Fingers

Today Mason discovered how good his fingers taste. He would rather chew on his own hands instead of suck on a binky!

My favorite...eating his fingers and picking his nose at the same time!

3 Months

I cannot believe that my baby is already 3 months old! It has been a very exciting last month because Mason has been doing lots of new things! It is so fun to watch him learn and grow - I am such a proud Mommy!

First off, we went today and had his 3 month pictures taken. He was a little stinker and wouldn't smile even once for the photographer. Oh well, I can't control everything so we'll be happy with the cute pictures we did get!

This would be cute...if he wasn't flipping off the camera!

I love his big blue eyes!

I love this one!

One of my favorites!

He was over it by this point...

We also know (since we went to ER) that Mason gained a pound in 3 weeks so as of last week he was just over 12 lbs. He is still so small, but at least he is gaining weight!

His head is still squishy, but fingers crossed it really does go away in the next few weeks!

The best news is that Mason is officially on a schedule! After he wakes up in the morning he will eat and then  go back down for a 45 minute nap about an hour and a half later. Then he is awake until the afternoon when he will usually take a 2-3 hour nap. Normally he likes to zonk out around 7:00pm for another short nap and then he stays awake until between 10-11pm. Then he sleeps until morning!! LOVE HIM! 

Mason took his first bath in Grandma Jepson's kitchen sink and boy did he love it! I usually give him his bath in the bathroom sink so he probably liked being able to stretch his legs out for a change. He cooed and gooed the entire time!

He even got to use Grandma's Tigger towel! Too cute!

Mason LOVES being on his diaper changing table...love is probably an understatement! He screams like a little girl and we have long conversations while he is getting a clean butt or getting dressed every day!!

 

Conference weekend we had a girl's night with my Dad's side of the family and it was so fun! Mason finally got to meet his Great Grandma Jepson (she flew down from Seattle)!

For Halloween these two little buddies are both going to be skeletons! I dressed up Mason and took him to their ward carnival and he and Payton looked so cute together!

 Payton is the best cousin and Mason still loves him more than anyone else!

 Loving on my little man!!

Daddy picking Mason's nose...and Mason thought it was funny. Definitely a boy.

 (LEFT: Brian's Farewell - notice his tie matches Mason's outfit! RIGHT: The morning Brian left...even Mason was sad.)

Now for videos:

(I realize I may be the only one who actually finds these cute, but I am going to post them anyway since this is my version of a journal)

He thinks his Daddy is just so funny! If you listen close you will hear a snort...it is Mason.

Just talking to Dad.

I can't even describe how amazing it is to be Mason's mommy. He is the sweetest boy and he is such a blessing in our lives. He truly makes our home a happier place and I love waking up to his sweet face every day. These last three months have truly been the best of my life and I am so blessed to be able to call myself his mom!

Little Talker

Mason likes to talk...and I LOVE it!

I LOVE MY LIFE!

The Tale of the Hematoma

Yesterday was quite the ordeal...

Yesterday afternoon I noticed on the top of Mason's head that it was squishy. I was able to push down on the fluid and move it around inside the top of his head. I had a minor freak out and called Mason's pediatrician. It took them over an hour to call me back just to tell me that they don't know what it is and he needed to be seen immediately, but since it was after 5:00pm I had to take him to InstaCare. 

We quickly jumped in the car and drove to Riverton Hospital to have him checked out. Mason was acting like his normal self and flirting with the nurse the whole time. His heart, lungs, eyes, ears, nose, throat, etc. all looked perfect so they were stumped as to what the fluid in his head could be from. The first doctor told us that he didn't even have anything come to mind while squishing around on his head so he went and got a second doctor to look at it. This second doctor said that fluid in the head is not usually a good thing so we needed to have a head ultrasound, at the very least, to figure out what was causing it. He walked out of the room and called upstairs to the Ultrasound Technician. She was not comfortable doing an ultrasound on a two month old so he sent us up to Primary Children's Hospital and let them know we were on our way.

The drive up to the hospital was the longest drive of my life. I was absolutely freaking out and trying to hold back tears because I didn't want anything to be wrong with Mason. He was still acting totally normal and just being a happy baby so that helped ease the nervousness a bit.

We arrived at the hospital just after 7:00pm and had to go in through the ER. They asked us all the same questions the other doctors had asked and then took us back to a room. Another doctor came in to examine his head and said she was going to go consult with the Attending Physician to find out what type of imaging they needed to do. She came back in a few minutes later and said she had ordered a head CT...not what I wanted to hear. I was so nervous because they wanted to look at his brain. If they were worried about his brain then what the heck was wrong with my baby?!?

Twenty minutes later the CT Technician came in and walked us down to the scan room. She strapped Mason in and thank goodness he just laid there, sucking on his binky, looking around the room during the entire CT scan. Such a champ! She walked us back to our room and told us it would be about a twenty minute wait to hear the results.

Longest twenty minutes of my life because twenty minutes turned into almost an hour wait! Finally, yet another doctor came into the room to tell us that his brain and skull looked completely normal. So what was going on then?

Mason has a hematoma (collection of blood) and the blood is finally breaking down into liquid form. When Mason was born the corner of his head was literally stuck in my pelvis and they had to wiggle him free. The doctor told us that this was probably the cause of the hematoma. We hadn't felt it before because the blood was still firm, but now his body is breaking it down to reabsorb it. It will take a few more weeks for it to go away, but he is a happy and healthy boy!

We still have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get any bigger and to make sure his head doesn't change color, but they told us not to worry too much...that is like telling a bird not to fly.

We were finally able to leave and arrived home around 11:00pm.

WHAT.A.DAY.

I am so thankful that Mason is ok and I sincerely hope we never have to visit the ER again.

Phone Pictures

Since my lovely memory card suddenly deleted ALL of the pictures I had taken these last couple weeks all you get are cell phone pictures...not great quality.

Mason loves playing with his giraffe!

"I mustache you a question, but I'll shave it for later."

Snuggling with his blanky!

Little buddies!

Uncle Jantzen was made starting QB and we went to cheer him on again!

Such a stud!

Mason loves being in the stroller and going for walks! We even took him to the zoo and he didn't make a peep the entire time we were there! (Sadly, those pictures were deleted too...)

Tummy time still turns into nap time quite often...

I get this smile every time I sing "Happy Family" to him. He loves it!

He had just finished eating and was just laying there so content!

I love my Mason and I can't believe he is almost 3 months old! Where does the time go?!?

Picture Update

I simply love my Mason!

I took this after we got home from getting his shots.They ran out of yellow bandaids so he got 2 yellow and 1 pink...I guess real men wear pink!

After he woke up from his nap he was all smiles! It took a good 4 hours before cranky pants arrived.

 

The day after Mason turned 2 months old I put him in his crib for the very first time...it made me sad a little bit. I feel like he isn't my itty bitty newborn anymore and it is hard having him down the hall instead of next to my bed. He sleeps so good though - usually for 6 hours at a time.

Uncle Bob gave Mason his first piece of licorice...then promptly took it away when he tried to put it in his mouth. :)

 Payton loves to snuggle with Mason and Mason LOVES it just as much. The picture on the right was taken while Payton was holding him.

 

I've started giving Mason toys to play with now that he likes to try and grab things and he loves his giraffe!

 

Time is flying by too quickly and sometimes I wish I could just freeze time and really take in everything new that Mason learns. I love him more than I ever thought possible and he has made me the happiest mommy! I love waking up to his cute face every single day and can't imagine life without him!

Crib

Mason is sleeping in his crib, in his own room, for the very first time tonight. I must admit, I am sad. That is all.

2 Months

 Mason is two months old and getting big so quick! So much has happened and I am pretty sure I have either pictures or video of it all!

First off, we went to the doctor today and his measurements are as follows:

Weight: 11 lbs 1 oz (34%)

Length: 22.8" long (39%)

Head: 15.9" (68%)

He is still little, but has gained three pounds in 5 weeks! His noggin is huge and he is also favoring his right side so we have to force him to favor his left side for the next couple of months or he will get a lovely helmet. Besides that he is one healthy boy!

He did get his shots today but took them like a champ! Only cried for a couple of seconds and then fell asleep in my arms. Whew...glad those are over with!

At 4 weeks old Mason rolled over for the first time from front to back, but I just barely caught it on video the other day:

This video shows you why we give Mason his binky...

 9-23 was monumental (in my opinion) because Mason discovered that he has a voice! We woke up around 7:00am and went downstairs. He was cooing and gooing and squealing at everything! Finally after about 30 minutes I ran upstairs and woke up Brad so he could see. For another 15 minutes Mason was SO happy. I LOVED it!

At 5 weeks old Bradly blessed Mason and it was such a good day. Brad did such a good job and Mason looked so cute in his outfit. (Courtesy of his Grandma Jepson)

Hard to see but there is an "M" embroidered on the chest of his blessing outfit.

Mason finally likes being naked and getting in the bath! I thought this day would never come!

For my birthday Brad gave me a gift from Mason - a kit to do his handprint in plaster and also this awesome onesie!!

Tummy time gets easier by the day. He likes to lay on the quilt his Grandma Jepson made him because it is SOOO cushy and soft! 

Football season started and in this house we are BYU fans!

 

                     BEFORE THE GAME                                     AFTER THE GAME

 

Mason also got to experience his first High School football game! His Uncle Jantzen is the back up Quarterback (should be the starting Quarterback, but whatever) so we went to cheer him on! My mom made him a jersey to match Jantzen!

 

 Mason did great during the game too! I nursed him once in the bleachers (sitting next to the guy who funded the stadium...unbeknownst to me!) and only had to change one poopy diaper (also in the bleachers!)

From the moment we brought Mason home he has LOVED (and I mean L-O-V-E-D) his cousin Payton. Usually when people hold Mason he will squirm or fuss after about 30 seconds because he is such a Mommy's boy, but with Payton it is different. Payton is usually a very high energy 6 year old, but as soon as he is around Mason he mellows out and is SO sweet with him. He loves to hold Mason and the other day Mason just curled up on his lap and went right to sleep. I about DIED because it was so cute!

Mason loves to be in his swing and Nala has to lay by him every single time.

Daddy & Mason watching football on Saturday morning!

One thing I LOVE is that Brad and I go to Grandma & Grandpa Bowles' house EVERY Sunday. I am so grateful that Mason now has the opportunity to spend time with his Great Grandparents each week. They are such incredible people and I am so blessed to be able to call them Grandma & Grandpa...and now Mason is lucky enough to have them too!

              

 

Nala tosses her ball to Mason because she wants him to play fetch with her...LOL

Sleeping on his giant hand!

 

This is his new "thing." He burrows his face in my arm and sleeps on his forehead.

 

And I can't end this post without a picture of the infamous hand...this time with a smirk on his face!!