11 Months

I say this all the time, but where does the time go?!? 

Mason is now 11 months old and this comes with a whole flood of feelings - ones I didn't quite expect. I feel like I am now in the last month of having my little baby. I have always been a little sensitive to the fact that this is the only time I will have one baby and something about him being my first baby - so for this chapter to be coming to a close has me all sorts of emotional.

As I watch him play and learn and grow every day - I want to just scoop him up and keep him that way forever. I just love his little chubby baby hands with the dimples on his knuckles, his sweet chubby, round, kissable cheeks and the way they make his eyes disappear when he smiles, his soft chubby baby body, and his sweet little baby noises. My heart just aches thinking of how these things will all slowly disappear as he grows bigger. 

I became a mom with Mason and have learned and grown and become a different person because of his addition. I fell in love with being a mom and having a sweet little baby who is so much a part of me. I never knew what being a mom would be like and it is so much more than I could have ever hoped for. Sure, it has it's rough times and days that I would be willing to sell Mason - but there is a depth of love I have for him that I have never experienced. It feels like quite a spiritual bond and one I could never live without now. 

My moments of cuddling with Mason are few and far between - he often doesn't slow down enough to allow for any cuddling. So with my days of nursing numbered, I cherish our mornings in bed with him snuggled into the curves of my body - as if he fits perfectly next to me. His sweet, busy hands usually find their way to some piece of clothes, hair, or blanket to fiddle with as he eats. I stare in awe at the amazing miracle of life and am overwhelmed with the feeling of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the opportunity to have created such a perfect body. 

Putting Mason to bed is the only other time I get to be snuggled close to him. I wrap his blanket around him as he rests his head on my shoulder and sing him his song "You are my Sunshine" a couple times. These days, my singing often get interrupted when his puckered lips find mine for a kiss. It's then that my heart melts and my eyes well up with tears - this little babe is such a blessing. I finish by snuggling him tight and whispering in his ear how much I love him - which is sometimes answered back with some babbling.

So as all mom's before me have wished and failed to do, I wish I was the one who could learn to stop time. I know each new stage and age comes with their own excitement and wonder - but there is nothing quite like babyhood, and I'm just not ready to give that up yet.

So please stay small, Mr. Mason.

So I Married an Artist

Cameron has some pretty amazing talents, one that I always am in awe of his is artistic abilities. I was never blessed in this area so anything and everything he does always impresses me. He can sit down and draw up anything and it looks fantastic.

So a few weeks ago he got an email from Jamie asking him to work on a family portrait for her. She sent him some links and away he went getting his creative wheels turning. He only needed to get an idea of what she was looking for and he turned it out like it was nothing (ok - nothing as in a few versions and revisions, but none of it seemed to be much of a challenge for him). 

I always love watching his creative process and watch nothing become something. It's almost mesmerizing.

I loved how theirs turned out so much that I asked him to keep going and do our family. I loved it just as much and love our sweet little family. Admittedly, the no face thing is a little different but I kind of love it at the same time.

It's now hanging on our wall and I love having something that Cam did that is so personal to us. I just love him.

He also did this one of one of our engagements. This one I particularly love and can't wait to get printed!

He is working on getting a bit of a side business that this is now my plug for him - if you are interested in anything (he doesn't do just portraits) you should check him out: 

http://pixelcanvasdesign.blogspot.com/

Happy Easter

Apparently I only blog about holidays, but I guess that is ok with me as I feel they are probably the best days to document. 

This year Easter was as low key as they come - the extent of all my Easter preparations was buying an Easter shirt for Mason and 12 eggs for the family egg hunt. Other than that, I didn't buy a single piece of candy, no fun Easter surprises for Cam, and not a thing for Mason. Sounds fun, right?

Actually, it was quite nice. Easter morning we woke up and I made a special breakfast, we watched "Music and the Spoken Word" and just relaxed. It seemed quite an appropriate way to spend Easter and while we may not have many more like this until our kids are grown, it was a nice way to spend the morning.

Later we went to Dodee's for the Annual Easter Party. This year it was different with Dodee gone, but I loved that so much of it felt exactly the same. Her presence was definitely missed, but she still seems to be a part of everything through her memories and traditions. We kept it pretty close to how we have always done it, and I loved that. I have the best memories of Easter at Dodee's - memories now that I am forever grateful for.

The weather couldn't have been better - right? It was just perfect to be outside and made for a comfortable evening of just being on the front lawn from the pinata, to the egg hunt, to just being together. I loved it.

We had the egg hunt and obviously Mason was less than aware of what was going on, but we gathered some eggs for him and he enjoyed exploring some new spoils (notice the adorable bunny my cousin made for him - it's super cute).

As as with any family get together, Mason got tons of love. He has started to kick up his "stranger danger," which I am less than trilled about, but he still loves his grandma.

We are working on the Grandpa thing... clearly it's a work in progress (and you should have seen how he reacted to Grandpa Clark two days earlier - you would have thought he was a monster the way Mason reacted. Obviously we have some work to do...)

And while he didn't warm up to Brooke initially (which she hates) she found a secret weapon and just bribed him into submission. (deep down I know he loves all these people, he is just going through a phase - or at least I tell myself it is just a phase - any suggestions on this front?)

This happens to be one of my favorite pictures from the whole day. I think there is something so sweet about my quiet grandpa that just seems to take in everything around him. I love this man and all that he has shown me about being a loving, devoted spouse as well as the goodness in being gentle and kind. I know that life marches on and one day we will all age and I hope to be able to have my family around like my grandparents have been able to. What a wonderful blessing to have a family and a good posterity. 

 It really was a perfect Easter. I loved being able to remember the sacrifice and gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. It's so special to have a day to celebrate the promise of eternal life - which means even more now with such a recent loss in our life. What a blessing to have the knowledge of the Gospel and to know it's teachings are true. So often every day life seems to wear down the poignancy of this that a day to remember and bring it back to focus is always needed. 

Happy Love Day

Valentine's Day has always been a holiday that I didn't care too much for. I have always loved the infusion of color it provides in stores/decorations/etc after such the dreary month of January. But celebrating/liking it was always just kind of - eh. 

But this year I have decided that I really enjoy the holiday. We have decided around our house - it is not a gift giving holiday but more just a day to do something thoughtful. I don't want it to be about things or become to much of a thing - just  a day we can try to make things different.

My day started out with a surprise stash of treats in my bathroom - followed by hidden love notes I found throughout the day (I still have the one in the fridge). 

I then got my little Valentine ready for the day and set out on finding him a special someone for the day - he had a lot of requests... such a ladies man. (Have I ever mentioned I just love this boy?!?!)

That night, Cam and I celebrated with take-out (our current favorite: Pei Wei) and a viewing of Skyfall. It was the perfect, low key way to spend the evening - with our little one tucked in bed by 7:00 and taken care of for the night - it really does beat going out most nights. 

The next day Mason got his very first Valentine in the mail - I loved that it was even addressed to him. That Amy thinks of everything/everyone.

So from here on out - I have decided to be a fan of Love Day - why not take advantage of a day to actually focus of those you love and do something different? I think part of my change of heart is being a stay-at-home mom, I'll do almost anything to switch up my day-to-day routine. 

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Bath time is a sacred time around here. Mason is in love with the bath and is so content to play for as long as I let him - which is what makes it so sacred. With him being contained and content for up to 45 minutes, even having to sit there, it is like a small break.

I also can't help but be so in love with his little naked body, watching him play with his toys, figuring out how best to move around in the water, and the surprise that comes after his kicks make a splash. I could watch him all day in the tub.

His chubby little hands (which are to. die. for.) reach for toys as they float away and when he does manage to grab one - he looks at it with such concentration and focus. He is a serious little boy, even when he is enjoying himself. I just love to watch him figure out this strange world all around him.

We both wish it was always bath time.

Christmas

This is kind of like Christmas in July - but it's Christmas in February (barely) as I have decided to ignore my blog for so long. But that is all going to change (hopefully).

Mason's first Christmas was not quite as exciting as I had hoped (not that I really expected much). I knew being young he wouldn't care about much of anything - I thought he might enjoy the lights or the tree or something, but he really didn't care for any of it.

Even if he didn't care - it was so much fun to have a different outlook on the holiday. 

We spent many nights soaking in the Christmas feeling, complete with the tree, fire, and Christmas music. It is always my favorite way to enjoy the season.

It was during this time that Mason did get a bit more mobile and would make his way to the presents quite often. He loved to just gnaw on them.

The season was filled with parties and activities - which I happened to take zero pictures of. I guess Mason won't be able to look back and remember any of it.

Christmas Eve night we did do new jammies for Mason and Cam - I always think Mason is cute in everything - but these were his first pair of tight pajamas and he was killing me with how adorable he looked. 

My Boys.

Christmas morning was different than anything I have experienced. We went through our regular routine of feeding, changing, etc (apparently Mason's excitement couldn't get him through his hunger pains like the rest of us). And still being so little - even opening presents was more for us than him.

He did love to study each and every piece of paper he ripped of and usually didn't care what was even inside. 

But once he got the idea of them being toys or even interesting - he was then fully focused. I just love my little serious boy.

Next up Christmas day was Christmas at my parents. It is so nostalgic and something I just love! Filled with breakfast food, my favorite people, and gifting presents (something I have always loved with my siblings - the gifts are always so well planned and thoughtful and always more fun to give than to get). 

The day was filled with lots of love for my little guy - he is so lucky to have so many family members who just love him. 

And for some reason he always ends up with Uncle Ben - I think he has found a little bit of a buddy in him.

The cousins especially can't get enough of Mason - they are always so good to love on him and Mason drew quite the audience while opening his present. He was more interested in everyone looking at him than he was in opening the present. 

We spent most of the day there and enjoyed the quiet that happened when naps happened and the crowd dwindled. It was so nice to just soak up the holiday afterglow.

The following weekend we had Christmas with the Clark's. They rented the church and we made it an Ugly Christmas Sweater party - it was a BLAST! We made calzones, the kids could run around, and presents of course!

Cameron is always up for going all out for things (remember Forest Gump for Ragnar?) and this was no exception. His outfit just kept getting crazier and crazier. I love this guy and his attitude towards things. 

Oh boy... I have no words really. But those meggings. 

The rest of the pictures of this event are being held hostage as I was told none of them turned out. Someday I hope to get them and show you just how fun the party was.

It really was a fabulous Christmas and I can't wait for many more with our little munchkin. 

8 Months and Counting

It seems like I should have grasped the concept that once you have a baby time just flies by - but it just keeps surprising me. I blink and my baby grows or learns something new - I'm not quite sure I like him growing up so fast.

Mason is now just over 8 months old and is so full of life. He fills my world with so much happiness I don't know what to do with it all. I am greeted every morning with a smile and squeal of delight as I get him out of his crib - he is always so happy to be doing anything. I then get to cuddle with him in bed as he nurses and spends some extra time with me - I know these mornings are numbered and I try to soak them up while I can.

The rest of our days are filled with learning all sorts of new things - trying new foods, playing with toys and figuring them out just a little more, and laughing at nearly everything. This boy laughs at everything these days - he sure knows how to squeal and it drives him to laughter every time, look at him in any way and say "Mason" and he giggles, and if you pull out the big guns of "peek-a-boo" he just can't contain himself - he loves it.

He is still so content to play on his own and is very good at moving around by rolling and pivoting on his tummy - and I'm convinced he just isn't strong enough to get his chubby belly off the ground to crawl, but I'm OK with that for now. As content as he is, he LOVES getting attention. Just look at him and he rewards you with a big TOOTHY grin - yes, he has two of them now.

Baths are a highlight around here - he could play forever in the water and loves to kick as fast as he can to splash the water (let's be honest - he is really always kicking as he is always excited about something, but it is just so much more fun in the water). He has certain bath toys that have become a staple in and out of the tub - they must be the perfect amount of squishy that it feels good on his gums and is easy to hold. We make sure we have one nearly everywhere we go as it is my lifesaver when I need to entertain him.

I say it time and time again that he is such a good baby - but he really is. He is always happy, mild mannered, and spoiling me for any future baby that is even a little bit normal. He makes being a mom as easy as can be and so rewarding. 

Who knew a little chubby boy could steal my heart and change my life forever?  

Us Days and Family Days

It seems like day in and day out my routine is about the same: feed, play, nap, change diaper, repeat - and most of our days it is just the two of us.

We get to spend our days cuddling in bed:

and after a little playing this kids hair looks like this (and yes - his eyes are always a different color, it just depends on the light and even his mood).

We watch TV - this kid loves any chance he gets to be in front of the TV - I honestly don't let him watch that much, but when it's on, he is glued to it.

And then there are our family days -  they are basically all our outings consist of.

We get cousin time - these two are destined to be good friends with only two weeks separating them in age.

Sadly, some of our family time was for Grandma Zweifel's funeral - it was a beautiful service full of memories and love - and so nice to be with all of the family.

We sneak in great-grandma time 

(I can't tell you how much I love this picture - so much happiness and love).

We get to go to girl's lunches, 

where Mason wants to share everything that everyone else has - and Brooke is happy to oblige. 

We get days in Park City with Grandma.

With all the outing we sometimes have our off days. But even on these days, Mason's sadness turns to laughter in a matter of minutes (literally - he started smiling and laughing right after I took his sad picture).

I am so spoiled with this good nature'd baby - he practically entertains himself and is always ready with a smile. 

So between our days in and our days out - my whole life is my baby and our simple routine brings me so much happiness.