Time for an Update

Since the holidays have concluded, we've been busy getting our life in order.  Once I quit work we quickly moved into the holiday season so I never really got too settled into my new role.  Plus, the beginning of the year always causes me to want to get organized, to start fresh, to change things up -- you get the idea.
January also brought about the month of our biggest event for the Aero Club.  So, I spent a lot of Mason's nap times working, but it was kind of fun to have something exciting to work on.  Plus, it gave Brandon and I a reason to get all dressed up for an evening.  It's too bad the zipper on my dress broke towards the beginning of the event...just my luck!  Thankfully, a friend of mine attended the event and graciously lent me her sweater to wear over my dress.  
Mr. Man has also been learning lots of new things that are keeping us on our toes.  He's crawling -- a little unique in style, but he's pretty good at it and he can move quickly!  

He also started to cruise on the furniture shortly after he learned to crawl and now he's even pushing his fun new zebra toy that he got for Christmas.  

Determination is not one of his weaknesses :)  He's also turned into quite the jabber box.  He can say "mama", "dada", "up", "apple", and is beginning to say "bye bye".  He also mimics a lot of our sounds, which is pretty cute.  He gets very excited if we cheer for him and starts flapping his arms up and down at a very rapid pace.  The dog is one of his favorite things in the world, but the feeling isn't so mutual.  Koby generally stays on higher ground if Mason is on the loose.  Needless to say, Koby really likes Mason's nap times too ;)

We started attending the mom's group at our church last week.  I must admit I was a little hesitant at first, but I think I'm really going to enjoy Friday mornings with other women.  It also gives Mason a chance to play with other kids, which I think he enjoys.  This coming week, I will also start another women's Bible study that I'm really excited about.  It is a multi-generational study and I'm looking forward to getting to know more people in our church.  Of course, we're still meeting with our awesome small group each week too.  
Speaking of our small group, I had the girls and their kids over for a Super Bowl party.  Our husbands all had other things to do that evening so we decided it would be fun to hang out together with our kids rather than sit at home alone.  It was so fun to see the kids all playing together -- something that made me smile given that I never thought I'd see that day.  Even though Mason couldn't quite keep up, he hung in the whole evening (which ended shortly after half-time).  
As we move towards the spring, I'm feeling the urge to finish a few projects and get the house in order.  The winter evenings make me want to snuggle up on the couch and watch TV rather than make the most of my time, so as the weather turns nicer I tend to find a little more motivation.  We started painting a little dresser that I bought for Mason's room before he was born (it has been sitting untouched in the garage all this time).  We painted it a cheery apple green (actually, I think the color we picked is "Asparagus", but that does not sound like a very pretty color to me...) and I can't wait to get it finished and up to his room!  

We are also starting to paint our trim upstairs -- a goal we've had for quite some time.  It is hard to get motivated to tackle those projects since we know how much work it is to paint all of the trim.  Unlike last year (when we painted the trim on the entire first floor), we're going taking it room by room this time.
I mentioned I want to get our house in order....One thing I've had a hard time doing since becoming a stay-at-home-mom is to maintain a good cleaning/laundry schedule.  Part of me likes the idea of tackling one room/area per day, but then I think I'd feel like I was cleaning all day everyday.  However, with this approach, I can consistently maintain the house rather than let everything pile up all week and tackling it all at once.  On the other hand, I like cleaning everything in one day so we can enjoy an entire clean house for at least one day.  So, I'm looking for tips and tricks that have worked for other people.  If you have any words of wisdom, leave me a comment!
We are certainly looking forward to the nice weather so we can get outside to play a little more.  Our neighborhood has a nice little playground and we got Mason a new swing for our yard so he can "hang out" while we are outside.    I know Brandon and I are both itching to get into the yard as well -- if only we had a little more rain this fall and winter.  I'm a little nervous our new plants from last year are not going to fair well this spring.  
Well, that's about all for now!  My brain is officially fried :)

Six Months! Half of a Year!

Wow!  It has been a long time since I've last posted.  Needless to say, time is flying by!
Little Man is getting so big!!  Everyday he is learning something new or doing a new "trick".  This month has seen a lot of changes:

Stats:  Our six month checkup is scheduled for later in the month.  We actually showed up at the doctor's office on Tuesday and were greeted by all of the nurses and office help looking at me with blank stares.  As I announced we had a 3:30 appointment they basically told me that no, I did not have an appointment.  Apparently, the doctor is out of town and I wrote down the wrong date...oops!  We are guessing Mason is close to 18 pounds now.  I think his weight gain has slowed down a little bit.  He is in between 6 and 9 month clothing and is wearing a size 3 diaper.  He has the cutest little rolls on his thighs and the chubbiest cheeks that just beg to be squeezed!  The biggest change this month is that he got TWO teeth -- the bottom set.  The teething process was fairly painless, much better than we expected anyway.  We have to be pretty sneaky to catch a glimpse of them because every time we try to look at them he sticks his tongue out.

Eating:  Mason has been doing great on his new formula.  The spit-up has decreased (knock on wood) and he seems to be slightly less congested.  He is taking seven ounces four times a day and then he eats cereal at daycare (even though he still won't eat it for us...stinker!) and he is eating peas and sweet potatoes for dinner.  I've been having a lot of fun making his baby food and he seems to really like it as well!  We tried green beans but we think he had a little reaction to them so we are giving those a break for a while.

{this is a bit of a dramatic photo...he really does like peas...a lot!}

Sleeping:  One of the big breakthroughs this month is that Mason is now sleeping through the night!!!!!  He gets his bath around 7:30 and is asleep for the night by 8:00 or 8:15, after he takes a bottle and we read a few stories, and gets up around 6:00 or 6:15 in the morning.  He transitioned extremely easy without much "crying it out".  

Activity:  Mason is starting to sit up unassisted for VERY short periods of time.  He tends to balance himself by leaning forward and putting his hands in front of himself.  He does pretty good with the boppy around him but still falls over after about a minute.  He is doing so much better playing on his tummy.  We got him a set of soft blocks that he likes to swat at.  He especially likes it when we stack them and he knocks them down.  He still isn't totally rolling over, but he goes from side to side so we are hoping the rolling is coming soon.  He is really starting to crank his head around when he hears us talking or when we come into a room.  He also keeps a very close eye on Koby ;)  He's becoming pretty ticklish.  Brandon is sporting a beard right now and Mason thinks it is hilarious when Brandon rubs his feet against his beard.  

Characteristics:  Mason is still a happy little guy...duh!!  He is really starting to giggle and make a lot of new noises.  He is also starting to mimic our noises and thinks it is pretty funny when we repeat his noises...especially his squawking noise.  We keep trying to catch this on video but he totally freezes when he sees the video camera.  His hair is starting to fill in on top, but he's rubbing a bald spot on the back of his head.  He is also a very flexible and laid back baby.  He seems to handle being on-the-go pretty well and doesn't mind taking a nap in the stroller or in the car.  He is actually kind of the king of cat-naps...I guess he just decides to get his sleep when he can.  He is very adaptable to new places -- friends' houses, the church nursery, etc. -- and doesn't know a stranger!

Events:  This month, Mason attended his first KSU watch party and had Grandma and Papa Brungardt babysit him one day and his Nana babysit him the next day (talk about being SPOILED!).  He also participated in his first 5k with me and his Nana.  The biggest event of the month is that he found out that I turned in my notice at work and will become a stay-at-home mom next week!  We have been praying about this decision for a long time and God really just worked out the details to make this possible.  I will be working part-time from home for a local aviation club, so I will still be brining home a little income.  However, my biggest focus will be Mason!!  I can't wait to spend extra time with him and have the ability to do fun things like go to the zoo, hang out at the park, have play dates with friends, visit daddy at the airport job site, and be here to teach him all kinds of new things.  It is going to be a big transition but we are all very excited!

Playroom Planning

The time has come to transform our dining room (which has never had dining room furniture in it) into Mason's playroom.  The toys are taking over our living room and I know the toys will only multiply and become bigger and we will no longer be able to contain them in the living room alone.  
I have mixed feelings about this transformation because the dining room is actually part of our entryway, but I figure Mason is only going to be little once and when he's grown I can have a formal dining room.  
Thankfully, Brandon's dad has offered to build us a custom toy shelf and to also make us a custom rug from a carpet remnant.  Yes, we are very lucky that he is so handy!  Here is a picture of the shelving unit that he is building, only ours will have one more row of shelves:

Contemporary Kids design by Other Metros Architect ALVAREZ-DIAZ & VILLALON

I'm pretty excited about the big drawers along the bottom to store all of the odds and ends and then he is going to make the shelves adjustable so we can accommodate different sized toys.
I also need to start looking for affordable light fixtures.  I like the bright colored drum pendant that is pictured with the shelving unit but I'm having a hard time coming up with a color scheme that blends with the rest of our house and lends itself to a playroom.  I do like the patterns on these shades, but again I'm not sure about colors.

Same goes with art for the walls - I just don't know where to start.  Here are a few prints that I found that I really like, but none of them really go together, or at least it doesn't seem like they do.

{yes, an ode to Koby!}

{definitely for a boy playroom}

{I like the style of these prints}

I want this to be a very economical makeover so hopefully I can come up with a few good ideas to get this project started.  

A (Major) Brain Dump

I would call this a weekend wrap-up but since I haven't really blogged about "life" lately it is probably a more of a major brain dump...oops!

• We have really been enjoying the cool down that has been happening in our area.  It has been nice to be outside and have impromptu porch gatherings with our neighbors.  We also have taken walks and visited the farmers market without sweating.  I think it is pretty obvious this guy has been enjoying our outings, too!

• We re-planted our front flower bed a few weeks ago.  Our local garden center had all of their plants 50% off so we took advantage of the sale and risked planting the new plants in the extreme heat.  But, thanks to a little good luck and the above mentioned cool down, the plants are doing pretty darn good! 

• We went out do a belated birthday dinner on Saturday (thanks to the worst summer cold ever, we had to cancel our original plans) and I tried a new dish, grilled shrimp risotto, and I can't quit thinking about it.  It was SO good!  The risotto had grilled shrimp, snap peas, leaks, fresh corn and roasted tomatoes.  YUM!  We also had fun catching up with our good friends, which was an extra bonus :)
• We had to move our offices at work to the second floor of our building.  My department was the only department on the main floor, other than our receptionist and our production guy.  While we weren't really excited to move, I sort of like my new office better.  I was able to arrange it how I wanted it and it forced me to organize a little better.  Plus, we have a little better view of the parking lot because we are one floor up and can actually see the sky now...you have to look for the positive in things, people!
• Brandon was chosen as the project manager for the new airport terminal.  He is both excited and anxious -- excited because it was an honor to be chosen and he gets to be a part of a great team working on the largest project in their company's history, but anxious because it is the biggest project in the company's history and because it is a pretty high profile job.  This will be his only job for the next two and a half years so needless to say, he will be pretty focused for a while.
• I made peanut butter rice krispie treats this weekend.  I don't know why, but they sounded good and they were/are so yummy!! 
• I CAN'T WAIT for Fall.  Like absolutely can't wait.  I love the weather, I love the clothes, I love KSU football, I love baking and crock pot meals.  I just can't wait!
• Speaking of Fall and the cool weather as of late, it makes me want to clean out and organize our house.  So much so that one of my coworkers, who aspires to be a professional organizer, is coming over next weekend to help me get started!  
• As Mason is getting older (a whole four months!), he is getting more toys and more toys means less floor space in our living room.  So, I think we have come to the conclusion that it is time to turn our dining room into a play room.  I knew this day would come and I'm actually kind of excited to get started.  I've found a few shelving units that I like and I'm searching for kid friendly art that still meshes with the rest of our house because the dining room is basically part of our entryway.  So far, I have not come up with anything...but I will keep looking.
• We had sermon today that talked about spiritual discipline.  It really struck a cord with me and made me realize that I need to get focused on listening to God and spending quality time with him rather than just running to him when we need something.  Okay, point taken.

Well, that is about all for now.  Time to get ready for a new week!

4 Months Old!

I'm a little late posting Mason's 4 month update, but I've got to say, this past month has been so fun!! Mason has really started to develop a little personality and we have been seeing so many changes in him. We had to cancel his four month check up because he had been sick so I don't have his "stats" yet, but once we get the appointment rescheduled I will make sure to update.

Stats: Based on our scale at home, Mason is close to 16 pounds now. I think he has plateaued a little bit in the weight gain, but we will be interested to see what the doctor's scale says. He has filled out so much and seems to change everyday. He is still in 3-6 month clothing but will be transitioning to 6 month clothing soon. He is also still wearing size 2 diapers.

Eating: Mason eats five and half to six ounces of formula about every three to four hours during the day and then has a three to four hour stretch at night. He is still on Nutramigen and is also taking Prevacid for his acid reflux. He certainly lets us know when he's hungry but once he sees the bottle all is right in his world again. His spit up has tapered off (I hope I'm not jinxing us by say that), so burping him has been much more pleasant.

Sleeping: Mason isn't sleeping through the night quite yet, especially the past few weeks since he was sick. Hopefully we can start working on a better sleep schedule soon. However, we aren't complaining because he still generally only wakes up once during the night around 2:30 or 3:00 and then around 5:30 or 6:00 but he will usually go back to sleep after this feeding for a couple of hours, which is really nice for his mom and dad :)

Activity: This has been a big month for his development and activity. Mason has really started to play with his toys lately and will grab for his little toys if we hold them above him. The play gym is still a big hit, but now he grabs and swats at the toys that hang down. In fact, the other day he swung one so hard that it whacked him in the head! He also gets very excited when we put him in his bouncy seat and he just kicks his legs like crazy. He has also really been enjoying all kinds of music. Brandon has found some good Pandora stations that are suitable for kids and we also turn on the radio in his room while we get him dressed or change his diaper. He even likes it when we sing to him! Hopefully this means he will be a musical kid when he's older. He is enjoying tummy time a little more now and has been sitting in his Bumbo chair for a few minutes each day -- the boy has a STRONG neck! He is also on the verge of rolling over. He's been teetering on his side so as soon as he figures out how to shift his weight he will be a rolling machine. Since he found his hands last month he has learned how to use them to take his binki out of his mouth and (sort of) put it back in. It's all fun until he can't get it back in his mouth and then he starts to cry.

Characteristics: Mason is developing the cutest little personality. As you can see in the pictures, he's got a precious smile and the sweetest laugh. He's starting to make a lot more sounds and we find him talking to himself quite often. We've also noticed him really studying our mouths when we talk to him as if he's really trying to figure out what we're saying and how we're saying it. And speaking of studying, he is also starting to really study his surroundings when he's sitting on our laps or hanging out in the Bumbo or high chair. I think he likes the change of scenery :)

Events: This month was pretty low key as far as events go. He had visits from both the Bohn and Gazaway cousins and we made a trip to GC to celebrate Brooklyn's baptism. We also survived our first major sickness -- he and I both got pretty bad summer colds (I'm still battling mine...ugh!) -- and Nana had to come to the rescue so Daddy could go to work. It was nice to have her here to help out and Mason definitely benefitted from the extra love and attention :)

 

   

Even a Mama Needs Her Mama

Little man has been dealing with quite a bit of congestion over the past ten days and it came to a head late last week and into the weekend.  He was feverish and congested and just didn't feel good.  Brandon and I were doing a good job of caring for him together.  That is until Saturday afternoon when I got hit with the bug.  Big time.  It was like all of the sudden my whole body ached, my throat hurt and I was congested.  I went to bed Saturday afternoon -- after I cancelled my pedicure so you know it was real bad -- and have pretty much been down since then.  

{mohawks happen when daddy is in charge!}

Brandon did a great job of taking care of both me and Mason, but by Sunday evening he was ready to call in the backups.  Enter my mama.  She graciously offered to come help out so Brandon could go to work on Monday.  I was trying to keep my distance from Mason so we didn't perpetuate the germ cycle so she took care of him on Monday while I hibernated in the basement.  She took Mason to the doctor, picked up his prescriptions, fixed meals, did laundry and cleaned a little bit.  I'm so thankful for her graciousness and willingness to drop what she was doing to come take care of us.   I'm heading to the doctor this morning to make sure I don't have anything contagious and to hopefully get some meds to help me start feeling better.  It really is not any fun being sick while being a mama.  I miss playing with and snuggling my little guy, but I know he has been in excellent hands!

{Mason and his Nana -- courtesy of Brandon's phone}

Receiving "The Call" and What The Heck Do We Do Now

**I just realized I have not updated/finished our adoption story, so here is the second to last part.**

After waiting for a few weeks, we did receive a phone call from our birth mom.  She was having a hard time making her decision so she wanted us to know that she was going to email some additional questions that she wanted us to answer.  Excited, we got right to work on our answers.  However, have you ever tried to answer questions that were SO important?  It was not an easy task.  We wanted our answers to be thoughtful and most importantly honest, but in the back of our minds we knew what was riding on these answers so it was very hard not to sensationalize our answers or think about what she might want the answers to be.

So, we did what we had been doing the whole time...we prayed.  We asked God to speak through us and provide us with the words to say.  After much deliberation, we sent off our answers and waited some more.

In the meantime, we decided to work on our house, knowing that IF we were to be chosen we needed to have a few projects crossed off our list.  And to be honest, we needed a distraction to pass the time.

In late January, I was sitting at my desk working away when my phone rang.  It was phone number from the area code in which our birth mom lived and where the adoption agency was located.  Not really thinking it was "the call", I answered it and it was the social worker.  She had a very different tone in her voice than when I had talked to her before.  She went on to tell me she had a meeting with our birth mom that day and she had decided to choose us to be the parents of this precious little boy.  Of course I was speechless.  I vaguely remember saying "thank you" and that I "need to call my husband" in between tears and as soon as I hung up I called Brandon.  I told him the news, which is totally not how I had it playing out in my head, but I was running on emotions.  Thankfully, he doesn't work too far from my office and was able to come over in what seemed like 30 seconds.

If you know Brandon, you know he was already in tears...which I think is totally sweet!  We hugged for a long time, then looked at each other and said "we're going to be parents!!".  We left work early so we could call our families and share the news.  My stomach was all sorts of nervous and my mind just kept spinning.  We had so much to do in such a short amount of time -- we needed to continue reading up on adoption in general, after all it had only been about two months since we found out about the possibility of a baby, so we had a lot of catching up to do.  We also had to start preparing for a baby to enter our lives and our home.

As excited as we were to tell the whole world of our news, we also knew that there was no guarantee we would actually welcome the baby in the end.  That is the part of adoption that is risky and scary.  As confident as we were, there was also a part of us that wanted to protect our hearts since we had experienced so much hurt before.  We were slow to begin our actual preparations -- buying baby furniture and all of the other gear that comes with a baby, figuring out room decor, etc.

About a month after receiving "the call", our birth mom and her parents came to our house to visit and to meet my parents.  Again, we were nervous about how everything was going to go down, but it couldn't have gone any smoother.  We had a great time getting to know one another better and it built our confidence.  During their visit, we were fortunate enough to be able to attend a sonogram with our birth mom.  It was so amazing to be able to see the little guy and hear his heart beat.  He kept hiding his face as if he was telling us he wasn't so sure about us, but it was still amazing none the less.  It wasn't until after that visit that we really started feeling like this was all very real.

Over the next couple of months, we started to gather gear for the baby and make plans to welcome him into our lives.  We had to research insurance issues, find a babysitter, make plans for me to be away from work, find a new car, etc.  A lot of things to cram into a few short weeks.

When the first part of April rolled around, we started the waiting game.  The due date kept fluctuating based on measurements and the sonograms so we were on pins and needles just waiting.  Every time our birth mom called we kept thinking it was go time so she started prefacing her phone calls with "it's not time" or "this isn't the call".  Finally, her doctor decided he would induce her on April 12, which brought some relief to us knowing we wouldn't have to drive three hours in the middle of the night while she was in labor.

On Wednesday, April 11, we made the most important drive of our lives.  We were on our way to get our son!!  Here are a couple of pics that we took to document our trip:

{Koby staring at the car seat not really knowing what is about to happen to his world.}

{The proud dad-to-be!}

{Woo Hoo!!}

{Yep, that is Koby IN the car seat...jealous much?!?}

I'll be back with one more installment...hopefully sooner rather than later :)

Weekend Wrap-Up

We had an awesome weekend!  Lots of down time, lots of Mason time, got a few things accomplished and also spent time with some friends -- can't beat that!

Friday night we ordered take-out and just hung around the house, watching TV.  We had had a long week so it was nice to just unwind as a little family of three.

Saturday morning we got up and spent time with the little man.  After breakfast Brandon headed out to work on the deck a little more while I made a grocery list and piddled around the house.  Right before lunch Brandon headed to the lake with some friends.  Mason is too little to be out in the sun so we opted out of the lake adventure.  Instead, we ran errands and I made food for our bbq with the same friends that evening.  Mason is a good sous chef and great company in the kitchen!  We made:

Raspberry Black Bean Dip a la So Long Saloon in Manhattan
1 block cream cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped and sauteed
1/2 bottle Bronco Bob's Raspberry Chipotle sauce
1 c. shredded cheese

Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish.  Top with beans, onions and raspberry sauce. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.  Top with cheese and bake another five minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Stuffed Jalapenos
22 jalapenos
1 lb. pork sausage
1 block cream cheese
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese

Cut jalapenos in half and remove ribs and seeds.  If you want the peppers to be less spicy, soak in water for several hours.  Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet.  Drain fat.  In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Add sausage and mix well.  Spread about one tablespoon of sausage mixture in each pepper half.  Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes.

S'mores Bars
1 12 oz. box Golden Graham cereal
1 bag small marshmallows
5 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips

Pour cereal in a large bowl and set aside.  In a microwaveable safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and butter.  Microwave on high for two to three minutes.  Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract.  Pour over the cereal and stir to cover cereal.  Pour in chocolate chips and mix well.  Spread in a greased 9x12 baking dish and put in the refrigerator to set up.  Cut into squares before serving.

After the crew got back from the lake (they had quite an adventure that involved two boats breaking down, people getting stranded and hitching rides on other boats, etc. etc. etc. -- lots of fun!), we headed to our friends' house for the bbq.  We had a fun time hanging out and laughing and eating a lot of yummy food.  Mason did great as well, until about 9:00 when he was just ready to be done.  So, we headed home and got him ready for bed and we followed shortly behind him.

Mason's sleep schedule was a little off on Saturday night so we didn't make it to church on Sunday morning :(  We laid low and got a few things done around the house.  After lunch, I headed to run errands -- Target and the grocery store -- and then came home and took a little nap.  Brandon and Mason got in some good guy time while I did my thing.  Later in the evening we went to visit our friends the Wendlers.  We gave them some formula that we aren't using and they are lending us their Bumbo chair.  Here is a pic of the boys hanging out.  It's not the best pic because it was taken on my phone, but it was too cute not to share!

After we left the Wendler's house we went to Baskin Robins to celebrate National Ice Cream Day :)  I got a scoop of chocolate almond in a sugar cone, Brandon got a scoop of chocolate chip in a cake cone, and Mason wished he could have had a scoop of strawberry ice cream ;)  After our ice cream treat, we made our way home and got Mason ready for bed.  And that concludes another weekend.

Three Months Old

Mason Cole turned three months old on Thursday!!  I can't believe he is a quarter of a year old now.  Everyone told us he would make a huge turn at the three month mark and I have to say, they were right!

Stats:  We did not have a three month checkup with the doctor so we don't have all of his stats.  However, we think he is weighing close to 15 pounds now.  He has certainly gotten chubby and squishy!  He is wearing 3-6 month clothing and size 2 diapers now.  

Eating:  Mason eats five ounces of formula about every three to four hours during the day and then has a good four to five hour stretch at night.  He is still on Nutramigen and is also taking Prevacid for his acid reflux.  

Sleeping:  He is still sleeping pretty good at night, but his routine has been a little more sporadic recently.  He usually goes to bed around 9:30 p.m.  For a few weeks he was waking up at 1:30 a.m. and then again at 4:30 a.m.  He would usually go back to sleep then, but there were a couple of times when only the swing could get him back to sleep so one of us ended up on the couch for a couple of hours.  The past few nights he's gone from 9:30 p.m. to 3:30 or 4:00 a.m., which has been great!  Hopefully he's working towards sleeping through the night.

Activity:  We put a mobile on his crib and he absolutely LOVES that thing!  He will lay there and just watch the animals go round and round and just smile.  He still likes his play gym quite a bit and actually prefers to hang out under there pretty often.  He's also been playing with more toys and can actually hold a few of them (a little ball, his Sophie giraffe, and a rattle).  Of course, they all immediately go to his mouth.  Tummy time has not been so great, at least for us (our babysitter tells us he does long stretches for her), but we keep trying.  He definitely prefers to lay on the boppy if he has to do it at all.  

Characteristics:  He is definitely smiling A LOT more these days and we've actually gotten him to laugh quite a bit.  He has the sweetest smile and he just lights up, which in turn makes us light up :)  Aside from laughing, he is also finding his voice by making lots of noises - coos, squeals, squawks, raspberries, etc.  In the past few days he has found his hands.  It is amazing to watch him just stare at them and realize that they are HIS hands!  He also thinks those hands are really fun to chew on.  

Events:  This month, his Aunt Tara came to visit for the weekend and his Grandma and Papa Brungardt came another weekend.  He attended his first baby shower and was the only male in attendance so he got lots of attention.  We also celebrated his first Fourth of July here at our house.  We didn't know how he would do with the fireworks, but he just hung out in his bouncy seat like a good boy.

Two Months Old!

Mason turned TWO MONTHS old today!!  I know I will say this every month, but we honestly can't believe how fast time is going, but at the same time it feels like he's been a part of us forever.  This month was a big month for us.  Here are a few of his milestones:

Stats:  At his two month doctor appointment, Mason weighed eleven pounds 3 ounces, was 22" long and had a head circumference of 15 1/4".  He also got his first set of shots.  I was a nervous wreck, but he handled them like a champ!!  He even got kudos from the nurse :)  We felt so proud!  I couldn't watch or listen so Brandon stood with him while I sat in the corner with my eyes closed and my ears plugged.  The doctor was also impressed with his neck strength, which is pretty amazing.

Eating:  Mason eats four ounces of formula about every three hours during the day and then has a good four to five hour stretch at night.  He is now on Nutramigen, which is a formula that contains pre-digested proteins.  He was having trouble breaking down the proteins in the other formula which then caused him to be uncomfortable and unhappy so we were happy to make the switch.  

Sleeping:  He is still sleeping well at night (with a few exceptions when he thinks it is play time and his eyes are wide open at 2 a.m.).  We have developed a good bedtime routine -- bath, massage, bottle, books, bed -- and it seems to be working quite nicely.  He usually goes down around 9:30 p.m. and sleeps until 2:30 or 3:00 a.m., gets up to eat and goes back down until 5:00 or 6:00 a.m.  Since I've started back to work, Brandon is in charge of the morning feeding and getting him dressed for the day so he stays awake until we make the drive to daycare, then he falls asleep.  He also takes a pretty good mid-day nap and then a few cat naps in the evening.

Activity:  This month, we introduced the lights on his bouncy seat and the mobile on his crib and he LOVES them.  He will sit and stare at those things for a long time before he gets bored.  We also bought him a play gym that he really likes, especially since he can kick his legs all around.  He is tracking toys that we move from side to side and he turns his head when he hears our voices.  He has also rolled over a couple of times, but we think it was purely by accident as it has not happened on a regular basis.

Characteristics:  On Mother's Day, we got our first real smiles from Mason and our hearts just melted!!  The smiles have continued and we get them pretty often these days.  He especially likes when we sing silly songs or sing normal songs in silly voices.  I think he is the only person who thinks I'm a good singer :)  We've also noticed him sucking on his thumb a little more these days and it is pretty darn cute (not sure I'll be saying that when he's still sucking it on his way to Kindergarten though...).  

{Mother's Day 2012 - First Smile!}

Events:  The major event of this month was me going back to work and Mason starting daycare.  I was very nervous and cried a lot leading up to the actual day (which was this Monday), but he has done great!!  Our sitter is wonderful and keeps me posted and tells me Mason is the 'talk of the town' with the other kids.  In fact, when I picked him up today one of the little boys was trying to fist bump him to say goodbye.  It was very cute!  The other major events this month included his birth mom's graduation, meeting his great great grandmother who turned 103 on the day he was born, and his first trip to the lake house.

{Hanging out with Daddy and big brother at the lake house}

We sit around and wonder what we did before Mason entered our lives because we just can't imagine life without him!!  We tell him every day how special he is and how lucky we are to be his parents.  Happy Two Month Birthday Baby Boy!!