Maddox {Week 8}

Day 50: 

Day 51: 

Day 52: 

Day 53: 

Day 54: 

Day 55: 

Day 56: 

Mason: 2 years, 9 months {An Update}

Another three months have passed by so it's time for an update on Mason-Man!

Since the last update, he became a big brother! Mason has thrived as a big brother. He loves Maddox so much and will do nearly anything to help us when we need it while caring for Maddox. Obviously, we are consistently learning boundaries but that's just part of life. I have found myself saying things like this often: "We don't poke brother in his eyes." "Don't touch brother's face." "Don't get so close to brother." haha! It's funny and annoying ;-) BUT I must say that he has come a long way and he's doing an awesome job at his big brother role.

Mason is talking up a storm! There are new words every day and multiple attempts at conversations daily, too. Unfortunately, Mason's articulation isn't where it needs to be. I'm working with him at home as much as I can and we also have a speech referral placed and are just on a waiting list at this point. I'm a speech therapist which is nice but I'm also his mom which means sometimes, he doesn't want to listen to my cues. Being a professional, I totally understand this and that's why we are just working as much as he will allow/can tolerate and awaiting an evaluation in the meantime.

The flip side of the articulation thing is his language. His receptive language is incredible! He understands so much which is awesome!

Mason LOVES LOVES LOVES going to church each Sunday. He enjoys his class, his teachers, the snacks and the friends. He is always asking if it's church day. That makes Matt and me happy!

This past month, we moved a lot of Mason's toys into his room from the living room. That made space in the living room for some of the bulkier items that Maddox needs right now. It also is really encouraging more independent play in his room. At least once a day, sometimes twice, I'll encourage Mason to go to his room and play. I set a timer and let him know he can come out when the timer is up. Sometimes, he pulls out nearly every toy he owns and sometimes, he chooses to sit and read books. It's so fun to see him explore and learn independently.

Mason has entered the "what's that?" "Where are we going?" "why?" stage and it's, well, it's really something. ;-) It's so cool to see him curious but it seems like those questions come at the most inopportune times. haha!! :) All kidding aside, it's awesome. He's learning so much and I'm reminded daily how important it is for him to learn through play.

Mason's favorite show right now is Super Why. We sing the songs, do the dances and help them find their letters.

Speaking of letters, Mason can say, identify and locate in a puzzle, all of the letters of the alphabet. He's also recognizing more and more letters out in public which is fun. The other day in the car, he was saying "H" and I couldn't figure out why. I looked around and he was seeing a "H" for hospital. So cool.

We are dealing with a little pushing/hitting phase and that's very un-fun. While I know it can be a typical stage for 2-3 year old boys to go through, I really think the root of Mason's is that he isn't able to communicate as well as he'd like and he's pushing/hitting to communicate. We are figuring out some strategies that work for us and for him and he's doing much better. It's a process. And like a friend said...life is a series of phases and if you aren't going through a phase then you're dead!...So we will enjoy the phase while it lasts, I guess. ;)

(looking a little like cousin Luke here)

This summer has been a fun but hard one for Mason. He LOVES to be outside and playing but with all of the heat and that coupled with welcoming a new baby, we haven't been outside nearly as much as he'd like. Thankfully, in July, we figured out some times that work for going outside or just going somewhere inside to let him run and play and that's helped tremendously. I love my energetic boy.

Mason LOVES his cars and his car track. He plays with them daily and usually multiple times each day. That's been so fun to see and Matt loves playing cars with him, too!

Mason is also really into Look-and-Find books and he is super good at them. It impresses me each time!

  

 My big guy is a HUGE help with the laundry. He will help sort, put into the washer, move to the dryer and so on. The best!

(being a shark)

He had a cold at the end of July. He was a trooper and so happy despite it!  

 

 (baby alligator)

A few more fun facts: Loves the movie Cars. 

 (BIG alligator!) 

Love to take baths and play with his bath toys. 

Randomly picks up objects and use them as his phone and talks to PawPaw...always PawPaw.

Loves all vehicles...fire trucks, dump trucks, trash trucks, recycling trucks, airplanes, helicopters....you get the point. 

Thinks it is hilarious to toot now and will say "Toot. Pardon me." 

 

This guy will be 3 in 3 months...oh my word!

 

Mason, we love you sweet boy. 

Quite Random

Just a little random post for this Sunday morning. A while back, Matt gave me his phone and I was browsing pictures and I found these from when Maddox was born. Matt had taken them and in the craziness of the day, week, month, we never got them transferred. So here they are. :)

My guy looking so cool in his OR gear!

Love him.

Skin to skin in the recovery room while I got checked out by the nurse.

Mom's turn. Worn out...

Y'all, I had laughed, cried, you name it but in this moment, I was a HAPPY girl! Tired but happy!

At our hospital, you get to push this button when you have a baby and it plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" through the whole hospital. Love it.

One more...Maddox's first visit by the on-call ped. We like Dr. Bailey.

And there you have it, random goodness. :) 

A FUN Birthday Party

Our friends, The C Family, have a little girl who just turned 2. They invited us to her birthday party last Saturday morning. It was an outdoor party with lots of water play fun. We were grateful to be invited and we had a BLAST!!

Geared up and ready to go! 

My guys on the slip and slide.

CHEESE!!!! This guy had pizza, popsicles, cake, Wiggles juice and on and on. ;-)

Attempts at group picture. I didn't have the best angle but there they are. :)

CAKE TIME!!

Sweet moment: There were water balloons and Mason came running over to give this one to Maddox because it was just his size. Best big brother ever.

Thanks again, C fam!