9 Months Old

NINE stinkin' months old.

Like my nephew Chris would say... "What in the hecky?!"

Where did the time go?

3 months and we'll have a 1-year old on our case.

I have to say, I have the best job in the world.

Staying home with this little man can be exhausting (okay, more like IS exhausting),

but man, it is so worth it when he is in a happy mood and wants to play, laugh, and cuddle!

Can you tell I'm obsessed?

Mason, at 9 months you...

-Are 17lbs 6ozs (10-25%) and 28ins (50%)

-Are SO much fun to play with

-Love to babble on to yourself for hours

-Are oh so close to crawling

-Roll around ALL night in your crib (you're definitely a tummy and side sleeper)

-Are starting to love playing with all of your cars

-Love to chew on everything (especially your shoes), but still no teeth

-Are getting more and more hair by the second

-Are starting to get over your pacifier and just like to play with and chew on it

-Think that you can just get around by bouncing up and down like Tigger, instead of learning how to crawl and walk

-Are impossible to feed, but still keep managing to gain weight, so I guess it's okay for now

-Get excited and smile at the camera now when I tell you to "say cheese" :)

-Are the cutest, most delicious little thing I ever did see!

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, and hope you get better soon!

Happy 9 months precious little guy!

We love you!

A Sad, Sick Day

Yesterday was a sad, sad, day for our little family.

Mason started throwing up at 3:30am and continued throwing up every half hour on the dot.

He would go right back to sleep after throwing up though, and no crying or fussing.

At 5:30am, we decided we needed to go to the hospital.

Even after just throwing up all over himself and me, he has a smile on his face (note the yellow stomach bile all over his clothes, gross.)

By 8am, there were no smiles left. He had had enough. Still throwing up and getting paler by the second. At this point, they finally gave him some zofran to settle his stomach. Poor little guy.

2 and a half hours of torture later, the IV was in, blood work taken, and x-ray done. What a horrendous experience it was for him and for us having the watch him suffer. It tore my heart out to see him in pain and so sad.

By 10am, the fluids were starting to perk him up, and he had just woken up from a nap and was looking a little better.

Playing with his toys, and looking even better.

The doctor said that the blood work showed that it's most likely a bladder infection. They won't know for sure until Monday or Tuesday, when they get his urinary test results back. In the mean time though, he's on an antibiotic. He said that it's pretty common in babies that are constipated (which his x-rays showed a lot of backed up poop), because they think that when babies hold in their poop (because it's too hard and painful to push out), that they are also holding their pee in as well, which causes an infection. We were discharged at noon, since he was able to take the pedialyte well and hadn't thrown up since 9. He's still not eating very well, or feeling 100%, but he's doing a heck of a lot better than he was yesterday.

And so are Chase and I.

I, of course, started throwing up and feeling feverish when we got home from the hospital and Chase, being the amazing husband he is, took care of Mason and I all night and all day today.

We sure are lucky to have him.

Swing Fun

Yesterday, the weather was perfect so we decided to have a little fun outside at Grandpa's!

Ready for the warm weather, in his summer clothes in February

Playing in the grass

His first time in a swing and loving it!

Let's just say, we'll be returning to Grandpa's playground soon!

To My Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day to...

my husband.

my best friend.

my partner in crime.

my foundation.

my knight in shining armor.

my other half.

and my eternal companion.

you're the best valentine a girl could ask for.

i love you.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Okay, so these aren't a few of my favorite things,

they are Mason's.

But the title, "A Few of Mason's Favorite Things" wasn't quite as catchy.

These are a few of the "It List" items for Mason and his salivary needs.

A string from a jacket.

A shiny candy wrapper.

A leather braided belt.

A necklace.

A headband.

An old cellphone.

And a water bottle.

So simple.

So easy.

I'm soaking up these days when he doesn't know the difference between a crinkled up piece of paper and a racetrack equipped with Hot Wheels.

Because to him, a piece of paper equals at least 10 minutes of shear entertainment.

I love babies.

I love my baby.

He's Back!

The deed is done.

After months of begging Chase to cut his hair and shave his beard,

he finally woke up the other morning and asked me to cut it.

FIVE months long of growing out his hair and beard.

I was one happy camper.

I apologize for sharing a picture of the gross pile of hair, but you just HAD to see how long it was. I'm pretty sure I cut off like 3 inches of hair.

And now he's back.

With his one dimple and all :)

8 Months Old

Mason just keeps getting older, bigger, and more and more delicious.

8 months is such a fun age!

Mason has such a funny personality and entertains us all day long.

I think my favorite new thing of his is that he has been SUCH a cuddle bug lately.

He'll even fall asleep on my chest like the good ol' days when he was just a teeny tiny little guy.

I miss that so much and oh my, is it heavenly to have a baby take a nap on you, no matter how old they are.

Mason at 8 months you...

-Are about 16 and a half pounds

-Love to chew on your feetsies

-Knock over, throw, grab and/or chew on anything in sight

-Love kisses and to give kisses (more like slobber licks, but I'll take it)

-Are finally ear infection free after having 2 in the last month

-Love to play with/eat all of your toys (your favorites of course, are the non-toy items... such as my jacket string, old cell phone, necklaces or anything shiny, and crinkled up paper and water bottles)

-Like to tug on your daddy's beard (I'm hoping eventually you'll just pull out all of his hairs, since he refuses to shave it...)

-Will take anywhere from a half hour nap to a 3 hour nap... you're very hard to predict

-Like to bounce up and down all day long

-Wake up once or twice a night... you slept through the night for the first time the other day, which was glorious, but has yet to be repeated

-Are going through a phase where you like to roll onto your tummy while you're sleeping and get frustrated because you can't figure out how to roll back

-Try to roll over when I'm changing your diaper or clothes, so things can get prettyyyy messy

-Love to cuddle (especially right after you wake up or when you're tired and need a nap)

-Like to just lay on your tummy and hang out

-Love to smile, giggle, talk, and squeal

-Make the funniest faces and are absolutely way too edible and delicious!

Happy 8 months little guy, we love you!

5th Annual MLK Breakfast

Martin Luther King Jr. Day...

The day that brings people and pancakes together.

Let's just say that the 5th Annual MLK Breakfast was a success.

Speeches were made.

Black and white pancakes were integrated and eaten.

People were brought together in unity.

And of course, MLK Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech was read.

May we all remember his words, stand up for what we believe in, be mindful of our thoughts and actions, and treat everyone equally.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -MLK Jr.