Happy Halloween!

Mason is going to be a frog for Halloween this year. (Okay, he won't actually be going door-to-door but it's still fun to dress him up.) Cousin Ava wore this costume when she was his age. The costume is a little big but very cozy. Today all of the kids got dressed up for the Kindermusik class.
Mason's eyes are almost as big as the frog's eyes!

Mmmmmmm... Rice Cereal!

After much discussion (and anticipation) the big day has finally arrived! Today Mason tried rice cereal for the first time. He managed to get a little bit down and he seemed to be okay with the whole process. I am filled with mixed feelings. I am excited that he is getting older and yet I am a little sad at the same time.


What a little cutie!

Playdate With Declan

We went down to visit with the Jacketts and Dympna (mommy's friend) and her son Declan came by for a playdate. We took all of the kids to the park and ate fantastic homemade pizza courtesy of Declan's daddy Greg.
Dympna is having another baby in the New Year so Mason will have another friend to play with very soon.

Meeting The Twins

Mason and I finally got to meet Sophia and Claire. Their mommy Philly works with me. The girls are five and a half weeks old in this picture. Sophia is in the middle and Claire is on the right. We arrived home just as Philly and the girls were pulling into our driveway so we took a picture of the three of them sleeping. Sophia was starting to wake up here. We look forward to lots of playdates with the girls and it is going to be so much fun watching them grow up together.

Mason's Blog

I hope that all of you are enjoying reading this blog as much as I am enjoying putting it together. A few of you have commented that I am not updating it enough but I am worried that I am posting too frequently. I mean, I could post every day as we take so many pictures of Mason but I think that that would be a little too much.

Feel free to leave comments - I love to read what all of you have written. You know how it is with teachers: feedback, feedback, feedback!

More Shower Pics

I am sure by now you are all thinking "enough already!" These are the last two pictures for now. Here are Blake and Mason together. They are almost the same size even though Mason is 3 months older. It is going to be fun watching the two of them growing up and seeing how much trouble they can get into at family functions. Mason looks so funny in this picture. I think that he is wondering why I am not holding him. At the end of the day with daddy. Mason is wearing his new Halloween PJs that he got from the Orrs.

Playing With Cousin Jack and Auntie Karen

Mason was getting home improvement tips from big cousin Jack that he plans to pass along to daddy once his language skills improve. (That would be Mason's language skills.) "See Mason, you turn the screwdriver clockwise to tighten the screws." This picture is too cute: Mason has his hand resting on Jack's arm.
After all that instruction Mason needed a break.

Shower for Baby Blake

Mason attended his first baby shower on the weekend for Baby Blake (Scott's cousin Ken's new son). He sat on Auntie Karen's lap to watch all of the action. There were lots of other kids there and they were on the floor playing board games and running all over having fun. Mason was quite intrigued by their activities. This is the face of deep concentration and wonder! "What are those kids doing and why can't I be down there too?"
Too much stimulation!!!! I need my mommy!
Not sure what is going on in this picture but this was Mason with Auntie Karen out on the front porch.

Attempting the "Razzberry"

Mason's latest developmental milestone is the "razzberry". Well, not exactly a razzberry but his own version of it! He sucks in his lower lip, bites down and then blows out of his mouth. The result is a razzberry-like noise and off course lots of saliva. It is too funny to watch! He has even been doing this after his middle-of-the-night feeding while laying in his crib. The noises on the monitor are quite interesting and I lay there chuckling to myself as I listen to him trying to perfect his technique. I am sure that after a bit this habit will not be so "cute", especially once he is eating solid foods. For now though, we are encouraging this activity by blowing razzberries right back at him.
Here he took a bit of a break to crack a small smile.
Hi Daddy!

Nature Walk

On Thanksgiving Monday Uncle Karl, Daddy, Mommy and Mason went for a walk along the trails in the park behind our house. (We had to miss a quarter or two of the afternoon football game to do this.) The weather was perfect and the fresh air helped with sleeping later that night. Mason really enjoys hanging out in the Bjorn.
We saw this cute little baby squirrel along the way and he actually paused for quite some time while eating an acorn to stop and stare at us. Unfortunately my camera focused on the trees rather than the squirrel when it was staring directly at us. In the end, I took far too long to get the camera on the correct setting and the squirrel disappeared into the vastness of the bush.
This picture was taken towards the end of our walk when Mason had had enough of the Bjorn and wanted to be out and held. Thanks Uncle Karl for taking this family photo!

The High Chair

Can you believe that our baby just turned 5 months old four days ago? We plan on starting solids over the next month so we thought that we should get Mason acquainted with his high chair. So, the other night Daddy and I assembled the chair and introduced Mason to his new seat the next morning. As you can see from the pictures he really enjoys sitting in it! He still looks pretty tiny but once he starts on those solids I am sure that he will fill the chair in. The chair is also the perfect spot to watch mommy and daddy get ready in the morning. Mason loves to be at our height and watch me drying my hair and daddy shaving. We wheel him all over the house now!
The tray makes also holds lots of his friends.
Pictures of Mason eating in his chair will be posted within the next few weeks. We can't wait! hee hee....

Thanksgiving Weekend Part 2

Here is Mason with Uncle Karl. Notice the similar hairstyle? What's a party without a party hat?
Mason with Grandma and Grandpa Bradley and his cousins Brad and Jack.
Brad kept Mason entertained while waiting for dinner.

Thanksgiving Weekend Part 1

We hosted two Thanksgiving dinners this year: my family on Saturday and Scott's on Sunday. We had so much fun visiting with everyone and Mason loved all of the extra cuddles and attention. Watching his cousins run around (on both days) was on the top of his "highlight" list.

Here we all are trying to get a group shot using the self timer on the camera.

Hillary and Mason.

Uncle Joe and Mason

Swimming Lessons

Mason has started swimming lessons and he is having such a great time! (Daddy is loving the time too.)

There is so much going on at the pool that Mason doesn't know where to look! He loves watching the kids splash around.

Swimming lessons are also great because they tire Mason out and he sleeps really well.

Baby?

Is it just me or does Mason not look like a two year old in this picture? Gotta love the face!

Sunday Afternoon with Mommy and Daddy

The weather has been so incredible this past month so we try to get outside as much as possible. These are just a few pictures that we took over the weekend.
Mason LOVES to chew on these two fingers!!! Every chance he gets they go into his mouth.

Big Boy in the Stroller

Another first: Mason sitting forward facing without the bucket carseat in his stroller.

He can't sit up by himself so the seat is reclined a little, but at least he can look around now when we go for walks.

Jolly Jumper Action

Scott recorded this video clip of Mason in his jolly jumper one morning last week while I was at the gym. (Scott and Mason hang out together 3 mornings a week so that mommy can go to the gym - YEAHHHHH Daddy!!)

We surround the Jolly Jumper with all of Mason's "buddies" and he likes to move around and chat with each of them. In this clip Scott was trying to stay as far back as he could so that Mason wouldn't stare at him. The small orange kitty in the foreground is Mason's favourite buddy and he usually spends a great deal of time smiling with kitty. (Aunt Elaine picked this kitty out for Mason and called it his "Hamilton Tigercat".)

From this perspective, Mason almost looks like he is one of the toys!