Monday, January 28, 2013

Doctor's Visit

Today was Mason's six month checkup and he is doing great!
Weight: 15 lbs. 11 oz. (17%)
Height: 26.77 inches (63%)
Head: 17.4 inches (63%)
I am so glad we decided to start him on solid foods because he gained three pounds in two months!!
I was also thrilled to find out that he is FINALLY above average for his height! There is hope that he will get his daddy's height and not mine!
Dr. Duffy said that he is an above average sitter (which surprised me). He is able to look around the room, up & down, etc. without falling over and apparently that is pretty good!
He also said that by his 9 month appointment he should be able to stand up while holding onto something. When I told him that Mason has been doing that for the last couple of months he was shocked. So I put Mason down and let him stand next to the chair for support and he stood there like a champ! His doctor was quite impressed with his strong little legs!
Dr. Duffy also gave us the go ahead to start him on stage 2 foods and I can't wait! He also said that we can start him on foods like peanut butter and scrambled eggs (which used to be considered big no-no's for babies). I am so excited to start giving Mason more "real" food! He will be one happy boy!
After Dr. Duffy left it was time for the dreaded shots...
Mason tried to purse his lips together so that the nurse couldn't make him drink the first vaccine. It was a fight and I had to hold his arms down while she squeezed his cheeks. Poor baby... Then it was time for his shots - one in each leg - and he was so sad! I think this was the first time I've ever seen him so sad, not angry or scared, just so so sad. I scooped him the the moment the band-aids were on and held him until he stopped crying. Once in his car seat he started to fuss again so I gave him his bottle. He didn't want to drink out of it though, just wanted to hold it. Whatever works, I guess!
Luckily, he fell asleep on the way home and took a long nap. Fingers crossed that he doesn't get grumpy or get a fever like he usually does!
Side note: I scheduled Mason's 9 month and 12 month appointments today...kind of a sad moment realizing that my itty bitty baby is getting so big!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

6 Months

Half a year has already flown by! My baby is six months old today and I love him more every day!
Mason is growing like a weed and learning new things all the time! This last month his biggest achievement was learning to sit up all on his own!
Every morning he wakes up around 8:00 and is always such the happy boy! He then eats breakfast around 9:30 and takes his morning nap about 10:00. After that, he is up for a few hours and we always make them count! Mason LOVES reading stories and will babble along with me and smack the pages. His favorite book to read is Corduroy which is so fun because I remember reading that book when I was little! 

He loves playing with the gift bags I have saved and will chew on them and swing them around for as long as I let him! It makes for a big mess, but it sure keeps him entertained!

I love seeing Mason interact with Payton now that he is getting older. The moment we walk in the door Mason starts babbling at Payton so I hand him over. Mason will grab Payton's face and then press his face against Payton's...it is pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen! 
I am convinced that these two will always be the best of friends!

Mason still enjoys eating, and by enjoy I mean LOVES it!
He will now eat carrots (thank heavens he didn't spit them in my face again)!
He loves prunes, but I'd say that his favorite is sweet potatoes.
I feed him solids three times a day and he gets so excited when I put him in his highchair! I know they only recommend one-two times a day, but the boy could use some meat on his bones so we go for 3!
Recently Mason figured out that he could chew his food even though he doesn't have teeth. I'm pretty sure he could easily down a cheeseburger if I gave it to him. He can easily eat a biter biscuit in about 5 minutes and he loves Gerber puffs and Rice Rusks!
During the day Mason has lost interest in nursing...it is a fight to get him to nurse for even 5 minutes, he'd rather eat real food. Thank goodness he will still nurse like a champ at night and first thing in the morning!
I have started giving Mason bottles of Gerber juice for a snack and he thinks it is so yummy! Today he decided he was a big boy and fed himself...I can't believe my baby can hold his own bottle!

Being upside down is a favorite of his...he thinks it is quite hilarious.

He has stopped sleeping through the night (stinker) but I can't complain because he still sleeps for 4 hour stretches. Every now and again he will sleep for 7 hours, but the boy wakes up to eat at least once no matter what. Also, he still wakes right up and screams if he poops his diaper.
Side Story: Mason got a really nasty cold right around New Year's and he had awful diarrhea for almost 2 weeks! One night he woke up around 1:00am screaming because his diaper was filled with diarrhea. So what did I do? I hurried to get the poop off his poor little bum...well I should have waited. As soon as I went to put the new diaper under his bum he decided to shoot poop across the room. It was all over my hand and I screamed, "OH MY GOSH!" Brad came running in to see what had happened and about peed laughing. It was everywhere...the dresser, trash can, bookshelf, carpet...so gross. I learned my lesson...wait to make sure the boy is done with his business before attempting to change his diaper.
(Poop face)

For about a month we got a break from teething, but it has come back! Mason's fingers are ALWAYS in his mouth and he chews on everything! If I give him a bottle of juice he moves the nipple to the side of his mouth and just gnaws on it...hopefully his teeth still take awhile to pop through, we've been lucky thus far!

The other night Brad was eating homemade caramel off of a spatula and Mason wanted some too...Grandma Jepson is a genius and gave Mason his own spatula and it is the BEST teething toy E-V-E-R! He was so excited about it and waved it around and even smacked himself in the face a few times. Who needs toys?

We've been trying to teach Mason to wave for a good month now and today he did it for the first time! He was so proud of himself too...such the cutie!
He also decided that today was the day to really start reaching for the first time. Usually when I put my arms out to him he'd just lift his up, but he finally reached out for mommy today and I was thrilled!

Mason loves his Uncles...all of them. Tonight he snuggled with his Uncle Brad and just laid his head down on his shoulder for the longest time. It melts my heart to see how much he loves his Braddy Boy!
We've also started a new little "tradition" if you will. Before we leave my parent's house we pass Mason around to everyone to get a love from each of them. He has pretty bad stranger danger with almost everyone, but the boy loves my family and gives hugs and snuggles to all of them!

 Mason loves his daddy so very much!
I thank my Heavenly Father every day that I get to be his mommy and I couldn't ask for a more fulfilling responsibility! I am so in love...
 We are unbelievably blessed to have Mason in our family - he truly makes our home a happier place!
Happy 6 Months to our little bubba!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Laundry Helper

I am so lucky to have Mason be my laundry helper!
His job? Taste each and every hanger before I hang clothes on them.
 

Then after a few pictures he was angry because he wanted the camera!

Friday, January 18, 2013

6 Month Pictures (Round 2)

I am obsessed with my child!



This one is my favorite - that face is just priceless!














6 Month Pictures

Today I had Mason's six month pictures taken...and holy cow he is getting so big! They turned out great!!







(He pulled this very same pose during his newborn pictures, except he was asleep. He must like that finger.)



This would be the "Ladies Man" pose.



I am in love with his fuzzy hair! It sticks straight up no matter what I try and do to it.

Payton came along to help get Mason to smile...this is the, "What the heck is Payton doing?" look.



Such the silly face!



On the verge of tears and completely done with taking pictures.

Almost six months old and I can't believe it!