Summertime!

Summertime!

Aidan Courtney

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Spring Break!

For Spring Break, Mommy and I went to my Aunt Dana's house in Knoxville, TN! Unfortunately, Mommy didn't take any pictures! I was definitely on my best behavior and Mommy was excited because I am getting good at this traveling stuff!

The first day, I hung out with Aunt Dana and McKenzie. We went to the mall and guess what?? They have the SAME CHOO CHOO train that we have at my mall!!! It was so much fun! That afternoon Nana came! I slept pretty good the first night.

Each day we went to the mall! I learned how to say, "Mall" and now I can ask Mommy to go there...which I do quite often! I mostly had fun playing with Nana and McKenzie (Aunt Dana and Uncle John went out of town). I did play with Austin some too!

Each evening, we would go outside and play on the driveway! There was a girl named Chloe that came by everyday on her bicycle. I LOVED her bicycle because it had a bell on it....like a choo choo train! Every time I saw her, I would say, "ding, ding, ding, ding!" She would stop and let me ding her bell! I hope I can get a bell on my bike!

Before you knew it, it was Saturday and Mommy and I drove home to see Daddy!!! I was very excited to see him! It was a great trip...too bad we don't have any pictures to show you!

City boy!

For part of my Spring Break, Mommy took me to downtown Atlanta! We rode on a real choo choo train...ok, it was MARTA, but it does go on a track! I was a little concerned that there was not a conductor ringing a bell, but it was fun to wave at everyone on board....even if they did not want to wave at me.

Snack time on the train!


Mommy was bummed out because the whole reason we were going to Atlanta was to go to Centennial Olympic Park....and the fountains were closed for maintenance! Booooo!! We still had fun on the playground though! Plus I got to ride the train home! It was a fun day out with Mommy!

Play the drums at the playground!




Over the bridge!

I found Nana's brick from the Olympics!!!!!!

My first HAIRCUT! April 2, 2011

Mommy and Daddy took me to get my first haircut. We went to a place called "Half Pint Haircuts." It was a neat place. I got to play with some toys, draw on a chalkboard, and see lots of bubbles! Then I heard someone call my name! When I went over there, this guy had a funny looking chair for me to sit in. Then he put a towel on my neck...NO THANKS! I was ok with the cape though...pretty cool looking. The coolest thing was that he a had a TV with ELMO on it! Then he sprayed my hair with water and started cutting it with scissors. It was not bad at all! I actually had fun. I even let him shave the hair on the back of my neck with an electric shaver! After he did that, I heard Mommy say, "WOW, a birthmark!" Sure enough, there is a small birthmark on my neck that was hidden from all that hair! Haircuts are not bad at all!


Hey Pal! What are you laughing about?

Snip, snip, snip!!!


Dada, can I see your sunglasses???


Ummm, I'll just watch Elmo while you take a little bit off the top and back.


Um, how do I look? My head does feel 1oz lighter!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Spring has Sprung!

I'm so excited because it is starting to get warm outside, which means more wagon rides, riding my bike, and going to the playground! I have been having so much fun playing outside with my friends...and of course with Mommy and Daddy! They take me to this new park that just opened up called Fowler Park! It is such a neat park and I have so much fun climbing and sliding on the playground!

Today Mommy and I did something different for me and FUN! We went to a plant nursery and I helped Mommy pick out some flowers. Then we went home and we planted them in some flower pots in front of my house! It was SO much fun and I was Mommy's main helper!

My 1st job was to help Mommy empty the old dirt from the flower pots that were sitting on the porch. While Mommy filled the pots with new dirt, I helped by bringing Mommy the flowers from the garage to our front porch! I carried 8 groups of flowers to her all by myself (one at a time of course!)! Then I helped Mommy take the flowers out of the crates and put them into the flower pot. I used a shovel to put more dirt on top and then came the fun part....WATERING THEM!

We got my watering can from the bathtub and Mommy showed me how to use a water hose and fill up my watering can. Then I brought it over to the flowers and poured the water on them! I thought that watering can was for rinsing soap from my hair in the bathtub! I had so much fun filling my can with water over and over again and watering the flowers. Sometimes when I would get over to the flower, there was no more water left in my watering can! I was not sure where the water was going. Good thing it was hot outside because I got VERY WET!

I hope Mommy and I can plant some more flowers around our house this weekend. Don't tell Mommy I said this, but our house sure could use some more flowers around it and I'm good at planting them! I was sure to let Mommy know when we were done that the watering can belongs back in my bathtub! We didn't put it back in there though because Mommy told me that my new chore each day is to water those flowers out front! I think I can handle that job...especially if it means I get to use that water hose!

Of course Mommy took LOTS of pictures....ENJOY!

First I pick up the water hose!

Then I fill up my watering can, very carefully!


Oh WOW, there's water in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next I CAREFULLY bring the watering can over to the flowers.
Now pour the water on the flowers!


Hey Mom, I need to go get some more water from over there!
Watering flowers really makes me thirsty! This watering can has infinite uses!

Forget carefully carrying the water over to the flowers! I'm running!


HEY! How did I get so much water on my clothes???

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Eating/Playing Poker

Not much has been going on. I'm just waiting for the weather to get warm again, so I can go outside and play! We've been pretty much trapped inside, but I have gotten to go ride the train at the mall a few times!!! Oooo Oooooo!

Below is a video of me eating rice...with my fork! I have learned to blow on my food, but this was the 1st time that I picked up the whole bowl to blow on it! I don't need Mommy and Daddy to cool my food down anymore! I can handle it!


Here are some pictures of me playing with poker chips! I discovered (with the help of Daddy), that I have pockets....and I can fill them up with poker chips! FUN!!!


Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I'm 18 months old!!!!

Today I am 18 months old! For this post, Mommy has requested to write on my blog today instead of me! Here you go Mommy...write away!

Dear Aidan,

These last 18 months have been the best months ever for Daddy and I! We love spending time with you each and every day...even on the days you wake us up at 5:00 a.m., eager to play trains! You have given Daddy and I so many new things to do on the weekends, like go to the playground, play trains and Little People, or just go for a walk! One of the best things you have given back to us recently is sleep! We LOVE that you now sleep through the night!


You make us laugh....and cry, but usually you are busy making us laugh! We love when you show us your muscles, play the air drums to Dave Matthews Band, say "ooooh" when we have told you what something is, speak gibberish to us (we know you are saying something!), and we do appreciate your love for trains.


You are talking more and more each day! We love to hear you say, "yeah" or "no" when asked if you want something. You can say so many words now, that it's difficult to count them all. We love that you always try to say what we are saying!

You are very helpful around the house to Daddy and I! When Daddy comes home, he loves it when you help him put his shoes back in the closet and his work clothes in the hamper (Mommy and Daddy can't even seem to put their clothes in the hamper themselves!). I love how when I get out the vacuum cleaner, you get out the broom and start sweeping the floor. You've almost got the sweeping part down! You always make sure I put the wipes container back on the table and you throw your diapers away for me! You also pick up stuff that does not belong on the floor and throw it away.



I love that you have been a trooper with your food allergies! You are a great eater, given that you don't have many great offerings to eat! You and I both LOVE spaghetti and I love that you can eat spaghetti or rice with a fork...independently! You always have amazed me with your ability to use a fork and a spoon. What amazes me more is that you now insist on having a napkin (or "nah-in" as you say) and that you use it appropriately and set it by your plate!

You are active, yet very attentive and I love your sweet personality. At times when I least expect it, you are patient. I love your attention to small details, yet your ability to see the big picture. You have a great sense of humor and everyone can see that within a few seconds of meeting you. Your smile can brighten anyone's day and I'm glad that you are here to brighten mine every day!

I can't believe you are already 18 months old and in 6 short months you will be 2! I hope you continue to grow and make us laugh each day. I hope you quickly outgrow your allergies. Most of all, I hope you know that Mommy and Daddy love you SOOOOO MUCH and we are so lucky to have such a wonderful little boy in our lives.

Love Mommy!
See videos below!

Aidan eating spaghetti



Aidan taking off his coat! What a big boy! I love that he tells me it's "Mine."

Friday, February 11, 2011

Gymnastics!

On January 14th I started a new class....GYMNASTICS! It was so much fun! My teachers' name is Miss Lindy and she is so much fun! First we stretch and then we get to do all sorts of fun activities. I am learning to do a somersault, backward roll, walk on the balance beam, hang from the bar, jump on a trampoline, and do a handstand! I have to practice my safety stop and airplane arms, but I already have the hang of putting my arms up and saying, "Tahdah!" It was so much fun! Below are some videos of me doing gymnastics!

This is me doing my somersault with Miss Lindy!


First you get to see my friend Ali take her turn on the bars and then I'm up! I am getting so strong!



Well there I was watching Miss Lindy show us what we were going to do and my friend Ali starts putting the moves on me!

SNOW!!!

OH MY GOSH! I woke up this morning and there was SNOW! I have never seen this much snow before and I think Mommy was really excited too! Good thing Mommy had prepared for the snow. She bought me snow boots, gloves, and a special snow suit that I can wear outside and stay warm! It snowed 6 inches at my house and there was even snow on the street!

There was so much snow, I could not even see the street! I could walk in it either!

Look how high up the snow came up on me!

Daddy and I about to go down the hill! Weeeee!

Mommy and I!

We did tons of fun stuff because Mommy and Daddy were both off work for the whole week! We went sledding, had play dates with friends, and toasted marshmallows over a fire! Our first play date was at my friend Hayden and Hannah's house. There were 10 kids there...only 2 boys! The next day we went to play at my friend Ali's house. I was pretty tired that day, so I actually slept on the floor while my friends played....there were too many girls there for me...girls are exhausting! :) Then the next day we went to my friend Brynn and Bryce's house. It was a fun week!

First we put the marshmallow over the fire. "HOT"

Then we get to eat it! YUM!


Here is a video of me seeing the snow for the first time that morning! It was amazing!



This is a video of Mommy and I sledding down the hill! It was SO MUCH FUN! I loved to watch everyone else sled, but I didn't like it when people fell off their sleds...how sad!

All Aboard/Chores/Shaving

I am growing so fast, Mommy and Daddy say it's difficult to keep track of how much I am growing! I am in love.....with CHOO CHOO TRAINS! Ever since Christmas I have just been all about the choo choo trains! It's all I talk about at home. As soon as we walk into the house, I say, "ooo ooo," and that means let's go play trains! I can spot a train anywhere and if you take me to the mall I know there is a choo choo train there and I am always ready to ride it! I love to read my Little Engine that Could book every single night!

Daddy loves to play trains with me! We like to crash the train into the stop sign!
"oooo ooooo"


Here comes the train Daddy!

I have even started doing some chores around the house. I always make sure to push my chair in after I'm done eating, I like to put my toys back on the shelf (well some of them), and I help Daddy take the trash out. I can carry it (well drag it) all the way to the garage. While daddy is getting trash bags to put in the trash cans, I help by pushing the trash can all over the kitchen. :)

Let me get this trash out into the garage!

Here I come Daddy! Get ready to put it in the big trash can!

Something else I started doing is shaving! Not really shaving people! It's a toy razor and it even comes with shaving cream! I love to look in the mirror and shave...just like DADDY!

This feels kinda funny!

Daddy, put some more shaving cream on me!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Baking Cookies

Today Mommy and I bought some cookie mix to make me some sugar cookies. I have a lot of food allergies, so it's always hard to find ways to make me cookies.

I helped Mommy mix all the ingredients together. I love help stir and I like to say, "cook" while we make things. After we mixed it together, we put the cookie dough on a baking sheet, then put it in the oven! I watched them to see when they would be ready.

When they were done, I put icing and sprinkles on them! I LOVED the icing and sprinkles! Unfortunately, that was about all I did like about the cookies. The cookies would have probably been much better with real eggs and real butter!

I go the my Allergist on Friday to be tested again for my allergies. Hopefully something looks better!!!!! I can't wait until I can eat real food!!!!

I am ready to bake some cookies!!

Stir the ingredients....and maybe eat some along the way!

Stir, stir, stir!
Watch them bake! Are they ready yet???


Mmmmm, this is my favorite part! FROSTING!

Add the sprinkles!

Yummmmmmm!

Here is my cookie!!!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

16 Months Old!


Well today I'm 16 months old! That is a whole year and half old!!! I'm halfway to 2!! I can't believe it! I'm doing so many fun things right now. Mommy and Daddy are always laughing at the things I do! Here are some things I can do

I can say Mama, Dada, Papa, Nana, Oh No, Oh Man, Uh-oh, car, vacuum, Blueberry (boobooey), bathroom, snack (nack), up, down, noodles (noonoos), choo chooo (oooh ooh), and many more! I try to say just about everything that mommy and daddy say....so watch what you say Mommy and Daddy! I'm listening! Just yesterday, Daddy was watching football (shocking) and he said, "OH MAN!" I said it right after he did! He thought that was funny.

I still know all my signs and I can now sign "candy" too. I can run and I'm working on jumping, but right now I have trouble getting my feet to both leave the ground! I'm a really good listener (most of the time). When I am listening to music, I do what the words tell me to do. There is this one song I like called, "Fixin' my hair" and whenever it comes on, I run and get my brush...or if my broom is nearby, that works too! :)

Well I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and I hope 2011 is good to you!

Love Aidan

Christmas! Santa! Happy New Year!

For Christmas I went to my Nana and Geepadder's house in Crenshaw, Mississippi! They live in a log house and have a pond behind their house! I loved to look at the water (wahwah). One day Geepadder (who I now call "Papa"), turned off the water! I kept telling him to turn it back on....finally he did! Yay!

Before I went there, I did get a few presents from family that I was not going to see on my trip. Grandma sent me a gift card to Toys R Us! I'm sure I can learn how to swipe that at Toys R Us and get something awesome! Grandpa and Marilyn came over before I left and gave me this tool bench that I have been wanting. Now I can hammer away and learn how to fix things like Daddy! Thanks!

I got to see lots of family while I was there. My Aunt Dana and Uncle John were there and so were my cousins, McKenzie, Austin, and Micah. They are triplets, but I know who is who! I can already say their names too! I also got to see my mom's cousin Melisa and her kids Ali and Elizabeth. I also got to see my Aunt Lucy, Uncle Richard, Dawn, and Kierstynn. We had lots of fun!



My triplet cousins, McKenzie, Austin, and Micah! Santa brought them all Droid phones! I don't know what that is, but they sure were excited!


It took me a while to get used to sleeping at Nana and Papa's house. The first night there, I was sick and I was ready to be up for the day at 3:30 a.m.! Mommy and Daddy weren't too happy about that! Then one night I just wasn't tired...probably because Mommy let me have some sweet tea! That sure was yummy, but I heard Mommy say she will NEVER let me have sweet tea again!

The most exciting day was Christmas Day! Santa Claus came and he put toys under Nana's tree! I'm still not sure how he got into her house because Nana does not have a chimney! Maybe he came in through the dryer vent?? Anyway, he brought me a wooden train set, a remote controlled Thomas Train, a broom/dustpan, and some blocks! My cousins got me some toys too! I got a microphone, a ball tower, and this toy that says the alphabet. My Nana and Papa got me this drum I've been wanting and this toy that has letters on it (it is shaped like an apple!) I had a good time on Christmas Day! Now I can help my Mommy sweep at home, although Nana had some pretty neat sweeping tools herself! I liked to use her Swiffer!

This is Nana's tree with the toys Santa brought!

Here is me and my Thomas train!

I loved to play the drum! I'm so glad Nana got this for me! This was my favorite drum at music class and now I have one!



This is me and Nana!

Geez Mom and Dad! Enough with the pictures of me in this Santa suit!

The thing I didn't like about going to Nana and Papa's house was the drive! It took us a long time to get there and I let Mommy and Daddy know when I was done riding in the car! For the most part, Mommy and Daddy said I did a great job on the drive because it WAS long! I was definitely happy to be home in my bed and now I'm back to seeing Nana and Papa in MY, I mean Mommy's laptop!