Great Grand Parents

We are heading back out to Larned today, but took a pit stop in Hutchinson to visit Great Grand Parents. Mason charmed them like he charms everyone else. We met them at Carriage Crossing, it is home cooking restaurant, known for their pies and baked goods. Well, we were a tad bit late, but I didn't think we were too late for any fresh baked desserts, but they were wiped clean. Granny and I were disappointed, we had to ask multiple times. We just couldn't believe we weren't going to have a cinnamon roll or a fresh piece of pie. We did have fried green beans for the first time. Even Mason ate one, and he is a picky eater, but I am thinking if I give him anything fried he will eat it?

Visiting Grandma Ellen

We finally were able to see Ellen's new apartment. Oo la la, very nice and it overlooks a golf course. Rob would like that everyday, but then Mason and I would never see him.

Rob has taught Mason to dog pile. You can tell him to dog pile and he will throw himself forward and fall on the ground or on top of whoever is on the floor. He will even do it when no one is on the floor to dog pile. I think he has dog piled everyone in the family now. He absolutely loves it. I am not sure what he is doing with Grandma Ellen, but I am sure it was a dog pile move turned into a wrestling hug.
Mason has Grandma Ellen wrapped around his finger. Thank goodness he is too young to realize it or we could be in trouble. We had a good time visiting with Grandma Ellen and Mason was spoiled as usual.

Frostina the Snowman

My brother and Jordan built a snowman and named her Frostina. We contributed the accessories, carrot nose, and grape eyes. Mason even gave her a kiss. It was fun watching him play in the snow but more fun to watch Jordan in it. She lives in Alabama and has seen dusting's of snow, but has never built a snowman or played in it.

Meet Isabella Brooks

Mason and I drove from Larned back to Wichita today. We had to pick Rob up from the airport who had better luck than we did on travels. Only took him 1 try, Mason and I are jealous. Mason was very happy to see Rob, it brightens my day to watch the two of them interact.

My brother and his family drove in from Alabama as well. I had the honor of meeting Miss Isabella for the first time. She is a cutie and such a good baby. She is almost exactly a year younger than Mason. It was crazy watching her and thinking back that is where Mason was 1 year ago and then looking at Mason and thinking this is where she will be next year.
I am not sure you can read her shirt, but it says "If you think I'm cute, you should see my aunt" I don't really think anything more needs to be said!

1st Bubble Bath

I am a terrible mom. I have never given Mason a bubble bath and I fear I will never be able to deliver as many bubbles he had in his first bubble bath. Nana made him the biggest bubble bath I have ever seen. He was liking the bubbles, but was scared half to death when we turned on the jets. But with the jets on the bubbles kept growing. If Mason would have gone under water I would have had to fish him out.


Mason's cousin Jordan got in the bath with him and he enjoyed that as well. He has really taken to Jordan, her little shadow. We tried to eat oranges again last week and Mason wouldn't have anything to do with them, but he saw Jordan eating a tangerine and he had to have one himself. It is now his second favorite fruit. Still not eating cheese, should have had Jordan eat cheese in front of him.

Travels to Larned

We made it to Larned and learned Papaw has almost as many toys as we do. Mason is in heaven. One of Masons favorite books is still Hand Hand Fingers Thumb. Papaw read it to him and showed him his rings on fingers and he thought that was pretty cool. Papaw also showed him that if he kicked the door stopper in the bathroom it made a great sound. So Mason will be playing then go running into the bathroom and then you hear the doonnnnng sound.


He also found the pin-ball machine and played it with Grandma Debbie. He would smile and get all excited watching the ball bounce around. Just couldn't figure out why he couldn't pick up the ball. Grandma Debbie also tried playing with a toy train and tracks, but as soon as she would put it together Mason would tear up the tracks. Luckily he got better, and we met our goal for the train to make it around the tracks.

Merry Christmas

I was feeling guilty for not putting up a tree this year, but Mason loves the balls on the tree. It takes lots of redirection to leave them alone. His favorite toys are balls and can't differentiate ornament balls and playing balls so now I feel justified of robbing him of an x-mas tree this year.
We had a rough night last night. Mason usually travels great and has no problems sleeping. He woke up about 2am and wouldn't let me put him back in the pack-n-play. So for the first time, Mason slept with me in bed. He slept great, but I was nervous about him being in bed with me, so I didn't sleep that good. I have to admit it was nice snuggling with him. He did wake up a bit stuffy and a cough. Probably picked something up in airport.
We are off to Larned today to visit Papaw and Grandma Debbie. Nana is loaning us her car and it has a built in DVD player, I am sure Mason will enjoy it! It also has heated seats, my next car is going to have heated seats no matter where we end up.

At last we arrive in Wichita

Yeah, we made it to Wichita and Nana and Papa George came to the airport and picked us up. Our first stop in Wichita, Sonic. Mason has never really taken to french fries, but 2 days prior Mason and I had our first dinner date during our 3.5 hour airport adventure and he went nuts for french fries. Needless to say, I got my onion rings and Mason got his french fries from Sonic. FYI-We don't have Sonics in Milwaukee. Poor Mason is pooped out.

Mason was spoiled with an early Christmas present from Nana. Her newest published book in her Toado and Friends series, A Huge Lesson for Toado and Friends. He loves to read books and point to the pictures. He is starting to comprehend more and attempt to say what he is pointing at. Currently everything he sees is nana. The little man in is LOVE with bananas. Works out well for my mom who he calls Nana, so he can actually say her name clearly. We just don't tell her he is actually asking for bananas.

Winter Travels

Mason and I should have waved to you from the airport on the news reports. We were part of the weary travelers. It all started on the 22nd, we got to the Milwaukee airport and our flight to Chicago was cancelled due to fog. Rob was nice enough to drive us to Chicago along with a mom and daughter needing assistance. It was an adventure and the fog was bad. We got through Chicago security and played in the airport for 3.5 hours before they cancelled our flight due to the blizzard in Wichita. Luckily Rob shopped in Chicago and picked us up and hauled us back to Milwaukee luggageless. The next flight available for us was the next night at 7pm from Chicago. Well, early in the afternoon that flight was cancelled out of Chicago and I was re-booked to start out travels in Milwaukee to Dallas then to Wichita. Rob carted Mason and I back to the Milwaukee airport and while standing in line to check in our flight is cancelled again due to weather in Milwaukee. I then was re-booked out of Chicago for the 24th. Luckily we were able to get out of Chicago and into Wichita on X-Mas Eve. Rob was suppossed to have 3 days of bachin it up, but he had to spend it with Mason and I. It was nice having the extra time together, but failed travels exhausts me.

Chaplin Family Christmas

Since I will be traveling tomorrow and Rob will be spending Christmas at the hospital, we decided to exchange gifts. I thought we took still pictures, but we used the video recorder and captured Mason opening presents. I have a goal to learn how to get the digital video up and running on the blog someday. Wish me luck!

Anyways, Mason was much more interested in tearing off the paper and trying to feed it to Hudson. Hudson loves cardboard, but not x-mas paper. Mason had a really hard time grasping that. I opened Masons present from Rob and it was a cool night light that Mason can take in the crib. Looks like a stretched gummy toy, but hard plastic. I liked playing with it and assume Mason will too. I gave Mason, but really Rob, a portable tent. Rob has mentioned this portable tent millions of times in the past. We don't need a portable sleeping tent for Mason, but Rob was thrilled. So thrilled he put the tent inside Masons crib with the night light for Mason to sleep in. I should have snapped that photo. We didn't zip him up in it since he was in the crib, but I think Rob was more thrilled about it than Mason. I gave Rob a cool new back pack from North Face and I got the softest cuddliest pink robe. It is really warm, I am not sure if I find it so warm because I am pregnant or if it really is that warm. I guess I will find out soon enough. Freakin WI doesn't warm up until May and I will have a new baby by then so the verdict will be out. I also got an industrial size paper cutter. The one with the big blade that you pull down and makes a huge slicing sound. I am excited to use it for scrap booking and my next set of cards I make. Watch out fingers!

All I want for Christmas

I have been listening to Christmas music since Thanksgiving, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Since Mason and I are leaving this Saturday to go home for 15+days, we kept the decorating to placing a wreath on the door. It really is pathetic, but I didn't have the energy to drag out all of the decorations and was worried about keeping Mason from the tree. I have to say, I really miss the tree and next year we will either put a gate around the tree or will have the exceptional children that won't touch it. I do recall Rob and I putting the tree up one year prior to kids with lights and never getting around to placing the ornaments on it. I think it was his 2nd year of residency.
Well, December has been a busy month. Everyone has had some sort of ailment except the cat. Hudson has completed his anti-inflammatory and is off house arrest. He can now go outside without being on lead! Woo Hooo. He hasn't been limping, but his diet isn't going as planned. Mason now loves to go to the dog food and place it in Hudson's bowl, so he gets a few extra kibbles each day.
Rob was sick at the beginning of the month and of course i think this is where it all started. So easy to place the blame. I think he brought it all home from the hospital rather than Mason bringing it from daycare. Could be possible, but regardless between The Holiday Season, Mason having croup, teething, the 25 inches of snow we have received to date, the dogs ailment, and me coming down with a cold. All I want for Christmas is SLEEP!

Check out all of Mason's chompers. His canines started coming in this week and Rob calls them his vampire teeth. I will be happy when all the teeth are in.
The funniest thing happened this morning. I have to admit my laziness, but I have recently discovered the ponds facial cloths to clean my face so now I don't have to lather up in front of the sink with soap and water. I just pull a cloth out of the packet and rub my face. Well, I pulled one out this morning and Mason grabbed the one I had not thrown away from last night and started mimicking me with wiping and washing his face. Very adorable. He is starting to talk a lot more and loves to be doing anything we are doing.

Happy Birthday Rob

We celebrated a milestone today in the Chaplin house. Rob has left the 30's and is now 40. I am married to a 40 year old man. Doesn't seem real, Rob looks so good for 40 and he sure doesn't act like what I think a 40 year old should act like. We had to celebrate last night due to the fact that Rob is on call today. I think this is the third year in a row that Rob has been on call for his birthday. We did have a wonderful dinner last night at the Chop House here in Milwaukee. I allowed Rob to open his presents early. Mason gave him the new Harry Potter DVD and we also gave Rob a t-shirt quilt out of some of his old t-shirts. Rob has a problem with having too many t-shirts and a bigger problem of letting them go bye bye. So now he never has to say good-bye. We also made a Boston Cream Pie and took it up to the hospital for Rob. I realized today, I have never given Mason pudding. He does like it and almost licked the bowl clean. This was the vanilla filling for the pie, and he went crazy for it, think of what he will do with chocolate.
Happy Birthday Rob!!!

Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho

I have been trying to get Mason to say Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho, but all he does is laugh at me. Mason had the honor of meeting Santa the weekend after Thanksgiving in Sioux Falls, SD. You can see he wasn't that impressed with meeting him. We were lucky to capture this picture because the sobs started. We were in the mall the other day and Santa was taking a break and rode the elevator with us. I thought Mason had a staring problem before, but he wouldn't take his eyes off Santa in the elevator. I think he might be damaged and scared of the bearded man?

The Envelope Please

Since we have announced the wonderful news to family and it will be coming out in our Christmas cards we thought we should share it on the blog. Rob peeked at the envelope first and announced the exciting news to me on Friday, November 2nd. It was very sweet how he made the big announcement. He used Mason as a prop of course. He bought a onesie and some puff paint and custom made a shirt. Of course Mason came crawling up the stairs in his new outfit.
The front reads:
Don't Mess with Me

And the back reads:
Or My Sister

I went crazy and started screaming and crying. I would have loved a boy, but I really did want a girl! Bring on the pink. I am very proud of myself. I haven't gone nuts on shopping for girl stuff. I made a deal with myself that I had to wait until after Christmas to start shopping for her. We are now at 28 weeks or 7 months and I just want to see her. I am concerned she will take after her brother and look like her dad, and I know they are cute and handsome, but I just want her to look like me!

The name game is on. Papaw Brooks thinks we should name her after him, but spell it Gem. Grandma Ellen doesn't believe it is a girl and calls her Peter. She also refuses to purchase anything pink until we have final confirmation it is a girl. Uncle Tom calls her Penelope. Nana Brooks can finally use all of the pink stuff she bought for Mason. We have a few favorites of our own, but we will save that for another entry. Yeah ITS A GIRL!!!!!

Mason 17 Months

Ok, I noticed I forgot to post our other month anniversaries, but what can one do? Mason is 17 months, my goodness where has the time gone? I had the honor of sleeping in this morning and I was awakened to breakfast in bed from Mason and Rob for no apparent reason. Although Mason had just ate breakfast himself, he still wants what I am eating even if he doesn't like it. He has to have the one bite to confirm he doesn't want anymore. What sweat wonderful MEN I have in my life.

We got 6 inches of snow yesterday as well. We are up to a total accumulation of 15 inches so far this year. Rob did come home with a sled for Mason the other day and we took him out to the front yard and pulled him across the yard back and forth. He loved it and kept signing more. The only things Mason signs are Please, More, All Done, and Sleep. I need to work with him on more signs, but I have been slacking.


Our huge discovery for the day is eating snow. Mason was delighted and amused with attempting to eat the snow. He will have to be a quick learner on not eating the yellow stuff since Hudson is around.


Mason also has a new favorite game. He thinks it is hilarious to stick his hand down your shirt and giggles. I think his dad taught him that????

Hudson is on the Injured Reserved List

Well, Mason is feeling much better these days, but now we are worried about our 4-legged first born. Hudson started to limp a few weeks ago and it would come and go, but it seemed to be a bit worse this past weekend. Off to the vet the family went and $150 later Hudson has a hurt knee and on a high powered anti-inflammatory dog med. Not to mention low activity, so it is back to taking the dog out on lead every time he goes to the bathroom. It is a bit chilly here, so I am not a fan! 19 degrees yesterday to be exact. Mason is enjoying Hudson's house arrest, but I am not sure we can say the same for Hudson. Hudson will be starting a new diet as well. He has gained 5lbs in 3 months. I think the diet Mason has him on will be stopping. It was so easy to call Hudson in for clean up for the food either Mason dropped accidentally or threw purposefully on the floor. Who knew he was getting so many calories from Mason's rejects.

Play dates are F-U-N

Mason had a great time playing with our neighbor Kieran this weekend. We stopped by for a play date on Friday and they were hilarious together. Towards the end of their play they were throwing themselves on the ground and falling down for giggles. It was quite the site. Kieran ended up stopping by Saturday morning to drop something off and we had another play date. We need to have play dates more often, Mason enjoyed playing with toys he hadn't touched in weeks. We also got the tent out and they had a great time playing and crawling in it.

I think we finally wore them out, but only for a few minutes.

Is that the dog barking or Mason

I was jolted out of bed early the other day to a barking sound. It wasn't the dog, it was poor little Mason coughing. I am happy to say he survived his first case of the croup. I think it was harder on me than him. I tell you it is difficult listening to breathing like that. He would get short of breath upon excursion and bark like a dog coughing. I did take him to our pediatrician on Tuesday and she sounded like a broken record. She basically repeated everything Rob had told me. He is such a good dad and doctor! Mason did get 3 doses of steroids to help with his breathing. I have to admit, I hate giving him anything let alone Tylenol, unless it is necessary, so this was a hard illness for dear old mom to handle. I have to say he is doing great now, shipped him off to daycare today and he haven't received a phone call to come get him.

Mason's first snow of 2007

Mason playing in the snow 2007.


Mason being shoved in the snow by mom in 2006. Exactly 1 year ago.

We got 5 inches of snow last night and then freezing rain on top of it. A very wet snow, but the first snow that Mason got to play in. Hudson enjoyed the family outing in the snow as well. Hudson was a lot more playful with Mason in the snow, but I am not sure Mason enjoys Hudson type play. Notice the fancy boots he is wearing. Dad was proud as can be to put his Sorels on him for the first time this year. Mason still enjoys helping you in whatever task you are completing. I am lucky that this blog will prove that he enjoyed shoveling snow. I am counting down the years that I don't have to do it. Rob always seems to be on call or post call when we get big snows. Hmmmmmmm

Studious Mason

Rob brought home a table and chairs for Mason when he went to Chicago in October for a few days. Mason enjoys sitting at his table, and he sits at it more when I am working on my projects at the big table. He likes to read his books, attempt to scribble, write on his doodle pro, and play on his toy phone along with other misc toys. It makes me chuckle watching him, he is mimicking us a more these days, so I am going to have to watch what I say and do just a tad bit more. Mason is also getting into puzzles. He has been doing puzzles, but the past week, he is really enjoying them and will dump them all off and put it back together before he moves onto another toy. His new favorite book is Crunching Munching Caterpillars. It counts down from 10 to 1 and at the end the caterpillars turn into 10 butterflies, and the 10 butterflies are pop ups and he goes crazy for it. Mason has also learned how to hug and put his arms around you. It melts my heart and my absolute favorite thing when he does it. My ultimate favorite is when I am holding him and he puts his arms around my neck and gives me a squeeze. Hormonal mom tears up sometimes when he does it.