Christmas!

WARNING: Picture Overload Below! We had a great "2nd" Christmas with Mason. This time last year he couldn't walk or talk - or open his own presents. This year was a different story - and I think Mom and Dad were more excited to watch him open presents than he was to get presents.
We celebrated an early Christmas here at home before heading down to Houston to spend the real Christmas with Mike's family. We waited to put any presents under the tree until Christmas Eve, because we knew Mason would try to open them or simply want to play with the boxes. He had a blast opening presents (once he realized that there were toys in each one)!
Here are some Christmas pics:

Mason, just out of the bath, insisted on wearing his "I''m One" birthday hat from his first b-day party.

Mike had to work late, so Mason and I picked out some cookies to leave for Santa. Mason seemed really confused that we put cookies on a plate and poured some milk, only to leave them there without being eaten.

All the presents are out!! It finally looks like Christmas!

Santa came early and left Mason a brand new car!!!

He also left Mom and Dad a new waffle maker. Which we used that very morning!

Mason's two favorite toys were is car and his shopping cart. When we brought him out Christmas morning, he sleepily walked over to the car. He took a look at it, got in and "drove" around a bit. Then, he stopped, got out of the car, walked away from us and simply yelled, "YEEEEESSSS!" and did a little dance. He had been wanting that car for a long time but just didn't have the words to communicate it! He was SO excited that Santa brought it. We have this special memory on video - but it is too long of a video to post on the blog :(

Doodling on the Doodle-Pro

Playing with his new farm and farm animals

FOOD! After we opened presents and ate an unbelievable amount of homemade waffles, we loaded up the car and headed down to Houston. Here are the goodies I made! I picked things Mike's Granny always made. He misses her so much. They had such a close relationship. It always meant so much to him that she would prepare lots of food and goodies any time he visited. Here we have Sand Tarts and Mike's FAVORITE: Swirly Cookies! (Those things are a labor of love. UGH.)

Pecan Pie!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Drops!

On Christmas Eve we ventured out to the Houston Zoo. We had a fun time and can't wait to go back!

Mike and Mason check out some birds.

Turtles!

A zookeeper was walking a cute pig! Mason gave the pig a "courtesy pat" when the keeper asked if Mason would like to pet her. In Mason's defense, the pig did have some bad dandruff. I didn't want to touch her either!

Out to dinner with Pa Pa - Mike's Dad. This is minutes before Mason got ahold of a squeezable ketchup bottle and created a Ketchup Geyser that rained down on everyone. Only seconds after that he decided he wanted to touch the back of the neck of an unsuspecting black man in the booth behind us. Check, Please!

Christmas Morning. Gramby spoiled Mason rotten - and we loved it! Here Dad is putting Mason's Toy Story table and chairs set together.

Trying out his new chairs.

Sunday afternoon Mike's Mom's family met up at Casa Ole for a High Family Get Together. It was great seeing everyone and stuffing ourselves full of food!

When we got home, it was like Christmas all over again. Mason rediscovered all of the presents we had gotten him, and had a blast playing with everything while Mom and Dad unpacked.

Merry Christmas!

Lately

We have had a mixture of super slow and super busy over the last couple of weeks. I guess that is to be expected around the holidays. Mason has hit another growth spurt! He has completely outgrown all of his 18 month clothes and is now wearing 24month/2T. His vocabulary has really picked up as well. He listens carefully when I talk to him and then usually repeats the last word I say. It's pretty cute! Yesterday I was putting on deodorant, then I went into the closet to grab a different shirt. When I came out he was sitting on the floor with the deodorant (still capped) and had lifted his shirt to put deodorant in his little armpits. My heart melted!
Mason has also decided he will completely feed himself as well. This has been a messy, fun endeavor. He refuses to eat with the small forks we bought for him. Instead, he wants to be like mom and dad and use the big ones. Thankfully, he will use his toddler spoons - but I am sure that will end soon, too! Here are some pictures of our independant boy:

Having some yogurt

Mmmmmm.

So proud of himself!!

Peanut Butter. His new greatest love.

In Heaven

Last week we went to a friends house for a mommy and kiddo night. We decorated cupcakes, ate some yummy taco soup and enjoyed great fellowship. Mason had fun decorating his cupcake, and more fun eating it!

FROSTING. He pinched the skin right beneath his nose and got a blood blister! I think he pinched it between his pacifier and his nose, because he was rubbing his face on his blanket on the floor and then started crying. It is finally starting to disappear a little!

More!

Hanging out with Elmo in a diaper box. He played with that box for days.

Last Saturday we decided to check out the BLORA Christmas Light Display. We totally underestimated the popularity of this event - which made for a not so fun evening. It took us an hour and a half just to get into the park, and then we sat through 5 miles of lights in stop and go traffic...never even reaching the breakneck speed of 5 mph. Mason fell asleep half way through - and we were not too impressed with the display anyway. Oh well! Here are some pics anyway:

Mason had more fun pushing buttons than looking at the lights.

Down for the count.

We are counting down the days until Christmas!! We are so excited this year, since Mason is now old enough to open presents and get excited about new toys. YAY!!

Sweet Pea has a Gender!

Today we had our big ultrasound appointment! I don't think I slept more than a couple of hours last night - and when I was sleeping I had weird ultrasound dreams. The most memorable of which concerned a long line in the Wal-mart Ultrasound Department. That's right. I dreamed we booked our ultrasound at Wal-mart and were worried we wouldn't get through the appointment before the milk we had in our cart got warm. STRANGE.
The suspense was killing me all morning. I had to sit and wait in the waiting room for about 45 minutes before I got called back to the room. Then, as usual, they take 30 minutes to collect all the images they need for the doctor. Then...it was showtime! They turned the screen so Mike and I could see our little Sweet Pea. The ultrasonographer described what we were seeing - and then asked us if we wanted to know the gender. I think I practically interrupted her when I screamed "YES!". My heart was pounding as she announced....It's a GIRL!!

And just for the record...I'm two for two! I was totally confident Mason was a boy - from the very beginning. And I was totally confident this one was a girl - almost from the moment I found out I was pregnant. Now that's talent. Ha ha. We can't wait to welcome a precious daughter into the world! Now we just have to come up with a name. Any suggestions?!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Last friday we headed out to a Christmas Tree Farm to pick out our very first "live" tree! We have a fake tree that we love - but it was just too big to fit in our little house. So, we opted to buy a small real tree instead. We had a blast looking for just the right tree. And Mason had a blast running around and playing on the property. Here are a few pcis!

Mike and Mason check out the farm as we walk in.

Mike in the field of trees

Mason exploring

Mason actually spent most of his time playing in the dog kennel that the farmers had. They got such a big kick out of him playing in there.

Our tree! Mike cuts it down so we can take it home! (Mason was "helping")

Mom and Mason pose for a picture

Mason next to the John Deere - all he needs is a pair of cowboy boots!

Mason helps pull the wagon out to the Jeep

Once we got the tree home - we had to get it all set up.

Decorating the our cute little tree!

And last but not least - a short little video. I just love how Mason grabs Mike's hand so they can go walking through the trees. So cute.

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with my family up in the metroplex this year. It was COLD! We had a lot of fun until Thanksgiving day, when Mike and I both came down with some kind of virus. Boo! I was so excited about not having to "count calories" because of the pregnancy - and then once all the food was ready and I sat down to eat I had no appetite! What a waste. I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping and didn't get up until Saturday evening. Mike and I had made plans to do some black friday shopping but we were sick in bed instead!

Thankfully, we had family there to help us take care of Mason. But we were pretty disappointed not to get to do all the things we had planned. (We DID go see the newest Harry Potter on Saturday evening with my brother Mike...SO FUN!)

Here are some pictures from the day...there aren't many - because I wasn't thinking about taking pictures!

Mason was begging to play outside (despite the cold) so Mike decked him out in his winter gear and played outside with him. I think Mason would have stayed out there all day if we had let him. That child feels no cold.

Having fun in frigid temps!

Cutie Pie

My family also celebrated Christmas together since we will be at our in-laws homes for Christmas. Here is Mason checking out his new Tickle Me Elmo!

And his new Elmo Sing Along Microphone

And his new Pillow Pet!

And his new Fire Engine - that has flashing lights and sirens!

We also celebrated my 29th (eek!) birthday at a Mexican Restaurant after church on Sunday. Of course, I didn't think to take pictures of that, either. Oh well!