These are a few of my favorite things

Years from now you'll likely ask,"what was I like when I was little?"  It will be fun to look back at this.  Here are a few of your favorites right now:

Aidan

• favorite food:  mac 'n cheese  (macck cheez)...you also love rice, orzo with pesto mixed in (you also call this rice), apples, pears, cheerios, cheddar cheese, toddle raviolis, dried cranberries, frozen waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, can biscuits, and of course milk.
• favorite word:  Nooooo
• favorite book:  last week "the very hungry caterpillar", this week "love you forever" and "guess how much I miss you" read by grandma or "the night before Christmas" read by Aunt Gretta.  Your favorites change frequently, but you always want me to "sid douww" (sit down) and "ree book" while pointing very adamately on the couch cushions or the floor.
• favorite song:  "the wheels on the bus" and you signal to me to sing it for you by rolling your fists over and over each other.  You also love to listen to VeggieTales, which you "bohhh leyi" (bob and larry).
• favorite toy:  easy. cars and trucks.  You especially love the little hot wheel sized ones.  You sometimes walk around almost all day two-fisting them and scream like your life depended on it if one is taken away.  Sometimes you sit all by yourself for minutes on end just positioning or pushing your cars around on the coffee table or your play table. 
• frequent request:  "watsz tommy" as in watch Thomas the train on tv.  And when I say 'frequent', I mean like all the time.  When you ask, you smile while you say it--I wish that I could catch you on video asking me.  It's so cute.  When I tell you guys that we will watch Thomas, you throw your hands up in the air and roar,"Tommyeee" and run to the tv.
• favorite lovey:  you, lately, really love to snuggle one of two blankets--a soft yellow one (given by the Hoffmans) and a blue one that's soft quilted on one side and fuzzy, soft on the other.  You also love your pull-string musical puppy--although, you don't really care that it's musical; you just like to hug it.
• Newest craze:  anything related to Thomas the Train.  Grandma gave you "Toby the Tram" for our collection.  You have been soo crazy about this thing.  Several nights you even slept with it.  The train fascination has definitely struck you.

Tid bits:  You love to get dressed in the morning, but you hate having your diaper changed.  I suspect you're sure you don't have the time to spend on such things.  Sometimes during diaper changes, you insist to "go peep" (go pee pee) just like Connor.  We strip you down below the equator and stand you up on a small stool at the potty and wait.  And wait some more.  Until finally you announce, "aww duuhh" and you happily climb down.  The first time you were up there, you did a little dribble, but none since.  I'm not sure you even know how to make it happen yet.  You seem awfully amazed and tickled when it happens in the tub.  But, I'm all too happy to entertain this dress rehearsal of sorts.  It'll happen eventually.

You now really love your nursery teachers.  Miss Gloria and Miss Azalia light up with terrific smiles when you walk in pulling your 'cars' rolly backpack behind you.  A few weeks ago you handed your pack over to Miss Azalia and ran to Miss Gloria to give her a hug when at drop-off.  I was so shocked and so happy.  Happy to know that you are loved and that you love the ones who love you when I'm not around. 

In addition to all that sweetness, lately we've noticed an increasing aggressiveness from you.  Sometimes you just walk right up to Connor, reach out and pull a huge chunk of his hair.  Or grab his chest for a good, long pinch.  I'm guessing you're figuring he has it coming given past crimes, or even assuming future incidences.  Thankfully, for me, you hate time-out and nearly fall to pieces with even the slightest correction.  You are a star at apologizing.  "I saarreey" rolls right out and usually with a smile and hug. 

You're not the best, however, at accepting those apologies though.  At any injustice, ie. a swiped toy car, a speck of mac n cheese falling on the floor instead of  your mouth, or Connor beating you to me for 'mommy's home hugs' at the end of my work day, your sweet mouth turns stiff and the bottom lip is forced out to accommodate all the sobbing that will eventually ensue while you throw yourself down onto the ground in protest and desperation.  It's quite a sight to see. And hear.
The best of all.  The absolute best of all for me, as your mama, is to come up to you when you don't know I'm home and watch your face lift up from whatever car or truck or train that has your attention at the moment.  You see me, grin, and happily say,"Mommy!"  while you make a beeline to me with arms outstretched.  Then you let me hug you.  Afterward, you pull away a bit but don't take your eyes off my face while you say it again, this time almost in a whisper as if it's a secret between the two of us.

I love you too, sweet boy.  My sweet baby boy.