Ski Trip Part 1

We are baaaaccckkkk! I am so happy to be home with my baby girl, and also so glad we had such a fun trip to Colorado with Mason. I am going to break up our trip to prevent video and photo overload!!

Mason was so excited to ride on an airplane. I knew he would do great...no tears. I was worried since we weren't taking a car seat that he would struggle to stay in his seat. I told him the flight attendants would kick us off the plane and call the police if he didn't wear his seatbelt. It definitely helped. I told him they were the bosses and would tell us what to do. 

Oh to be a kid and be able to sleep anywhere and any position. Our first flight to Dallas was cancelled due to maintenance. I am very disappointed in how American Airlines handled everything for us. I knew I would miss our connection and it was the ONLY flight to Gunnison that day. Before we got off the plane I was on the phone with an Agent. She was the dumbest person I have ever dealt with at AA. First, I wanted us on the next flight to DFW just in case our flight to Gunny was delayed. She said oh I have seats for you, but then told me we had a lap child, which I told her no there are 3 of us with seats. She kept saying it won't let me because you have a lap child. I almost screamed at her in the middle of the airport saying I DON'T HAVE A LAP CHILD I have a 3 yr old! Needless to say we didn't get on that flight and yes our Gunny flight was delayed and we would have made it. Once we were to Dallas, they told me they wouldn't comp our room in a hotel because they could get us to Aspen, which is 48 miles from Crested Butte. I tried to explain to the Agents that it is 48 miles as the crow flies. It is a 5 hour drive. They didn't care. Hey, we can get you in the same state, so therefore we won't pay for your hotel room. GRRRRRR...You better believe I will be calling AA this week to file a complaint. We got on the next flight to Crested Butte for the next morning and we tried our best to make the most out of a bad situation. 

Swimming at the hotel pool. We stayed at the Hyatt at DFW and Mason loved watching all the planes take off and land. We woke up the next morning had breakfast and sat waiting on our flight with everything crossed that it wouldn't be delayed or cancelled or anything. Mason was so good. We ran up and down the terminal and then he wanted a movie. I knew he would sleep on the next flight, so I was okay with a little terminal movie watching. 

Out cold on the flight. I brought my blanket scarf on the plane. I thought it would keep me warm and I could always use it as a blanket for Mason if he slept. 

We MADE IT!!! Mason was so excited to ride in the "school bus" up to the mountain.

I am 3 and it is my birthday trip!!!

We got to Colorado at 2:00pm and went to get our skis. Mason was so excited he didn't want to let them out of his sight. The guy who helped us said he had never seen a kid his age so excited to ski. Well, we have been telling him about it for 6 months now. After we all got our skis, we took Mason skiing. Really we pushed him and he rode his skis. We were checking out where we were going the next morning. 

Beautiful Banana Peak on the Blue Bird Day

We then took Mason tubing. He made me laugh so hard. He kept saying LOOK AT ME MOM!!! We bought a ticket with unlimited rides down the hill and Mason would jump out and say again again and up the magic carpet he went. We didn't ride with him, he did it all alone. I will say that the first time Michael let him go I thought, this could be a parenting fail right here. Letting your 3yr old ride in a tube alone without a helmet or anything. He did great and his smile said it all. 

Video of Mason Tubing.

Mason Turns 3

Oh Lordy! Where has the time gone. My baby is getting so big. Mason is such a hyper, fun loving little boy. His energy level sometimes is intense. But he is always excited about life and I love that. I realize a lot of the time that he has my personality, which means I am probably up for years of us butting heads.

He was my teeny tiny little bug. 

Then he turn 1...and I cried. 

Then he turn 2...and I realized my hands were going to be as FULL as my heart!!

He is probably the sweetest boy. He tells us he loves us and those are the sweetest words in the world to hear from your child. He says some of the funniest things. Like the other day, Michael finished his dinner and Mason wanted to go play. He said, "Daddy you finish your food." Michael said, "yeah." Mason, "Good job Daddy High Five" "Lets go play." We obviously do lots of praise for eating. 

He also was caught pointing to all of his cousins saying "You're my best Friend" "You're my best Friend" etc. ADORABLE!!! He tells us all of the time that we are his best friends and that his sister is his best friend and so is Gabby. And Ribby the Razorback. I feel like he sounds like Oprah when he says it...You get a new car and You get a new car!!!

Mason is spunky too. He is a runner. We have had lots of serious conversations about running. He thinks it is funny, and Mommy tries to tell him he will get taken by a bad person. I told him once and he told me it was okay...Daddy will get in the car and find me. Oh no kiddo he won't. Spunky!! 

Mason has also begun lying!!! Isn't he too young to do that? I mean he blames things on his sister already and Gabby. He is a MESS!! The first time he lied I thought did he just do that and now it is almost daily. And he gives us this smile like he knows he isn't about to get away with it, but he knows he is cute. 

Mason loves birthdays and parties. He loves to say it is his birthday even when it isn't. I think this year his birthday will be extra special. I am planning to take him and do something super fun just Mommy and Daddy and then all of our family is coming over to celebrate. We aren't doing a big party this year, since we are leaving the next day to take Mason skiing. If you ask him what are you doing for your birthday he says go to the mountains and go skiing! 

After Mason went to bed last night, I spread balloons down the stairs and into the living room. He loves balloons. I heard him at the top of the stairs say BALLOONS!!! Then he came down and saw the others. He came into our room with excitement in his voice and said Mommy, Daddy I have to show you something! Not sure who he thinks put the balloons everywhere, but needless to say he was happy and excited. I had planned to take him donuts to school in the morning, while Michael took the kids to school, but yesterday several kids in Addison's class had a stomach bug and I did not want her there. Plus they said she had thrown up, even though she hasn't since so it might have been spitting up. No need to risk it before we go out of town. Instead, Michael and him left really early and Michael took him to Krispy Kreme to pick out donuts for his class. 

Tonight he will get the meal of his choice, which will most likely be Chick-Fil-A, and cupcakes. Then tomorrow, we are having family over for pizza and presents. But he is most excited about Sunday, airplanes and skiing. 

Sizes: You wear a 3T or 4T in almost everything. Daddy thinks it should be 4T on everything, but I disagree except in shirts.

Potty Trained: We trained you at 2yr 5 months old. You haven't worn a diaper during the day since May and at night since November. Even though, November was probably too late, but Mommy didn't want to wash sheets. 

Weight: 35lbs

Height: 39" tall 3ft 3inches

Sleeping: Big Boy bed since 2. You sleep from 8pm-6am. Some nights are better than others. You always come downstairs and ask for Mickey Mouse, Daniel Tiger or Super Why in the mornings. 

Likes: Mason loves all things baseball. He is excited about skiing and I am sure will be asking when he gets to go again. He is all boy. He runs and is crazy all of the time. Sometimes I wonder how he has the energy to keep going. 

Christmas (late)

It might be two weeks late but here it is. We had a fun and busy Christmas holiday. We had Michael's birthday, The Polar Express, Christmas Eve at my Mom and Dad's house, Christmas morning at our house and Christmas afternoon with Michael's Mom. The entire week of Christmas was go go go. No wonder all of us are sick.

My parents and brother spoiled Mason to pieces. The amount of large presents this kid got and loved was unbelievable. He was sooooo excited about presents and Christmas this year, that it was funny to listen to him. When we got to my Mom's house, they weren't there and he ran to the tree and would say that one is for Mason and that one is for Mommy...etc. It was cute. At least they all weren't Mason's presents.

Excitement for presents!

All those behind him are his.

Michael and I got helmets for our ski trip and a GoPro!

Christmas morning was exciting. Mason understood Santa this year and he really wanted a bike and sprinkle donut from Santa. Well, Santa thought Mason was good enough to get them. The day the kids starts asking for iPads instead of food Santa will be in trouble.

BATMAN!!!

Ski Bib!

His Snow boots, helmet, and ski socks or as Mason called them bike socks. 

Santa's gift. Mason is on this thing all of the time now. He asks us to get our bikes too. 

When we got home he played in the mud and rode his bike. He also got a fun present from our wonderful neighbors.

Bye Bye Dining Room

I did something I thought I would never do this weekend. I decided to convert my dining room into a playroom for all of the millions of toys we have. Two kids and Christmas just made me so overwhelmed by the large toy accumulation. I had to do something. We had toys in Mason's room, our Media Room, our Living room and even our kitchen. It was awful and I was so over it.

The combination of all the toys and the fact that we have used our dining room once in the 2.5 years we have lived here, meant it had to go. Luckily for us, our attic is huge. So the table, chairs and the top part of our china hutch went into the attic. I will give it some time and decide if I want to sell it or hang onto it for when I don't have the millions of toys, which I don't expect to calm down anytime soon.

Before Christmas I took this picture of our dining room in the last time I will probably ever have a cute table setup.

 After! It is toy land. I have been spending some of my free time going through all the old toys and deciding what we should keep and what is going to be donated. I have a giant trash bag almost full of donate toys and this room is still completely full. My biggest worry in converted this room, was my precious hardwood floors. I was worried about spills and toy drops. I wanted a big area rug but the space is 12x14 and all the rugs I found that would be big enough were thousands of dollars. NO Thank You! I went to Sam's Club thinking that I had seen the colorful mats on the floor at one time and sure enough they still had them. They were easy to put together and are about an inch or more thick. Addison already fell off the trampoline and hit her head and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Both kids have spent a lot of time in here the last few days, which is awesome!

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

January

Found out we were having a girl!!!

Mason turned 2

February

It snowed a lot. And Mason enjoyed playing in the snow, just not gloves. 

March

We came up with a name for our girl. 

April

Easter

We became a family of 4!

May

Addison met her friend Nora at the lake.

June

We spent all summer in our pool since Mommy was off.

July

Mason got to tube on the lake for the first time.

August

Daddy and Uncle Skrocki spoiled Mason at a Natural's baseball game.

September

Addison was baptized at church

Mason went to his first football game!

October

Halloween with friends. 

Girls trip to Washington DC.

November

We had a very successful trip to see Santa.

We had family photos done. 

December

Mason got to go on the Polar Express.