Domestic Diva

Today after work, I:
--Picked up Aiden from the sitter.
--Came home and immediately started baking cupcakes.
--Did the dishes in the sink and emptied the dishwasher.
--Put Aiden down for a SHORT nap.
--Got really ticked off when half my cupcakes mysteriously burned.
--Fed Aiden some apples & oatmeal. He wasn't all that interested.
--Turned on the news and sat down to check my e-mail.
--Turned off the news because I CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER POLITICAL AD (freakin' swing state--Tuesday, or even Wednesday for that matter, can't come soon enough...).
--Played with Aiden, and even tried to teach him to get on his knees and give crawling a try. I was met with defeat.
--Wrapped a gift for my friend's wedding this weekend.
--Iced and sprinkled aforementioned cupcakes.
--Gave Aiden a bath. Good times. :)
--Sat down to type this blog entry, and listen concurrently to Aiden tooting (that's gonna be a nasty diaper).

I still need to:
--Eat dinner, but I'm waiting for Mike to bring a pizza home after teaching is boxing lesson as this domestic diva has her limits.
--Change Aiden's previously mentioned diaper, feed him his last bottle, and put him down for bed.
--Get both my and Aiden's (and possibly Mike's?) Halloween costumes ready for tomorrow.
--Get Aiden's things packed for our overnight trip to PooPoo's tomorrow.
--Get Mike's & my things packed for said-trip (this includes making sure our clothes for the wedding are ironed, complete, etc.).
--Possibly watch Grey's Anatomy (not a fan per se, but as we don't have cable I've been watching network shows and don't mind this one. I sure miss watching Ghost Hunters and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, though. Has anyone seen The Mentalist? Love it. And Worst Week is such an out-and-out riot that it actually makes me uncomfortable to watch it. But I digress...).
--Go to bed and freak out about how I probably forgot to do SOMETHING...

Sunday Happenings

Mimi & Grandpa returned from Georgia last night, and they were gracious enough to watch Aiden for a few hours so Mike & I could get some alone time. Mike had asked me to pick out a restaurant for my birthday lunch, and I chose BJ's Brewhouse at Polaris. Mike had never been there, but I knew he'd like it, and I was right! He's now a big fan of their house-brewed root beer and also the entree-sized baked potatoes (sorry that it's half-eaten in the photo; I was STARVING and forgot to take the picture until I was nearly done). We will definitely be heading back there.
When we arrived back at Mimi's, we saw that our realtor was selling pumpkins for charity down the street, so Mimi and I grabbed our cameras and took Aiden down. I wanted to take Aiden to a pumpkin patch this fall, but we're running out of warm fall days, and next weekend is booked. This will just have to do. :) I have the uncanny knack of snapping a photo right AFTER Aiden has smiled, so instead he always looks a bit grumpy. Hopefully future photos will feature that gummy grin of his. Happy Fall!

So I'm 29 Today

Yeah. Twenty-nine. WOW. Only one year left until the big 3-0, and then all the teasing I heaped on Mike this past March will come back to bite me in the butt. Honestly, though, I don't have much to complain about--well, maybe two things: 1) I have to work on my birthday for the first time EVER in my life, and 2) I scheduled my yearly checkup with my OB today. In my younger years (and synonymously, my much more naive years), I set some silly goals for myself--I wanted to be married, in my own home, with a decent career and hopefully a kiddo (or two!) by the time I was 30. And as silly as it was to set those goals (leave it to me to try to plan out my entire life), I'm proud to say I've accomplished all those things, with a year to spare! Looking back on it, my 28th year was VERY busy, especially with the pregnancy, Aiden's arrival, and Mike's & my purchase of our first home. It sure makes me wonder about what my 29th year--and beyond!--will bring! :)

Fall Days

Not too much going on right now--just watching the leaves change and hoping that winter, whenever it gets here, isn't too hard on us. Today is the last semi-warm day for awhile, and the fact that it's still dark when I get to work in the morning is already giving me seasonal-affective disorder.
Luckily, we've got a busy few weeks ahead, though; next week, there's Halloween, and then the next day a good friend of my mine from high school is getting married, so we're making a trip to Cleveland. Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here, and then it will be on to Christmas! I may not have everything purchased, but I do have a plan for the rest of my shopping, so I think that qualifies me as finished! It's a good feeling. I'm actually having to hold myself back from wrapping anything because believe it or not, THAT is my favorite part! I must be the only person in America who would rather wrap Christmas gifts than open them! And I am so excited to experience my first Christmas as a mom; I think some of the Christmas magic I've lost as I've gotten older will return since I can see it through Aiden's eyes. Fun stuff.
Speaking of Aiden, I just couldn't do a post without including the latest photos of the little guy. Enjoy!

Toots and Smiles

Two videos for the price of one! In the first one, listen closely for the extra-curricular noises that my "little fart" decided to share with me.

This clip features Aiden looking at himself in the mirror, one of his recent passions. A good time is had by all. :)

I'm An Aunt Again!!!

Just heard from my mother-in-law, and we've got a new family member!
Christopher Patrick Cotter
October 15, 2008 / 8:00ish PM
8 lbs 0 oz
20.75 inches long

CONGRATS, JEFF & SARA! We are sooooooo excited for you!!!

Gotta Love It!

BROWNS 35, GIANTS 14

Seven Months Old...

...and getting cuter everyday, as you can clearly see in the photos. We just had to go with a bit of a Halloween theme for this month's updates. I LOVE this costume; I actually bought it a year ago on clearance when I was only four months along and didn't know if I was having an Aiden or a Riley. :) It's getting a bit small, though, so we actually have another costume for Aiden to wear on Halloween--photos of that to come later this month.
Here are Aiden's seven month facts:
--My best guess is that he's over 16 lbs now, and he's continuing to lengthen out. I'm thinking he's going to be a long and lean child, just like his mom.
--Aiden is getting better and better at holding himself up in a sitting position. I like to sit him in front of a mirror and watch as he catches his balance when he begins to wobble from side-to-side. On that same note, he has mastered rolling; as I've posted before, he's even started a bit of scooting.
--It seems we have a bit of a picky eater on our hands; he has sure let us know that he is NOT a fan of green beans, bananas, or carrots, but he really loves sweet potatoes, squash, peas, and applesauce.
--Still no teeth, but he continues to slobber up a storm and put anything within reach in his mouth, so we're being patient on that front.
--Aiden seems enamored with Callie & Chloe, but the feeling is definitely not mutual; we're hard-pressed to even get him near the cats without them turning tail quickly to the next room.
--He LOVES other kids! I'm so glad that he's not the only child at the sitter because the exposure to baby faces has made him very social with kids his age. I hope that he remains friendly long into the future.
--Aiden is a big fan of story time; he is very interested in the books that Mike & I read to him at bedtime.
We had a bit of a change to his schedule this week as we had to go to Mansfield for a few days for my uncle's funeral. It wasn't under the best of circumstances, but we were lucky enough to visit with Aunt Megan as well as Aunt Heidi and Cousin Gary--whom Aiden ADORES. Every time Gary came around, Aiden's face would light up, and it wasn't long before he was overtaken by giggle fits. A ray of sunlight in a difficult time.
On a happier note, Aiden will be getting an new cousin this week; barring an earlier appearance, my sister-in-law Sara is scheduled to be induced on Tuesday! We're sending good thoughts her way and can't wait to see those first photos of Christopher!!!

I Heart October

It is without a doubt my FAVORITE month of the year. When I was younger, it was for selfish reasons--my birthday is on the 23rd. And while I admit that's still a nice attribute, now I enjoy the month more for the smells, the cooler temperatures, the college football, the apple cider, the beautiful colors--EVERYTHING.
Now that I'm finished gushing, a few photos for your enjoyment; we had our department picnic this weekend, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Mike had fun with some of the camera's features while he snapped these candid shots:
On a sad note, my Uncle John passed away this morning. He was a wonderful, loving, caring man, and I will miss him dearly.