The Rubber Band Effect

A few months ago the Primary president in our ward, whom I love, was walking by and said, "I just love the rubber band effect" as she pointed at Aiden's arm.  Since then I haven't been able to think of a better way to describe the way babies arms and legs are segmented, if that makes sense.  It's the perfect description!

Here is picture proof:

See how it looks like there are invisible rubber bands up Aiden's arm?? It's especially apparent by his wrists..haha.  Oh and this picture is funny b/c Aiden has no neck!  I think I captured it right as he was lifting his head from looking down at something :)

Just a few more, but really you'll notice it in tons of my pictures.

Haha, this is a funny one :)

He's actually starting to grow out of "The Rubber Band Effect" some.  It was kind of difficult to find more recent pics with it.  It was definitely more apparent when he was younger :)

9 months

Aiden turned 9 months on Friday.  We took him in for his check-up and his weight and height stats (they'd stayed very consistent) are lower.  He is weighing 19 pounds 10 ounces (down to the 25th percentile) and is 28.25 inches long (down to the 50th percentile).  I guess this is normal now that he is crawling around everywhere and burning off everything he eats more quickly.  He had to get his finger pricked to check for anemia and then 2 shots.

Here is what Aiden has been up to in the last month:

• He has figured out what is in each of the cabinets and gets into them on a daily basis/makes his rounds.

There's usually a pot or two on the kitchen floor.

He found his food stash :)

Found the Ritz.  I love that he's kneeling :)

• He's a big time beggar!  Anytime he sees us eating anything he comes crawling as fast as he can!

• He is getting his top two teeth.  The left one is through his gums already and the right one is following closely.

You can see all of his teeth if you look closely.

• Aiden learned how to clap!  Now I'll see him randomly just start clapping his hands (even when he thinks I'm not looking).  It's way cute!

• He learned how to drink through a straw (I'm sure he would have learned sooner if we had thought to let him try!).

• He's been sticking his tongue out really far lately!

Daddy was trying to get Aiden to do it, but he wasn't catching on :)

• He's been getting some crazy bed head lately since his hair is getting longer!

These are just two examples, but you'll notice it in several of the other pictures in this post as well :)

Notice the "Alfalfa" hair in the back :)

• I meant to write this in his 8-month post, but he is totally addicted to his paci.  There have been several times when I'm feeding him a bottle and I'll look away for a second and he's stopped drinking his bottle and has reached down for his paci and stuck it in!  I'm always surprised that he'll choose his paci over his bottle..ha.  I'm really trying to only give it to him during nap time/bedtime.  It's going to be a pain to take that away from him later on.

• He very often has his ankles crossed.

And he's even started to sit Indian-style :)

• He's started to shake his head back and forth.  I think it's his way of dancing!

Sorry, I couldn't help but shake the camera when I was trying to get Aiden to do it..haha.

• He has stood on his own a few times for a few seconds without realizing I had moved whatever he was holding onto.  It scares him when he realizes he's doing it and he immediately plops down on his bum!

• He stands on his tiptoes to grab things (the keyboard) that he's not supposed to..haha.

• Aiden loves bath time, but lately his favorite part seems to be when we cuddle him up in his towel.  He always kicks his legs in excitement :)

• Before we headed on the cruise we discovered that Aiden's feet are too chubby for shoes (well at least the 2 pairs that we've been holding onto since before he was born)!  My dad always mentions how his feet are like 2 little bricks at the end of his legs..haha.  

They don't look too chubby here, but you'll notice the little "fat pad" just above his toes..haha.

• Aiden is loving books more and more and we've started to read to him every night before we put him down for bed :)

• Finally, in the last month Aiden has been mistaken for a girl at least 3 times.  Most recently was at the doctor's office.  My mom and I were a little surprised when the nurse (we'd never had her before) came in to give Aiden his shots at the end and called him a "she" and proceeded to put girl band-aids on him, when she had just weighed him earlier and he was NAKED!!!  What the?!  She must have been pretty distracted..haha.  The other two times were in the airport when Aiden was in kind of a unisex outfit.  One of the times was while we were going through security and the guy looked down at Aiden in the stroller and waved and said, "Hi Princess!"  I seriously just turn around and laugh every time!  I never correct them because it's a quick encounter and it's not like I'm ever going to see them again.  A lot of my family doesn't understand how people mistake Aiden for a girl.  I can see it.  I mean he has beautiful eyes and long eyelashes.  He really is my beauty boy :)  And let's be honest, I think it's better than a girl being mistaken for a boy!

And because I haven't posted enough pictures of Aiden already (ha!) here are a few more:

Aiden found his suitcase while we were preparing for the cruise :)

Kicked Daddy right off the chair!

He was just being so serious..haha

Oh, just looking out the window :)

Aiden loved having a little friend over - she brought along a tunnel!

Little Aiden sitting by himself on the big couch :)

Aiden got stuck between me and the couch..haha.

Victoria, Canada

Sunday, the 5th, was our final day aboard the Disney Wonder.  We ported in Victoria, Canada, but it was a little different because we didn't port until around 7 p.m.  So instead of waking up, eating breakfast, and pretty much getting right off the ship, we had the whole day on board.

My grandma reserved the Cadillac Lounge for an hour for us to have our own Sacrament meeting at 9 (two of my uncle's are Stake Presidents). She asked my dad to give the talk and he gave a touching talk on courage.

We just kind of hung out during the afternoon.  You've probably noticed that we went to some kind of performance pretty much every night, but since we'd be off the ship in the evening we decided to see "Remember the Magic!" that afternoon at 2.  Trent stayed behind with Aiden while he napped.  It was my least favorite performance.  Definitely cheesy..haha.  They were basically trying to tug at our heart strings and get us to come back ;) Don't get me wrong, I'd totally recommend a Disney cruise!

I thought I should get at least one picture with our room number :)

Trent made a kind of pillow fort for Aiden..haha.

Before we knew it, it was dinner time (5:45).  It was so fun to catch up with Kyle during the trip :)

Picture as we were coming off the ship in Victoria.

Victoria was beautiful!

Loved the ivy climbing up this hotel!

Parliament building.

It was pretty ironic that we happened to be there during their biggest event of the summer - the 23rd annual Victoria Symphony Splash celebrating the 150th anniversary of the City of Victoria.

Aiden and I with Jen, Jordan, Amanda, and Courtney.

We all had to be back aboard the ship by 10:30.

Heading back to the ship.

The boys with Thane :)  Loving Aiden's Curious George hoodie.

And then we spent a few hours before bed packing up :(

And Monday was just spent debarking the ship and waiting around in the airport.  Sad day.  Aiden was such a little trooper and did amazingly the entire trip :)

As always, it was good to be home, but we are missing the family already!  We have such great memories from the trip :)  A big THANK YOU to Gram for bringing us all along for the adventure (and Grandpa too, of course!)!

And that, my friends, concludes my Alaskan cruise blog posts.  Woo, that was a lot of work!