future gamer

austin has done a lot of his usual gaming doing break. 

This year he has a little buddy helping him

He likes to point out the bad guys for daddy

and when daddy isn't doing it just right, he says "just let me do it"

His favorite move is throwing grenades

Sewing project *1*

As I noted in my last post I am going to improve my sewing skills in 2012.

I started a bit early making a few Christmas gifts. One of them was for my photographically talented sister in law, Andrea. 

I made a lens case and camera strap. Many asked to see the final result and after meeting with her this afternoon for coffee, which was a great hour away with adult mommy/friend talk, I can share

I has a lot of fun making this gift. The pattern was suppose to make a case for her small lens, 50 mm, but it ended up being bigger than I thought. She will be able to use it for her zoom lens and I will alter the pattern for a smaller one. After making hers, I put together one for myself =)

what's happening in 2012

I read that only 1/3 of people who make New Year's resolutions keep them and I am guilty of being in the 2/3's that don't. This year instead of making resolutions I am making a list of thing I am doing.

1. See this pre baby body? well by the time I can take Mason to the pool I will have this body back

yeah this is me =)

2. Meal plan- The number of times I hear "there is nothing to eat in this house" are going to be significantly fewer

3. Sew- I am going to master my sewing machine

4. Save- We are going to start building our savings account

5. Start and finish my  365 blog

6. Enjoy this little man to the fullest

7. Grow my hair out

Here's to to-do lists that are getting done this year!

Mason's first chirstmas

This post will have little words and a ton of pictures..... its better that way

Christmas morning started out with Austin thinking Mason was ready to open gifts before the sun when really he just wanted to eat and laid back down for an hour. Since Austin was already up he and I opened our gifts to each other and waited for little man to wake up.

Mason first opened his gifts from us

mason LOVED ripping the wrapping paper

and played with them

and then papa came over with lots of gifts

after they were opened they were played with

Later that day we headed over to grandma and grandpa's, where even more gifts were opened

all in all mason's first Christmas was a success and he was greatly spoiled by his loved ones.

it's almost time....

for a haircut!

I can't bring myself to cut his little hair but it is starting to get a bit ridiculous 

just not yet

graduation day!

We made the haul up to Missouri Friday to watch Brooke graduate from the nursing program at Missouri Western.

The plan was to leave Wichita at 3 (mason's nap time) in hopes that he would sleep a majority of the way. Emily was coming home from school in Oklahoma and ended up arriving a little late. We didn't hit the road till closer to 4pm. Mason did fall asleep rather quickly....

but that only lasted 30 minutes.

after about 45 minutes of playing fine in his carseat we stopped about an hour out to feed Mason in hopes that he would go back to sleep till we got there. We had dinner plans with Brooke and Nate so we needed him to hopefully not be cranky. By this time it was getting dark and Mason absolutely HATES being in the car when it is dark, thus being said he whined for 40 minutes before finally drifting to sleep

I wasn't sure how he was going to sleep in the hotel room. We had 2 full sized beds, my thought was to bring some of the blankets he uses around the house and put him in one bed to himself. Luckily he slept great, all night infact, 9:30-6:30.

Graduation day was the real test. Brooke had pinning at 8:30 and graduation at 11. This left little time for a morning nap. We got ready, ate breakfast and heading to the pinning. Normally Mas naps around 8:30-9 so i was slightly worried we might have a mealtdown. 

I am happy to say we didn't! He did fall asleep during the speaker but once they announced the first name and everyone started clapping he was woken up. He sat with Austin, so I could take pictures, and he thought playing with daddy's beard was quite entertaining.

getting pinned

Brooke and Nate

Mason with Auntie Brooke

After the pinning we took Mason to Brooke's dorm to get a quick nap before the ceremony. He was able to sleep 30 minutes before we had to head to the next event. About 10 minutes into graduation he was over it, luckily Austin took him to a little waiting area they had with chairs and a tv. Austin said there were quite a few dads out there with little babies =)

we were on the balcony so pictures were a chanllange

Mason was exhausted at this time and I don't blame him, he hadn't really got a nap and most of the time he is on a 3-4 nap a day schedule! We headed to lunch and this was where he melted down. Poor baby was just over all the running around. Needless to say after multiple attempts to stop his screaming in the restaurant (everyone tried-grandma, me, austin, and even grandpa) I took him to the car so he would fall asleep.

The ride home was much better, he slept the first 2 hours and played the last hour.

We were so proud to see Brooke graduate with honors. She has worked so hard, between soccer, school, and clinicals she has pushed herself. She received a job at Children's Mercy in Kansas City just days before graduating. We are sad she will not be moving home but excited she has the opportunity to work in the field she was hoping to, pediatric oncology.

the whole family

Congratulations Brooke!

who doesn't like a chubby naked kid

tonight was the first night i put Mas in the real  bathtub instead of his baby tub.

we don't have a slip resistant mat so he was sliding all over the place but liked it for the most part

i was worried he wasn't going to have it considering when we moved his baby tub from kitchen sink to bathroom he was terrified and cried 2 nights before he was okay with it

most of these pictures are blurry but what can you expect when you are trying to take a photo of a 6 month old, who still falls over when sitting sometimes, in a bathtub without a slip mat?? plus i didn't want my iso above 400 because i get grain so my shutter was slower than needed to capture a moving baby!

who doesn't like a chunky nakie baby??

=)

splashin'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my camera strap

I spent the morning looking through etsy for a padded camera strap.

I searched 100's of listings for just the right one.

i couldn't find it

I found a few i liked but I wasn't settling for one I just liked, I wanted to love it, especially if I was dishing out $20+ 

I ended up not buying one. Instead I went to Hobby Lobby to see if I could find that fabric I just loved.

I did't

BUT I did find some decent fabric on clearance  and fleece (for padding) 

I am not totally in love with it but for a total of $4 I am pretty pleased with the outcome until I find what I want.

This is the first time I made a camera strap and wasn't completely sure how to do it.

 I cut  two pieces of the cotton and one piece of fleece which I sewed sandwiched in between the outer fabric to add padding. 

I sewed a small pocket on the outside to put my lens cap in while I am shooting. 

When I was finished I noted a few things I wish to do differently next time.

I also found some owl patterned fabric I had left over from a previous project that I plan to make a strap for as a Christmas gift, I have the perfect person in mind for it =)

6 months

my sweet boy is 6 months

time has flown by

he has changed so so much in these few months

Mason is the perfect addition to our family. everyday we grow closer to him and love him more and more. He brings happiness to Austin and I as well as both of our families. He brings smiles to our faces everyday

Likes:

his jumpee

bath time

eating

seeing our faces when he wakes up

playing peek a boo

Dislikes:

tummy time (big surprise)

naps (sometimes)

loud noises ie blender, coffee grinder, hair dryer

getting dresser/wearing a jacket

He is sitting by himself  for the most part but if he does fall over he will tip over, not even attempt to catch himself and then just lay there. I find it quite funny

He still is not rolling over nor does he show any interest in doing so. He will lay and if something is out of reach he doesn't reach for but rather just look at it then remain just laying there. 

I almost cry every time I think about how much he has grown. Although he is just half a year old, I feel like so much of his life has gone by. I don't want him to grow anymore. It is only a matter of time before I can't cuddle him.  Mason if you can read this, stop growing up! Love mom =)