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

Winter ONEderland

Those of you who know me know that I have a few crafty skills up my sleeve & when it comes to party planning or making my own creations, nothing I do is plain & simple. I LOVE planning parties so why would planning my son's 1st birthday party be any different?!?

I have been planning this shin-dig for quite some time now & to say it was SO much fun is an understatement! Once I decided on a theme there was no stopping me. I spent whatever free time I had on the internet searching sites like Etsy & Pinterest, gathering ideas, saving & pinning pic's. I guess you could say I was a bit out of control but I didn't care. I never thought I would ever be given this chance to throw a 1st birthday party for my child so forgive me if I wanted it to be amazing & perfect. Yes I know he won't remember any of it but I don't care. He survived his 1st year. We as parents survived his 1st year & to me that was something worth celebrating!

Back in December I had decided on a Winter ONEderland theme (thank you Pinterest) full of snowflakes & penguins with a red, teal & white color scheme. I knew I wanted a dessert table with lots of yummy desserts to pick from & I knew I wanted the party catered so I wouldn't have to do any cooking or prepping of food. I also knew I wanted the location of his party to be fairly close so we ended up having his party at a local bar & grill in their private room & it was absolutely perfect for our event.

So after weeks of party planning, today was the big day. All the hours I had spent creating, printing, cutting, pasting, gluing, going over in my head exactly how I wanted his party to be had finally paid off & after it was all said & done - it was amazing. It was perfect. It was everything I had imagined it would be for our little man! 

40 of our very closest family & friends were invited to the birthday event & all but 4 were able to come. Those that attended may have thought it was a bit over the top. Others may have thought it was the best 1st birthday party they have ever been to. Some may have even thought I was trying to win the "Mother of the Year" award. But to me it wasn't about any of those things. It was about my son's very 1st birthday celebration & to me he is worth "over the top" plus oh so much more :)

So without further ado, here are pics from Mason's Winter ONEderland party :) I will warn you though....there are LOTS of pics.

First - some of the "details":

Invitations

Mason's party shirt

Table centerpieces

Dessert table

Strawberry Cheesecake

Mason's "smash" cake

Sugar Cookies

Vanilla/Chocolate Cupcakes

 Candy/Chocolate Tray

Taco/Nacho bar

 Mason's birthday "throne"

 

Monthly photo banner

Favor bags for the kids

  The "goods" inside favor bags


High chair banner

 Now for some pictures with family & friends:

Mommy & Mase

Mase with Daddy

 

Mason with Uncle James

Grandpa & Grandma "Farm" with their grandson

My sister-in-law Meghan with Mase

Uncle Steve with his nephew

My dear friend Stetson (of Stetson's Famous Cheesecakes) & his wife Janice with the birthday boy

Mason about to "smash" into his cake

Mommy, Daddy & our birthday boy

 

Mmmmm - this is good!

 
Post cake-smashing - all giggles with Grandpa "Farm"

Mase with the "game-night" girls:

After the festivities were over, we headed back to our house & decided to open gifts there rather than at the party. Mase was so spoiled by everyone's generosity & he had so much fun pulling tissue paper out of bags & checking out all his new clothes, books & toys.

It was such an amazing day & so much fun was had by all - especially the birthday boy! We are truly blessed to have Mason in our lives & we thank God each & every day for him. 

Thank you for supporting & loving our family. I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into Mason's very 1st birthday party & perhaps got some inspiration for your own parties as well!? A special thank you to all our family & friends who made it out & made Mason's party ONEderful :)

Vendors

Invitations: Etsy - PuzzlePrints

Party shirt: Etsy - Pocketbaby

Penguin centerpiece/favor bag treats: Oriental Trading Company

Strawberry cheesecake - Stetson's Famous Cheesecake

Cupcakes/Sugar Cookies/Smash cake: Gretchen's Gourmet Goodies

Cupcake toppers/penguin confetti: Etsy - A Delicate Gift

Monthly banner/menu placecards: Etsy - Adorable Affair

Birthday, high chair banner & favor bags: made by yours truly :)