Mason's Baby

I almost forgot about "Mason's Baby". I should have written about this a long time ago. About the time that I started showing a baby bump we started talking about the baby a lot to Mason to try to help him get used to the idea. Pretty quickly he decided that he too had a baby in his stomach. Funny, we thought, but probably not that unusual. One night when my baby was really active I got Mason's hands and had him feel the kicks. His response? "Cool Mom. Look Mom! My baby too!" He lifted up his shirt and started sucking in his stomach. We were a bit concerned and just went easy on the baby talk for a while. But Mason's baby didn't stop moving. Mason would come find me at random times, gleefully showing me his moving baby. We didn't want him to feel jealous or left out or anything so we didn't really know how to handle his active imagination.

Where's your baby? Right HERE!

Fast forward a couple of months and my baby arrived. We all looked at Mason, wondering what would happen to his baby. He didn't mention it for a while and we thought it was over. Well, yesterday he came up to me with a soft baby puppet toy that was mine as a child. In Mason-Speak he told me (with actions) about the baby. It used to be in his stomach and would kick, kick, kick! And then one day, "the baby came home". Then he held the toy close and gave it kisses. So I guess that is Mason's delivery story.

I peed my Nemo!

Mason keeps us ever entertained with his quirky personality. He's really independent when it comes to going to the bathroom. Often we don't know he's even gone unless we spot him with his underwear inside out or if he comes to us with his clothes asking "is this how it goes?". He's started a new funny thing where he slaps his stomach to... you know... get every last drop in the toilet. We'll hear a slapping sound from down the hall and know that he's in there taking care of business.

He just came in and said "I peed my Nemo!" in a very upset voice. He had an accident, in his Disney character underwear.

Big Brother

Mason loves "his baby" and is always bringing him more blankets, toys, and giving him kisses. He impresses me with how gentle and concerned he is. We were leaving the house the other day and Mason thought we were leaving Eli behind. He was so worried and kept nagging us to go get the baby. When Mason has been away, he seeks out his brother on his return and often says "Oh hi baby!" and gives him hugs and kisses.

Now if we could just teach Mace to change diapers...

Q&A

Mason, what are you doing?

Swimming in my pond.

Say AH!

Mason went to the dentist for the first time. I was worried it might be traumatic and let him pick a stuffed animal to bring along. I should have guessed that he would love it. He's a funny kid that seems to enjoy all the extra stimulus. Like when he was a baby and loud noise and extra sensations would put him right to sleep.

He loved the waiting room with all the toys, he loved the huge fish tank, he loved the bear rug on the wall, he loved watching the movie in the ceiling, he loved the earphones, he loved getting his teeth cleaned, and he loved the sprayer and suction hose (even when it kept grabbing his tongue).


After the cleaning the dentist came over to check out his teeth. Mason obediently let him poke and prod. He said everything looks great. When we were done they gave Mason a token for a candy machine full of little toys. He loved it but now he knows what those machines do! I've been trying to avoid him learning that.


They also sent him home with a new toothbrush, flosser, and toothpaste. He has always been pretty good about brushing his teeth and letting us have a turn to help get everything clean. Now he's better than ever and asks to brush his teeth throughout the day. I can also say "Remember the dentist said not too much toothpaste" and he'll obey without a fit.

Gingerbread House

Mason made a gingerbread house at the annual Grandma Christmas Party. He really liked squirting the frosting on the graham crackers... and then squirting the frosting into his mouth. We let him munch on it as he wants since it's pretty hard and there's not much candy on it.


Actually we let him munch on it because it's so entertaining to watch him pick up the whole thing and try and get a bite off of it.

the BIG storm

We had a big storm! Jason shovelled snow all morning and when we got out of church he shovelled some more. As soon as we got home Mason begged to get dressed in his snow gear like his dad and headed outside.

Cereal and Snakes

Here are some pictures from Jason's phone.


When we go shopping Mason likes to explore the aisles. You know those awful moments where you suddenly realize you can't spot your kid? Try looking behind the Lucky Charms. He built a fort and did not want to abandon it.


Mason's Uncle Nate has a couple pet snakes. Although I don't like them much, we just let Mason do what he's comfortable with. Apparently he's comfortable having snakes crawl in his shirt and slither around his neck.

boxers and boots

groovy moves

He reminds me of a flamenco dancer. It something about the posture. 

{he has a special "window" friend that he dances for and talks to}

{he's munching on carrots the whole time}

{he's watched this video of himself over and over, laughing each time}

Babysitter Joe

Jason and I both went to an appointment. Mason is actually taking naps again (more on that soon) and we didn't want to mess that up. So Uncle Joe came over to stand guard while Mason slept. He was awake by the time we got back and had a wonderful time hanging out with Joe. Joe stayed into the evening much to Mason's delight. He's a great uncle that understands his little nephews. We're lucky to live in the same town as so many of our extended family.

in the zone

Here's Mason hard at work at his easel.
I adore that he has his 3D movie glasses pushed up on his head.
He still draws with both hands.
Lately he likes to draw snakes.

"sounds" good

Today we took Mason to a Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist in St. George. The nurse at Early Intervention (his new 'preschool') recommended we follow up with him because of an abnormal hearing test. We were worried about Mason and couldn't help but wonder if a hearing problem was causing his speech delays.


Mason was so well behaved during the appointment and let the doctor look him over and check out his ears. He put up with all the poking and proding and ended up sideways lying down in the chair laughing his head off at the doctor. He really enjoyed the special chair and the elevator. I love his legs in this picture!

The good news is that the check up went really well and the specialist didn't see anything that that would be concerning. He's thinking all is well but we do have some follow up testing to do. It was a big relief and I felt like skipping out of the office.

Mason is...ELMO!

We found this Elmo costume on sale at WalMart for about a buck after Halloween. Needless to say Mason loves it. Best dollar ever spent.

2nd week of preschool

I promise I won't post what The Stud looks like every week when he goes to school. It'll probably be just every other week ;)
I had to take a picture when he ran to the door wearing his pirate hat though.

Masonisms

Mason calls his sandals "shoe flops".

He was wearing his Elmo costume. Jason asked "oh are you Elmo?" to which Mason responded "NO! I ME!"

Mason frequently requests going to Grandpa's house. This includes 4am bathroom breaks. "I go to Papa's house?"

He'd happily listen to the Three Little Pigs a dozen times a day... except mom gets sick of retelling it.

He used to call Grandma "Fa Fa". This week it evolved to "Shamma" which he says while doing the darling/exaggerated sign for grandma.

Every(single)time he goes to the bathroom he comes out and shouts I DID IT! If you don't act adequately excited he'll say it again. Since Halloween he says: "I DID IT!!!.... TRICK OR TREAT!" and waits for a potty treat. He will also prompt others to say "I DID IT" when they um stay dry..

When he prays he usually includes praying for his baby brother, his blanket, water, and elephants.


When asked a question he usually responds "Yes I may". So we say Mason will you hand me your shoes? Yes I may. Do you want to go to RyRy's? Yes I may.

About 10 times a day he asks "Mama wha's wrong" in a tender little voice. He'll ask "You have a hard day?" When I tell him I'm fine he'll ask again and again until I smile big then he says "Happy"! When he's trying to get away with playing in my bed or avoiding a nap he'll say he's having " a hard day".

First Day of School!

This day came about 3 years sooner than we thought. Today was Mason's first day of school. He's going to preschool at Grandma Heaton's old work once a week to get help with his speech. Lucky for us (especially his anxious mom) his teacher is our friend Collette.

Running late, eating 2nd breakfast while watching the utility truck in the backyard.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall and watch his adventures without being in the way. Today I stayed to watch and see what his days will be like and how he handled the new environment. Mason loved it! They have table time, free play, singing time, snack time, etc all while incorporating the sound of the week and working on each child's individual goals. I love that he'll have a chance to have socialization and structure, all in a educational proactive environment. This certainly isn't a crowd control type of preschool.

When it was time to leave he started crying because he wanted to stay. We can't wait until next week.

Our little cheese ball

HaPpY HaLLOWeEn!

Mason was a turtle and I was fatigued. We didn't do much Trick or Treating but Mason was so excited every time he got candy. He'd look at me with an expression that said "Mom! Did you see that? It worked again!"

The way he says Trick or Treat and Happy Halloween is just darling. He also loved putting candy in the kids' bags that came to our door.


Halloween is "tricky" indeed. First he woke up from his nap determined not only to not wear his costume but to not wear any clothes at all. Today he thinks he gets more candy and wants to go trick or treating again. Every time he asks for candy I try giving him a blackberry. He's not amused.

It's that time of year again

Father and Son with identical eyes

Here's Mason and his dad filling the wood chute. Mason really is a good little helper. We all enjoy the toasty fires downstairs.

Also with Autumn comes the deer hunt. Jason got a deer and Mason often asked to go see it hanging outside. He called the deer "the deer hunt" and told Jason it was sleepy and needed a blanket.

Thumbs Up! (kind of)

The classic brag pic

Out of the mouths of babes...

We walked into the book store.
"What a darling boy! How are you sweetheart?" asked the clerk.
"I NEED TO PEE" he shouted back.

this never gets old:

big BIG boy

I've been getting behind on pictures, so here'e a few of our charming little man. Clockwise from left: Mason on his yellow car wearing his R hat. He mostly pushes the car around like a lawn mower. Next: Washing baby with special soap. Even the special soap makes his rash worse. Next: Playing in his jeep, talking on the phone. Neither the jeep or the phone work but he loves them.

"Why don't you just move out to your own place next?"

When I was pregnant with Mason I heard that one of parents' favorite topics of conversation was potty talk. I vowed I would never be like that.

Whoops. I sort of see now that bathroom...accomplishments...are a big part of development for kids. I still think there is a time and place (and time limit) to which parental bragging should occur. Well, here's mine!

My sister asked me two days ago if Mason was potty trained. I responded no, that while he spends most of his life in underwear, I'll consider him potty trained when he can do the whole process on his own. That means without coercion, reminders, and physically helping him do each step.

I guess he heard me say that because that very day he started visiting the bathroom on his own. For the past few days his continued to do super awesome. So, sorry Mason. I hope writing this doesn't embarrass you in the future. We're just so proud of you.

It usually starts with him stopping what ever he's doing, shouting "One minute!" and running to the bathroom. When he's done he'll come find us with his clothes in hand, yell "I did it!" while throwing his hands high in the air, and will even share what exactly he did. (I have BIG pee! or Mama, I poot!). We help him back into his pants and wash up.

I can't believe he's so coordinated and doing so well. I know he'll still have accidents from time to time, but it's been really nice not buying diapers for the past few months. And it's especially nice to have him do much more on his own. My big pregnant stomach has had a hard time bending over to help him.

Oh, and as for the title! After Mason went by himself the first time I asked Jason if he'd helped him. When he said no, I told him that Mason just did it all by himself. J responded by yelling down the hall "Good job buddy. Why don't you just move out to your own place next?"

Why

Mason has learned the word "Why". 

He says it after almost everything we say.

He says it with a wry little smile.

I think he's on to us. 

I think he knows we don't know the answer.

alphabetter start paying attention

Mason knows his ABCs. We say them a lot, admittedly as a staling tactic. (You want to go outside while I'm in the middle of dishes? Ok, let's say the ABCs and then I'll be ready to head out). He knows when his scribbles look like M's or O's. But suddenly, he KNOWS the ABCs. By sight! I don't know how he made that leap from cute song we sing while we wash our hands to recognizing the letters.

It started one day when Jason was putting on a hat. Mason asked for one too so Jason handed him his old baseball hat from 1987 or something. It has a big R for Richfield on it. Mason said "Oh, R hat for me! Thank you". The next day Jason was wearing a shirt that had South Carolina written across the front. Mason went up to him and started naming the letters "R! L! A! Another A! S!". Next, we were at Kristi's house and Mason was playing with a glockenspiel that had note letters on them. As he disassembled each bar he announced the letter engraved on the end. On and on until I realized there are only a handful of letters he doesn't know by site.

This might not be all that unusual, except we haven't been working on letters much lately. For pete sake he still can't remember all his colors (he knows them all, purple and white and everything, except can't remember red and still calls orange "yellow"). We've been working on colors, numbers, Jesus stories, opposites... pretty much the basics except letters. I guess I'm just blown away that he just started doing it on his own.

I'll probably be one of those moms that calls her kids everyday to ask what they learned in college and what they ate for breakfast and who they sat by and if they other kids were nice to them. I don't mean to be all nosy but I want to know EVERYTHING about my little boy. When I'm away from him, like when he goes to nursery at church, I love to peek in the window and watch him exist without me. And when I pick him up I'm dying to hear every detail I missed while we were separated. What can I say? I'm fascinated by him. It's hard to realize he's growing up...becoming independent... I suppose it has something to do with being responsible for every aspect of his life for so long. Now he's making his own choices, learning so fast, and becoming his own little person.

For some reason a Disney quote pops into my head "It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking...". Truly though, parenting is like having front row seats to The Evolution of Man. It starts out with this little creature that is completely dependent on you for survival. They have no skills. Then slowly over time these squishy little beings become smarter, more observant, and able to communicate. They become mobile. Their motor skills evolve into skilled and purposeful movements. They go from monkey babies into intelligent little humans with distinct personalities who can solve problems, understand humor, show sympathy, and display their emotions.

Not a day goes by that I'm not blown away by something.  "Baby I'm amazed by you".

Lion's Mouth hike

Mason is a lucky boy who has great cousins that are super nice to him. Look at those smiles.

Cha cha

When we sneeze or cough, Mason responds with a polite "Cha Cha". I don't know if it's his way of saying Bless You or if he's mimicking the sound or what. But it's cute and he has me and Jason saying "Cha Cha" to each other when we sneeze.

Today in the store I had a total system failure. I was sneezing, coughing, choking, and crying all at once. I was trying to make my way to the back of the store to the drinking fountain but could hardly see! Mason asked if I was ok and then proceeded to "bless" every sound I made. What a site we must have been with me staggering down the aisle, coughing and sneezing with Mason exclaiming "Cha Cha" every 5 seconds.

Dear Aunt Kristi:

I like visiting your house for many reasons. Here is just one of them. Thanks for being so nice. Love, Mason

One Fish, Two Fish

Jason couldn't be happier with his little buddy along for a fishing trip.
Mason caught his first fish at the ripe old age of two. He beat his mom by about 23 years.

back to normal?

Mason slept through the night last night. And the night before. This is HUGE. It's been months since he's done that. Although it hasn't bad lately, one of us usually gets up at least once with him. He goes right back to sleep once he gets a little lovin'.

Funny though. I'm so used to him waking me up that now I can't sleep through the night. Oh well.

AL photos: 27 months old

Dear Nya:

I was so excited to visit you that I ate my hand! Just kidding but thanks for letting me play in your super cool tree house. I keep telling everyone about how you went in the water and got baptized like Jesus. Hope to see you again soon!
Love, Mason

Hyro and Mace

(Labor Day 2010)

We All Scream For Ice Cream

We had ice cream after dinner yesterday.
Today, Mason woke up early, as in too early to be up for the day.
He wanted ice cream.
He wanted it really badly.
When we said no, it's sleeping time, he threw an awesome fit.
Eventually we were all back asleep, ice cream-less, piled in our bed.

(I'll be honest, ice cream for breakfast sounded pretty good.)

helicopter for my boy

What is a parent to do when their poor child is cooped up in a hotel room? Simple! Get them their very own helicopter!
Indeed, Mason was positive this was HIS helicopter.



In actuality it belonged to a guest of the hotel. He'd come and go and we'd watch out our window. Imagine Mason's distress when HIS helicopter flew away. The nice pilot let us take a closer look one day. Mason became very shy and didn't smile or say a word the entire time. As soon as we left he lit up and wouldn't stop talking about it.