What he's up to

Aidan's getting more fun as he gets older. He's chunnering to himself, climbing steps and applauding himself at every turn. We even think he has his first word. When he's grumpy and needs something he often mumbles 'ma ma ma' but this can be indiscriminate, we actually think his first word is dog. It's more of a dawwhh-g with less of a g at the end than stop but when he sees one of the family's dogs around he doesn't stop saying it.

There's quite a few other things he's up to too:

He pops up on his two feet using all sorts of levels including tables, shelves and his parents' knees.

He's not walking yet but he climbs stairs and has been up the whole flight in the house - with is mum and dad nervously right behind him.

He's dropped his afternoon nap but still goes down at 9 and 1.

He's eating his mum and dad's food. He loves cheese and anything sweet, not so keen on cauliflower.

He loves to annoy his cousin Sophie. But he loves it more when she makes him giggle when he's eating.

He plays with toys and doesn't always have to put them into his mouth straight away - a major breakthrough.

He dances to a lot of music. He likes to make 'music' by banging things around. He loves jazz, classical and doesn't stop giggling when he hears The Beatles' Come Together. Oh, and he even likes listening to Grandma.

Bathtime used to be all about lying down and splashing. Now, it's still about splashing but with ducks, bottles and precarioulsy standing.

He has three, almost 4 teeth.

The girls - older women particularly - love him. Everyday he gets a 'look at you, how cute are you?'. Or 'Aren't you a cutey'. One man walked by him and said, 'Oh, you're bright. I think you're going to be a doctor one day.'

And he gives drooling, slobbery kisses.