Crafty

Those of you who know me know that I am "crafty" & I don't mean "crafty" as in the Beastie Boys song of 1986 :) Ever since my grade school days I have always been one to create & make crafts & later do projects around the home & if I know I can make something cheaper than buying it then I will take it on. 

Since Pinterest came along, I have gotten many of my ideas from this inspiring website & have been "pinning" those ideas left & right with the hopes of one day getting to make, replicate, recreate or redo all these ideas. 

So once I had Mason & the holidays rolled around I got super excited as I had remembered some of the craft ideas I had pinned & was SO excited to finally be able to make & give said items.

At Christmas time, I surprised the staff at Mason's daycare with mini-cupcakes from Gigi's Cupcakes:

Now these aren't Pinterest-inspired but they were adorable & I just had to share how cute they were. The frosting is made to look like a Santa, 2 wreaths, snowman, puppy & reindeer & the staff LOVED them!

For the four ladies in the infant room who took care of Mase 5 days a week, 9-10 hours a day they each got a little Christmas gift box filled with warm fuzzy socks, lotion for the feet, chocolates & a Target gift card. Some may say that seems like a lot but these ladies are amazing & deserve it!!

I had made a cute little sign for inside the box that read: "Wishing you cozy and warm toes all winter. Love, Mason"

The girls LOVED them & I felt all warm & tingly inside for having made them & given it to them!

Next holiday was Valentine's Day & I had been dying to make Mason's little valentine cards for his class along with treats again for his daycare ladies. I had seen both these ideas on Pinterest & while Mason was down for the night I whipped up these cute little valentine's:

They are filled with little cheddar goldfish & the kids & their mommies loved them! I may or may not already have next year's Valentines planned out :)

The jars behind the treats were filled with Valentine M&M's. I covered the lids with scrapbook paper & tied a ribbon around them with a little tag that read "It takes a big heart to help shape little minds".

I also made some Valentine Snack Mix for Mason's class which was another Pinterest "find" which I put it in a large mason jar. The daycare ladies said the kids "ate the heck out of that snack mix"! It had Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Strawberry/Apple puffs, Berry yogurt melts & yogurt covered raisins. Super easy & makes for a cute treat :)

So that is a little recap of some of the "crafty" fun I have been doing. I have already been researching what I can do for the little kiddos at daycare as well as the daycare ladies for St. Patrick's Day & for Easter - so excited!

I guess you can officially say that I have turned into one of "those" moms & proud of it!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone from the cutest little "heart breaker" you ever did see :)

Wisconsin trip

Mase & I are off to Wisconsin for the weekend to visit my sister, her family & to meet my sweet little niece Dana Jo. I had booked a 545pm flight so that the travel would correlate with Mason's eating/sleeping schedule but that got royally screwed up as we had to sit & wait at the airport for 3 hours for our plane to arrive. Had I checked my email before we left for the airport I would have seen the message sent from Southwest Airlines that our flight was delayed. Boo :(

Mason actually handled the wait time really well but by the time we boarded the plane it was 830pm, it was way past his bedtime & he was starting to get super fussy from being overtired. I had hoped he would sleep on the plane but that little stinker stayed up the entire time. The descent of the plane was no fun either as he screamed his little head off & I felt so bad because I knew his little ears were really hurting. He ended up falling asleep just before we landed into Milwaukee which was around 10pm. I had to go pick up our baggage, change Mason's diaper, put him in jammies & go get the rental car. I didn't think the night could get any more stressful but little did I know it was only the beginning.

I am in line at the Hertz rental counter & there are 3 people in front of me & only one desk clerk. While I was standing there patiently waiting the lady at the counter was getting really upset with the desk clerk using some colorful language & the next thing I know security has come & is trying to calm her down which only pissed her off even more. Security ended up hauling her away as she became irate & all I could think was "good riddance - now only 2 more people to check in before it is my turn". Ugh - it was 10:30pm & all I wanted was to get my car & get on the road as I had a 1 1/2 hour drive ahead of me. 

So I finally get the car. It is -5 degrees outside. I have a baby asleep in a stroller, a huge piece of luggage & a big ass car seat I am trying to haul all by myself. I have yet to install the car seat & let me tell you it was the biggest pain in my ass ever. It took 20 min to get that damn thing installed & it still wasn't even installed correctly. I was freezing, my baby was freezing & I had had enough. I tightened the carseat down as best as I could, put Mase in it, said a little prayer nothing happened to us during our drive & away we went.

The drive was uneventful...that is until I was about 20 miles from my sister's house. I may or may not have been doing 80 miles on a highway where the speed limit was only 65. Next thing I know there are red & blue flashing lights behind me. It is now 12:30am.

The officer asked me why I was in such a hurry & I was so pissed & annoyed that I had gotten stopped that I was in tears. I told him I had been traveling all night, I was exhausted, I had a baby in the backseat & I was trying to get to my destination before I fell asleep behind the wheel. Then he gives me the guilt trip about how a baby in the backseat is even more reason for me to slow down, that there are lots of deer that cross these roads at night, blah blah blah. Ugh - I get it - just write me the damn ticket already.

So he takes my license & insurance card back to his car. 15 min later he comes back & says he is letting me off with a warning ONLY because I am out of state because in the state of WI if you are out of state & get a ticket you have to go down to the police station right then & there & pay your fine no matter what time of day/night it is - I guess WI wants their money & they want it now! If you don't have the money to pay your fine you spend the night in jail. 

So lucky me got off with just a warning - thank goodness. I finally arrived to my sister's house around 1am & Mase & I slept like a rock - until around 6am when I heard the pitter patter of little feet & someone saying "Aunt Hedder - are you awake?" in my ear :)

The majority of the weekend was spent hanging out snuggling with this little sweetie:

She has got the craziest tuft of hair on her little head which makes for a great mohawk & I love it:

Mason loved the baby & everytime he would walk past her he had to stop, check on her & give her a little "love pat" which was so stinkin' cute! Ugh - my baby looks SO big next to my sister's baby :(

Saturday I told my sister I would be in charge of making dinner & we of course had to have dessert so while my sister was away at a Pilates/Yoga training class my nephews & niece helped me make & frost cupcakes:

While frosting the cupcakes the boys insisted that we had to "try one" just to make sure they were ok for everyone to eat after dinner - lol. Good thing they both deemed them edible!!

When we had left Kansas, Mase had a cold & late Saturday afternoon he started running a fever. He had been crabby & real clingy all day so I knew something was up. His temp got to 102.7 during the middle of the night so I ended up taking him to the Urgent Care Clinic Sunday morning thinking it was another ear infection. The Dr. said his ears were clear & it was probably just his cold which didn't sit right with me as colds don't usually produce a high fever like that but whatever - I went with what she said since she was the Dr afterall. 

Sunday afternoon my brother-in-law was kind enough to stay home with all the kids while my sister, Mason & I ventured on over to the Outlet Shoppes at Oshkosh for a little shopping. I was giving Mase Tylenol throughout the day which was keeping his fever down & he wasn't near as fussy so I was thankful for that. The children's stores at the outlet mall were having all the kids winter clothing on clearance plus an additional 20% off so I ended up buying a TON of clothes for Mason for next year for CHEAP! Mason didn't appear to be as excited as Mommy was:

But then again he wasn't feeling quite himself so that is understandable. Once we got home we all gathered around the table for dinner & as I was feeding Mason I noticed something in his ear - brown, goo oozing from the ear canal. I don't know how his ears went from looking "clear" 8 hours earlier to an oozing mess but next time I will listen to my gut. I should have known better - he had a cold, he screamed the entire time the plane was descending, he was acting not "himself", the high fever....it all points to an ear infection & the brown oozing goo confirms it. 

After dinner my sister & I got all the kids bathed, put to bed & we spent the rest of our evening enjoying the peace & quiet over an ice cold beer, popcorn & watching our guilty pleasure "Keeping Up With the Kardashians".

Monday we spent the morning packing up our stuff, getting in last minute snuggles with Miss Dana, my nephews, my niece Jensen & then we were on our way to Milwaukee to catch our early evening flight. Let's just say the trip home was a lot less eventful than it was coming there! I had given Mason Motrin & Benadryl an hour prior to his flight per the Pediatrician's instructions & he did awesome! No crying, no fussing & he kept himself entertained the entire flight. We already have an appointment first thing in the morning to the Ped's office to get those ears looked at & get an antibiotic. Poor little guy.

Despite the crazy start to our trip & the fever/ear infection, we had a great visit to Wisconsin & I look forward to seeing everyone again in July when we meet in Minnesota for our family reunion!

Here are a few more random pictures from our weekend. As I look through my pictures I only have one of Tanner when we were making cupcakes - not sure how that happenened :(

My sister & Dana

Mase "pre" ear infection = happy boy

My niece Jensen & Mason

A very proud Cael holding his Minion valentine box he made:

Aunt Heather & sweet Miss Dana:

Ugh - I just LOVE that hair :)

James Arthur

This morning I received a call from Shane's mom that his dad wasn't doing well & she asked that I talk to Shane & urge him to come to Denver sooner rather than later. Being that Shane's mom & myself are nurses we both knew what the end result was going to be & she was leaving it up to me to now explain the situation to my husband - something I hated having to do.

Shane's dad had been hospitalized a week prior with pneumonia & since he was battling lymphoma his immune system was greatly compromised & he could no longer fight the infection. His organs were starting to shut down & it was getting to be time for the family to gather & say their last goodbyes. 

Shane & his brother left for Colorado an hour after that phone call & later that evening his dad passed away peacefully with his wife & two sons by his side. He was only 72 years old. I am so very glad I was able to convince my husband to go so that he had the chance to say goodbye to his dad.

This picture was taken back in September when Mason was 6 months old & it is such a treasured keepsake & memory. It was the first time "Grandpa Mountain" had the chance to meet Mason & he was so very proud of his grandson. I think the smile on his face says it all....

3 generations of Taylor boys :)

I am so very sad for my husband as well as Mason who will never get to know his grandfather. RIP James.....you will be missed by many.

Please keep our family in your prayers as we all try to get through this very difficult time in the days ahead. Your thoughts & prayers are very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Progressive Dinner 2014

Every year for the last 5 years we have gathered  with our cul-de-sac neighbors for our own version of a Progressive Dinner. It usually involves great food, lots of alcohol, good company, a White Elephant gift exchange & many memories made with this wonderful group of neighbors!

This year proved to be no different. 

Everyone was busy with the hustle bustle of the holidays in December so we opted to have it later in January - the 18th to be exact - so that everyone could attend. 

We started out at our house where we munched on chips/salsa, corn dip, 7-layer dip & sipped on margaritas, wine & beer. One hour later & we were moving on to the next house. We had our babysitter Katie over to watch Mase so this mommy & daddy could enjoy the evening!

Next stop was Dave & Gael's house where we were served stuffed jalapeno's, meatballs & margaritas! Everyone was stuffing their belly's full of good food, the drinks were going down smoothly & it was fun to be able to catch up with everyone!

After an hour there we made our way over to Mike & Pamela's for some beef tacos, mexican beer & wine. By the end of this stop people were starting to feel the effects of the previous margaritas & cocktails. Next thing I know the camera's came out along with a picture frame & the rest is history.....

The last stop of the night was Ken & Kathy's house for dessert & ice cream cocktails - YUM! This is always my favorite stop because the desserts are usually fancy, rich, oh so dee-lish & Ken & Kathy didn't disappoint!

I may or may not have tried one of everything. That chocolate cake was to die for!! Not only were there cake, cookies & pastries but Kathy was blending up alcoholic ice cream drinks as well. YUM!!

And then the boys got a hold of the picture frame....

I guess they were feeling left out?! 

We did our annual White Elephant gift exchange & it was so very entertaining seeing what kind of gifts people gave & their reaction to them.

Surprisingly everyone seemed pretty satisfied with their gifts so there wasn't much stealing going on. After the gift exchange there were a few more ice cream cocktails had & of course a couple more pics with that darn picture frame.

 

I have no clue where the frame came from but it sure was a fun photo prop! Thank you neighbors for yet another fun Progressive Dinner! Until next year...

12 months old

Today my baby is one year old!

Sadly this will be my very last "monthly" post :( I definitely have mixed emotions about Mason turning 1. As much as I love watching him grow & learn new things, I am also very sad that my little baby is growing up!! Time is going way too fast & I just wish it would slow down a bit. I'm not going to lie - I so miss the cooing & gurgling sounds of a newborn & the sweet smells of a baby :( But this stage in Mason's life is so much fun also - hence the reason I am torn.

It breaks my heart that my baby is growing up so fast & that I can't stop it. However the promise of what is to come in the future is an amazing thought & that is what makes him getting older ok. We have football practices, baseball games, riding bikes, teaching him how to be a gentleman, how to treat girls, first dates, college, having his own family & so much more to look forward to. It is bittersweet but what is my loss will be the worlds gain.

I heard once that a baby fills a place in your heart you didn't even know you had. After all our struggle to get to this place, truer words have never been spoken. The love I have for this little boy is nothing that I can describe & I had no idea how special being his Mama would make me feel. Mason's 1st year has been wonderful watching him grow & I can't wait to see what the future years hold for all of us!

Happy 1st Birthday to you Mason James :)

Weight: At your 1 year appointment you weighed in at 24 lbs & was 31inches tall - both in the 85th percentile. You have moved on up to size 4 diapers, 18 month onesies & are wearing more size 18 month clothing. Time for this Mama to put away more 12 mos clothes for storage :(

Eating: You are an amazing little eater - especially if it is something you really like. Pasta, chicken nuggets, pears, carrots, yogurt & Cheerios are still some of your favorites & you have started to really like peas, bananas & pizza. You do not like ground hamburger or red meat of any kind. You had your 1st taste of frosting & cake at your birthday party & you were in heaven! Looks like someone loves sweets - just like your Daddy!!

Sleeping: Not much has changed here. Bedtime routine still starts at 7pm & by 7:30pm you are fast asleep. You are still waking up around 1-2am for a bottle & then back to sleep until 6am. The Pediatrician frowned upon this when I told him :( He said you should be sleeping at least 8-9 hours without waking up & you definitely don't need a bottle at 2am. Looks like Operation CIO is going to have to commence once again. You have pretty much eliminated the morning naps & will take one good 2-3 hour nap around noon. This is the schedule the Toddler 1 room at daycare follows so we will stick with it at home also. 

Milestones:
- You are now walking all over the place - not a few steps here & there but full on walking! You are pretty steady on your feet & love to walk while pushing bins, your shopping cart & alphabet train across the floor.
- You have discovered how to clap your hands & will do this when you get excited. It is the cutest thing!
- Seven! That is the number of teeth you now have - 4 on the top & 3 on the bottom. You cut your bottom left lateral incisor & you are working on cutting the right one as well.

- Mommy taught you how to "high-five" & you will do it when asked - followed by lots of clapping :)
- You move out of the infant room at daycare & into the Toddler 1 room tomorrow. This makes mommy sad :( You will have a new set of daycare providers taking care of you as well as new friends to play with who are your age. Miss Maggie & Miss Kasey threw you a birthday/farewell party today & you had so much fun. Ugh - I'm going to miss these very special ladies along with Miss Kendra & Miss Melissa watching over you everyday in the infant room. They all love you so very much!

Maggie (above) & Kasey (below) 

- You love to bang toys together & make lots of noise when playing! You also like to put toys into a container & take them out. We practice "putting away" toys every night before bed & you have become a good helper with this.
- You haven't said any new words yet other than "da-da" & "ma-ma" but you babble all the time & we have lots of  "conversations" with you! You will focus on our lips while we talk or sing to you & the look on your face is priceless. I would love to know what your little mind is thinking. You also respond to what we say like "throw the ball" or "give Mama a hug".

- You have started to use objects for their purpose. Like drinking from a cup, holding the phone up to your ear, pushing buttons on the remote, using a comb to your hair, putting your shoes to your feet.
- Seperation anxiety made an appearance last week & for the first time ever at daycare when I left you in the morning you had a meltdown & screamed when I tried to leave you. Broke my heart :( When we are at home all you want is your Mama & it kind of hurts your Daddy's feelings. Hoping this phase is short-lived.



















You have come a long way in 12 months little man & we are so very proud of the little boy you are becoming! We are very excited to see what this next year brings us all!

Happy 12 months Mason!!

Letter to Mason

  

Dear Mason,

Tomorrow is your very first birthday!! Mommy & Daddy are so very excited to be celebrating this first of many milestones with you! As I look down at you asleep in your crib tonight, I am overcome with emotion. Being your Mommy has been the most joyful, exhausting, rewarding, funnest & fullest year of my life. I am so very thankful for you & even more thankful that God chose to give us you. Thankful that he picked you just as you are & blessed us with your precious little life.

Exactly one year ago this evening I was admitted into the hospital to prepare for your arrival. I remember so very clearly the turn of events that happened up until meeting you for the first time. 

When I saw you for the first time, I was in awe that you were finally here. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. When I heard you cry for the first time it made Mommy cry because I had waited so very long to meet you & be able to hear that beautiful sound. 

 

When I finally got to hold you in my arms you looked right into my eyes, stopped crying & it was truly love at first site. It was the most magical moment of my entire life. In that moment, I was your mother & you were my son & you would be changing my life forever.

So hard to believe that a year has passed since that amazing day!

This past year brought us many "firsts" - we saw your very first smile, heard your first giggles, cheered you on when you began to roll over for the first time. I cheered & cried when you finally started to crawl since you had struggled with getting the crawling thing down. 

You had your first solid foods, took your first steps, said your first word & so, so much more. I am so proud & amazed at how far you have come in one short year. 

You came into this world weighing 7 lbs 4 oz looking so tiny, so soft & pink, so innocent & dependent & absolutely perfect in every way. And now look at you! You are no longer a little baby but now a little boy - 24 lbs of laughing, talking, walking, clapping, happiness who charms every person lucky enough to meet you.

You are turning one year old tomorrow & beginning a new journey - a journey that will take you in many different directions & teach you many things. As I sit & watch you sleeping, I think of the man I hope you’ll become & how I will do anything & everything to be a good mother to you & help guide you in your journey through childhood & into adulthood.

You have grown into such an amazing little person already. You are so sweet & so very loving. You never grow tired of giving out hugs or kisses & I hope as you grow older that never changes. You are so smart & I know in my heart there are big things ahead for you. You also seem to have a gentle & wise spirit - my little “old soul.” You have already made this world a better place for being in it & I feel so honored to have been chosen to be your mother.

You melt my heart every time you smile & when you wrap those little arms around my neck & squeeze ever so tight - I melt every single time. Those hugs help make the world right again. Never in my life have I been so excited to wake up because I get to wake up & see you. I look so forward to when you finally open those beautiful brown eyes of yours & I get to see your precious, smiling face. It makes me excited for what the day has in store for all of us.

Tomorrow we will start a new chapter in our lives - life with a one year old. This last year has been an amazing journey. It has been the most rewarding, incredible, special time in my whole life. I will cherish the experience of your first year of life in a very special way & treasure it always in my heart.

Words cannot express how much I love you Mason. You are my little Bubba, my sunshine, my heart, my purpose for being - my everything. I’m so proud of you & so very honored to be your Mommy. This last year has been filled with priceless memories & I look forward to so many more to come.

Lastly, my prayer for you, my hope for your future is that you become a man of God, a leader, a man who is stable, caring, independent, smart, gentle & strong like your Daddy. I pray for your purpose & for your life story. Being our "miracle baby" I know you are here for something big & important & I thank God for letting us be here to witness your life. 

Happy first birthday, my precious, sweet little man!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy