My renaissance man

 Aidan is so smart and kind and special and funny and I just love him so much.  Mike and I are so very proud of him.  He has had just as rough of a year as Calli, just totally on a different level.  Here are some things I'd like to share about my Aidan Michael....

He loves going fishing with his dad.

The other night, after supper, Mike took him down to the creek.  They came back after dark and I expected to see some sunnies or crappies like they usually get...but Aidan came home with a feast :)

 Aidan took all of those pictures by the way.  He has a camera that he likes to use once in a while :)  He is usually too busy and sighs big time, when I tell him to remember it- but once in a while....I get some great shots from him.

This is Aidan being a gentleman....

BUT here is the disclaimer:

Reese looks at him and says as she's going out the door...

"You gonna get the umbrella for me?"
she is 6, by the way

LOL

So he did :)
Aidan has groupies :)

Well Reese, is his groupie ;)

She follows him wherever he goes :)  

...he played the piano for years.....

and then we had to stop, had no time,
could not find a teacher that fit our crazy schedule,

cancer smancher stuff filled our open spots,

He had no desire or longing to do scales and chords, 

or play the  songs he had learned before....

 and he just gave up.   

until two weeks ago...

when Calli got a keyboard for her birthday

since then, he has taught himself MOONLIGHT SONATA by ear

I am dead serious.  

I cannot believe it.  

No notes to follow

perfect timing

completely memorized

Now he plays it everyday :)

 Aidan also loves to play the guitar.  He just got one for Christmas, and has learned over 120 songs on it, as well as made a few up on his own. 

Aidan has been super busy with TaekwonDo- earning many belts and awards in the last year- but just since March, he has earned his blue stripe on his green belt, his Blue Belt and his red stripe on his blue belt! 

Before summer is over, I know he will have his red belt, and possibly by Fall his black stripe- that leaves one test for his black belt! WOWSERS!  Do you think he will have it by Christmas?  I think possibly I may be buying a BLACK BELT MOM T-SHIRT soon :)

 Aidan is also part of a special demonstration group that you must be picked for called the Hwa Rang Warriors.  He has performed in front of hundreds of people, at parades, community days, and various Taekwon-Do championships. 

Here is a video of one of their TKD self-defense skits

Aidan has also broken a few records at his dojang!

Aidan also went to his very first over-nite camp with his fellow TKD pals.  Again, I sent him with his camera to take some great pics- these are his pics :)  ignore the date :)  he clearly did not set it on his camera yet.  When he came home, he slept for an entire day :)

Aidan is really good at the Nunchucks- he is an entrepeneur also...he has made and sold several pairs already :)  Aunt Julie bought a pair of his purse chucks- here he is teaching her how to use them- lol

Aidan loves to hike and be outside and him and my mom went to Peace Valley and came home with tadpoles...

Can you see its legs?

He made a lovely home for them

and fed them each day till they became little frogs!

 Did I mention that Aidan loves to draw and do art projects with the Art therapist-

can you see what it is?

 Aidan is also a huge goofball :)

Did I mention that he got straight A's on his final grades this year?

 And a stunt man that creates his own obstacle courses...

Aidan loves his Nana

 Aidan is an awesome dancer!  BUT you will never get him to dance with you unless you are unless you are my beautiful cousins, Ellen, Kathryn, Laura and Sandy, or their beautiful Mama Alison, or my Mama :)

 Aidan is a good helper around the house

Did I mention that he is super goofy?

Aidan loves to make his mom barf on flight simulaters

 Aidan loved his first Phillies game with his dad- Well, it was actually his third...the first one last year got rained out, then this one did too...but they waited to call it until 9:00pm..so they finally got to go again and watch a game!

Thanks Bob & Deb!

Aidan is a super wonderful kid.  He dislikes greatly when people are mean to others.  Sometimes it makes him want to be mean to them back.  We were reading James a while back, and I asked him to pick out a verse that affected him most...and illustrate it.  here is what he did.

How powerful our tongues can be.  Blessing, Cursing, Life and Death...all come from our tongue.

Aidan is a blessing to me, Mike and to Calli.  We love him and are so proud of him, especially considering all he has had to endure this past year.  

Aidan is my renaissance man....well-rounded in every way :)