food on my clothes everyday and to hear Aidan's whines and wails everyday. These are all priceless moments and I am so thankful that I am there to watch my son grow and learn. So tomorrow when if Aidan gets cranky, I will take a minute to remind myself that I don't want to be anywhere else but right there with my baby boy.

     A big THANK YOU to my husband for showing me what a beautiful gift it is to be in 'Mommy Mode' all.day, ev.ery.day!

    

Aidan waving while he tries to catch some zzz's in Daddy's arms.

Tough Love... making Aidan do some tummy time.

My two handsome men that adore each other!

Modern Family

     This is might be one of the best shows currently on TV. It is freaking hi.lar.i.ous! I'm pretty sure it is the only thing (show or movie) that has kept me laughing throughout the entire episode every time I've watched it.

     Why is it so funny, you ask? The writing is so clever and the actors deliver the jokes perfectly. It's a combination of hysterical one-liners, awkward (and therefore, funny) situations, and jokes that pull all the different story lines together flawlessly. Many of the situations that the characters find themselves in are very relatable which, in my opinion, always makes for an 'LOL' moment. So many times I have found myself laughing because either Aric, I, or both of us have said or done something that was said or done on the show.

     Although I love everything about it, the best thing about Modern Family is that Aric takes a study break to watch it with me. Aww, so sweet! Hehe.

     The only complaint I have about Modern Family is that it should be an hour long instead a half an hour because I am always craving more when it ends.

If you watch it, you know what I'm talkin' about. If you haven't, you're missing out I strongly urge you to tune in on Wednesday nights at 9 pm EST on ABC!



*** Lame-O NOTE: I tried to upload a clip so you could get a taste of Modern Family's awesomeness, but none of the YouTube.com videos will allow me to, so here's a link to one of my favorite (out of so many) Modern Family moments.

Colorado, The Right Move!

   When Aric and I discussed all the in's and out's of the looong journey that leads to becoming a doctor, my main concern was the talk about leaving CO for medical school. We specifically chose the school he is attending because they allow their students to set up their own clinical rotations and residencies anywhere they choose. We are hoping that this means we can get back to CO sooner than we would if he had chosen a school closer to home. A couple of weeks ago, Aric attended 'Hospital Day' which was an informational event about setting up rotations and residencies. The following advertisement was emailed to him by a representative of a CO residency program. Maybe some of Aric's fellow students will now consider a rotation or residency after watching this video.

**DISCLAIMER**: If you are lactose-intolerant you might not want to watch this, as it is extremely cheesy. ; p

   I apologize to all our FL friends who are probably vomiting on their keyboards sick of hearing about how much I love and miss CO, that I can't wait to be back there, and blah, blah, blah...