Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Turning on the Lights

Friday night, we headed to the Fayetteville Square to watch the Lights of the Ozarks to be turned on. I knew Mason would love the lights. We didn’t quite make it to the Square before the lights came on, so as we walked up the street and Mason first saw the lights he would squeal and scream LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS!!! MAMA LIGHTS!!! It was so fun. I just loved his excitement. He see some Christmas lights in our neighborhood and loves them too. Always asks for more.

Thanksgiving night, we plan to take him to see more Christmas lights at a local park. I can’t wait to have my family see his reactions. I know they will love it as much as I did. The park also has a train and I am hoping we can ride it, if not that night another. He will love that too. MasonAllen_11_21_2014_208.NEF MasonAllen_11_21_2014_216.NEF Family photo time. MasonAllen_11_21_2014_217.NEF MasonAllen_11_21_2014_231.NEF MasonAllen_11_21_2014_245.NEF His excitement is shown through this huge smile. 20141121_182950-MIXHolding hands with his girlfriend. Exploring the lights together. Too cute. 20141121_184756 I can’t wait to spend this Christmas with my family. This little boy is already loving all Christmas books. His favorite right now is “Disney Christmas Carol.” I think he likes the ghosts in the book. He always tries to skip to those pages. We talk about Santa and have read the “Polar Express.”  He is just loving all things Christmas like his Mama. It is the best thing to watch your child evolve and realize what things mean. Light bulbs going on in his head daily. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Week 18-Baby #2

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How far along? 18 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 7.5 lbs. (according to home scale)
Maternity clothes? I am doing belly bands and rubber bands. I can button pants, but they are uncomfortable, so I am going for as comfy as possible. So maternity shirts. They are just longer, or maybe I am imagining that.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness and applying lotion like it is going out of style.
Sleep: According to my Fitbit I get between 8-10 hours of sleep at night! 
Best moment this week: I am loving that each day I am feeling more and more movement and it is getting stronger.
Miss Anything? Nothing new this week. 
Movement: More and More. It is so exciting to feel movement.
Food cravings: I am craving anything I smell. Went to the football game Saturday and I wanted everything I could smell. If it hadn’t been raining I probably would have eaten everything within reach.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new.
Feelings: I am getting nervous for my ultrasound in just three days.    
Gender: Not finding out. Yay for surprises!
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: My emotions are completely in check now.
Looking forward to: My ultrasound is Wednesday and I cannot wait! I want to see the little bug I am growing and hear the heartbeat and know that everything is okay with the baby. It is exciting. It will be just me and Michael in the room. We aren’t taking Mason, but he will love the pictures.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Mason’s Face

Okay, here is the explanation to Mason’s nose. On Friday, when I went to pick him up from school, I was told Mason tripped over his feet and fell down the slide. They told me he didn’t even cry. He was probably in shock or thought it was fun, as he love to go down the slide at home face first. 

Day one post accident, not looking too bad. Almost like a rug burn. He was getting some extra snuggles from Nana Saturday night. IMG_20141115_192736 Two days post accident. Looking really lovely. The part I don’t know how he did is the mark between the eyes. MasonMommy what happened to my nose? It was like he didn’t even know it was there. Good thing we didn’t have plans to have family photos taken over the weekend. I am hoping he heals quickly so we can get some Christmas shots taken. 20141116_101117 Day three. Looking a little worse and a little better in places. This was after bath and Neosporin was applied. We have been caking that on constantly. He doesn’t seem  phased by it, which is good. It is just an eye sore. I am hoping it will be better in a week or so and then we can have family pictures taken.   MasonAllen_11_16_2014_178.NEF

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Mason 22 Months

Two more months until my little man turns 2! Is it possible that it has been almost two years. I am about 10 days late on this post. Oops.

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Weight: I put Mason on our scale at home and he weighed 30 lbs. Big boy. I am exhausted carrying him up the stairs.

Height: Mason is measuring right at 36”. So tall. I can’t wait until our 2 year appt to see where he falls on the percentage scale.

Eats: We love to eat. Sometimes I feel like he is a teenager the way he puts away food. He especially loves chips. Spicy food is amazing to him. He really just wants to eat whatever we are eating and isn’t afraid. 

What he is enjoying: We are still loving balls or all things round. He will fight you over a ball. All balls are his and he loves to scream MINE when someone is trying to steal one. Sometimes he loves to eat and bathe with the balls. He loves giving kisses to us and Gabby right now too. Unexpected kisses. In the mornings, on the weekend, we always lay in bed and watch sports center. Mason typically drinks his milk and plays with Gabby and proceeds to give everyone morning kisses.

Teeth: 16 teeth. His two year molars have been causing quite the problems, but have yet to break through. Even though I can feel them and poor Mason loves to chew on everything right now including the kitchen table. 

Talking: I am shocked sometimes when Mason says certain things. He is saying a million words and sentences. He is counting to 10. He usually skips a number or two. 5 & 6 he loves and sometimes just starts counting at 5. He loves to play his piano and sing his ABCs. You know you are in trouble when your kid can say Mama I want the iPad, please. What! Where did that come from. He is a little repeater. I love this stage. Mason say this…or that…and he does. 

What’s new this month? Mason is really starting to understand and get this whole we are having a baby thing. He lays his head on my belly and talks to his baby. He also loves to give my belly kisses. He even likes to try and see the belly in public. Bad idea kiddo. Mommy doesn’t go for that. He also loves calling the Hogs and Football. He is obsessing over certain songs and requests they be played on repeat. It has started.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Week 17-Baby #2

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My little Monkey came and got in my picture this week. Cheesing for the camera. Ignore his lovely marks on his face. There is a story behind them.

How far along? 17 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 6.5 lbs. (according to home scale)
Maternity clothes? Still no here. I have been living in leggings and yoga pants. It has been so cold here all weekend, that I wanted to be comfortable and warm.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness and applying lotion like it is going out of style.
Sleep: This week was much better. I even had my first full night of sleep without waking to pee. Yay!! I was so excited and woke feeling amazing. It was only one night but still! 
Best moment this week: Getting to feel more movement. If I hold very still I occasionally can feel flutters or bumps. Loving them. 
Miss Anything? I am dying for a glass of wine or spiked hot chocolate. With the weather changing I want to put on a fire and grab a large glass of red wine. I told Michael he needed to have a glass so I could smell it. Maybe get a little contact wine high.  
Movement: More and More. It is so exciting to feel movement.
Food cravings: Mexican. Lots of chips and salsa and cheese dip.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I think it is safe to say I am completely over the sickness part of this pregnancy.
Feelings: I am feeling excited but nervous. When I was pregnant with Mason, I was just so happy to be pregnant I never thought about anything bad happening. This time I am worried constantly. I think it is from having friends who have had complicated pregnancies that I realize your happy bubble can pop so fast. Hopefully I will feel better after the 20 week ultrasound, when they tell me everything is great.    
Gender: Not finding out. Yay for surprises!
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: My emotions are completely in check now. 
Looking forward to: Next week we are having the big Anatomy Scan Ultrasound!!!! I cannot wait to see my little Mr. or Miss. on camera. I am also looking forward to more movement and some that Mason can feel. He lays his head on my belly and talks to his baby. I ask him if she/he is talking back and he says yes. Maybe it is! :-) 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Confessional Friday

Lets do some confessing today with Leslie over at Blonde Ambition.

1. I am so glad it is Friday! This week has been crazy. Mason has been coughing a lot, keeping me, himself, and Michael up all night. So, I am glad it is Friday. Nana and Papaw come up this weekend…Extra arms to rock a coughing little boy. Sleeping in because Nana wakes up at 5AM everyday! Amazing!

2. This weather is cold! That is not really a confession it is a FACT. I would normally love the cold and the possibility of snow, but not in November in Arkansas. Did I move to Colorado or Chicago?

3. Because of the weather, I am not going to the Razorback Football game. Michael and my Daddy are going, but Mom and I are staying home where it is warm! We tried to sell two of our tickets and no one I mean NO ONE is biting. Most people are like Mom and I and not crazy enough to sit in 20 degree (highest) weather for 3-4 hours.

4. Mason recently moved up into the next classroom at school. He is ready to start trying to potty train and he was getting very bored in the room he was in. So I moved him up. Now I am watching the cameras like a Mama Bear. I think he is really enjoying the big kid room and yesterday they told me he asked to go Potty twice. I guess I was right about trying to start potty training. He is getting TOO big TOO fast. He will be a teenager in no time.

5. Here is the biggest confession this week. I cannot wait to decorate for Christmas…or did not. I have started decorating for Christmas. Several neighbors had lights going up on their houses this week and it put me into the best Christmas mood. All you must wait until after Thanksgiving people can stuff it!!! I will still enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with my family at my Mommy’s house, but my house will be decked out in Christmas. I have already started shopping too!20141112_111244

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Little Boys…Craziness

Little boys will be little boys. He is crazy, fun, sweet, loving, rough and tumble. Mason keeps me on my toes. He allows me to never put my guard down. Pure fun and energy. He is always making us laugh and he is extra sweet when he wants to be. The other morning I asked him if he loved his Mommy and he said NO. I made a sad face and he immediately smiled and gave me a kiss. Sneaky little boy. Sweet when he wants to be. He bit me the other day…not sure why, but maybe out of excitement. He got in big trouble and then proceed to give me kisses where he bit me. Sour then Sweet. He knows better, but cannot help pushing the buttons.

He loves to scare us and be scared. Here he is inches from Michael’s face Roaring! 20141102_081224 He is talking to his girlfriend or at least that is what he told me when I asked. Must have been a good conversation. 20141102_082139 Mommy makes the best Chili and it makes the best body rub. There is a reason he is naked. All things red require being striped of our clothes. Obvious reasons. 20141103_174710 What is our new favorite game? Banging our head on anything when we are upset or frustrated. He got this mark when banging his head on the dining room table. It is more upsetting to me. I have been trying to ignore these attention getting banging, but it is hard. This one was by far the hardest and it scared me. 20141105_195520 Mason loves going to get his haircut. I think he loves Brandon, Michael’s hair guy. He is awesome and loves kids. Mason has never cried and always holds still for him. He cuts him every 8 weeks when Michael gets his hair done. This time, Mason laid at the sink and kept grabbing his hair saying wash. Brandon was happy to help out and washed Mason’s hair, which he loved. I should have gotten a video of it, maybe next time. I know Mason won’t forget and will expect it each time. 20141106_181950 Notice Mason shoes. They are his girlfriends. Michael took him to change his clothes while at our friend’s house and Mason came out with ruby red shoes on. Apparently he really love them. Blackmail for his future wedding.  20141106_195609This boy loves balls and balloons all things round. His Daddy thought it would be funny to rub the balloon on his head and it would stick. Mason would hold really still and then start laughing when the charge was gone.20141111_193721 The calmest moment in the last week. Eating Cheerios or as Mason calls it Cerelllll-el-el. Sometimes he says it exactly how it should be said and other times it comes out extra long. IMG_0028

Monday, November 10, 2014

Week 16-Baby #2

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My sweet fur baby wanting to be in the picture this week. She is so sweet and has been super attached to me. This is her, are we seriously doing this again look. She loves her brother, but I don’t know what she is thinking!

How far along? 16 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 6 lbs. (according to home scale)
Maternity clothes? No. I give it a week or maybe 2 before I am wearing maternity pants. I can still comfortably button my jeans, but they are starting to get tighter.
Stretch marks? No-Thank goodness and applying lotion like it is going out of style.
Sleep: This week I have been sleeping better. I have been taking Benadryl at night to help with my cough and cold. It helps me stay asleep.  
Best moment this week: Mason has now become a little obsessed with my growing belly. He talks to the baby and kisses the baby. It is the sweetest thing. I have decided he think he is getting another Gabby out of this deal. He calls her Sissy and Gabby, and this week in reference to my belly called it Sissy.
Miss Anything? It has been an easy week. I had sushi this week. Yum Yum. I had fish twice including the sushi, which was crab.  
Movement: I didn’t feel anything strong this week.  Boo. I think this baby is calmer than Mason was in my belly.
Food cravings: I want food all of the time. I won’t be surprised if I gain 30-40lbs this time around. Hopefully no water weight. Last time I think 10-15lbs of my weight gain was water from swelling..  
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new this week. I hate going to public places. People smell. 
Feelings: We had a crazy weekend/week. My first born, fur baby, had her second ever seizure at 3:45AM. It is the scariest thing in the world to wake up to it. She is scared, we are scared. It lasted 4-5 minutes, but feels like forever. We took her to the vet the last time and they told us it isn’t too uncommon for dogs to have seizures and majority are at night. They won’t put her on medicine until she is having 2 a month. The last one was back in September. Hoping for no more!!   
Gender: Not finding out. Yay for surprises!
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: My emotions are completely in check now.  
Looking forward to: 2 weeks until the big ultrasound!! Even though we don’t find out what we are having, I cannot wait to see my little bug and make sure he/she is healthy. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Fall Festival

A few weeks ago Mason’s school had a fall festival and as part of that they had a petting zoo at school during the day. I, of course, had to go up and see how excited Mason would be to see the animals. Everyday when we drive to and from school Mason can see horses and cows. He always screams and tells me what he is seeing it is so fun. We talk about the animals and their noises. He gets so excited. I just knew he would feel the same way about the petting zoo, and boy was I not let down. My little man ran pretty much from animal to animal and fed all of them with no fear. He even got to sit on the cow and donkey. He was in little toddler heaven. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_18.NEF He was running from the goats to this end. He was an expert and getting all the kids excited. I think it helped that he had no fear. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_21.NEF Except maybe of the ducks. He wasn’t too sure about the duck. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_24.NEF Goats! He made the best of friends with the goats. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_31.NEF Can I have one?PettingZoo_10_24_2014_34.NEF All the kids were having so much fun feeding the animals. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_37.NEF Cows! He loves cows. I think he really loved getting to get this close to the cow.PettingZoo_10_24_2014_49.NEF He was so excited to ride/sit on the donkey. Too bad he had a hand full of food for him.PettingZoo_10_24_2014_55.NEF He pretty much fed the goats all of their food. PettingZoo_10_24_2014_73.NEF PettingZoo_10_24_2014_83.NEF Best Buddies!!PettingZoo_10_24_2014_88.NEF

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Halloween

Mason had the best 2nd Halloween experience. We went trick or treating to a few neighbors houses. Mason completely understood the candy into the pumpkin idea. He loved saying thank you and bye to all of our neighbors. I am pretty sure our neighbors might get some knocking or doorbell ringing on the next night. He tried to say trick or treat, but it didn’t quite come out that way. Be prepared for picture overload!Halloween_10_31_2014_94.NEF I love this picture the best!! I love how they are both smiling. Mason was so excited to play dress up. Halloween_10_31_2014_97.NEF Halloween_10_31_2014_100.NEF Mommy and Mason selfie time!Halloween_10_31_2014_102.NEF Our first stop was the neighbors across the street. Mason loves them, so we thought it would be the best first stop. He tried to walk right into the house, which is obviously fine there, but not everywhere. Halloween_10_31_2014_107.NEF They are the best neighbors. They gave Mason a pumpkin full of Tricks and Treats. He has truly enjoyed playing with everything. He definitely didn’t need to hit up any other houses after this stop. Halloween_10_31_2014_111.NEF Giving Sidney a hug to tell her Thank you! He was so cute. Halloween_10_31_2014_112.NEF We then went to the next door neighbor. Mason was like I want that and that and that. We grabbed a few and put them back. He was thinking everything looked good. Sweet neighbors. Halloween_10_31_2014_113.NEF Toting both pumpkins around. Halloween_10_31_2014_118.NEF Halloween_10_31_2014_122.NEF Mason took his hat off and then turned it around. It was cuter this way.Halloween_10_31_2014_128.NEF A baseball playing NASA astronaut. Halloween_10_31_2014_138.NEF He had a hard time understanding this candy was for other kids. He wanted to eat it all just like his Mama. Halloween_10_31_2014_141.NEF Poor Poor Gabby. We ended up putting her upstairs where she could watch everything, but not scared the kids and try to greet everyone. Halloween_10_31_2014_143.NEF

About Us

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Michael and I have been together since 2006. We met in college at the University of Arkansas and began our life together. We bought a house and moved to Fayetteville from the Chicagoland area in November 2009. We were married in 2010 and had our first child, a boy, in 2013. Our favorite thing to do together is travel and we have gotten the opportunity to go to lots of fun places. We are working, breathing, playful parents. Our fur baby and child are the center of our crazy life, but we wouldn't have it any other way.