First Dentist Appointment

You had your first dentist appointment last Thursday. I had my appointment too so it made it a little easier for you. While they cleaned my teeth, you sat on my lap and watched. You would point and ask "what's this...what's that". Eventually you warmed up to everyone and walked around with Grandma Pam. It's great Grandma Pam works here! She took you to get toys, to get a cookie, and also got you to sit in the dentist chair. You let her look at your teeth and she was able to count them and check them all out. They all looked great!!

20 wk Check-up & the BIG Reveal

I had my 20 week check-up on Tuesday and this was the big appointment where we could find out if we were having a boy or a girl. We had decided to find out but not at the doctor's office. Instead we we wanted to be surrounded by family and friends when we found out. So we had the doctor write down what we were having and seal it in an envelope. 

But before seeing what we were having, the doctor took a few measurements to see how the baby was growing. According to the measurements I'm actually 21 weeks along, not 20. So our due date has changed to April 28th instead of May 4th. The doctor also checked the heart, aorta, spine, arms, and legs. Ten toes and ten fingers! Everything looked great on the ultrasound....we have a very healthy baby! We were excited to hear that!! When it was time to see what we were having, we closed our eyes and it only took the doctor a second to see what he was looking for. He went and wrote it down and came back with the sealed envelope. 

Next stop was Robby and Kate's house as they were planning the reveal party for us. We drove straight there too because I didn't want to hang onto that envelope longer than we had to or we might of peeked! We held strong though and gave it them without looking.

We had to wait TWO whole days to find out what we were having! It was a long two days but well worth it. We met our family and friends at the Depot for the reveal party and were greeted with this beautiful setup. 

Will it be "Payton or Mason"? The theme was the Twelve Days of Christmas and this is how it went. 

On the twelfth day of Christmas, our friends and family gave to he or she:

1 Onesie with a partridge in a pear tree

2 Pacifiers

3 Rattles rattling

4 Flannel Blankets

5 Teething rings

6 Bibs for burping

7 Splish, splash, this boy or girl will need a bath.

8 Little aids for milking

9 Jammies come to you, are they pink or are they blue?

10 Tiny toe warmers for those tiny baby toes

11 Diapers came to mind, you'll need an awful lot to cover his or her little behind

12 The time has come, Mommy and Daddy are anxious to see... Are you a he or she? Jesse, Kristin, and Liam how blessed we all feel to share this moment as you reveal...

Kate and Nick narrated reading each gift for the 11 day of Christmas while handing us the gifts to open. On the twelfth day of Christmas - Liam, Jesse, and I opened the big present all at once for the big reveal...

Our narrators!

Opening gifts

Getting closer...

It's time!

It's a...boy!

Mason, we can't wait to meet you!

Thanks for the wonderful party ladies!

Santa Visit 2013

Last night we took you to see Santa Claus. We didn't know how it would go since you are going through a shy phase especially with people you don't know very well. Well, when we got close to Santa you had a "death grip" on daddy and we knew there was no way we were getting you sit on Santa's lap. So we ALL sat with Santa! You started to warm up towards the end when he asked you if you wanted a candy cane. You wanted to give Santa one first and then you took one for yourself. You even gave Santa a high five! So all in all it went pretty well, no smiles from you but at least there were no meltdowns!

So serious!

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Candy Cane Time!

Santa needs a candy cane!

Even got a high five!

A Monstrous Halloween

Halloween fell on a Thursday this year which was perfect because I have Thursday's off. We were able to spend the whole day together celebrating Halloween! Though I was a little worried whether you'd wear your costume or not because you never let us put it on you. I got it a couple weeks before Halloween and tried multiple times putting it on you but you'd freak every time. One time I got you halfway in it but you really freaked out and kept repeating out...out...out! So I didn't try to hard because I didn't want you to hate it when Halloween came around. But getting you to wear it on Halloween...that's a whole other story!

Your daycare was having a Halloween pajama party so we stopped by and had a few snacks and listened to Halloween music. Let the sugar high begin and at only 9:30 AM! I just kept telling myself, it's one day a year, and you never get to eat this much sugar. I brought your costume to daycare because if I couldn't get you in your costume I knew the ladies at daycare could especially Elaine. I was able to get you halfway in but you started to freak out so I picked you up and took you to Elaine. She was able to get you in the rest of the way and we got a few photos. You look absolutely thrilled!

I didn't dare take you out of your costume but you'd get hot in it so between seeing people I'd take the top part off. Plus it was easier to get you in the car seat without you fully in it. After the party we went and surprised a few people at their works. We went and saw Grandma Terry, Aunt Sandi, and Grandma Pam. You got really good at saying "trick-or-treat" and everyone loved your costume! 

At Grandma Terry's work

Visiting Aunt Sandi

After all this fun, we took a little break and went home so we could have some lunch and take a nap. We both took naps which was great because we had a very busy afternoon/evening planned. After naps, we went to a party at Nana B's work. You had a blast with all the games especially the bean bag games. You were really good at them too and could really throw the bean bags at the targets. Too bad I didn't catch it on video! There was also a balloon popping game with little prizes in the balloons, a cookie frosting station, and a haunted house. It was a great party!

To end the night, we went over to Grandpa Tom's house and hung out with Grandpa Tom and Grandma Pam. We even did a little trick-or-treating around their neighborhood. You did great saying "trick-or-treat" and if you got to pick out your own candy you took not just one piece but sometimes two or three. I had to laugh because you would've kept grabbing candy if they would've let you. You definitely have a sweet tooth and love candy!

Happy Halloween Liam! 

Halloween Traditions

We have some family traditions I've done every Halloween since I was a kid. I am both happy and thankful I can share these traditions with you.

First up...carving pumpkins!

Baking and frosting grandma's cookies!

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we went to our annual spot to look for pumpkins. Not only did we have fun walking through the pumpkin patches but we had a blast getting lost in the "big kid" maze. We also walked through their mini petting zoo and you got to pet a few of the animals. They had a couple goats, sheep, and some chickens. But your favorite part was still the playground. Once we got you to go down the slide that's all you wanted to do. You also had fun hanging from the monkey bars. Daddy was a big help with that! When we were leaving we couldn't get you out of the "little kids" maze. There was just so much fun to be had, why would you ever want to leave!

Despicable Me Party

For your 2nd birthday, we did a Despicable Me themed birthday party with everything minions. We had minion invites, a minion pinata, minion balloons, minion plates and napkins, and a minion cake. 

Grandma Terry and I had a lot of fun with the cake. This is the second year we've made a cake for you so we learned from what we did last year. I baked the cakes and froze them a few days before we actually decorated them. Then I made the homemade fondant and some of the fondant features the night before we decorated so it would save us some time. Then the day before your birthday we just had to put it all together. All in all, I think I had 16 hours in the cake but it was worth it! Thanks Grandma Terry for helping! Don't think I could have done it without you!!

The day of your birthday, the weather was very unpredictable. We'd had rain a few days before and even the morning of but it stopped a few hours before and didn't start raining until the party was over. It was still a little chilly so we had a bonfire going and had a tent setup just in case. We also had a bouncy house which was a hit with all the kiddos. You didn't know what to think of it at first and actually wouldn't go in it without daddy or I. But after cousin Ridge got in, you were all about it. We couldn't get you two out! The pinata was a hit too. You were a little shy and didn't want to take any swings at it, instead you'd say, "Ridge do it". So all the other kids took turns hitting it and it eventually broke. The funny thing is, after everyone left we were getting ready to throw it out and you wanted us to hang it back up so you could swing at it. So we did and you took a few swings! Funny boy!! 

The party was a lot of fun and glad we had all our family and friends there to celebrate with us!

Ready to go!

Uncle Josh

Bouncy House!

Cousins having a ball together!

Staying warm around the bonfire!

Pinata Time!

Look at all that candy!

Cake Time!