Product Review

Doodlebug,
I know when you become a Daddy things will have changed but I wanted to let you know my thoughts on some things I love, and some I could do without:


LOVE
Fisher Price Jumperoo Baby Gymnastics
Bumbo chair
Boppy high chair/shopping cart cover
Fresh Food Feeder
Fisher Price Nature's Touch Papsan Swing
Blow up Munchkin brand duck bath tub - for the beach and pool especially
Johnson & Johnson foaming head-to-toe wash
Safety 1st ultrasonic 360 humidifier


HATE
Chicco high chair - hard to clean
Dr. Brown's bottles - good for baby, bad for cleaning
Fisher Price Whale of a Tub - hard to clean and not good for baby sitting up
Vicks cool mist humidifier


I will probably update this as I think of more.
LOvE yA,
mOM

AHH!

Mason,
Sorry I have not updated in a while AGAIN! Here are some notes about the past 2 weeks:

• The night of the last post I wrote we started putting you to sleep without the positioner. You are now sleeping on your side in the crib!
• Friday, May 21st was your 6 month check up (although you were technically 6 1/2 months).

         15 lbs. 4 ounces - 50th percentile
          25 inches in length - 50th percentile
          I cant remember what your head circumference was but I know you were in the 50th  
          percentile
          So basically, you are perfect...not that we didn't already know that!

• The following Tuesday, you weighed 15 lbs. 10 ounces. Growing like a weed!
• Everything is "da da"
• You are getting better at sitting up unassisted but definitely not independent yet
• You no longer shake your body to walk. You straight up bend your knee and put one foot in front of the other. Not much interest in crawling; you still roll too much. 
• You fell asleep on Grandma in the pool
• We are moving you into a big boy car seat today (Britax Roundabout 50)
• We started giving you a fresh food feeder and you tried strawberries and kiwi. The first day with the strawberry, you though it was a bit tart; you could tell by your expression (you would just look at it and make a face!). The following day, I ate strawberries with you and you sucked on it just fine. As for kiwi, negative. You tried it but it was way too tart (I laughed a lot).
• You wake up happy and play in your crib
• Last night, you played with Raegan and you were putting your hands on her and she was doing the same. Then you tried to eat her foot and you guys were cute. Then, Raegan got excited and screamed. Yeah, you cried. After you calmed down and started playing again, she screamed again, and you cried again. You don't even blink hearing dogs bark....hmmm....
• You spent the night with Grandma and Pop Saturday after Daddy's surprise 25th birthday party. 
• You started doing this thing where you look like you are chewing gum
• You can't see your bottle or else you will want it
• Your current schedule:

         8:00 - wake up and breakfast (4 oz. jar and 4 oz. bottle)
        11:30 - 6 oz. bottle
         2:30 - lunch (4 oz. jar and 4 oz. bottle)
         6:00 - dinner (4 oz. jar and 4 oz. bottle)
         9:15 - 6 oz. bottle
         9:45-10:00 - bed


As far as naps go, you usually take 3 1 hour snoozes.


Love Always,
Momma


Pictures from playing with Jordan at the park

So many firsts!

Mason,

I deeply apologize for not writing recently. A LOT has happened. I found out on Tuesday that I am being laid off from myt teaching job. Thank God you and Daddy are in my life to help lift me up. Also on Tuesday, Daddy hung the rocket swing I got for you. It took you a minute to figure out what was going on but you had a great time swinging. We are looking forward to many days and nights playing with you in it.

On Wednesday to get my mind off of my impending job loss, A.K, Grandma, and Pepaw, and I took you to the pool for the first time. You LOVED it! Splashing and talking the whole time. You didn't even make a face when we got deeper and it was cold (I did though!). Michael Phelps look out!

You are eating stage 2 food now (yeah for variety) and we are phasing you into 6-9 month clothes.
Then, your first real word. I know, early right? Yesterday (5/17) while at school with Grandma and A.K., you were in a talkative mood (surprise, surprise) and all of the sudden, they heard you say, "da da." After debating whether or not they really heard that, you said it again, "da da." Of course that evening, Daddy and I hear about it and while we believed their claim, we wanted to hear it for ourselves. Before bedtime, you and I were in the kitchen watching Daddy wash the dishes (yes, your Dad is awesome) and out of the blue we heard, "da" and shortly after, clear as a bell, "da da." Unbelievable!
A few days ago, you just did not want to be held. So like I always do, I held your hands and let you walk. Well, you must have been seriously motivated because you walked in a full circle. Now I have a talker and a walker. What's next?

Now for some other updates:

• Saturday you spent the night with Grandma and Pepaw for the second time and did wonderful as expected. As for you and that darn positioner, we are still using it. We are honestly dreading weening you from it but we know you need to because you always roll out of it (at night but not for naps). I know once school ends, my lost sleep won't be as much of a big deal.
• You grab everything. Store clerks fingers, your paci, really anything in your line of vision or near you. I was holding you paci in my hand and holding you in the other while chatting with someone (my mind is a tad fried) and you took the paci out of my hand and put it into your mouth. Bottle holding and self-feeding solid food are going great too (you aren't choking yourself). You make the funniest noises. When you get grouchy or are trying to talk to us, you make this, "ahh" sound in a low voice. The sippy cup is challenging for you but you are trying to get the hang of it.

I only have one request: STOP GROWING UP! It seems like you hit 5 months and you haven't stopped since! AHH!

Love you,
Mommy

Red blanket play time with Daddy

Bubbly, blonde, blue-eyed, blanket-lovin', bouncy, bashful, beautiful, babbling, big baby boy!

Happy Birthday, A.K.

Mason,

Today is A.K.'s 20th birthday. I wanted to take time to write about you and your Aunt Kimmy. She loves you with very fiber of her being. Every person she has ever met knows about you because she brags on you constantly. You love playing and laughing with her but she can put you to sleep too. At Ms. Holly's baby shower she rocked you on the couch (she rocked, not the couch) until you fell asleep. Many a time she has played John Mayer for you and sung you to sleep. You and A.K. have a special bond and I am glad because she is a great baby sister to me!

Love, Momma

My First Mother's Day

Mason,

You and Daddy made my very first mother's day wonderful. You let Daddy and I sleep in until 8:15! Daddy made me pancakes then the two of us cuddled for the first of two naps together after Daddy left for work. We spent the whole day just hanging out. I love the card you got for me and the beautiful picture you drew inside. Daddy surprised me with butcher block counter tops when he got home from work then we went out to eat. I love being your mommy Every second of every day I feel blessed.

Love,
Mom

My new baby at 1 week old

My big boy at 6 months

Look at just the leg difference!

6 months old

Linus,

I have a 6 month old baby boy! Unbelievable how fast the time goes by. You have started to spit (yeah) and continue to babble all the time. Your hands don't reach for people yet but today, you did lean toward me when I put my hands out (now for the real yeah!). You reach for toys and if you can't reach them, you will scoot to get them.

Which one should I choose?

That one!

Sometimes, if I place the toy to your side, you will roll just enough to get then roll back. 5 steps with mommy holding your hands is your max (you go backwards and forwards). It is so cute watching you try to walk because you try to propell yourself by "dancing." You do crunches until I grab your fingers then you pull up to a seated position the to standing. The way you get excited to see Daddy and I is adorable. There are times when you just sit and stare at him. I pray you become a man like him.

Today was a particularly stinky half birthday for you. I found out this morning that I have strep throat so grandma took you for the day. What a fantastic way to spend my day off (not).

Love,
The Mom


Yum! Carrots!

All clean!