dear mason,

To my precious baby boy,

Happy 9 months Mason…I look at you and can’t believe we are at this point already. I watch you sleep in my arms and I still see that tiny little baby I held for the first time just short 9 months ago. It’s like no time has passed from that moment when you are sleeping…you look so sweet, so innocent, so peaceful. And then you wake up and you are a completely different baby…on the move, getting into anything and everything you see or can get your hands on. You love to explore and have no fear whatsoever…you are going to keep mommy and daddy on their toes, I just know it. Your teachers can’t take their eyes off of you for one second, because if they do, you are pulling yourself up onto things and then letting go. You have no fear and in a way, I hope that never goes away. That is one thing mommy doesn’t have but you get that from your daddy…he’s a much bigger risk taker and that kind of personality will get you far in life. It will keep us up at night worrying but I hope you always try new things and never give up.

You have recently learned to pull yourself up in your crib and just this morning you were walking around the edge of your crib. Good thing your new shoes are arriving in the mail today. I didn’t think we’d need them this soon! You are pulling drawers out and opening doors…which means we need to get locks on all the cabinets.

You know how to put your hands up when you want to be picked up and held. You are starting to wave goodbye or signing “milk”. We aren’t sure which one quite yet but you are learning so fast, my little peanut. I love when you will crawl over anything to get to me. My favorite time of day is walking into your classroom and seeing your face light up when you see me. And then you will crawl over any toy or baby in your way to get to me. I don’t think there is any obstacle that would stop you. I feel so incredibly loved and needed in those moments, I will cherish those memories forever. You’ve also figured out how to tell if mommy is holding you or not. When daddy goes into calm you down in the middle of the night, you immediately reach for the back of his neck…and when you don’t feel my hair, you scream even louder. And when I’m holding you, you love to play with my hair on my neck…I want you to know it’s comforting to both of us. I love how you do that, I know that is your way of showing how much you love and need me.

While I am so incredibly sad to see your infant days slipping away, I’m also very excited for what is to come and all the adventures that are in store for us. You are such a fun and happy baby and I have a feeling you are going to be such a fun kid to be around. Your personality is really showing through…you love to laugh at everything. You think Shiloh is the funniest thing ever…she will just walk by and you squeal in laughter. As long as you are fed and have a clean diaper on (and have had a few cat naps) you are ready for anything we throw at you.

I never in a million years thought I could love anyone this much…I would move heaven and earth to make sure you feel loved, safe and have everything you need. And I never knew how much I would give up for someone else…and not even think twice. You come first with every decision we make and I just hope that somehow, we raise a man who is kind, respectful of others and makes a positive contribution to the world. It sounds easy, right? But I’m terrified that somehow we’ll screw it up.

In my eyes, you will always be perfect Mason. I love you to the moon and back little man, infinity times infinity.


Love Always,
Mommy

9 month measurements

We went in to visit our favorite Dr R today! It was a no shot day, so it was good day for all of us :) We decided to stick with my doctor as our primary for me and Mason. Dr R is a family medicine doctor, with an emphasis on OB. So before Mason was born, we had every intention of switching him to a pediatrican at our clinic but after the whole pre-e/delivery fasico, we trust Dr R 1000%...she saved my life and I owe her every second she's given me with my little family. When we've visited the peds area for ear infections or diaper rashes because Dr R is booked/out of the office, they beg us to switch over so they can see his cuteness more often. But our loyalty lies with our Dr R. I feel so blessed to have found such an amazing doctor that cares so much about us as a family and lets us parent the way we feel is right. She keeps us on track but never judges us and respects our decisions. And to think I found her on a whim, at 12 weeks pregnant...although I believe God already had a plan in place and knew I would need her one day.

Anyways, Mason is doing GREAT! She was very happy with everything he's been doing and eating so far. And we are going to start finger foods...can you believe he's already old enough to start eating foods?!? I am NOT ready for this one bit. But he is...he has been eating those puffs like nobody's business!

9 month measurements:
Weight: 24 lbs 7.5 oz (94% percentile)
Height: 29.75 inches (91% percentile)
Head: 18.25 cm (63% percentile)

Stay tuned for our monthly pictures I will take tonight!

9 month session

We headed to Target over the weekend for Mason's 9 month session. Here is my little cutie pie!!!

Pictures taken by Target Portrait Studios

a day in the life of a working mom...

I wish every 16 year old could walk in the shoes of a working mom...I guarantee they would think twice about taking the risk. This life is exhausting...I can barely do this at 30, I can't imagine doing this as the selfish, spoiled teenager I once was. Want to know what a typical day is like for Laura?

5:15 am - Wake up (after snoozing for 15 minutes) and shower
5:45 am - Eat Breakfast, let Shiloh out, pack lunches and bags for the day
6:00 am - Wake up Mason, change/dress him, nurse him
6:25 am - Wake up Joe and finish getting ready
6:45 am - Pulling out of the driveway
7:05 am - Arrive at daycare
7:20 am - Leave daycare and drive to work
7:30 am - Arrive at my desk and start work
10:30 am - Pump
3:00 pm - Pump
4:15 pm - Pack up my desk and leave
4:30 pm - Arrive at daycare
4:45 pm - Head for home
5:10 pm - Unpack van and go inside
5:15 pm - Play with Mason, while attempting to put together a dinner for us
6:00 pm - Joe arrives at home and we eat, usually while I'm nursing Mason
6:30 pm - Entertain Mason or clean up kitchen/dishes while Joe plays with him
7:00 pm - Bath time
7:30 pm - Nurse and rock to sleep
8:00 pm - Put Mason in crib (I usually cat nap while rocking him)
8:15 pm - After taking a breather for a few minutes, then my next hour will include any of the following: laundry, wash diapers, load/unload dishwasher, pick up house, fold laundry and diapers, prepare bottles and baby food for daycare the next day, etc.
9:30 pm - Catch up on a DVR show or two we've missed and get ready for bed (some nights I skip this and opt for an extra hour of snoozing, if the little one lets me!)
10:30 pm - Head hits pillow, I'm out
1:30 am - Wake up to pump
2:00 am - Go back to sleep until alarm goes off at 5am and start all over again

And I wonder why I can't find time to get to the gym, finish all my housework, work on the landscaping outside, update my blog, take a nap...my day is already jam packed! Now that it's nice out, I'm hoping we can now go for walks after dinner so that should help with the exercise I've been lacking. Also I need this blog post to remind myself that when the baby itch comes around again, that I don't suffer from amensia and know that I'm really ready to tackle this all over again :)

baths & bats!

Here's my little chunker during a recent bath time!

Playing with Daddy's new softball bat...I think he's a natural (not that he has any choice if it's up to Daddy!)

Please notice my sad and neglected first born in the background as the pictures go on...poor baby!

Crawling towards Mommy...

will the real mason p, please stand up...

So Mason has been starting to get better at pulling himself up with objects for about the past week or two...this morning he actually pulled himself up to be fully standing in his crib. But then he can't figure out how to get back down and screams...pretty cute if you ask me! And I've heard it goes really fast from here on out...I really need to get this kid some shoes, they are required at school once he is walking. I can't believe we are at this point already!!!

weeeeeeeee........

I'm gonna be a whole lotta trouble....

I think I can, I think I can....

 Now what do I do?!?!

I'll just hang on for dear life!!!!!!

updates & father's day!

Mason has started his first finger food, puffs! He was a natural, picked it right up and put it in his mouth. He is also getting better at figuring out his sippy cup. He's very close to mastering how to tip it up but he won't drink the water, he just lets it pour out the side of his mouth when he bites down on the lid. All in due time I guess :) Here are some pictures of him eating puffs for the first time.....

His new favorite pastime...playing with his blocks and having Mommy or Daddy stack them up so he can immediately knock it down...he is ALL boy, I tell you, all boy! Everything has to be thrown or banged...I'm terrified of what is to come if he's already trying to be destructive at 8 months old!!

He's too small to use this to count or learn colors but he loves this new toy anyways. He likes to spin the beads and bang it up and down on the wood floor. He also likes to stick his tongue out for periods of time, I'm glad to have captured this one :)

Getting frustrated when he can't put it back up...

Also a favorite, plastic tubs...a great way to save money on toys! He also likes to stand up with this...he's been doing that at home and at daycare for the past week or two.

And here is Mason being tickled by Daddy...he loves Joe's chin whiskers rubbed on him...

For Father's Day, Mason and I surprised Joe with tickets to the Twins game. Joe LOVED it, it was a great day. It was also Mason's first game and he did so well. We got there a little after 10am to get in line for the promotional giveaway, a Twins golf head cover. Mason lasted to about the 7th inning (~3pm) which was much longer than we expected him to. Otherwise, he was content napping in the baby carrier or sitting in our laps watching the people around us and the game. Plus it had been raining since the 3rd inning (our seats were covered from both the sun and rain, I purposely chose our seats for that reason :). This was also the game that had a rain delay around the 9th and went into 15 innings before the Twins finally scored and ended it. So we didn't feel bad about leaving when we did, it had been a long day for all of us!

Go Twins Go!

Just chilling with my Daddy...no big deal!

We had a great day, Happy Father's Day Joe!!!! We love you!