My Sweet Aiden

In a matter of hours my sweet baby boy will turn 2 years old!  I find it very hard to grasp the thought of being a mother to a 2 year old!  To say that this boy is my life would be an understatement!  He is the reason that I smile, the infinite worth to my life, and the beginning, middle, and end to my day!
After a very long and difficult pregnancy, Aiden Ellis Gunderson was welcomed into this world, with the cutest cry and grump face, on September 1, 2009 at 2:35 am weighing an even 7lbs and stretching to a lean 20 inches long.  After 13 hours of drug free labor, Aiden was delivered via emergency C-section.  After the pregnancy that I had, hearing him cry was the single most amazing sound that I have ever heard!  I couldn't help but breakdown into tears...he was (and still is) PERFECT!!!

Everything you have ever heard about being a parent is true...as much as I hate to be cliche, I have to admit that there is NO OTHER love than the love that a mother feels for her child!  I absolutely love my husband but there are no words to describe how I love my son...it isn't a matter of how much...it is just simply "how" I love him.  It's a deep, selfless, protective, proud, providing, challenging,careful, nurturing and extremely emotional kind of love.  It is the kind of love that can make you extremely crazy...like you would beat another child for making your child cry kind of love...and also make you a big cry baby...like they poop on the potty and your cry over it kind of love.  I think the best way to sum it up is to say that I love my son in a way that I want to protect him from all the bad in this world, from everything that is unfair, and from any harm.  I want him to trust me and know that I will always be there to catch him when he falls and I will always put his best interest at heart, no matter what.
As I look back over my pregnancy and these amazing 2 years of my life, I can't help but get extremely emotional.  I was given the greatest gift...the ability to create, carry, birth and nurture a child.  I was given a happy, healthy little boy who is the absolute light of my life!  The good Lord trusted me with this innocent canvas and I feel no shame in saying that he is with out a doubt a masterpiece.

To my sweet Aiden,
Somewhere, someway, and somehow...someone thought enough of me to allow me to be your mother!  I try, every day, to be worthy of that title.  You have given me a kind of happiness that I never knew existed!  In the morning when you whisper "Momma, me happy" or when you are driving your little red car around the house and you scoot past me, stop, back up and lean out the window and say "Momma, I wanna kiss", I can't help but wonder what I did to deserve your sweet unsolicited love and affection!  You continuously amaze me with your knowledge, your compassion, and your confidence to try new things.  You are a funny little character especially when you fold your arms, mimic my mannerisms, dance to your own singing, clap (and tell me to clap) for your own accomplishments, that little eye roll that you do and the way you carry on a conversation with Buddy as if he knows exactly what you are talking about.  You have become such an independent boy always saying "momma, I wanna do it".  Today, as we were eating lunch, you just had to name every item on your plate, "hot dog, chicky (chicken), strawberry, tomato, chips, water"...after asking if you could have some cookie Daddy said 2 more bites of hot dog...you shoved 4 pieces in and said "cookie pwease"...we can't argue with that!!!  Speaking of eating...you have great eating habits!  You love fruits and vegetables and would pick a strawberry over a lollipop any day!  You are such a sweetheart, always ready to kiss Momma or Daddy's "boo boo's, and you still believe me when I tell you I have a boo boo on my mouth just so I can get another kiss on my lips hehe!  I could really go on and on but I will end with this.  THANK YOU...for being patient with me as I learn how to be the best Mommy possible, for making my job so incredibly easy and fun, for being so laid back as we (and the Navy) keep you in a constant transition, and most importantly thank you for being YOU...sweet, compassionate, affectionate, silly Aiden!  My life, my love, and always my BABY BOY!  Mommy loves you more than you will ever know!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET AIDEN!