Fall Leaves

Mason had a great time playing in the leaves on Thanksgiving day with his cousins Colt and Cody. They were real good sports about letting him crash though the pile and building up another mound for him to plow through again.

Sharing with a treat

Mason is still having a hard time sharing these days. Some days he lets Ellery play with him while others he gathers his toys and hides them from her. He hides them by either sitting on them or putting them up high where she can't reach. This is a day that he hides them by sitting on them and I am trying to get him to tell me what he is doing, but he is distracted by what he finds on his finger.

Hair and Cooking

I can't get enough of this little peanut. She can now climb the whole flight of stairs without assistance and is quick enough to get up 2 or 3 when I turn my back on her for a second. I am also loving the hair. Rumor has it that I had hair like hers that stood straight up. She also is starting to really enjoy playing in the kitchen. I will sometimes find her and Mason playing it with Mason trying to make her eat his play food he made. "Here Ellery, have a taste of waffle."

Geeks vs Nerds

Is it better to be a geek or a nerd? Anyways we have them sitting on our sofa playing on their computers. Mason found them in action and then retrieved his computer so he could join the fun.
It really is a joy watching Mason interact and interpret things. He has been watching football on tv with us. I don't find it near as bad to have sports on in the background when Mason is around. He does enjoy watching it and will now run through the house and fall down like he has been tackled and then ask for help when getting up. We didn't realize he was mimicking the football players on TV at first but then we watched how after they were tackled the team helped each other up we realized that is why Mason was requesting assistance.

Treats

Publish Post

I am addicted to Family Fun magazine and I have to say Mason was delighted to make these treats with me.
I also learned that we never taught Mason what a turkey says. When I asked Mason what sound a turkey makes he looked at me with a blank stare, but he was quick to catch onto the gobble gobble.

Festive Hats

I spent the day cleaning up the house and putting up some Christmas decor. Rob is on 24 hour shifts every other day until Wednesday. It was fun putting up the tree and putting garland and lights around the house. I found the Santa hats and wore it around periodically and found one for Mason as well. I then found Mason's old baby santa hat for Ellery and waalaa it fit. I know a lot of people don't enjoy the Holiday's, but let the festives begin.

Growing up to the big boy bed

Mason slept in a twin bed for the first time tonight. We were a bit leery in switching him over after all the holiday commotion but we went for it and it went off with a huge success. He beams with delight over his new bed. We also learned he is having more trouble than what we thought with sharing. He isn't willing to share his bed with anyone yet. When Rob and I tried to lay in it he dictated that we move and get off. He does give a delayed please at the end. In a way I like seeing him in the bigger bed, it gives me a false sense of him being small again because the bed is so much bigger than him.
Here is the funny story on how we have acquired these beds. One of Rob's partners sent out an email asking if anyone wanted two twin frames and boxed springs. We of course jumped on the idea and when Rob brought them home I asked where are the mattresses. He informed he read the email wrong and that the mattresses weren't included. So we added buying a twin mattress to our never ending to do list. I hadn't completed that item on my list yet, but Rob took Hudson out for a walk with some family members and ended up meeting one of our neighbors who just happened to be moving two twin mattresses into their garage and was going to take them to goodwill. What are the odds? Crazy how things just work out for you.

Happy Thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving in our new home was a lot of fun. We had 10 people from Rob's family over and it was a real treat. Mason was in heaven playing with everyone and I don't think Ellery spent any time alone.
I did brine my first turkey and I would highly recommend it. We had two heritage turkeys (free range) and I cooked one in an oven bag the day before and the other one I let sit in the brine for 24 hours and it melted in your mouth. I also made a cranberry sauce with red wine and it turned out heavenly as well. It was a lot of fun spending time with everyone and the real bonus is we get to eat on all the leftovers.
We are truly blessed and have a lot to be thankful this year. It is the smaller things we take for granted these days and have been trying to slow down to actually reflect and enjoy them. We have so many things at our finger tips and it is hard to imagine not having them or having to deal with much larger issues people are facing these days. Count your blessings, I know I am!

9 Month Ellery

Ellery is now 9 months and I think she is finally looking like she is growing. She is still a happy girl with a smile that brightens the room. She is starting to say mama and dada more and babbles non stop. She also will clap her hands together when you do or when you play patty cake. She isn't saying bye-bye yet, but I think she is getting close. She pulls up on anything and everything including the dog and the dog dishes are still a favorite hot spot for her. She is a cruiser on the furniture and when you hold her hands she will try to walk with you. She also now pulls up onto her knees and doesn't need to hold anything for balance. She loves to lay on pillows and is taking a liking to stuffed animals. I hear a baby doll calling her name in the future. She drinks ok from a sippy cup and loves to feed herself. She goes crazy on self feeding bananas, I think that is her favorite so far. She has also learned to cry when Mason snatches her toy and she has my patience, which is saying she doesn't have much. If she is trying to get a toy or starts slipping while she is pulling up she lets you know she needs assistance and isn't happy.

I want to take a nap

I was cleaning for our upcoming Thanksgiving company and was downstairs in the basement when Mason informed me that he wanted to take a nap. It really isn't that unusual for Mason to let me know when he is ready for a nap what is unusual is that he went and put himself down for a nap all by himself. I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor when he informed me he was ready for a nap and I asked him to give me just a minute. I noticed it was silent in the basement and called out for Mason with no response. He was no where to be found in the basement or main level. I walked upstairs to his room and find him laying in bed all snuggled waiting for a hug and kiss.

Visiting Nana

We had a great time with Nana while we were back. It is a real treat being closer to family and spending more time together in the flesh. Nana had a lot of fun toys the kids liked playing with and some of them are nicer than the toys we have at home.
Mason was also spoiled by his Nana. She had him cutting paper with scissors, pouring his own syrup from a mini syrup container, taking pictures with a real camera, mixing real pancake batter, and playing on real exercise equipment. She really knew how to handle him and let him express his own independence. She did inspire us on Mason's Christmas present. We are going to get him the new digital kid camera that fischer price came out with.
Note: Mason's favorite pal "Double" wanted to be in this picture"
Nana also has her 3rd book being published. I think it is my favorite story so far. We are very proud of her. Check out her site: http://www.maginthat.net/
I think it is pretty cool we can read our children books that their Nana wrote and published.

4 of the 5 Generations

It was Ellery's first time seeing her Great Grandma Carol in person. She is blessed to have a Nana, a Great Grandma, and a Great Great Grandma.

Happy 60th Anniversary

While we were back visiting family we were able to go out to eat with my grandparents and celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. I think it is a wonderful thing and not something that everyone gets to celebrate. My mom was brave enough to take a short road trip with us and the kids over to Hutchinson, KS. I was also able to catch up with a cousin that I hadn't seen since the 80's and meet his family.
We did have to drive through Yoder, KS and we passed a hand painted sign that said fruit cake on the side of the road. I looked at Rob and told him we could stop on the way home and get him some fruit cake. Rob was raised on fruit cake and is one of the last remaining people on this earth that actually like it. I think he thought I was kidding because on the drive back my eagle eyes were in search of the sign and once I saw it I made him pull into the drive of the old farm house. The sign on the door said ring the bell and come on it. I rang the bell and came out with fruit cake for Rob and homemade cinnamon rolls for everyone else. What a roadside treat.

Happy Meal

Mason had his first Happy Meal and I don't think he would have found the toy without some help. He was in heaven just eating french fries and having his own ketchup. He did get a little excited when he realized he got a toy as well. The sad news is that he really liked the toy, it was a monkey, and probably going to be his new favorite toy for the weekend until Papaw brought out Thomas the Train toys.

Visit with Papaw

We made a detour on our road trip in Salina, KS to eat lunch with Papaw and Grandma Debbie. Our fine dining experience happened at McDonald's in the play place room. We decided to let Mason blow off some energy while we all chatted. Papaw spoiled him with Thomas the Train trains that make noises and light up. Mason played with them in the car latter and he would say "thank you papaw" out of the blue. I think he really likes them.
It was fun watching Mason in the play area. They had a spiral stair case that went up really high and Mason started climbing it but then realized he was getting a bit high so he stopped and came back down. He wanted to go higher but it just took him 20 minutes to warm up to going higher and higher. He would climb up a step further each time and then say "look at me" then climb back down play in other areas and then turn around and do it again until he finally reached the top. He did reach the top but he didn't go into the crawling tubes, maybe next trip.

Road Trip

We took a road trip home this weekend to visit family. The kids did great in the car and we were able to go 3-4 hours in the car without stopping. We did however have to listen to Wheels on the Bus and Old McDonald more times than I can count. We made a fun kid song CD for Mason but he requests his favorites over and over and over and over again. We did break down and finally give him the portable DVD player. I am thinking I am going to give him lessons on the IPOD for future trips and go with having to just listen to him sing without the song itself.

9 Month Check up

Ellery had her 9 month check up today. Her stats come in at:
Height-27.5 inches (56%
Weight-16lbs 14 oz (21%)
Head Circumference-42.5 cm (14%)
She got her second flu shot today and did great.
My mom was telling me that her dog Toto weighed 17 lbs and I bet her that her dog weighed more than poor Ellery and my insticts were correct. Toto is half jack russell and pomeranian and hasn't sported the hour glass dog figure in years, he has the shape of a tube of sausage. Poor Ellery wasn't happy when I told her the dog weighed more than her.

Weddings

We went to a wedding last night and took the kids. It was fun for about 20 minutes and then we questioned why we didn't get a baby sitter. If it wasn't a catholic wedding we might have been able to make it. Ellery decided she wanted to talk through the ceremony and Mason thought if she gets to talk why can't I so we watched the ceremony from the monitors. Mason did however pass a lot of gas during the opening prayer and we received some daunting looks. My cousins boy who is 7 was sitting behind us and I blamed him for doing it and he was freaking out telling everyone it wasn't him it was Mason. It was fun teasing Ryan about it the rest of the evening.

Feeding the Geese

It is finally cooling off here and we had to feed the geese one last time before they migrate. Who knows if they actually do migrate if I were them I wouldn't budge. They have a sweet gig swimming around all day and getting fed by multiple people. I am surprised they aren't fatter than they are. Not to mention they have to have a fabulous immune systems since they are mostly fed by the hand of germ infested toddlers. Mason really enjoys feeding them and I hold my breath every time. He inches closer and closer to the water and throws with some force. One fears he might toss with too much force and end up in the water himself.

If only it was this easy

I set up Hudson's kennel in the basement the other day and the dog doesn't use it but it has become a fun new place for Mason to play. He crawls in and says "I'm going to get in my cage" cage almost sounds like cave. He won't let Ellery come in his cage but she can pull up and play around him. He tells her "I locked it", so she can't come in. I haven't locked him in yet, but the thought has crossed my mind.

Jump

We have been playing a lot more down in the basement and I let Mason go upstairs and come back down freely if it is in the time frame I see appropriate. Mason had gone upstairs and I called him back down and he made me proud because he actually listened to me. He however stopped on the 5th step from the bottom and stairs and states "I want to jump". I felt like I was in a movie and they were playing in slow motion as I say noooooooooooo and lean forward to stop him. He took his leap of faith and landed like a cat on his feet and took off playing like it was nothing. He gave me a look like what is the big deal. Well the big deal is that his sister was pulled up on he bottom step that he leaped over.

It need Batteries

Mason loves going to the gym with me. He gets to push the automatic door opener buttons, give the greater my card, put his hand in the expensive water fall, and play in they gym's daycare. They gym's daycare is a child's dream, it has computers, play area with toys, a tv they play music and movies on, a giant play structure that you climb around in (I call it the rat cage), and a basketball court filled with balls. Anyways, we were leaving the gym the other day and he went to push the button and the door didn't open. He said "oh mom, what happened" and I told it wasn't working. He then looked at me and said "it needs batteries mom".

Jack O Lantern

Mason loved helping carve pumpkins this year. I didn't give him a knife but I did give him the scooper tool along with a pointed tooth pick like tool. He enjoyed poking small holes all over the pumpkin while I carved them out. He didn't want to touch the guts of the pumpkin either. We did however have to light the pumpkins every night and we kindly let Mason know tonight would be the last lighting of the Jack O Lanterns.

We officially have a cruiser. Ellery pulls up on anything and everything. She can climb the stairs and that now puts a new spin on where we can find her. She isn't very fast yet so we usually find her on the first step. I am going to have to put gates up on the bottom of the stairs now. She also can cruise around the coffee table in the basement. She loves to go after the remote control and will cruise up and down the coffee table to get it at a snail cruising speed. She doesn't cruise that well on the couch or anything tall yet the coffee table is just her height. She gets mad when she pulls up onto something when she is on the hard wood floor and her feet slip. I found her doing the splits the other day and she wasn't going to let go but wasn't strong enough to pull herself out of them. She just cried for help. She also has learned to cry for the toy that Mason snatches away, and he isn't too fond of her vocalizing her way. If he only knew this was just the beginning of a new Ellery era.

Bang

You never know what you are going to walk into when you leave Mason and Rob alone. I came into the bedroom and Rob is holding his hand up as a gun and pointing it at Mason and saying bang. Mason then proceeds to fall on the ground roll around and then put his feet up in the air as if he had been shot. He jumps up quite quickly to state "do it again dad". I lost count how many times my husband shot my child.

Elections

I am not going to write much about the elections, but I am very grateful to my husband for going and picking up my ballot for me so we didn't have to stand in the lines. I really appreciated it. For some reason I felt more involved and empowered by this election than I had for any in the past. Who knows what the future holds for us and what will become of everything. History will be made either way.

Oh My Goodness

We are sitting at the table and we suddenly hear Mason say "Ohh My Goodness" for no apparent reason, he is just talking to himself at the table. We look at each other and say where did he get that? We were clueless until we were at the Apple Store latter that evening when the expert showed me how to do something on the computer and I was impressed and enthusiastic and I said "Ohhh My Goodness".

Cross that Bridge

We went to the zoo today with Grandma Ellen and had a fabulous time. The weather was beautiful, a bit windy, but that is a given. It would be easier to write when we don't have wind rather than when we do. Back to the zoo stories. We did our usual loop, the gorillas were spectacular as ever and we were able to watch them eat and we learned they love yogurt. We also watched them eat a lot of vegetables and now Mason eats his veggies like a gorilla. We also happened upon the polar bear swimming with a pumpkin. It was amazing watching him swim and play. They have a viewing area that you can see him above the water but you can also see down below the water. We were fortunate enough to see him drop his pumpkin in the water and then dive down 4 feet to retrieve it. He did it a couple of times before he was successful at retrieving it and then playfully played with it in the water before becoming bored and off to sun himself.
We also ended with a walk through the jungle. The jungle it two stories and we did the upper floor this time. The bottom is more like a trail and has a dirt path while the upper is a concrete path and you are even with the trees and looking down into the water. Highlights of the upper level are; a waterfall you walk behind, caves, and a wooden bridge. Mason wasn't a fan of the bridge at first until he watched me do it and then he went across with assistance from me. We then proceeded to cross the bridge 4 more times with no assistance from me. Mason kept telling me to "move mom". I like his independence but I have not prepared myself for it.