October 2003

11th: I don’t even know where to begin describing Aden’s cuteness. My hair was wet when they arrived, and he just stared and stared, and then lightly ran his pudgy fingers through it. He played with the helium balloon we had for Humera’s birthday party, and kept hitting it against his head and blinking rapidly. He also loved the really crinkly silver wrapping paper we had. Mama had been waiting all week to show him her bougainvillea, which is blooming beautifully, and she ran outside with him almost as soon as they arrived! Rabia put him in the cutest clothes, and at one point we realized that the pocket of his shirt was full of drool. He’s such a sweetheart, that even when he’s tired and cranky, he gives us beautiful sweet smiles, just like daddy used to 😊 I had gone to the Atlanta Greek Festival with my friends, and Rabia said if I brought her Greek chicken she’d name me primary guardian of Aden in her will 🥰

14th: He was here, then gone in a blink of an eye ☹ Our little munchkin is too sweet and cute for words. That baby is obsessed with my hair! When he was hungry and cranky, I’d wave my hair in front of him, and he’d stare at it mesmerized, the way he does at the chandelier. He doesn’t do that with anyone else’s hair! He stares at lights so intently that it’s almost as though he’s remembering something from his pre-birth days. He seriously cranes his neck at dangerous angles to gaze at lights! This time was the first time he’s very obviously held his arms out to someone when they hold out theirs for him, and he only seems to do it with his nani! Kid’s got great instincts. Rabia met up with her friends, who were then supposed to come over to the house for a few minutes, ended up staying 2 ½ hours. Aden was downstairs with them initially, and was such a friendly sweetheart, but then got tired after about an hour. I went down and snatched him up and took him to mama’s room to nap. I’ll never forget the look on mama’s face when I brought him in – she lit up, and he was asleep on her lap, snoring, within minutes! Thank God for Aden, who reminds us that life can be beautiful and magical 😊

21st: I had off-handedly told mama Sunday how much I miss Aden, and she quickly said we could go to Columbus on Wednesday. Then I woke up at 7 on Monday, and mama said if I woke up that early on Wednesday, we could spend lots of time with Aden! Then at work (also Monday), I got a call from mama asking if can go Tuesday – but I had appointments. Turns out mama had gone into my room to vacuum, and had seen the new photos of him I had up, and says she almost passed out because of how cute he is, and she started thinking of ways she could get down there immediately!

23rd: I got to feed Aden Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato baby food 😊 As soon as I’d give him a spoonful, he’d gulp it down and open his mouth wide for the next bite. He shrieked a lot this visit, and Rab put him in the baby bungee – he’s crazy fast in that! Soon after we got there, he was holding my face and kept trying to eat my cheeks, which Rabia says is his version of kisses ❤❤