Weeks 14 and 15

We have been busy lately. It is really nice to have Matt home on Fridays even though his paycheck is smaller. We get so much more done in three days. We recently re-did our laundry room with new paint, more storage and a new floor. We have been outside a lot hiking and walking the dogs. It has been in the 70's. We pulled out summer clothes and flip-flops but as my fellow Coloradans know how fast our weather can change. This week we are expecting snow and 39 degree weather. We don't put away winter clothing until June and even then it is nearby for camping trips.

This coming weekend Matt is going to Phoenix to visit his brother Nick and watch some spring training games. When Matt asked me if he could go I was so tickled that he would have the chance. (1)I love Nick and I know how much they miss each other (even if they don't say it) and I was glad they would have some one-on-one time to spend together (2.) He deserves this. He is such a hard worker at the office and home. It always seems like a few days away refreshes your soul and thus makes you better to your family.

I am pretty confident I could handle Mason on my own for the weekend but what's the point when your family lives near. So we are off to Grandma and Grandpa's for a mountain retreat. So in a sense I am getting a little vacation as well. If you know my mom and dad you would understand that they are the type who love to help out. I really love going home. Plus Keegan is turning 3 and I am in charge of the cupcakes and cookies:)

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks.

Grandma with her two Grandsons....a

third is on the way. My brother and sister-in-law are due in the middle of July and recently found out they are having another boy. We are so excited to have another baby. I can just see these three boys as they get older...uh oh T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!! I also think grandma is going to need another arm because they all love to be held by her.

Mason's favorite toy is pluto. Mason and Keegan shared nicely but I think Keegan wanted to borrow him. Later that night Keegan told me he was a dog and his name was Pluto and I could only call him that. He is to much fun these days.

My mom got Mason some new jammies, they are 6-12 months and they fit quite well.

Mason's eyes have turned even lighter blue and he has the longest eyelashes (like his dad). Someday a lucky girl is going to love looking into those baby blues.

His Saint Paddy's day digs. The turtle pants worked quite well for this hokey get-up.



I took this video a few days ago. He cracks me up. He is at the stage where everything must be tasted and than dropped. I apologize for my mommy banter and again all the clutter on my counter. It gets picked up every few days but I am learning my clean freak ways have to take back seat these days.

Week 13: Is it March or May? and baby Yoda

We have had record high temperatures this week. Yesterday it was 77 degrees here and usually this time of year it is in the 40/50's. So we have been taking a lot more walks with the doggies. The only downside to this beautiful weather is we NEED the moisture. Fire danger is high and that is scary.

Today we took a nice long walk and Mason faced forward in the pack for the first time. He is getting so big, actually he is 16.5 lbs!!! I think he is ready to chow down on some solid food but we will wait a few more months for now he is getting his fill of breast milk.

My mom and dad took Mason on Saturday evening so we could attend a friends 30th birthday (we are entering that stage). Matt and I drove up later that night, I am not ready to leave him quite yet even though they would be the people I would do so if need be (Matt liked that idea too). Anyways, he had a blast there. My mom and dad are the best and they are even better grandparents.

Grandpa hanging out with our furry boys and our baby boy. That boppy looks great on you dad, just in time to nurse Mason:)

He loves to stare at grandpa, can't figure out that mustache or all the kisses.

Love those bright colors and my grandparents!

So Matt decided our son looks like Yoda, maybe we have a Halloween costume picked out?

3 months old....Mr. Chatter box

This photo is courtesy of his Aunt Angela. She babysits a few days a week for me so I can go to spin or yoga class. She caught this goofy smile after he woke up. Such a ham. In the morning right when he wakes up he is the happiest baby. He laughs and smiles for about an hour straight, my favorite time of day.

Mason goes to a sitter a few days a week so I can work (I am only working 10 hours a week but I can't get anything done with him here). This particular day I did not have enough diapers in the diaper bag (lack of sleep is really getting to me), luckily our sitter has grandkids but they are 3 and 7 so she had to use a pull up and tape it, I felt so bad. I thought I was going to be the organized mom all the time...HA just like I thought I would have the baby who never cried:)

11 weeks: art critic and mommy and daddy's valentine

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, a home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for."

I am finally settling into being a mom. I have to admit in the beginning this was a shock to my system. I am speaking for Matt but I think his system was shocked as well. Now we are loving this wonderful and challenging job of parenting. It is hard to remember our lives prior to Mason. We are still amazed that we can stare at him and feel so much love, that his cries don't send us into a panic, his poopy diapers don't get as much reaction, and when you are away for him for any

amount of time (even 20 minutes) you miss him! But as we are learning there are many more challenging times ahead. Just when you think you have something figured out it changes again!

He is quite enamored with art and will let you know if he likes it or finds the work appalling. Grandma Cathy is showing him some beautiful bright colored paintings a friend of hers did for the grand kids room. He is impressed.

Friday the 13th was spent with friends and family at a restaurant in Denver called DUO. This is the same restaurant I went out for a girls evening a few weeks back. I loved it so much I had to return. However, it was past Mason's bedtime and he was not a happy camper at the end....so I stuck him in the MOBY. My friend Katie introduced me to the moby and lent me theirs. It is this awesome wrap that gets baby cozy and feeling secured to mom. When he is really upset it is a godsend.

Valentines was simple this year. I have never been a fan of the holiday because you should show the people you love that you love them everyday. So we celebrated with PF changs takeout and a movie. We all cuddled up on the couch and it was lovely.

Dad stop pinching me.

There's my feet, when do I get to use these things?

10 weeks, 97th percentile, and 9 news

Mason had his 2 month appointment this past Friday. He is doing great. Here are the stats:

Weight = 15lbs (97th percentile :) )

Height = 24 inches (50th percentile)

Linda this picture is for you, to cute in his outfit. Linda is my godmother or "fairy godmother" as we have dubbed her. She sent us lots of cute clothes and Mason loves them.

We have had a big week. Mason has started to hit some developmental milestones. One of them is the ability to self soothe and fall asleep. This does not happen all the time but it is saving our arms from 20 minutes of rocking to get him to sleep. He is a funny kid, whenever we try something new i.e. the swing, he dislikes it very much. After a few times he loves it. Now we can set him in there wide awake and he will stare at the toys above until he nods off into dream land.

The other milestone we have entered is a lot of talking ("cooing") He likes to mimic sounds Matt and I make. He is so alert now watching and listening to us, giggling, and kicking. So much fun!

This is a onesie one of my coworkers bought us. It is our college alma matter. Not sure if he will be an engineer, whatever makes him happy is fine with us.

We went over to GG's house for lunch and I insisted that we get a four-generations photo!

There's a smile, love that GG!

Cade, Emily, and Keegan came over for dinner. Keegan is a crack up, I love the age he is at. He says things like "love you so much" and "Baby has cold checkies and ears" while grabbing them (my California family will get that) and "Keegan eat all his dinner so he grow big and strong like dad and uncle Matt." He is such a good helper. He helped change Mason and when Mason was crying he would kiss his check and say "Mason it okay". He is one tall string bean with those Armstead "skinny legs", I guess that is how he fits in Mason's bumbo.

Matt made the news this week or his company did. Our line of work (as with many different lines of work) has really been effected by the economy. The type of civil engineering we do is solely driven by the housing market. His office decided instead of laying off a lot of employees to have people go to 32 hour weeks with Fridays off. The news did an interest piece on them and Matt made the footage:) The reduction in hours will last for two months and is a 20% pay cut BUT we are so thankful to have jobs and happily we will cut back of any extras. We know a lot of people effected by this economy(my brother) and we pray daily for them that things will turn around.

9 weeks, 40th birthday and superbowl!

This day Mason was fussy most of the day (lots of gas) and we finally got him to sleep. So after Matt and Angela ate dinner we decided to just have Matt feed me so we didn't wake our sleeping baby!

A little piece of heaven!

We celebrated Uncle Chris's 40th birthday Saturday. I think he knows how to do this baby thing!

The family, I can see where Mason gets his double chin from. More inspiration to stick to those weight watchers points:)

After a long wait and lots of confusion we finally received (and put together) Mason's crib. He likes to play in his new place but not so excited to sleep there...yet!

Naky Baby!

I wasn't going to post this picture because my house looks so messy, actually lots of clutter but my husband is a big kid at heart (as our most of them). Superbowl Sunday and some commercial that required these cool shades.

We have Mason's 2 month well baby on Friday and I am sure they are going to tell us we are starving our poor baby! Actually the 6 month clothes are starting to get a little small, more in the length than anything. He is going to be a big kid!

8 weeks, Barack Baby, and Kai visits

I would like to congratulate my cousin Kelsie and her husband Ricky just welcomed their baby girl Karly into the world. We are so happy she is here safe and sound and have been praying for them daily. We love you guys and can't wait to meet her. This is going to be such a fun ride....

2 months old and getting cuter everyday. He is starting to giggle a lot and smile, he is really a happy baby! He loves for me to sing to him, not sure Matt enjoys it but I sure do.

Matt and I are so in love with this kid.

We watched the inauguration! I dislike talking politics and I truly love all my republican friends but this mama loves Barack! I wanted Mason to have something for his baby book about this very historical election.

My best friend Kai came down from Alaska to meet Mason. It was so wonderful to see her. She left her two kids (which I know was hard and that she missed them a lot) and headed south for three days. We spent time with some of our sorority sisters and laughed a lot. I left Mason with Matt one evening to go to dinner with the ladies. He did wonderful! It was very refreshing for me to hang with the girls and was just what my soul needed.

Mason is doing awesome every week gets more fun.