It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

Mason...I mean Captain Hook,
Today, the three of us along with your extended family and best friends celebrated your first birthday! 

While we still have 9 days until the big day, we just had to party early (ok, we wanted a costume party and well, Wyatt's party is next week so it worked out!). 
You spent most of the day with Daddy while Mommy ran around like a chicken without a head. We got you all suited up at Grandma and Pops then headed to the party. Soon after we arrived, so did all of your buddies: Haven, Wy Guy, Jakson, Kenzie, Grayson, Summer, India, Benjamin, and your cousins. All in costume of course! Everyone looked great! We ate then played outside (piñata too). Since the party was smack in the middle of your second nap, you weren't exactly the happiest camper for the middle portion of the party. However, once cake came, you frown turned upside down!

We then opened presents (ok, I opened them) and you got some awesome stuff! Daddy and I opened it all to get a preview of what you actually liked. You like all of it! This evening during bath time, you played with your two newest toys, a basketball hoop with balls and those foam letters that stick. You had a ball and probably could have stayed in there all night.
I know I tell you this all the time but you really are a sponge. I showed you how to put the Weebles on the slide on time, then you did it. Same with the balls in the hoop in the tub, one time and then you even started putting the letters in it. 
Overall, great day and I hope you think it was too. I have a lot of video. I especially like the one where you take about 20 steps toward Memaw and Ms. Holly (you took 17 yesterday). 

Love,
Wendy...I mean, Mommy

Monkey Mason

Mas,


Today Daddy and I took you to Chick-fil-a then to Monkey Joes! At Chickie Lay, there were 3-4 year olds playing in the play place. Of course, you showed them your walking skills. I saw you take 6 steps. You climbed half way up the slide too!

At Monkey Joes, you had a great time. You even slid down the two biggest slides by yourself. 

You loved bouncing with Mommy and sliding with Daddy too.

Love, 
Mommy

BRAT

Mason,


A few days ago, you were on the BRAT diet. 7 runny poops in 24 hours! By the time you had banannas for every meal in 48 hours, you started throwing them on the floor (you throw any finger food on the floor when you are done with it, especially if Pooze is around). Yesterday, you fed Pooze (i.e. Sicily, G and P's dog you call "Dog") and got excited about it. Then you tried to share your paci with her. Goof ball. Anyway, thankfully the BRAT diet worked. Sadly, there is no diet for a runny nose and cough. Saline drops, aspirator, and lots of wiping at the Turner house. Hopefully it will get better for you (and me...thanks Mas) by Saturday. I had hoped it was because it looks like the tooth to the left of your left front tooth is coming in but once I got it, I am assuming it's a cold.
You had the privilege of meeting your Great Aunt Di Di and Uncle Bob this weekend. The drove down from New Jersey and were dying to see you. You are very blessed to have all of Daddy's family in the same town as us. You have met everyone on his side. My Aunt Di and Uncle Bob are great people and they really enjoyed spending time with you. They gave you an early birthday present that you Pop plays with more than you (they gave you those cool cardboard blocks!). Hopefully I can bring them to our house soon (like I said, Pop loves them).
New words have been added to your vocab: "ew," "dooey," and "dodie do." "Ew" is compliments of your Grandmother Mimi. You say it ALL THE TIME, even more so when there is a pom-pom around. 
We went to Summer's first birthday party on Saturday and had a blast. You were into everything and showing off your new moves. 

You are doing great learning how to stand from the baby squat position. Today you have already done it twice! You are making your cheese smile face more now too. You make them too fast to take a picture (boooo). THe "o" face seems too make it's debut when you are excited or curious and excited (like touching or seeing something for the first time). You also started sticking your tongue out again. You love to play with my phone but only if I turn on the music. Yesterday, you repeatedly put the phone up to your ear! So cute!
We are all so pumped about your party Saturday. I can't believe your first birthday party is here already!
Post pictures when I get the camera back.


Love, 
Mommy

Proud Mommy

Mason,


Words cannot express how proud I am of you this evening! You have begun walking. For months, you have held onto hands, then fingers, then 1-5 steps here and there. Now you are letting go of objects and walking. Of course, you have to been walking toward something (M or D, vacuum, futon, table, etc) but it is amazing to see you face light up. We set you up and you used to take a few steps. Now it seems like you want to run! I keep telling you to stand firmly before you start walking but you are just too excited. Practice makes perfect and we can see that you are beginning to learn that. We took some great videos tonight. You got so excited at times, you would close your eyes and make your cheesy face when you were walking. I think 7 steps is your maximum but that is only because the object of your affection was only that far away. Let's see if you wake up and remember all that you accomplished today!


Here are the videos we took when D got home. I took 4 before he even got there!

You have also kicked up your vocabulary. I mentioned in the last letter two words that I picked out of all the rambling you do. Well today, you sounded like you were one of the men guarding the wicked witch's castle. "Oh we oh we" in your high pitched toddler voice (it actually sounds different). There are times when I think I have had it with you (diaper changes to be exact) but when I hear your sweet babbling, I can't help but smile. Don't fret, I got audio and video so you can hear it for yourself :)


Love you Booger Bean,
Mommy

101 letters

Mason,


Aren't you impressed? Anyway, Daddy and I agree to raise you eating a healthy, organic, and all-natural diet. No real problems yet, except for you parents. We eat like crap! We are slowly transitioning to a better lifestyle so you can have a good example. On that note, yesterday, we took you to McDonalds for lunch today. Of course you don't eat it but I knew you would enjoy the play place and M & D had to eat (ok we craved double cheeseburgers). I sat you near the foot of the entrance of the plastic tunnels and you crawled up and in and Daddy had to chase you to get out 30 minutes later. You made friends with a 3 year old (I know, she wasn't 4!) and you grabbed onto a five year olds sweater and made him yell for his mom! 

You have been leaning your head side to side. It is so cute! Hopefully I'll get a picture of that soon.


Love you, 
Mommy

Beautiful

Mason,

Today was a great day! We love when Daddy is home. After walking around the Marietta Square, we went to Doris and David's yard to play. Doris and David are our 87 year old neighbors who have over 12 acres in our neighborhood. The other day I took you to see them and Doris got on her knees and played with you!

In other news, you have been quite the chatterbox the past two days. "we" and "oy" seem to be the most frequently used words. In the bath yesterday, you were screaming and talking a lot! Today while Grandma was on the phone, you just screamed. Not mad or exceptionally happy. Just practicing using those lungs!

Love you, 

Mommy

Don't let the squirrel get my baby!

Mason,


Today, Grandma, Pop, and I took you to The Yellow River Game Ranch along with Wy Guy, A.J., and Ms. Debe. Within the first 2 minutes of entering the ranch, we were assaulted! I noticed a squirrel was walking right up to us and made a point to everyone that all of the animals just come up to you, even the ones you don't expect. Right after, the squirrel decides to climb up A.J.'s leg. After she shooshes him off, he decides he wants to jump on your stroller, with you sitting in it! I yell, "Don't let the squirrel get my baby (like he was going to kidnap you)" and A.J. yet again shooshed him away. 
The rest of the walk around the ranch was great. 

You loved watching the animals eat after you fed them

Afterward, we all headed to Mickey D's. You and Wy Guy played in this little dome while we ate and once I finished, I took you out. You cruised over to where the real play place entrance was, crawled into the tunnel and climbed to the third bubble. Whoa, not expecting that! Leaving you with a sweet video from this morning.

With love,

Mom

Silly Mae Mae

Mason,


You think you rule the world and it's quite amusing. Something doesn't go your way, you'll know about it and must do what you want. You love to pull my hair and sometimes you scream when you do it! Especially now that you say, "more" you better give you more pronto. Speaking of, you don't fully say, "more," you say, "moe." Hopefully I can capture that on video soon. Speaking of, it is so hard to catch you doing your thing. I would LOVE a candid video session but the minute you see the camcorder, you crawl/walk to me. You are super talkative. You make this, "o (short o)" sound and you sound french. It sounds like you say, "bob" and "abble" too. 
Today we were all set to go to the air show but the base reached capacity so we took you to the animal shelter. As usual, you had a good time and wanted to play with a big dog A.K. took out. No fear! For about 2 weeks, you have been acting like you realized you have control of your hands. You move your wrists side to side. Anyway, you love standing in your stroller and scaring Grandma. Oh and climbing on tables isn't bad either.

Bought your first pair of Stride Rite shoes!

Love,
Mom

Baby's Day Out

Mason,


You say, "more" in the right context at almost every meal!


Daddy went into your room yesterday morning and found you on the floor. Talk about a compromising position! Time to move the rail up.


For the past two weeks, you have been spitting up about 1/3 of your bottle each time you get one. Sometimes, you throw up 1/4 of your food.


You bite a lot. When you are tired, hungry, or excited, you try to bite more. Really only to me and Grandma though.


Last night before a consignment sale, we went to hang out with baby Grayson. He was crying because he was hungry and you were so concerned. You kept looking at me like, "mom, do something." At the sale, you were crawling all over the place. It reminded me of the movie Baby's Day Out because I would be looking at clothes and you would be crawling away.


You for sure have cold hand syndrome. 


I don't know if I can say it enough, you love to dance. Even when I sing, "peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat," you still bop.


Last night I said, "how big is Mason" while you were standing. Sure enough, you raised up both arms! 


A few days ago, you learned how to shriek. Sometimes you'll do it until you cough. You will keep doing it if we mimic you. You snort when you are really giggling!


Love you, Peanut,
Momma

Mason Wallbanger

Mason,


I took you to a Kindermusik class yesterday and you showed off your skills. The teacher and one of the mom's noted how good a dancer you are. You listened to the music then "bobbed." So cute. You fell in love with a 17 month old girl and kept trying to attack her.


You are sleeping through the night!


Yesterday, you said, "more" three times at breakfast. Guess no signs needed. You have started playing peek-a-boo. You stand up then cruise to a place you think I (or Daddy) can't see you. We say, "where's Mason?" and you walk to a place we can see you and smile. We say, "peek-a-boo" and you crack up. You are laughing hysterically though when we say it and then we grab you and tickle you.


You tried pizza for the first time on Tuesday. LOVED it!

You have done this for probably 2 months now I think I have neglected to mention it. You are a head banger. You will be sitting with your bak to a wall and you will knock your head into it. Then you continue knocking your head into it. Yesterday you even put your hand on your head because it hurt. Still do it anyway. You know, insanity is doing something repeatedly and expecting a different result....


Love, 
Mommy

Just another pumpkin in the pumpkin patch

Mason,


Mommy and Grandma LOVE fall and we have to do as many things fall related as possible. Yesterday, the Spinners and I took you to the apple festival in Elijay. The festival was super hot so we didn't stay long but you became an apple cider addict at Mercier orchards! You kept yelling at me to give you more. Needless to say, we need some more work on the more sign.

Today, Gram and I took you to a pumpkin patch right outside of their neighborhood. You had a ball. The minute I sat you down, you made your excited, weird smile and were totally into it. 

The owners gave you your very own fun-size pumpkin.

In other news, yesterday you took 4 steps toward a small table and 5 steps toward a stool. The past 3 nights have been great. You have only woken up crying once and stopped within 5 minutes. You have been able to do "sooo big" for probably 2 weeks now and you are just lazy enough that you only lift one arm. You have started making the cheesy smile. You close/squint your eyes and smile. You are so silly! Hard to believe this was you last year...

Love you,
Mommy

11 months

Baby Lou,


I honestly can't believe we have come so far. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. Time really does fly this first year. 4 weeks until my baby becomes a toddler. 

In the post about the Braves game, I told you all the words you know. You have such a sweet and high pitched voice. You like to be heard.

Although we are sleep training at night, your schedule looks like...
7:30 Wake up
7:45-8:00 Breakfast
     rice or oatmeal mixed with a 4 oz. jar of fruit
     4 oz. bottle
10:00 nap (1-1.5 hours)
11:45-12:00 6 ounce bottle
2:00ish nap (1-1.5 hours)
3:00-3:30 Lunch
     1 jar fruit 
     .5 jar veggie
6:30 Dinner
     1 6 oz. jar veggie and meat mix
     cut up chicken, beef, or turkey and a veggie
8:00-8:30 6 ounce bottle then bed

I love giving you yogurt for lunch and you eat it fast. The whole milk, organic yogurt comes in 4 oz. containers and are perfect along with a veggie. I know you wish you could eat yogurt and pasta all day.

You woke up at 12:30 and after two checks by Daddy that didn't help (didn't make it worse but didn't help), eventually you fell asleep around 1:45 a.m. Slept until 7:30. I think we are getting somewhere. This soothing stuff is really hard for you because up until last week if you fussed at night, Dad or I would pop the paci and you would drift back off. You won't take it at night anymore which is good and bad.

You are getting much better at playing by yourself. I retired a lot of toys that you never even touched a few days ago. You like things that move. Right now, you are playing with a noisy fire truck. Rolling it everywhere and making noise. You also love your rocket swing outside. You love to dance. Dancing to you means bobbing up and down. Whether it's on your knees, standing, or just sitting, when there is music being played or a song sung, look out!

We had to buy you a new wardrobe as all of your fall/winter clothes don't fit yet. You fit best in 6-9 month clothes. The 12 month clothes are too long in the sleeves and pants. Old Navy 6-12 month jeans fit great. Still in size 4 diapers.

When I put my hand over your mouth, you start making, "ahh" noises then I move my hand back and forth and you love the noise it makes. At Wyatt's the other night, you actually did it with your hand. Have yet to do it again but still cute. You like to make the noise on my arm but I won't let you anymore because you end up deciding to bite it. You like to clap and what is most funny is that you clap every time you fall on your butt. I guess months of seeing all of us do it sponged in. 

Your sensory overload face is crazy. I love it because it reminds me of the face I make. We bought you a funky caterpillar yesterday and you tensed up and made the sensory face. It is your new favorite car toy. I named him Weirdo. You love to push things especially toys that roll and your stroller. It is so funny watching you push your stroller one handed!

Love you Baby Mason,
Mommy