2, 4, 6

We made a 2 trips to MacMcGoon Studios this fall to get special pictures for Mason's 4 year pictures and Cooper's at 6 months.

Happy Halloween 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mason and Cooper were lucky and patient enough to celebrate Halloween for two days, both at Anna's Bananas and home. Mason was his favorite Wii character Mario and Cooper was a cute, cuddly lion. Mason enjoyed a day of activities at school which included a costume parade, activities in other classrooms and of course a treat bag (and since Mason doesn't really like candy, he was simply estatic about the M&Ms in his bag). Cooper got to hang out looking cute with his teachers and other babies.

On Halloween, Mason and Cooper got their costumes on again and paid a visit to Grandma Geralyn and Grandpa Mike's house where Tyler jumped in on the fun. After arriving home, Mason and Tyler were joined by Henry (with parents Mandy and Andy in tow) for some trick-or-treating in our neighborhood (for those of you who haven't heard, our neighborhood, especially our neighbors are huge fans of Halloween). Trick-or-treating did not last long since Mason came home crying after a man in a mask scared him when he answered his door. Luckily the boys were ready to play at home anyway. The Gunderson's also joined us later in the evening. The kids were all very adorable in their costumes and enjoyed some playtime.

Milestones Times Two

Today when I picked up Mason and Cooper from school, I was greeted as always with big smiles from Cooper, but today something was a little different. The difference...his first tooth has arrived. I attempted to get a picture tonight of this tooth, but Cooper had other ideas.

Later while playing at home tonight, we were treated to another difference...Cooper has finally figured out crawling. We are definitely in trouble now that he is mobile. He has been frustrated for quite some time so we are very excited he figured out how to move himself around easier. I was able to get a little video of his success.

It has been quite a busy, fun and eventful evening. It makes me wonder what will happen tomorrow:)

Six Years and Counting

On Sunday, Corey and I celebrated our six year anniversary and could not have spent the day any better than with our boys. Similar to the random warm weekend we got married, we were able to enjoy some time outside.

We visited Pahl's Market in Apple Valley for their Pumpkin Pahlooza.

We also got to log some backyard time. Cooper was captivated by the leaves on the ground, which surprisingly did not end up in his mouth. Mason had his fun rolling around in the leaves.

Our lives have changed so much for the better in the last six years. With these two, how could it not?

Yyyaaayyy Gophers!

Let the Gopher Hockey season begin!

6 Month Stats

Height: 27.5 inches (75th percentile)

Weight: 18 pounds 15 ounces (60th percentile)

Head Circumference: 18 inches (90th percentile)

Likes: Being out and about, balls, bananas, Mason's attention, a soft Gopher hockey puck (go figure), putting anything and everything into his mouth.

Dislikes: Not being able crawl!

Catching Up With Cooper

Cooper has learned some new tricks since our last update.

Sitting on his own.

Rolling over (back to front). After long ago mastering the roll from front to back, Cooper finally figured out how to get onto his tummy (first achieved 09/25/2009). I apologize for the bad lighting on the video, I really need a new camera or to learn how to use more lights while filming.

Ready, set...almost. He is very close to crawling. Here is a little video of an attempt.

I again apologize for the bad lighting.

A week shy of his 6th month birthday, Cooper was finally able to try out some baby food. We started with the traditional rice cereal and have since introduced bananas, sweet potatoes and oatmeal. He is very much enjoying this variation from the bottle and hopefully he continues loving new foods.

First Food 10/02/2009

Since Mason has had a number of photo slideshows lately, I decided to include a little photo montage of Cooper as well:)

Summer Season Finale

We started and ended our summer season at the cabin; unfortunately, these were the only two (2) trips we were able to make to the cabin this summer. We are hoping for a couple more visits next year.

Highlights from the weekend included the following:

Golf. As some of you know, Corey golfed most Wednesday nights in the summer in a men's league at Hidden Greens Golf Course. Each and every Wednesday Corey golfed, Mason was disappointed that he was not able to join him. After a long summer of waiting, Mason finally got his chance. Corey, Grandpa Mike, Erik and Joe decided to play a round at Echo Hills Golf Course in Turtle Lake with Mason and Tyler in tow.

Boats. Cooper had his first boat ride with little to no fuss about the life jacket, until he got hungry anyway. He enjoyed taking in his surroundings during the first part of the tour and even got in a nap mid way.

We had Mason geared up to try tubing, but he quickly changed his mind once he watched Erik whip Joe around the lake. He decided to be Grandpa's co-driver instead.

Engagement. The excitement of the weekend peaked when Emily and Erik got engaged. We are very much looking forward to their wedding next year. Congratulations Emily and Erik!

Mason Turns 4

After a long summer of waiting until Auntie Rachel and Uncle Chad were married, Mason's birthday finally arrived. Leading up to his birthday, we finally agreed that he could play Wii Boxing when he turned 4 (we had used this as a bribery tactic for potty training and then he pushed it out to when he turned 4 on his own). As Mason awoke on his birthday morning, his first words were "I can go play "Working The Bag," which is a training exercise for Wii Boxing. Since his birthday fell on a Wednesday, Mason was able to spend the day with his friends at Anna'a Bananas where Miss Rachel made him a birthday crown and he shared birthday cookies.

After school, we celebrated Mason's birthday at home with Mom, Dad and Cooper. We had Mason's favorite dinner of chicken nuggets, fries and chocolate milk from "Old McDonald's," known simply as McDonald's by most. After dinner, we made a trip to Toys 'R' Us where Mason got to pick out his first big-boy bike, a Spiderman bike to be exact. We ended the night with cake, ice cream and song at home.

The following Sunday we celebrated Mason's birthday in baseball fashion complete with field, family, food and fun. Mason was excited to share the baseball field "my dad" made to all of his guests, which included some corporate sponsership (thanks Regis). We served some food items typically found at the ballpark (i.e. Dome Dog replicas, complete with paper basket and Old Dutch Chips, and nachos). Mason as always was showered with great presents and enjoyed his birthday cake.

And that wraps another birthday.

Up Next....

Mason's Birthday Party Invite

The Fours Stats

Cooper's 4 Month Stats

Length: 25 3/4 inches (67th percentile)

Weight: 16 lbs 13 oz (75th percentile)

Head: 17 3/4 inches (96th percentile)

Mason's 4 Year Stats

Height: 41 inches (64th percentile)

Weight: 37.4 lbs (61st percentile)

Ring Bearer Extraordinaire!

We have been anxiously awaiting Rachel and Chad's wedding and Mason's debut as a Ring Bearer. Corey and I had been fairly confident that he would do fine, although we were slightly nervous when Rachel and Chad requested he carry their actual rings. Of course, Mason was perfect and as I have said many times since the wedding he was the "best ring bearer ever."

The Practice Run

The flower girl was Grace Bremer, Chad's goddaughter. She is the daughter of Anne and James Bremer. Anne and I grew up on the same street. James was in our graduating class at Red Wing High School. Needless to say, we have known her parents for a long time. Grace and Mason were also born just 4 days apart.

Just a few (ok, there are quite a few) photos from the day.

Stay tuned for more photos and video.

Regis Valleyfair Day

Every year, Regis pays for its employees and their families to go to Valleyfair, which is ideal for taking little ones since it is an expensive venture, especially since you don't know how they are going to react to rides. Corey and I took Mason last year and he had fun on a few things. This year, Mason and I ventured out to the park on our own (Corey was out of town and Cooper stayed with Grandma Geralyn) and had a blast. Mason went on so many rides and enjoyed just about every minute of our time there. I had to carry a crying kid to the car when it was time to leave.

Mason went on the following rides: Antique Autos (twice); cars (twice), trucks & carousal at the Corkscrew Totspot; the train & slide (twelve times) in Kidsworks; Bumble Bees; Hot Air Balloons (his favorite); Sea Planes; and Mild Thing.

We are definitely looking forward to next year's outing.

Week 16 Update

COOPER:

Cooper continues to give us lots of smiles and laughs, especially in the morning (which makes getting up so early easier). He has become very aware of how his hands work. He has no problems getting them in his mouth and has begun to grab for toys. He is working hard on trying to roll from his back to stomach and is so close.

Likes: Hands (in his mouth preferably), being outside, toy paper (yes, they make toy paper for babies - its tag said "because babies love paper," they are so right), pacifier and Mason.

Dislikes: Waiting for his bottle to be warmed up, his carseat and being tired.

MASON:

Mason continues to be a sports and Wii fanatic. He is anxiously awaiting his birthday. We used to tell him that his birthday was next until one day we were headed to Red Wing for a shower for Rachel and I told Mason that I was going to a party for Rachel. Mason got upset because "but my birthday is next." Now we tell him that his birthday is after Rachel and Chad's wedding.

Likes: Milk (Mason is giving me this list), waffles, sports (see Mason perfecting his golf swing above), being outside, Wii Tennis, Wii Sports, books

Dislikes: Boxing (again from Mason and note, he is still not allowed to play Wii Boxing), going to bed and eating most foods.

Cooper's Three Month Pictures

Goodbye, Hello

My husband will be the first to tell you that I never make things easy. And this is just another one of those instances of making things difficult (on myself mostly). So a couple of weeks before returning to work, which is traumatic enough in itself, we decide to make a daycare/preschool switch.

For those of you who have ever talked daycare with us, you would know that we have had nothing but love for the Eagan North Kindercare (despite a few bumps in the road of course). We had been sending Mason there since he was 12 weeks old. So why change...

1. We knew that we would need to change the boys' daycare once Mason would start Kindergarten (which is Fall 2010 provided he is ready to go). We knew that we could not have one kid in Eagan and the other in Farmington. The more we thought about it, the more we realized that it made more sense to transition Mason now to a new place (since he would be there before and after Kindergarten) so that he doesn't have a new daycare and start Kindergarten all at once. And that way we wouldn't have to change Cooper's care either.

2. Have you seen this place? We fell in love the minute we walked in and their curriculum is phenomenal.

So on Friday, July 10, we said an emotional goodbye to friends and staff at the Eagan North Kinder Care. I hadn't intended to be the one that picked Mason up on his last day because I knew I would be an emotion wreck, but it turned out I was done with work early and had to be a grown up and say the goodbyes, tears and all. The tears didn't let up either once we got home I read the note below from Mason's teacher Ms. Jackie. I just hope that the teachers at Anna's Banana's love Mason as much.

On Wednesday, July 15, the boys said hello to Anna's Bananas Daycare and Preschool. Mason joined in the fun with the four year olds and Miss Rachel in the Coyote room. Cooper was welcomed into the Bunnies room with Ms. Anitra and four other babies.

I love that we got art on his first day!

Week 12 Update Addendum

I cannot believe that I forgot to include a very important Mason update...we can officially say that he is potty trained.  Yay!  As many of you are aware, this was a long, hard battle for us.  We smile everyone time he says "I have to go potty," it just doesn't get old.  He has been potty trained for over a solid month, but I have held off on making the declaration as not to jinx his success.  Congrats Mason:)

Happy 4th of July

         

We spent the day at the annual Wadley family 4th of July pool party at Grandma Geralyn and Grandpa Mike's.  It was a day filled with fun, family and food.  We even had a fireworks show by Erik and Joe, which prompted our favorite conversation of the day:

Mason:  "Grandpa, what is Joe doing?" (as Joe was lighting a bottle rocket)

Grandpa:  "Joe likes to live dangerously."

Mason:  "Where does Erik live?"

It is funny how his mind works:)

Week 12 Update

COOPER:

I will probably say this every month, but how is Cooper already 12 weeks old?  He has changed so much since he was born.  He is an active baby, well, as active as you can be at 12 weeks.  He has recently learned to "scoot" himself on the floor and in his crib.  It is amazing how far he can make it.  Within the last four weeks, he has begun to giggle, which may be one of the best sounds I have ever heard (that and Mason's laugh of course).  Another highlight is that he has begun to organize his nighttime sleep and now only wakes up once for a feeding, he even surprised me with sleeping through the night on June 30 (it only lasted the one night, but I will take it).

Likes:  Playing on the floor, sitting up, cooing, Mason, kisses, scooting

Dislikes:  Lying down in the crib for daytime naps, being in the car when it stops, being overtired (still).

MASON:

Mason, oh Mason, he is just so much fun.  I know that I am biased, but I think that he is just the coolest kid.  He is funny, sweet and a little trouble all mixed into one.  Over the last month, he has really become very interested in reading again and the best part is that he can now read many of the words in his books.  His favorite these days is the Froggy series by Jonathon London.

Likes:  Baseball, playing outside, swimming, reading, Mario Kart Wii, Mommy and Daddy time

Dislikes:  Quiet time, going to bed early, rainy days

Maternity Leave Comes to a Close

After a number of emotional weeks leading up to the end, I returned to work today.  I swear that this return is much harder than my return with Mason, probably since I had twice the enjoyment this time since I got to spend so much time with both boys.  

Who wouldn't be sad to leave these two?

I made it through the first day with some tears, a few of which Mason saw.  He later asked Corey "Why was Mom crying about work?"  It was nice of him to worry about me.