Christmas...Whew!

Boy was it fun and fast this year. All you other moms and dads with little tikes...once they hit two, the instinct to tear paper kicks in!

It has been a hectic week at Mason's house. Amber had to work until Friday, her folks came in Monday, and now all the sudden it is the day after Christmas. Where did it go? Mason has been recovering from an ear infection with a ruptured drum...soooo the few nights leading up the big Day were filled with sleepless nights...not due to the excitement of Santa Clause. Finally, Christmas night, he decided to sleep all night...yesssss!!! Now back to work. Ugh.

Starting last Saturday, the 22nd, Amber decided it was time to potty train. After ten accidents on Saturday, she wasn't so sure of herself. Then Sunday, only one...and only one since then. We are so proud of our little man! We have No. 1 down pat and he is coming around on No. 2. I feel like I will be receiving a raise if I don't have to buy diapers any more! Whooo hooo!!! I have done my best to show my son how to sit on the pot and read some literature...I think he is getting that also!

What to tell? Mason got a new Radio Flyer scooter, which he is still figuring out. Hungry Hungry Hippo, which you must all come watch him play. Every time his hippo eats a marble, he says, "Mmmmmm." It is hilarious. Also, a battery powered Thomas engine. You wouldn't thing that one AA battery would make the train set new all over, but it does. :-) Many books, many hot wheels, and many clothes. We are truely blessed.

We had Christmas eve dinner with Amber's family here at our house. Christmas day, Amber, Mason, and I, opened out gifts here at home then proceded to my mom and dad's for Christmas there. We decided this year to have Christmas supper rather than lunch so that no one would be hurried or rushed in the morning. It was nice. After way too much to eat, we played a few games of dominoes (interesting with Mason in your lap) while the women chatted in the living room. Then off to bed...the first complete nights rest in three or four days.

I guess that is all I have to report. I would ask you all to pray for my sister-in-law's neice Betsy. She has fluid on the brain and the doctors don't know why and they can't get it to stop. She is in the hospital in Ft. Worth. The family is having a tough time on many fronts, so add her to them prayers if you will.

We pray each of you had a day as wonderful and joyfull as us, celebrating the birth of our Savior. Also we pray each of you have a new year filled with hope and happiness as we enter 2008.

The Little Gym

Who'd of thunk it? Buy a mid-sized office space, put mats all over the floor, throw in a few balance beams, a couple of uneven bars, and some music and you would have an instant birthday hit. Booked all day every weekend for 1 1/2 hour partys. This Saturday we went to Mason's friend Landyn's birthday party at the Little Gym.

What a blast. You would have thought that Mason had already participated in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics in the "All Around" gymnastics competition. He ran straight in and hung from a set of uneven bars with his feet out in front in the proper position. All the other parents asked if he was in gym or had been there before. I apologize as a father and parent, I have not taught him to refrain from showing out yet. :-)


After all the playing we went into the refreshment room for cake and presents. You would have though that Mason had never had cake, or a Hi-C in a box. His mama had a hard time keeping him from wiping his hands on his clothes. Mmmmm...cake is good!

If you ask me, the Gym is a good idea, but the schedule was poor planning. You feed a dozen three year olds cake and punch, then make them sit down and watch one kid open all the gifts...not going to happen. We had to put Mason in "lockdown." As you can see for yourself, he is fairly distraught. Eventually we did get to play more though!

He slept good Saturday night. Sunday we had a day of church, naps, and play. It didn't seem to bother Mason that the Cowboys lost, so I didn't let it bother me either. Mason talked his Nana into getting under the train table and inspecting daddy's construction of said train table. He tells you where each nail is and babbles on about how it is put together. I'm sure he know more than I do already...just don't tell any of the people I am working for!

And finally, on a sad and happy note all in one. Mason will be privileged to join Ms. Tina Sorrell and others at the Methodist Readiness School starting in January. We are very excited that he was able to get in such a wonderful school. His current care provider had decided to return to work after this spring semester and we were going to have to find alternate care then. We are sad that he will not get to play with his dear friends he has made at "Mrs. Julie's" any longer.

He has loved his time there, but I know there is much to learn and fun to be had on the loop in J'Ville! What can I say, I went to preschool there and look how great I turned out! Ha!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas! As Mason said repeatedly tonight as he sat in the entry way playing with his monster trucks, "Ho, ho, ho...Merry Christmas!"

Dallas, TX

What can't you do in Dallas, TX? I mean, when you are two years old and your Aunt Jaime invites you to see the train exhibit at Northpark Mall, what else could match that? We had a action packed weekend with lots of fun and friends.

Saturday we woke up early and shot up to Big D in a flurry with Gigi and Granddad. We arrived at Aunt Jaime's apartment and quickly left for the park. Boy did we have fun there...so much fun that we left the camera in the car. Mom had hers, so we will have pictures from the park at a later date.

After a quick bite for lunch, it was off to the hotel for a nap...Mason at least. After nap time, it was back in the auto and off to Chris, Alison, and Josh's house for a quick visit. We had a great time catching up with them and lov'in on their little guy. Josh and Mason played well together, didn't seem to bother them that one was a Longhorn and one was a Bear. :-)

Oh yeah, left the camera in the car at Chris and Alison's also. UGH.

After our goodbye's, we were off to the Cheesecake Factory. Nuff said. We all walked out of there about 10lbs. heavier. This was Amber's birthday meal, so no one held back! Whew...I didn't know I could eat that much. We were also priviledged to meet my sister's "friend" Jason. He was very pleasant and we enjoyed his company for dinner...hopefully we will see him again. Hint, hint. Then off to bed...no trouble sleeping after all that food.

Finally, finally, Sunday was here. The day to see the trains! We went to the mall early, arriving 30 minutes before the shops opened, only to find out that the train exhibit didn't start until noon. So, we roamed around, shopping here and there, ate some lunch and then headed to the "show!" Mason loved it. He had a look of awe on his face the entire time. You could tell he really wanted to touch them, but had enough respect and restraint to know that he couldn't. We could have spent all day in there and he would still want to see more. I would recommend it to anyone with kids.

Sad times, sad times, we had to get in the car and come home. The Masonator slept a little over half way home, which was good. I think Gigi did also. :-) At any rate, we had to go back to work yesterday to get some rest from the weekend!

Just Digg'in

As we are about to celebrate our two year, five month birth date, Mason is funner (I know that isn't a word) than ever! We have so much fun with him. He has such a different personality than either of us. I see little quirks of mine and small subtle things he does like Amber, but mostly he is a person of his own and that is so cool.

The weeks just fly by, and we don't really have a lot of excitement during the week...but on the weekend, watch out world! This weekend we got to RIDE ON A BACKHOE!

This treat (for Mason) was courtesy of my parents septic system malfunctioning over the Thanksgiving holiday. I helped my dad redo all the field lines on Saturday morning and Amber made sure Mason was there to see the tractor in action.

I think the boy will be a tractor operator. He gets such a thrill out of making the bucket go up and down and turning the steering wheel back and forth. We could have rode that thing all the way to Montana and he wouldn't have cared.

Look at the pumpkin man here. As strange as it is, our little man has a special place in his heart for pumpkins and acorns. These are two of his favorite things to play with...along with dirt.

His favorite toys right now are his miniature monster trucks (oxymoron), his basket of groceries, his Thomas train set, and his Frosty the Snowman stuffed doll. Mason is crazy about Frosty. He goes around singing the song all day at the top of his lungs..."Fwosti da snow man was a jowy happi sowl." One of his favorite thing to say now is "Mama...what chu been doing?" "Daddy, where hab chu been?"

As I began saying, he is tons of fun. I can't remember what it was like before he was around, but it couldn't have been as fun as this!