Mason & Reesie....where has the time gone?

By Jamie

I don't update this blog often, but I couldn't resist posting this pic of Mason and Reesie at the pool from last weekend!!!  We had a great day with Sarah and the fam just relaxing and enjoying the sunshine (which we haven't seen much of lately!).  Sweet Reesie was crying when we left:(

BTW, in 3 months, these two will be turning 5!!!!!

Reesie is 4!!!

By Jamie

Look at these two cousins!!! 4 years old!!!!

Here is a little mini photo shoot I did of Mason & Reesie:

Mason is 4!!!!!

Wow, I cannot believe it was over 4 years ago that Sarah and I started this blog to document our pregnancies and now those two precious babies are 4 (Reesie actually has a few more days until she's 4, but you know what I mean!!)!!!

We celebrated Mason's birthday yesterday with a great family party... (it's clear in these pics that I need a new phone....apologies for the fuzziness!!!)

Mason and Reesie!!!! 

Cousins: Colton, Mason and Reesie 

Me with Mason, Sarah with Reesie:

Top is a pic from Mason and Reesie's 1st Birthday and bottom is the remake we did yesterday for their 4th Birthday!!!! 

The Birthday Boy!!! 

Soooo much has changed with this boy over the past year.  He is still full of energy, loves basketball, is outgoing and is a very, very happy guy! But he is much less impulsive, will sit and play with his trains for hours, and is not as destructive as a year ago!!!! (However, we did just have to replace a drawer in our refrigerator that he broke by pulling out too hard...that was a lovely $75....yikes!!)

He is in preschool 2 afternoons a week.  He is eating it right up!!!  I almost regret not putting him in 3 days a week because I know he would do find, but I decided to ease him into it since he still has another year of preschool left before starting kindergarten in 2016.  He has taken a slight interest in writing his name and has mastered the M, O, and N.  His reading/writing is completely opposite his sister, and I have to stop comparing!!!  I can already see that his strength will be math!

He's in swimming lessons now and is doing excellent!  It's a class that is for parents and children together, so it's been a great for us to spend some splash time together!!!  In fact, we had the class this morning and I don't know why I even bother putting makeup on beforehand because I see the raccoon eyes that I have right now as the eyeliner has smudged all around!!!  He still loves basketball and we can't wait to get involved with more structured leagues now that he is 4.  

He is still a very tall and solid guy!  I'll be sure to post his height and weight on Friday after his appointment.  He's into a size 6 clothes and 1 shoe.

We're so grateful for our Mister!  I miss him when I'm away from him!  I always pray that God will use him in a great way and that his talents will be used to serve the Lord.  He makes us laugh, (sometimes cry), he encourages others, he's kind-hearted, and we can't believe this boy is 4!!!!!

Lunch Date

by Jamie

Once in a while, Sarah and I get to enjoy lunch together with Mason and Reesie!!  It's becoming much easier now that the kids are a little older!  Mason brought his Thomas trains...

Christmas 2013

Grandma & Grandpa with all 8 grandkids from top L to R:

Colton, Carson, Kylie & Josh

Mya & Ryan

Grandpa, Mason, Reese & Grandma

Reesie is 3

Reesie is 3

The 3 years of Mason...

by Jamie
10/5/13

Wow, I can't believe it....Mason is a 3 year-old!!!!

I don't even know where to begin as I look back on the last three years!!!  There have been lots of ups and downs, challenges, struggles, laughs, cries, exhausting days, diapers, spills, clean-ups....and joy with this boy!!!

BIG BOY
Mason is huge!  He is about 42 pounds, wears a size 12 shoe, and mostly 4 or 5 clothes.  He has maintained the 99% in height/weight since he was about 9 months.  Adding to his size is his strong will and impulsivity.  This boy DOES NOT STOP!!  He is on the move all day long!  He loves playing sports, Hot Wheels, and jumping on the trampoline.

BASKETBALL OBSESSION
We moved into this house back in May.  We still have no furniture in the "formal" living room because it is his basketball room!  The only thing in it is a basketball hoop!  My parents got him a pair of Air Jordans for his birthday. He insists on tank tops (which he calls "Attack U" shirts) and basketball shorts almost every day.

WHAT HAS HE RUINED?
The other day, I put together a list of the things in our house that he has ruined:
Nail polish on a couch cushion
2 External hard drives
Carpet in our old house
Doors - he has cracked a door frame and dented the door to Mya's room
Carpet in our current house by writing on it with lipstick (thank heavens for Dawn, I was able to get it out)
Mya's Mobigo - he threw it in the bathtub
Our TV - he has scratched it multiple times with the remote and PS3 controllers
Our rear windshield wiper on the van - yep, he broke it:

He dumps water, bowls of cereal, bowls of pretzels, etc.  I have to keep the vacuum and carpet steamer out all the time. I won't even post the picture of when he took off his pull-up after he pooped and smeared it all over the white carpet.

I'm sure I will look back one day and laugh at all this....maybe......if I can get through it with my sanity!!!!

HAPPY GUY

Aside from all the difficulty, Mason is a very happy boy.  He is extremely social and friendly.  Nobody is a stranger to him.  He loves meeting new friends, giving hugs, and playing with all of Mya's friends (yes, he even puts on dresses and heels!!!).  He asks about going to Athens to the Convo almost every other day.  We can't wait until basketball season to watch the Bobcats!  When I prayed for this boy, God was indeed laughing.  He knew what Mason would be like long before he was born.  And God knew the two people in the world who were capable of parenting him: Jim and me! So the journey continues! Mister, we love you and and are thankful for you!