SD Road-trip

This past weekend we hit the road & made our way to up South Dakota for my cousin's wedding. Since my entire family would be home for the festivities, we decided to have Mason's Baptism that Sunday as well so to say it was a crazy busy weekend is an understatement.

We left early Friday morning & Mason did amazing on the 7 hour drive up there sleeping the majority of the way. Once we got to my parent's farm, it was like being at a family reunion as all my siblings were home along with all my nieces & nephews. It was fun having all the kiddos together & seeing how much they have all grown since the last time I saw them.

Later that evening, we all headed down to my aunt & uncle's farm where my cousin's rehearsal dinner was being held. We enjoyed seeing the groom & bride-to-be, my grandparents, aunts, uncles & our cousins. The kids had a blast running around, the spread of food was yummy, catching up with relatives was a good time & fun was had by all! Everyone was looking very forward to the wedding festivities the following day.

Saturday was wedding day! We all woke up to my mom fixing us breakfast which is always a nice treat & hung out around the house most of the morning until it was time for everyone to shower & get ready to go.

The weather ended up being perfect - not too hot, no rain, partly cloudy - only downside was it was a bit windy. Other than that it was a beautiful day for a wedding!

Our little family of three :)

The bride & groom saying "I Do":

Introducing the new Mr. & Mrs:

As you can see, the bride looked absolutely stunning & the ceremony was short, sweet & beautiful!

The reception (or as we like to call it in South Dakota "the wedding dance") was held immediately after the ceremony. It was all decorated in lime green/royal blue & was really pretty. The food was dee-lish & as you all know my favorite part of any reception is the cake...

...which didn't disappoint! The piece I chose was white with a butter cream frosting & I may or may not have had 2 pieces :)

My mom had lined up a babysitter for Mason & my little niece Jensen so that us "big" kids could enjoy an evening of mingling, drinking & dancing without the little ones! It was our very first time leaving him (other than at daycare) but we knew he was in good hands so we actually were able to enjoy ourselves more than we thought we would!

Us big kids ended up leaving by 10pm as we all had to be up early the next morning for Mason's baptism. Anymore, 10pm is past my bedtime so with the traveling & the long day of festivities Shane & I were ready to call it a night!

Sunday we had to all get up early & be at the church by 915am - which amazingly enough the entire house was showered & out the door by 9am! Mason looked adorable in his baptism outfit. My mom had made his outfit & did such an amazing job!! She is SO very talented when it comes to the sewing machine! She used the wrap from my wedding dress for the fabric & we loved the way it turned out!

Mason's little shoes were specially made from a lady on Etsy.com. She makes the cutest little booties you ever did see. If you are looking for a great shower or birthday gift check her out here! She was super nice to work with, had great communication & speedy delivery!

My mom had sent her some leftover fabric from the wrap to use so they would match & they turned out adorable. They have his initials monogrammed on the top, a little silver cross glued onto the side of each bootie & on the bottom the date of his baptism is monogrammed as well. Such a sweet keepsake!

Mason & mommy all ready to head into the church:

Posing with Mason's God-parents - my brother Steve & his wife Meghan:

Proud mommy & daddy with our baptized boy:

After the baptism, we all headed back to my parents place for a nice lunch & then we packed up the car & made our way back home to Kansas. Before we all parted ways I managed to get a picture of me & my siblings. The last time we were all together like this was for my brother Steve's wedding 3 years ago! Oh & for those who are wondering - yes my sister is pregnant - 20 weeks to be exact due Nov. 26th! Another little niece or nephew for me to spoil :)

It was definitely a whirl-wind of a weekend but oh so fun to get to see everyone! Not sure when we will all be home together again like this so we made sure to soak it all up & enjoy the time together!

1st Father's Day

A letter to my wonderful husband, amazing father & best friend:

Happy Father's Day to one of the bestest daddy's I know...other than my own :)

Last Father's Day I was only 7 weeks pregnant & we hadn't told a soul. Oh how things have changed! This Father's Day you have a 5 month old son & couldn't be any more prouder of a daddy than you are now.

I always knew you’d be a good dad but little did I know how amazing of a daddy you truly would be. For so long I felt this tremendous amount of guilt & sorrow that because of me, you weren’t ever going to be a dad. Little did we know God's plans for us would take a little longer than we had expected & that we would be blessed with this precious miracle. Good things come to those who wait & wow, was he ever worth the wait!

On the day Mason was born, I remember that you couldn't stop smiling nor could you take your eyes off of him. You looked so proud holding his tiny little body in your arms.

 

 

 

You became a father that day & you've grown so much since then. I know deep down that you were nervous about the type of father you would be - whether you like to admit it or not - & I've loved every minute of watching you grow into that role & mold yourself into the type of parent I am lucky to have by my side.

 

Thank you for ALL that you do. Not only how hard you work at your job, but everything else you do for us. Motherhood would not be the same for me without your continued help. I am so very blessed to have a husband who pitches in so much with baby duty, managing the dogs daily feedings & outings, helping clean the house, do laundry, run errands, & most importantly, make sure my coffee is brewed before I am out the door for work :)

I just don’t know what to say other than “thank you” a million times over. Here we are, 5 months under our belts with a happy, healthy baby boy. The chaos of those first few months has calmed down & somewhere along the way, we have managed to fall into a nice routine. Your confidence in yourself as a dad has grown & that has been fun to see! There isn't anything in this world I enjoy more than watching you interact with your son, seeing him smile at you & touch your face ever so gently with those little hands. It just melts my heart.

On your first Father's Day, I just want to say how very proud I am of you. I am proud of the father that you've become & the wonderful husband you've been to me. There is no better view than seeing the world through an adoring father's eyes. You are truly my partner in parenthood & in marriage & I am so glad to have you by my side through this amazing journey!

Happy 1st Father's Day & looking forward to many, many more!

We love you,
Mommy & Mason

5 months old

Our sweet boy is 5 months old today! Someone please inform Father Time to slow down - seriously!! I can't believe how fast you are growing. It seems this month that you went from a tiny infant to a cute little boy in just the blink of an eye!

You continue to amaze us by how much you have learned since last month & all the developmental milestones you are making. Even your daycare provider Miss Katie commented on how you are more "advanced" than the other babies in your room & let me tell you, that made your Mama beam with pride. See - all that tummy time, silly singing & goo-goo talking that we do to you is paying off :) 

 

You are such a happy baby & only seem to cry when you are hungry. You have no patience (which you totally get from your daddy) & can go from all smiles to complete meltdown in a matter of 2.0 seconds when you want to eat or when you lose your pacifier out of your mouth. This has been such a fun month watching you develop into this awesome little guy!

 

Weight: We went to your 4 month appointment earlier this month where you had another round of shots (boo) & had an overall checkup - which you passed with flying colors. You weighed in at 16.5 lbs & measured 25 inches long - both in the 80th percentile. That was 3 weeks ago so I am guessing that you are at least 18 lbs by now?! I do know that week after week that car-seat of yours is getting heavier & heavier! 

You are now wearing size 3 diapers & have outgrown all your 3 mos clothing! Sadly I packed up the last of the 3 mos onesies & sleepers last week :( You are currently wearing 6 mos onesies, shirts, shorts, pants & because you are so stinkin' long you are in 9 mos sleepers now. Stop. Growing!!

Sleeping: Nothing is as sweet or is more peaceful than watching you sleep! I love to just sit & stare at you long after you have drifted off to sleep in my arms! Your daddy has to tell me over & over to go put you in your crib after you have fallen asleep & I always say to him "just 5 more minutes" - which usually turns into an hour.

You sleep great during the day & sleep not so great at night. You are still taking an early morning & late afternoon "cat-nap" along with a 2-3 hour nap in the early afternoon. You continue to fall asleep for the night around 7:30 - 8pm & have started to wake up at 10:30pm - which you will fall right back to sleep with the paci, again at 2am for a feeding & 3:30am where I will put you in bed with us & you sleep like an angel until 6:30am. I'm hoping you will soon start sleeping through the night so this Mama can get some much-needed sleep! Anyone have any thoughts as to making this happen?

Eating: You are still being breast-fed but I have a feeling I am going to have to quit in the near future. I no longer can keep up my supply with your demand & you get super pissy with Mama when you try to nurse & don't get anything. We are still supplementing with formula 1/2 the time & you will gulp down 5 oz in no time flat.

You got the "go-ahead" from your Pediatrician to start cereal at your 4 mos appointment so we tried giving you rice cereal which you absolutely hated. I waited a week & then tried oatmeal cereal which you hated. Decided to wait until you were 5 mos old to try again & this time we tried the flavored cereal & I must say you did MUCH better this time around....even though you had most of it all over your face & bib :) You especially like the Rice cereal with Bananas & Apples!

Milestones: This past month your little personality has really developed & you have changed SO much. No longer do you just lay there & look around taking it all in. You are constantly a movin' & a shakin' & want to grab everything that comes into your sight.
- A few weeks ago you started making grunting sounds for no reason & it has become your latest past-time. You don't seem to be in pain so I'm thinking you just like to listen to yourself make noises!?
- You are now rolling over from back - front but continue to struggle rolling from front - back. Once you flop over on your tummy you get excited, start pushing off the floor with those chunky little legs & try to scoot forward like you are about to "army-crawl". I have a feeling that you are going to be crawling soon!
- You like to sit in your Bumbo seat & the Boppy while playing with your toys but can't quite sit unattended just yet!

- Pulling your paci out of your mouth & trying to put it back in has become a fun game that you play...especially in the middle of the night!
- You have discovered your feet & will watch them intently as you move them around & kick them. You LOVE to kick & splash your feet in the water while in the tub also. Can't wait to see what you do your first time in the kiddie pool!
- Your hair is really filling in - especially on top & the girls at daycare like to spike it into a mohawk. Kind of makes you look like a cupie doll :)

This month has been so much fun watching you grow & seeing your personality develop! Can't wait to see what the next month brings! Happy 5 months little man!

 

Catching Up

Today I met up with my dear friend Desiree & her adorable daughter Sofia as they were in town visiting family. She had texted me earlier in the week to see if Mason & I had some free-time to get together while she was here so I of course cleared my calendar just so I could see these two!

We decided to meet at Monkey Bizness at the Great Mall in Olathe so that Miss Sofia could play while the two of us visited. It is a super cute place where little kids can run & jump around on the equipment & the inflatables - just like little monkeys! I can't wait until Mason get's older so we can take him to play there.

It was so good to get to catch up with Desiree & see how much Sofia has grown! She looks SO big in this picture for just being 2 years old!

Unfortunately, it sounds like it is going to be awhile before I will get to see these two again :( They now live in PA & aren't planning on coming back to town anytime soon. Will have to continue to keep in touch via text & our blogging!

Thanks D for a great visit! Hope you & little Miss have safe travels back to PA!!

Goodbye Old Friend

She was fun while it lasted :( As much as I am going to miss the days of the top down & the wind blowing through my hair, we just didn't see the convertible as being a "practical" car with a baby.

SO this past weekend we traded it in & bought something a little more "soccer-momish":

It's a 2013 Ford Escape - Titanium. I am going to really miss my "fun" little car but I absolutely LOVE my new ride! It has more bells & whistles than I know what to do with & is my very first ever fully loaded vehicle.

No worries though. I will own a convertible again someday - as soon as little man is old enough to ride by my side without a car seat :)

4 months old

My sweet little boy - today you are 4 months old! You are turning into such a cutie & growing like a weed! I SO wish time would slow down so your daddy & I can savor these months with you while you are still itty bitty.

This past month you have really started to come out of your shell & have developed quite the personality. You are such a happy little guy & are all smiles whenever you see your Mom or Dad. The best part of my day is coming to pick you up at daycare & seeing your eyes light up & you flash me that cute, toothless smile! Melts my heart every single time!

Weight: We went & saw the Pediatrician at 15 weeks for a cough & a mysterious tummy rash that you had where you weighed in at 15.5 lbs. Will be curious to see what your stats are at your upcoming 4 month appointment next week! You are now wearing size 2 diapers & are mainly wearing 6 month clothing now. You can still fit into your 3 month onesies but I am guessing in the next couple of weeks I will be folding them up & storing them in the bin along with the rest of the clothes you have outgrown :( We are still loving those chunky little legs, all of your little arm folds, your cute little buddah belly & we love smooching those cheeks of yours!

Sleep: Your daytime naps are all over the place & I am hoping daycare can help get you on a consistent schedule this next month. You are a lover of "cat-naps" in the morning which usually only last 30-45 minutes & you will take one long 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. You are falling asleep around 7:30-8pm & will wake up around 2am to nurse & again around 4-5am where I will give you your pacifier, rub your back & you will fall right back asleep until around 6am. People will think I am crazy, but I secretly enjoy your 2am feeding! 

Upon hearing you stir, I run into your room, melt into a puddle of mush when I see you, snatch you up in my arms, kiss you multiple times, tell you I love you while nursing you & then put you back in the crib after you have had your "mommy- fix". At that time of night the world is so peaceful & quiet, it is just me & you rocking in the glider sharing precious time together. I know you won't be this small forever & that "dream-feed" will eventually go away so I am going to savor this time for as long as I can. 

Eating: You are still a good eater & are taking in around 4-5oz at each feeding. You are mainly breast fed but we are also having to supplement a couple bottles of formula daily as my supply just isn't able to keep up with your demand. I'm really looking forward to introducing you to solids in the next couple of months & seeing how you do with those!

Milestones: You continue to amaze us week after week with your growth & developments & can't believe how advanced you have become since last month.

- You rock at tummy-time! You have even started to do "mini-push ups" where you will lift your shoulders up & use your little arms for support. You can only stand about 5 minutes of this where you will then get mad & throw a fit which lets me know you have had enough :)

- You will search the room for mommy & daddy when you hear our voice & when you see us you flail your little arms in excitement & give us a big smile. You will look directly at us, start gurgling & try to "talk" back to us. I absolutely love talking to you & seeing you respond back with a squeal or a giggle.

- You LOVE to watch the bulldogs & will reach out to touch them when they get close to you. Millie loves to lay right next to you & keep watch over you. It is the sweetest thing ever! Bubba loves to try & give you big wet, slobbery kisses whenever he can - which isn't often!! 

- Your daddy introduced you to a mirror a few weeks ago & you LOVE to see your reflection! You will smile, squeal with delight & "talk" to that cute little guy looking back at you!

- No rolling over yet however I think you are getting close. When I put you in your crib, you start out sleeping on your back but you always end up on your side. I think you would roll all the way on your tummy if it weren't for those chunky little arms & legs getting in the way!

- You will now grab for your toys & rattles & immediately put them in your mouth. Everything is in your mouth these days....your fingers & thumb, your fists, rattles, your links. You especially love to chew on Sophia the giraffe.
- This past week you have really started to drool. I am guessing there will soon be a tooth in your future?! At this point, I don't know who drools more - you or Bubba?! 
- Yesterday you laughed for the very first time. I mean a true belly laugh & it was the cutest thing ever! I am hoping to capture you on video so I can cherish that sound forever.

Mason, you are an absolute joy in our lives & are loved more than you could ever imagine little man! Thanks for bearing with us as we learn this whole mommy & daddy thing! I promise that things will just keep on getting better & better for all of us!

Love you forever & ever little bubba,
Mommy

My 1st Mother's Day

Today was my very 1st Mother's Day & it is one day I will never forget!

Hard to believe that a year ago I was writing this post & even harder to believe that a few days later I would be staring in disbelief at the first little sign telling us we were soon to be a family of three.

I used to think about what it would be like to celebrate Mother’s Day as an actual mother. I had this storybook image in my head as to how it would all play out. My husband would take me out for breakfast. He would buy a sweet little gift & write in a card telling me it was from him & my precious baby. We would all spend the day together as a family, maybe all go for a walk, get some ice cream & just enjoy the day together.

This image has played in my head year after year & finally - this image became a reality.

I awoke to find coffee made & this sweet card - signed by my husband & Mason :)  It is hard to see, but it says "We love you - Shane & Mason"

Then we all got ourselves ready & made our way out the door to enjoy a wonderful breakfast buffet at a local restaurant! Mason is proud to be wearing his "Happy 1st Mother's Day" onesie!

After breakfast we went to Walmart, bought all our groceries for the week & then Shane treated me to ice cream at Dairy Queen. The chocolate-covered pretzel blizzard is the "blizzard of the month" right now & I have been getting one of these weekly. I may or may not have even possibly had 2 or 3 in one week - yes, they are that good! Don't judge - I need to consume an extra 500 calories remember??  LOL Plus did you know that you can now get your blizzard in a dipped waffle cone - double score :) It will be a sad day when they do away with this flavor!

Once we got home, we all spent the afternoon outside cleaning the flower beds out, trimming bushes & getting the yard ready to plant the spring flowers. Mason loved being outside in his jumperoo & was nice enough to give Mama a couple of "fussy-free" hours so I could get everything done.

The rest of the afternoon was spent taking a nap with my little guy along with lots of extra snuggles & cuddles! It ended just as perfect as it started!

Those of you who know me know that I have waited to be a mother for a very long time. There are days that I stare at his sweet little face & can't believe that he is really ours - even after 4 months it just doesn't seem real. That is of course until he starts crying at 2am & I quickly realize that he is indeed real :)

On this wonderful day that honors mother's, I made sure to get in lots of extra snuggles with Mason. We played together for an extra long time. I stared at his sweet, precious face a little longer than usual. I smelled his perfect little round head more than I usually do (which who knew was even possible)?! I smooched those fat little cheeks too many times to count. I talked to him even more then I usually do during the day & told him how much I had prayed for him & how very much I loved him several times throughout the day.

I made it a point to really soak in the knowledge that I have a son now - something I have wanted for so very long. I can't even begin to explain to you all how happy this little guy has made me. I am so truly blessed that after all my struggles in trying to conceive I ended up with this perfect little boy. He is absolutely amazing. I wish for anyone who is still struggling with infertility that they will someday have this dream of motherhood come true. That they will get to know this kind of happiness, & will get to share stories with the rest of the mothers out there that know this amazing joy.

Becoming a mother has been one of the greatest, yet scariest things I have ever done & is also the most wonderful & rewarding things that has ever happened to me. With everything we’ve gone through these past 6 years (infertility, IVF's, miscarriages) we now finally get this opportunity to be parents, raise this beautiful child & having someone to call me "mom" means more to me than I could have ever imagined.

The greatest gift I could receive this Mother’s Day isn’t breakfast out with my boys or some sort of present. It’s the fact that everyday I get to go into my son’s room & see him smiling up at me after he has woken up. It’s the fact that he knows my touch & scent better than anyone else’s, & that when he gets really upset, I am the only person that can comfort him in an instant. It's the way he tries to nestle into my neck after his nightly feeding, or the way when he is sleepting throws his jazz hands up in the air when startled, or how he kicks his feet & flails his arms when he gets excited & the best gift of all - that amazing way he smiles back at me.

A dear friend of mine - who is also a mother -  shared some wonderful words of wisdom with me shortly after Mason was born. She said, “It’s not about you anymore & it never will be. You’re a mom now & for the rest of your life it will be about your children.” She is so right. Mother’s Day isn’t about me. It’s about this little being that finally completed me & makes me who I am today...a mom!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in my family - especially my own mother, to all my girlfriend's who are mom's & mom's-to-be, to all the other honorary mom's out there & we can't forget all the "pet" mom's :) May you all enjoy this beautiful day with those that matter most to you!

First Gift

Well, we have successfully completed our first week of daycare & I am happy to report that it went flawlessly. There were no meltdowns (for me OR Mason), I made it to work on time each day, the girls at the daycare made my days easier by sending pics of Mason & text messages to update me on how he was doing & I discovered that picking my little guy up at 5:15pm is the very best part of my day - especially when he flashes a sweet, toothless grin when he sees me :)

I dropped Mason off at daycare this morning & Alecia - one of the girls who takes care of him - said she wanted to show me something. I figured it was his daily checklist so I was totally caught off guard when she presented me with this:

On the bottom it reads "Happy Mother's Day from Mason - 2013"

The first thing I noticed was his little footprints & I instantly welled up with tears. Then poor Alecia was caught off guard & apologized for making me cry - lol! I told her she had no idea what this 1st Mother's Day gift meant to me & that I will treasure it for the rest of my life.

Seriously - look at those little tootsies...is there anything cuter??

3 months old

Today my little man is 3 months old! It is also my first day back to work after being off for 12 weeks :( Honestly I'm quite sad about both things. 1) My little guy is getting too big, too fast & 2) I am sad to be leaving him after spending 24/7 with him for the last 84 days.

I have decided that with these monthly milestones, I am going to be more so documenting on Mason's stats & accomplishments so I have them in writing & won't forget all the amazing things this little boy is doing. After his 1st birthday, I am going to print each month's post & put it in his baby book so forgive me if these posts seem more "personal". I just don't want to forget anything.

So here goes....
 

Mason you are now 3 months old! How did that happen so fast? You are getting so big, so fast & continue to be the love of our lives. 

The last month you have been quite the fussy baby dealing with reflux, spitting up & a bit of projectile vomit after you eat but since we have switched you from Zantac to Prilosec, I am relieved to say that you have become a happy little guy. It truly melts my heart to see you so happy. You have also really started to interact with mommy & daddy when we talk to you & will follow us with your eyes & look for us when you hear our voice. Mornings are when you are at your happiest, are all smiles & love to "talk" to us! It is truly one of the best sounds in the world & we just love hearing your little voice.

Weight: I'm guessing you weigh around 14lbs & you have really started to fill out. Your chunky cheeks are the best & I love to plant kisses on them! Your furry brother Bubba also likes to sneak a smooch to those cheeks ;) Your legs are quite chunky also with lots of  "rolls" & you have the cutest little "buddha belly".  You are still wearing a size 1 diaper which I forsee an upsize to a size 2 in the very near future! You are still fitting into most of your 3 month clothes but because you are so long we have had to upsize most of your sleepers to 6 mos. If I had to guess, I think you are going to be tall like your daddy!? 

Sleep: This past week you fell into a nice routine of consistently taking a good morning & afternoon nap. Of course this occurred right before I am to return to work - lol! You will go down around 9am & 1pm & nap for about 2-3 hours each time. You like to take a little 5pm "cat-nap" & then go to bed around 8:30pm. You are sleeping until 2am, up for a feeding then back down from 2:30-5am, up for another feeding - usually in the bed with mommy & daddy & will sleep until around 7:30am. Hoping you don't miss the early morning snuggles as much as mommy will when I go back to work!?

Eating: You nurse like a champ & dare I say - you love the boobies! Since mommy goes back to work next week, I have started to transition you to bottles only during the day & nursing in the evening, night & early morning. So far the transition has gone well so that is a relief - especially for your daddy who will be taking care of you my first week back. I don't know who is more scared - him or me!! You seem to eat every 2-3 hours & take in about 4 oz with a bottle.

Milestones: A couple of weeks ago you discovered your hands. You like to stick them in your mouth - usually both at the same time - & will suck & slurp on them. I have also caught you sucking a thumb or a finger! You also like to hold your hands while you sleep or have your little fists up by your face which makes swaddling you difficult. You look like a little angel when you are asleep - so peaceful. 

You love to lay on your play-mat & watch the lights & you recently discovered that when you kick the rattles they make noise so your legs are constantly moving & kicking & you get so excited. It is so cute to watch! I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you find your feet & start grabbing them too!

You love your pacifier & it has been a lifesaver for us when you are fussy. This past week I got out your links & you love to grab them & will play with them until you wear yourself out:

Your head/neck control is excellent & you rock at "tummy time"! Even your Pediatrician commented on how impressed he was on your head control! 

You especially love to walk with your daddy (which he refers to as "riding-high") while holding your head up, looking around, checking things out & he can usually calm you down by doing this when mommy can't. 

You love to sit & watch your bulldog puppies when they are sitting next to us & you will look for them when we enter into a room. We can't wait until you are more mobile & can interact with the bullies without fear that they will accidentally hurt you because they are so big & you are so small.

And this week you went on your very first ride in the stroller & you loved it! Can't wait for the weather to get warmer so we can enjoy many more walks outside!

You continue to amaze us little man each & everyday & we can't wait to see what you accomplish next! Happy 3 Monthday :)

A Night Out

Today my dear friend Samantha married the man of her dreams. You may remember from previous posts that she is Mama to Maggie & Miles whom we often "bully-sit" for:

The man she married is also one of the Cardiologist's I work with. It was a beautiful reception held at The Carriage Club on the Plaza & the bride of course looked absolutely stunning! 

The food was dee-lish & the best part of any wedding - the cake - was amazing! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it since I had my hands full with Mason :( However, I was very happy to see that the servings of cake were huge AND there was plenty of it to go around so yes, I did have a piece of vanilla & also ate a piece of chocolate cake as well :) I got no shame! Besides, with breastfeeding they say to consume an additional 500 calories daily so I just considered it my extra calories!!

Since the whole family got dressed up for the occasion, thought we best get a family photo! Too bad little stinker's hands were in his mouth :(

Oh & I have decided that I am going to go into business in the future making dressy apparel for a 0-3 mos old. I searched for 2 weeks, went to 7 different children's stores & do you know that I could not find an affordable, seasonal pair of dressy pants or even a little suit in a size 3 mos for Mason to wear to this wedding? I barely was able to find a dressy shirt for him to wear! Needless to say it was quite frustrating. So, as you can see, we opted for a pair of jeans & a button-down shirt - yeah, we are classy like that but hey, that is all we had to work with. We have a wedding at the end of June to attend also & he will be 6 mos old by then. You can bet I have already started to shop for his outfit!

We had a great time, enjoyed great food & I even got to see my dear friend Stephanie! She worked with me at the hospital & I actually trained her - then a year later she up & left me :( Her husband accepted a job in Dallas that he couldn't refuse so she had to move & was not real happy about it. I was so glad to get to see her & spend some time catching up! Steph is also a K-State fan so I had to tease her about our matching belt's - they are KU colors :)

It was so nice to be able to get dressed up with the hubby & have a night out - as a family of three :)

Sip-n-See

Last night we gathered with our wonderful neighbors here in the cul-de-sac for a post-baby shower. Or as the southerner's like to call it after the baby has arrived - a "Sip-n-See". You gather together, "sip" on beverages of your choice & everyone gets to "see" the new baby :)

Since we have all kind of hibernated this winter we really haven't seen our neighbor's much so it was nice to come out of hiding & all get together so they could meet & see Mason!

Here is Mason & Daddy before we changed & got ready to leave:

Dave & Gael hosted the shower & provided brisket & dessert for the meal while everyone else brought a side dish to share. The food was all so very good - especially the cupcakes:

The house was decorated with the cutest baby shower decor & the saying was perfect as we consider Mason our "little miracle baby":

After we all stuffed ourselves on yummy food & dessert, it was gift opening time. Shane & I opened gifts together as Mason was passed around the group for cuddles & snuggles! Our neighbors were so very generous as we got LOTS of great gifts along with several gift cards & a few last things off our registry:

One of my favorite gifts would have to be the KU sock monkey & these personalized burp cloths! I just love seeing stuff with Mason's name on it :)

One for me & one for Shane :) I find it especially funny that Shane now has his own burp cloth as it never fails - whenever Shane goes to hold Mason he always spits-up all over him & Shane never has a burp cloth handy. Now he has no excuse - lol :)

I had wanted to get a family picture of all three of us along with pictures of some of the neighbors holding Mason but unfortunately the night got away from us & between eating & socializing with everyone it just didn't happen :( Oh well - next time as there are sure to be lots more cul-de-sac gatherings this summer!

Thanks to Gael for hosting a lovely baby shower & to all our wonderful neighbors for the generous gifts. So lucky to be surrounded by such kind & supportive people!

SPIN!

It had been several days since I have been out of the house - which has been really good for my budget :) so I had sent out a text message to my "Destin" girlfriends to see if anyone could meet up for dinner sometime this week. Luckily all of them could but one so we all met at SPIN! this evening for pizza, salad & lots of catching up.

Being on maternity leave I feel so isolated from the outside world & my friends - not that I would change it for anything because I love being at home & spending all this time with Mason - but it is good for this mommy to put some make-up on, get out of the house & mingle with girlfriends every now & then! And with my leave coming to an end on April 22nd :( I need to take advantage of the time while I can!

As usual I had good intentions of getting pics of all of us but it just didn't happen! I did however manage to get a pic of the two mommies & their babies :) Always enjoy spending time with these two sweet girls - Jen & Miss Ava!!

Thanks ladies for giving me a reason to shower & get out of the house for a fun evening out!!