Baby Doll Crib

By Sarah

Our Great-Grandpa made this baby doll crib for our Mom when she was 5 in 1958!  Mom recently gave the cribs to Jamie and Me.

How precious is this??  Reesie climbed up in it and fell asleep!!!

Thanksgiving 2012

Sarah & Reese (2), Jamie & Mason (2)

Mason & Reese Visit the Zoo!

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Mason is 2 already!!!

Mason is 2!!!!  So....is this the terrible twos???  Yikes!!!!  We had a fun weekend of celebrating! On Friday (Mason's actual birthday), we went out to dinner at Mellow Mushroom for some pizza then came home for cake.  Then Sunday we enjoyed a nice family birthday party.  He got some fabulous presents including a Harley Davidson big wheel (thanks, Aunt Sarah!), a motorized motorcycle (thanks, grandma & papa and aunt Kelly & gang), Ohio Bobcats clothes (thanks, grandma & grandpa) and more!

It's amazing how much can happen in the two short years of a little one!  While Mason has been a challenge for us in many ways (hehehe!!), he has also caused laughter, joy, and much happiness in our lives!  He continues to be curious, destructive, strong, and a definite BOY.  But he is also very happy, friendly and kind.  I yelled out "ouch" the other day when I cut myself with a knife and he came over and said "Mommy, are you ok?"!!  When I'm walking him in the stroller, and he sees neighbors outside, he waves and yells "Hi, I'm Mason!"!!  He runs up and hugs some of the moms that wait outside Mya's school every day.  He says many more words than I can even count, and sentences too.  It's still a little hard for other people to understand him, but I'm hoping his speech will improve quickly.

He was so consistent with his afternoon naps while Mya was at school, then all of a sudden a couple weeks ago, around 10AM, he started telling that he wanted to go to bed.  So now he will wake up around 7:30, take a nap from 10-Noon and be up the rest of the day.  He uses up so much energy in the morning, that I guess he needs an early nap!!!

Height: 38.5" (99%)
Weight: 37 lbs (99%)

We love you, Mister!!!

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Reese visits Mason & Mya

While Sarah was out of town last weekend, Reesie got to spend the day with us!!!  She is such a doll!  Mya and I missed her soooo much when she left. (MR was asleep when I took most of these pictures!)

Mason is 23 Months!!!

Wow, MR is almost one!!!!

He is a little red-faced in this pic because he had been crying about something but yet wanted me to take his picture!!!

I can't believe this is my last post before he finishes his second year of life!!!!  We have seen such a huge change in him the last few weeks.  First of all, he talks sooooo much more now!!  I just can't believe how quickly he went from saying only a few words to saying at least 100 or more words and even phrases and short sentences.  I'm going to try to remember some of my faves so I have documentation: sissy's at school, I don't know, where is it, I'm not a monkey, and night night mommy love you.  He also sings along to many of the Nick Jr. songs, which is exactly like what Mya did!!!

He is still busier than ever!! I still have to clean up toothpaste out of the carpet, wash my white sheets and comforter waaaaay more than I need to because of dirty fingers touching them, and the destruction of electronics and other valuables continues!!  But it's just "stuff," and is all replaceable.  He is a very, very happy guy and loves people.  He says hi to little kids almost everywhere we go, waves goodbye to strangers, and warms up to other moms outside Mya's school very quickly (we usually arrive a little early so I can socialize with everyone!!!).

I ordered him a new pair of athletic shoes the other day in a 9W.  Mya wears an 11, so I can almost see him passing her by the time winter rolls around!!!  Yikes!!!  Is this boy going to slow down his super-sized growth spurt soon??!!!  I don't get much time away from the house by myself, but when I do, Mason always come screaming "Mommyyyyyyyy!!!" in the happiest voice ever!  You'd think I'd been gone for months!!  I love it!!!
My Mister is almost 2!  Wow, thank you Lord for this strong-willed child that I prayed specifically for over 2 years ago.  I can't imagine my life without him!!!

(P.S. Speaking of Strong-Willed, I have started reading a book by Dr. James Dobson titled The Strong-Willed Child......I hope to finish it by Mason's 2-year birthday and will share my thoughts on it!!)

Mason is 22 Months!!!

Another month has gone by, and Mason is closer to his second birthday!  We've had a busy summer including our big vacation to Virginia Beach a couple weeks ago.  Mason wasn't as excited about the ocean or the pool as I had expected...he had more fun getting into all the stuff at the hotel.  One day, he pulled a watermelon out of the fridge (talk about strong!!!!) and another day he came out with Grandpa's electric shaver in his hand (Yikes!!!)!!  He took most of his naps in his stroller.  It got soooo hot by the end of the week, that we kept him inside most of the time during the day.

He is starting to use more phrases now....Here You Go, Thank You, I'm Sorry, and copies most of what we say!  He weighs 36 lbs (Mya weighs 40!!) and wears 3T shirts and shorts and 2T pants.  He is somewhat of a bully to sissy....he pulls her hair and tackles her!!!  It's all in fun of course!!!  He is very strong-willed and when he doesn't get his way, he cries....VERY loudly!! If we hold his hand to take him someplace he doesn't want to go, he will just sit himself down! I have been reading up on how to handle this type of child, so my approach is different these days.  The good news is that usually this personality ends up to be very successful in life, as they are determined and won't give up!!! Hmmmm....maybe the NFL???

Mya starts kindergarten on Aug 17th!!!!  Wow, it makes me cry just to type that!!  She is so excited!  I had never expected that she would enter kindergarten already reading so well.  In fact, she took one of her favorite books, Caps for Sale, to Sunday School and read it to our whole class and they were so attentive to her!  I get asked by moms what I am doing or what I've done to teach her to read.  Truthfully, I haven't done much of anything except read to her!!  She has always had an interest in books and writing, so in Preschool, she continued to soak up all the knowledge.  And I think she learns a lot from Nick Jr!!!  One time she asked me about the silent "e", but that is the only time I have ever really explained to her about reading.  I guess she just figured it out?!!!!  I'm anxious for her to go to kindergarten in hopes that it will improve some of her whining and sensitivity issues, so we will see!!! Today, we are going to go shopping for school supplies!