Happy Third Birthday! (weeks that is)

It's hard to believe that Mason has already been hanging around for three weeks! We have much more of a routine now, and by routine I mean that when Mason wants or needs something we have a pretty good idea as to what it is. Other exciting happenings in our house this week have included wetting on the couch twice, eating from a bottle, snuggling in bed with Mom each morning, wetting in Mom and Dad's bed twice, lots of laundry and a new game I like to call, "Find Mason!" Here's how we play: When Andy gets home from work I am usually greeted with a brief hello followed by a very enthusiastic, "Where's my boy!?" Andy then gets to go on a hunt for our Tree Monkey. It's a very challenging game as there are probably three or four places where Mason could be hiding :)

This week we also had a well-visit to our pediatrician. Mason weighed in at ten pounds which put him in the 90th percentile for weight and he measured 22 1/4 inches long which is in the 97th percentile for height. Dr. Jakum says he is doing just fine :)

Here's our little guy on his third birthday.

Mason loving the bottle and time with Dad. (Dad loves it too.)

Mason's Gram doesn't believe that her grandson cries. We thought a picture instead of video would be OK with everyone. 

This is the same hat and swaddler that Mason had on in his 1-week picture. I think he looks pretty much the same! Well, maybe a bit more chunky. 

Three Week Photo

One Week Photo

Are you my Dad?

Andy had to head back to work yesterday so Mom and Mason had the whole day together to do all sorts of fun things. Come the end of the day I'm pretty sure we did not accomplish one thing we had planned on doing. Well, if I count cuddling and diaper changes as accomplishments then we were incredibly accomplished.

Here is a picture of Mason and Dad giving each other love after a long day of being apart. Later in the evening, Mason graced us with his super hero pose. "Mighty Mason is here to save the day!"

Ahhhh...

Beware...this is not an exciting video. BUT! It has those sweet sounds Mason makes when he's sleeping. I could listen to this on repeat but you will not get these twenty-five seconds of your life back. Listen at your own risk. 

Kicking and crawling

I think we have a backstroker on our hands! Either that or a "Mom-swimmer." You know the one...picture women wearing thick plastic swim caps and doing a type of breaststroke, only they are floating on their back and going at a pace that doesn't beat the speed of grass growing. Pretty sure I did not see that stroke in the Olympics so hopefully Mason is practicing his backstroke. 

After Mason finished swimming on his Jungle Mat, I turned him over to his belly and he sure got busy! Look at his little legs go! My prediction is that we will have an incredibly busy toddler on our hands. 

Just hangin' out

The three of us have recently enjoyed many hours of the Olympics, porch swinging, an Italian Ice date to Rita's, a visit to Mom's school, many late night feedings and diaper changes, Mason's first bottle, as well as meeting some new friends.  

Patrick came to visit on Saturday and although no guns were fired, Mason enjoyed his snuggle time.

Even though we have Mason sleeping in an Arm's Reach Bassinet which fits against our bed, I couldn't resist a picture of him sleeping in his crib. For being such a big boy, he sure looks small in his bed! 

At five in the morning, Mason woke up and started making little fussy sounds. I couldn't figure out what was wrong! I had just fed and changed him, he had his paci and was swaddled snug as a bug in a rug. I put my head down and immediately heard a loud "blahhh" followed by a splat. Andy and I both shot up and looked in the bassinet but were unable to find any mess! Where was it? We looked and looked. Did it somehow land in our bed? 

"Oh, wow," we both said. Mason had somehow managed to clear his entire body and land the mess on his feet!

I've heard a story or two about my husband and his first experience with drinking a little too much (right, Chris?). Although the substance was different, the outcome was the same. Like father, like son. Grand. 

Here is our little Tree Monkey getting changed at five in the morning after projectile vomiting. Doesn't he look peaceful and content?  

Hanging out in the nursery on Mason's Jungle Tummy Time Mat. 

Today Mason got to see his new friends Merideth and Liam. Unfortunately, our little Hot Pocket left a little drool for Liam but being the nice guy that he is, Liam said it was just fine. We'll have to add "Drooling on People" to the list of things to work on.

I'm two weeks old!

For Mason's two-week birthday we subjected him to another photo shoot. Even though he still has a wobbly head and some sudden, startling moments, we think he performed perfectly. "Performing" for Mason means appreciating wind, looking at flowers and closing his eyes for a little snooze. 

Mason's sounds

Newborn sounds (when they are fed, changed, well-rested, and snuggly) are super sweet and hopefully with little videos here and there, we will forever remember Mason's first sounds. This was taken when Mason was in Andy's lap, just looking out the window. I think he looks like a little Andrew, which I guess is fair since Andy was the one who grew him, birthed him and nursed him....oh wait...that was me. Having a little Andrew running around though would be just fine with me :)

Our super hot date...

Mom, Dad and Mason got out of the house today and ventured into public on a very hot date. Oh, yes...we got crazy at Coldstone and after our ice cream we decided to head to the grocery store. The grocery store! Sushi and feta cheese never looked so good.

Here's our guy letting us enjoy a complimentary ice cream at Coldstone (thanks Fauquier Hospital!). It's amazing that setting up the stroller took me longer than the actual act of eating the treat. 

What? You don't take self-timer pictures at the grocery store? Hmmm....well, you're missing out. However, I'm pretty sure we were the only people in the aisle.

I like to call our son Roo (Kanga's baby from Winnie-the-Pooh) when he tucks his hand on his chest. Sometimes when we unswaddle Mason in the morning both hands are tucked under his chin like a little baby kangaroo...so cute. Other names that we lovingly call Mason include: Squirt, Little Lion and Tree Monkey.

The first family outing tuckered out Mason and he slept soundly in his car seat throughout the entire date. We'll have to tell him when he's a bit older that sleeping during a first date is not actually appropriate. For now though, it's just fine with us. 

Does this look like...

Mason's sonogram picture? I think it's pretty crazy that the only picture we had for so long is now trumped by the real thing. I remember trying to do schoolwork, plan for my fifth graders, pay bills, respond to emails and other productive computer things...only to stop, close the window and pull up Mason's sonogram picture. I would stare at his face and wonder what it was going to be like to meet him, hold him and love him. It's surreal that he's here and even though we now have the real thing, I still like to look at that sonogram picture. 

Play date number two

On Saturday, Malissa, Allen and AJ came for a visit and dinner (thanks Malis!). The cousins enjoyed their side-by-side swinging and even though Candyland and Chutes and Ladders were not pulled out, I think they both enjoyed themselves. This picture was taken during the two minutes that my son was awake. Way to go cameraman, Allen!

Mason's first week

Mason's first play date (nap side-by-side date) with cousin A.J. 

The many faces and moods of Mason...in a matter of seconds. 

Well, it's hard to believe that Mason is already a week old. Like Andy said, it was great to have all of the support at the hospital, but as with any journey, it's always nice to go home. When we arrived at the house Mason was awake and alert. After the "Squirt" incident we thought it was time for him to see his room. The look on his face when we walked into his nursery was a moment I will never forget. It was like a calm had come over him and the only thing that mattered was that this little boy felt content. His eyes slowly moved towards the quilt on his wall, taking it all in.  We slowly toured the nursery and all the while he made the most precious sounds...sounds to warm a mom's heart. Andy and I, with our son in his room, alert and experiencing his first taste of life, looked at each other and started to cry. It truly is the little things in life. 

We've learned a great deal about our little guy this first week. Does he liked to be swaddled? Yes. Baths? NO. Does he fit into his newborn clothes? No. Three to six month clothes? Yes. When he's been fussy it's been great figuring out what he needs at the moment. I think Andy and I feel a certain victory when we're able to calm him. Although Andy, who by the way is the official Diaper Dude in the house, did say when he first changed Mason's diaper without our boy crying, "Dad, one. Mason, two-hundred and fifty." Mason does have a leg up but we are slowly gaining.

Our week has included visits from family, Mason's first official play date with cousin A.J., a letter from Santa stating that Mason is officially registered in Santa's Book of Names, his first stroll, as well as lots of diapers, laundry, and cuddling. You can never get too much cuddle time with this little boy. 

We are officially in love.

Mason is finally home!

The past few days have been such a blur.  Words can't describe the emotions we've experienced.  Just five days ago we left our home as a family of two for the very last time and started our tremendous journey into parenthood.  

There were some moments, at the start, that felt like an eternity.  I think my sister, Christa, described it best, "They don't call it labor for nothing".  I was so proud of Jenni's strength.   I felt so powerless to help her, and wished that there was some way I could  switch places with her.  Of course all pain and anxiety melted away in one awe inspiring second.   

The moment Mason was born he captured our hearts so completely and beyond measure that again, it cannot be described in words alone.  Choking back the tears, it felt so natural to try to console him as he was placed upon Jenni's chest.  He was so alert and scared those first few minutes it gave us an amazing opportunity to bond.  I actually thought a part of me died when I heard the pain in his cry after his first shots.

Although the hospital staff was so helpful and encouraging during our stay, it was difficult for me to hide how anxious I was to leave the hospital and bring our family home.

Well, we finally made it.  Home.  A short trip down Rte. 211 at an outrageously cautious 45 mph.  It felt so good and comfortable to bring our new guy into the house.  Of course his first act was to soil his diaper, but no fear we'd learned a great deal about changing those in the hospital.  However, it was his second act that earned him the nickname "Squirt".  You can only guess how he earned that one.  

Since we've been home I've been on cloud nine.  We've spent four blissful, occasionally sleep deprived days getting to know the ins and outs of our boy.  We'll try to keep this blog updated with the pictures and anecdotes that mark Mason's milestones. 

Thank you friends and family for all your support.  Your thoughts, well wishes, prayers, food, and visits warm our hearts and have really helped to make this experience so enjoyable.  We love you all! 

Due date has come! But where is he?

Ahh...still in the belly. DOH!

Have I eaten too many Flavor-Ice? Is my little guy thinking to himself, "Hmm...if I leave this comfy, cozy home then I won't know the pure delight of a grape Flavor-Ice for a very long time. I think I'll stay put for a bit!"

Andy and I keep telling him that it is time to come out but we don't think he is listening.

As we wait for his arrival we have found ourselves staying busy by listening to Harry Potter, playing a lot of cards, resting and getting the house ready. Last weekend we enjoyed getting dressed up and visiting our favorite Warrenton restaurant, Crescendo, as a family of two. I wonder if we'll look back at this time and question what we ever did with so much time!  

We are excited about meeting our son and we hope that he is excited about meeting us too :)