Adventures in Diapering

Mace,

This letter may seem boring but it may help you when you have my grandchildren (although by that point, they will have some weird, new fangled thing).  When you were born, we used Pampers Swaddlers because they were soft and absorbent. Once you moved up to size 2, we changed you to the more economical choice, Pampers Baby Dry. I don't like them. The hold your poopy in just fine but they aren't soft. Yesterday, I switched you to size 3 Pampers Cruisers (holy crap I have a cruiser now!) and I really like them. They are soft and the bigger size was definetely needed as you are continuing to grow like a weed.

Your diaper rash isn't nearly as bad as it has been but I decided to research "organic" diapers. The information out there for these types of diapers is SO misleading. 7th generation and other natural diapers aren't natural at all! They still use the same super absorbent polymer (the gel balls) that regular diapers use and they even dye their diapers so they look natural. The only natural diaper brand is called Tushies and they can only be ordered online (of course, there is always cloth).

Don't know if this info will ever mean anything to you but I wanted to let you know that I got your back (ok, that wasn't that funny)!

Love,
Your crazy Mom

Many Milestones

My dearest little Mae Mae, 


You are scaring me. Seriously. It was crazy enough that one morning you woke up and you could sit without wobbling in your Bumbo but yesterday, was enough to give me a heart attack. 


Yesterday morning I laid you on your belly on a blanket. Within about 15 minutes, you had done a full circle on the floor. You crawl using just your legs, not arms yet. Right before that, you decided to show off your sitting up skills by sitting unassisted for about 30 seconds. I can imagine that this week, you will be able to do it for longer. But man, that crawling thing I was not prepared for. It is so wonderful seeing you accomplish your milestones. I can tell that you even enjoy them too.


You scream ALL the time. You should have heard yourself in the back seat of the car this evening. It seems like you put the "goo" and "gee" on the back burner until you master screaming (which I think you have). As far as holding your bottle, you have definitely expressed interest. While you have held cups in the bath for a while (and you even held my water cup a few nights ago), last night you held you "bott' all by yourself (when I say hold, I mean like in your mouth).


Today, you attended your first Braves baseball game. Because you are so noisy, you only napped about 15 minutes the whole time but you were super well behaved and seemed to enjoy it. I think you are the team's lucky charm because in the bottom of the ninth, the Bravos won the game! We are SO blessed to have such an amazing son.

As you probably can imagine, you are in the car a lot. Not just during the week, but doing fun things with Mommy and Daddy on the weekends. You HATE HATE HATE when we strap you into the car seat but are fine once we get going. Sometimes you fuss when we stop and that is not surprising since you love movin' around and being crazy. You love the bath even more now since you have learned to splash!


Loving you more every day,
Mommy

So our week together

has come to an end. Below is a few notes about our time together:

• You are just chillin' in your jumperoo at Grandma's. You LOVE it and finally, you like the Baby Einstein entertainer.
  

You try to put all the different do dads in your mouth. Sometime you'll even get pissed off them and scream. Funny story about the entertainer. So early in the week, I put you in it and showed you all the fun toys. Then, 2 hours later, you started playing with the toys, even going as far as hitting the animals to make them make noise.

• You met your friend Haven on Tuesday and you two were a hoot to see together. He would put your hand in his mouth or grab your shirt. You weren't too happy with the shirt grabbing but I know as you boys get older, shirt grabbing will be the least of Mrs. Weaver and I's worries :)

• Today, you made your first poopy face and grunted.
  
• Yesterday you decided to scare the crap out of Mommy and get on your knees while laying on your belly.
• A couple days ago, I decided to purchase a Maclaren Triumph umbrella stroller. While expensive it was definitely the way to go. We have already been on a lot of walks and you love when You and Daddy chase me (while I run backward) down hills :)
• You have now eaten the Earth's Best Baby Food brand of stage one peas, pears, bananas, and sweet potatoes. Holy cow you LOVE sweet potatoes and carrots. You don't mind the peas and pears and so far, your not too enthusiastic about the bananas. 

Love you my growing boy and I am going to miss you profusely at work tomorrow.

Mom

Your First Easter!

Mason,

Grandma and Grandpa took you to the Dr. Friday since you have a nasty little cough again. Thankfully, it is nothing. You weighed 13 pounds 12 ounces. We also started carrots for dinner. I have never seen you act the way you did! Opening your mouth wide, fussing for more. You LOVED them. So now, you are getting cereal for lunch. 

In other news, lately when you are in your swing, when I come over to you, you smile (sometimes even giggle). Last month, you definetely got more hair in but this moring, whoa !It seems like it grow a few inches over night. Oh my goodness, a few days ago, you learned how to scream and squeal. Whether because you are mad or super excited, it is a loud, high pitched scream (sometimes you even blink your eyes when you do it). I LOVE IT! I even got mad at your Daddy for not getting the video camera in time to catch it. Of course this morning, Daddy let me sleep in and he got 5 minutes of footage. You have also found your finger tips.You officially are out of the napping in your swing phase and in your crib or car seat for your naps (unless you are at work with Grandma). 

So Easter. Mommy's favorite holiday. On Saturday, we went to Memaw and Granddaddy's Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Since you are not a big proponent of the sun, I am not sure you had a stellar time but we sure did taking pictures! Sunday we went to the Square Bagel for breakfast, church for worship, then Granny Turner's for lunch, then Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner and fun. You got a lot of great gifts for them as well as from Great-Grandma and Aunt Di Di. All in all, it was a great and super busy weekend!

We have been able to "hold you like a baby" for over a month now. Your little head is totally stable in the Bumbo too. It seems like each day, you accomplish something extraordinary.

Helpin' me with the laundry

I love you baby,

Mommy

Semi-Wordless Wednesday

What a difference a month makes! Look how mad you were in your Bumbo last month then look at the two pictures of you last week! What a big boy :)

New Stuff

Hola mi bebe! You started squealing earlier on in the week. It is SO cute! Last night, you swallowed your cereal for the first time and ate half of the container (well probably about 1/3 since 1/3 was on your face!). You were home yesterday with Daddy and he texted me to say you were scooting across the floor on your back! He laid you on the floor about a yard from the wall so he could sort laundry and when he turned around, you were against the wall. So silly and so big! You also started hitting and trying to eat the books we read at night. Maybe you will be an avid reader like Mommy.

Also, this week, you got to meet your great grandma, Mary Frances. You smiled at her a lot and boy, she lit up when she saw you. Your great grandma hasn't been well for quite some times. It is rare that she "comes back" and communicates. You bet when she saw you, it was like she wan't ill anymore. Playing with you, talking to you, it was amazing.This weekend, we went to Build-A-Bear and you and I created your friend, Goo. It was a blast and you LOVE him!

Love,
Momma

My 4 1/2 month old

Mase,

What a difference a year makes! The above ultrasound was you March 25th last year. The picture is you holding your head up yesterday March 20th!

Here are some notes:

• You rolled over from back to front this morning!
  
• Last night, you laughed hysterically at your (hopefully) Aunt Alex. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you like blondes because you only laugh like that for yourself (in the mirror) and at Mommy and Daddy.


• We started cereal Friday night before your last feeding. Yeah, it's pretty funny. I put it in, you push it out.
  
• After you projectile vomited like you were possessed last weekend, we moved to five feedings a day and trying to space them 3.5-4 hours. It has been going great and you continue to sleep through the night (average 8.5 hours a night). Sample schedule:

6:30 - Wake up and bottle

8:00 - Nap
10:00 - Bottle
11:30 - Nap
1:30 - Bottle
3:00 - Nap
5:00 - Bottle
Most of the time you will skip this nap or take a 30 minute one
8:30 - Cereal then a bottle

As far as naps, 2 are about an hour and 1 is 1 1/2 -2 hours. You still nap 99% of the time in your swing or on someone. Grandma is working on getting you to sleep in your crib at her house and you are doing great with it. Daddy and I don't worry about trying to get you to sleep in your crib here since we are not home with you that much.

• Night time is still my favorite time. It is just me and you. I change your diaper and put you in your J's. Then we sit in the rocker and I read you a story. Once you start getting antsy, I turn off the light and rock and sing to you until you are almost out, then lay you in the crib. My song list is the same: Twinkle, Twinkle, ABC's, Barney "I love you" song, then Celine Dion's "Because you love me." During the singing portion, I used to have to give you your paci to help you fall asleep; not anymore. I know that you know our routine well enough that you can fall asleep easier. You still cry in your sleep a little but it last less than a minute.


• Friday was your official 4 month appointment and you weighed 13 lbs. 4 ounces with no clothes on making you in the 50th percentile for weight. YEAH! Your head circumference and height were in the 25th percentile. You were a true champ with your shots. The oral vaccine (roto) went down well, the first shot in your thigh you barely whined for, and like the nurse warned me, your other shot in the opposite thigh hurt when the vaccine went in and you did cry but for less than a minute. The rest of the day and into the afternoon yesterday you were a little sensitive, making you a bit crabby but no fever or reaction.


• You drool like a dog staring at a steak


• You and Daddy are buddies. Daddy used to say, "he's a Mommy's boy" but I know that has changed. You definitely love me but Daddy can make you smile and laugh all the time.


• Finally, you feel better! You still have a bit of a cough but the frequency is no where near what is was. Dr. Saade said your ears and lungs are clear!

You are perfect and I love you SO much. You are a blast to be around and make Daddy and I exceptionally happy.

Looking forward to Spring Break,
Mommy

The very garlicy rolls at Scalini's Daddy and I consumed when we tried the "eggplant approach"
In the two pictures above, you were still in preemie clothes. Amazing how you have changed!First day of school with Grandma

(who has decided to stop teaching after this year to stay with you!)

Leavin' you with a big ol' smile!