Month 10 & 11

Mason,
These last couple months have been pretty tough on you. You had an ear infection that just wouldn't go away lasting almost a month and a half. We were in and out of the doctor's office checking to see if your ears were getting any better and if they weren't we'd get new antibiotics to give you. You went through 4 different antibiotics before your ear infection finally went away. Some antibiotics were harder on you than others, they didn't agree with your stomach or they gave you diarrhea. This wasn't very much fun as your bum was red most of the time so needless to say we went through A LOT of butt cream. We were almost considering giving you tubes but luckily the fourth antibiotic worked!

On top of your ear infection you caught a stomach bug which caused you to throw-up in your crib twice the first night and once the second night. Both nights weren't any fun but the first night especially wasn't any fun. You woke up crying and I came in to check on you like we always do since you normally wake up once a night needing to be covered or wanting to be fed. So I didn't think anything of it until I leaned down and picked you up and felt a wet mess. I hurried and grabbed you and ran back to our room to get daddy, basically telling him I needed help. I got you in the tub while daddy changed the sheets. Then it was back to bed for everyone and not more than a half an hour later you threw up again and we went through all the motions again. We felt so bad for you and didn't know if it was a stomach bug or maybe your antibiotics for your ears weren't agreeing with you. But then you threw up again the next night and we definitely thought it was your antibiotics. So we called the doctor to see what he thought but said you would've thrown up closer to when we gave you the antibiotics and not in the middle of the night. Well then the next day daddy got hit with the stomach bug and then I got it. So it was confirmed it wasn't the antibiotics causing you to throw up but instead a stomach bug that had been going around.

But even after all of this you still had a lot of fun moments like hitting a big milestone...you are crawling! We missed the very first time as it happened while you were staying with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Terry while we were at a weekend getaway at Chico Hot Springs. I'm a little sad I missed it but glad you were with them when it happened because I know they enjoyed being there for it. They were super excited to call us with the news! But as soon as we got you guys back home I still got a video of you crawling for the first time with us. To see it click on this link - First Time Crawling.

You have six teeth now, four on the top and two on the bottom. So needless to say you aren't eating a whole lot of baby food anymore except the squeeze packets and those are more of a convenience that we stick in the diaper bag to have when we're on the go. You pretty much eat whatever we're eating though sometimes we have to give you something different if we know you're not going to eat it or if it's to spicy like tacos. You and your brother both aren't fans of tacos so we usually make you chicken and rice or something along those lines. You also eat regular meals at daycare and most of the time they say you eat really well though a couple times they had to give you baby food when you wouldn't eat their food. Some of your favorite foods right now are pancakes (just like your brother), graham crackers, pears, beans, and red pepper and zucchini goulash. You're still on formula but we only give it to you in a bottle when you first wake up in the morning and then when we put you down for naps and when you go to bed. Otherwise we give you formula or water in a sippy cup which you do really well with.

Your sleeping habits haven't changed much. You're still getting up once a night most nights needing to either be fed or covered with a blanket. You move around a lot so most of the time you uncover yourself and with how cold the nights have been my guess is that's why you've been waking up. So we'll see what happens with the warmer nights and if you'll sleep better. Daddy and I alternate nights who gets up with you so when it's his night or mine we never know if we get to sleep in or not or if we'll be getting some extra cuddles in with you.

Happy ten and eleven month birthday sweet little boy! You bring so much joy and happiness to our lives I really don't know what we'd do without you. We love you so much!

Love,
Momma

One more pic I couldn't resist posting. Your favorite thing to do right now is clap especially when we say "Yaaayy" and clap with you. You get really excited and smile and clap faster. It's so cute!

The Easter Bunny

On a whim we went and saw the Easter Bunny yesterday. Actually Liam saw him and wanted to say hi which was great but getting him to sit with the Easter Bunny that was a different story. Liam sat next to him but about a foot away, the photographer had to move him closer just to get him in the shot. Mason on the other hand did not like the Easter Bunny one bit! He started crying the minute he was put on the Easter Bunny's lap and didn't stop crying until it was over. Oh the things we put our kids through to make memories! 

Mason's First Time Crawling

Mason's first time crawling...well first weekend of crawling anyway! We missed the very first time because Mason started crawling when he and Liam spent the weekend with Grandma Terry and Grandpa Dave while we were at Chico Hot Springs. It was pretty exciting for Grandma & Grandpa getting to experience this with Mason and a very nice surprise for us to come home to!

This is from a few weeks ago and now Mason's really trucking along and even pulling himself up onto his knees!

Horseback Riding

Liam got to go horseback riding for the very first time with Auntie Jenn and Uncle Jesse. I of course got to partake in the fun too! Liam was a little timid at first so we all just hung around the corral until Liam warmed up to the horses. When Jesse was busy saddling the horses he'd joke around with Liam. This really helped Liam relax because not to much longer after that he asked to ride the horses. So Liam got on with Jesse and away they went. Liam was hooked after that and having a blast. Jenn, Jesse, and I took turns riding horses but Liam he was on a horse the whole time rotating riding with all of us. Liam had so much fun I'm pretty sure we'll be riding "A LOT"!

First ride with Jesse

Jenn's turn with Liam

And now my turn with Liam

Whoever wasn't riding was snuggling with this cutie!

Mason's First Haircut

Mason got his first haircut...well a few weeks ago but who's counting! We took him into the same gal that cuts Liam's hair and who used to cut Jesse's hair when he was little. She's so great with Liam that we couldn't wait to bring in Mason. But to kill two birds with one stone both boys got haircuts! Mason was a little unsure at first but he did great on my lap and actually stayed very still while Cinder did a quick trim. Liam had fun with his haircut and after getting his "usual" haircut (really short) he got his very first steps. It brought back memories to both Jesse and Cinder because Cinder used to give Jesse steps when he was Liam's age. Liam loved them so I have a feeling he'll be asking for steps A LOT!

Before

After

Loving the steps!

Month 8 & 9

Mason,
You are now 9 months old! Once again I've been slacking and haven't been keeping up on your posts. And since I can't differentiate between the two months I'm just going to combine them into one post like I did before.

You had your 9 month check-up a few weeks ago and the doctor says you're doing great. You were 27 inches long and weighed 18.2 lbs. When we looked at your chart your weight is steadily going up but your height hasn't really changed much. He wasn't too concerned though and said we'll see where it's at next appointment. He did say you have a big head which I think he's commented on every time we've gone in. So that means you're going to be really smart right...ha! This was a quick and easy appointment and the best part about it was you didn't have to have any vaccinations. We did however, have to go to the lab so you could get some blood drawn. Daddy took you in while I stayed in the waiting room with your brother. He said you did really good though!

The biggest change these last couple months is your diet. You're still on formula but besides baby food we've started giving you regular food. We've given you both puffs and yogurt drops but you're not a big fan of the yogurt drops. I think they're to tart for you just like the apple/strawberry puffs are which you spit out immediately if I try to give them to you. So far the only thing you really like of that stuff is the sweet potato puffs. We've also given you grapes, peaches, and avocados but you're really not a fan of any of that either. You just push it off your plate and sometimes push it onto the floor. You do like most bread whether its toast, rolls, etc. You love graham crackers, pancakes, and I gave you macaroni and cheese today and you loved that. So we just go through the rotation of giving you whatever we're eating and if you don't like it or are still hungry we give you baby food. Then if you're still hungry or between eating's we give you a bottle. Its working pretty good so far!

You still just have two teeth, the two lower front teeth. Though the top front teeth are trying to come in as they are just barely starting to break through. And I think because of this you've been extra fussy. But who wouldn't, that's gotta hurt! So we've been giving you teething tablets and they seem to help you quite a bit. Other than this, you've pretty much been healthy these last two months which we couldn't be happier about.

You sleep through the night most of the time still though you went through a spurt where you'd wake up once a night for a midnight feeding. This went on for about a week or so. Even though you'd finish an 8 or 9 oz bottle before bed you'd still wake up anywhere between 2 and 4 am wanting another bottle. Maybe you were going through a growth spurt or just wanted the extra cuddles but now you're back to sleeping through the night. I love the late night cuddles but I like my sleep so I'm so glad you're sleeping through the night again.

You can sit up really well now and don't really lose your balance and fall over anymore. So we don't have to be as cautious and surround you with pillows. You are great on your belly and have mastered the army crawl and if something is within 360 degrees reach you'll swivel around on your belly until you can reach it. It is hilarious watching you army crawl, you look like a little snake. It takes you a little longer to get places but you get there and are so proud of yourself after you do. Once you've reached a new spot you turn and look at us and smile. You can also push yourself up onto your hands and knees in a crawl position. So it could be any day you start full out crawling! Then we're really in trouble!!

You have so much personality and are talking more and more. You haven't really said any real words that we can tell anyway. Though daddy said you said momma one morning when he was getting you dressed. But you haven't said it again. You are such a happy baby and always greet us with a smile, a smile that never gets old.

Happy nine month birthday sweet little boy!! I love you so much!

Love,
Momma

Christmas 2014

This Christmas was a blur but it was by far the best Christmas yet. We welcomed another beautiful baby boy earlier this year so we not only had one little boy to share Christmas with but two! My favorite part of it all was just watching their reactions. Liam just turned three and he really got into it this year. From when I put up the decorations, to decorating the Christmas Tree, to Santa's big arrival. I can still remember what Liam said after he saw all the decorations. I put them all up when he was napping and when he woke up and walked out of his room he looked around and said, "Momma, did you do this for me? They are beautiful." Such a sweet, sweet boy, he just melts my heart! Liam also couldn't wait to see Santa this year and tell Santa what he wanted which this year was a bow & arrow and monster truck. Pictures and full story in my Santa post. Watching Mason enjoy his very first Christmas was a lot of fun too! He really didn't know what was going on but he loved watching everyone and he loved all the tissue paper in the presents. He really liked watching Liam and liked watching how excited Liam got.

This year we did things a little bit different than we normally do, we had three Christmas's. We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family at the Flynn Residence, Christmas with Grandma Pam, Uncle Josh, and Uncle Jeremy & family, then the day after at Grandpa Mike and Nana B's house. It was really nice because we could space everything out to where we could hang out a little bit more and not feel rushed. But now that we've started this trend, the kids will probably expect three Christmas's every year!

Day One: Christmas Eve with my side of the family at the Flynn Residence

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

New tradition I started last year - Christmas Eve boxes for the boys'

Just hanging out with cousins Alex and Dani

Cousins!!

Loving his new Santa PJ's

Presents Time!

Showing off his new hat!

Day Two: Christmas morning at our house with Grandma Pam, Uncle Josh, and Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Brooke, Boh, and Meri.

Just woke up and checking out what Santa brought them

Trying out his new bow!

Grandma Pam helping him figure out that darn wrapping paper!

After a busy morning of opening presents we took a break to go sledding. We had to try out Boh's new sled!

We can never get Liam to sit still long enough to take a picture!

Heading up the hill!

The brothers trying out the hill first!

Taking a spin with Uncle Jeremy

Liam's turn!

And now Mason's turn!

Day 3: Second Christmas morning at Grandpa Mike and Nana B's house.

Ready...Set...Go!

Needing a little help from Uncle Josh

Having fun with cousin Meri!

Just hanging out with Nana B!