Mason's Creature Party

Has another year really come and gone?  Is my baby really 5 years old?  Time really does speed up as I get older.  For some reason Mason has been looking forward to turning 5 pretty much since he turned 4.  I don't know what makes 5 years old so special to him.  Maybe it's that he gets to start Kindergarten, something he has been looking forward to for a very long time.  Or maybe it's just that almost all of his friends are a year older than him and he just can't wait to be 5 like them.  Whatever the reason, this was a very exciting day for Mason, so naturally we had to celebrate with a super fun party.  Mason is crazy about any kind of creature these days.  Some of his favorites include poison dart frogs, crocodiles, combtooth blennies, whales, sharks, and black widows just to name a few.  So we decided to have a Creature Party.  We didn't get too carried away with the theme this year, just tried to incorporate some of Mason's favorite creatures into the activities we did.  We used Mason's favorite picture of a blue poison dart frog for the invitations. Nothing fancy, but he thought it was the coolest.   

The cake was Mason's idea and super easy. I just frosted a cake like the ocean and let him adorn it with all his little creatures.

We started off the party with a fishing pond where the kids each got a couple of sea creatures like the ones on Mason's cake.

 Then we got a visit from our friends at the Bean Museum.  Mason loves the live animal shows at the Bean Museum so when I found out we could have them come do a private show at his party (thanks for the idea Coralie) I knew it would be perfect. We got to learn about all sorts of different animals and where they live.  There were even 4 special animal guests that the kids got to learn about, touch, and get their pictures taken with: Houdini the box turtle, M.J. the tarantula, Mo Jo the bearded dragon, and Elphaba the corn snake.  

We didn't get a picture of the entire group, but here are most of Mason's friends with the animals.  (Top to Bottom L to R) Jackson Dastrup, Cache McCann, Tanner Ferrin, Daniel Glaun, Benson Sommerfeldt (we were so happy he was visiting from Maryland and could come), Mac Christiansen, Benson, Cy Berge, Korbin Bascom, Cannon Hale, Jackson, Cy, Tanner, Benson, and Jackson.  Kennedy was there but didn't want to get near any of the animals.

Brynn held the tarantula with no hesitation.

Miles liked the turtle

And Mason of course loved them all.  His favorite is the tarantula, but he liked letting the bearded dragon climb on him.

After our special guests left we broke the Crocodile Pinata!

By this time the kids were all ready for cake and ice cream.  I made little ice cream cups for everyone with oreo dirt and gummy worms, but it was hot hot hot outside and the kids all devoured them before I got any pictures.

I love seeing what Mason's friends chose to give him for presents.  Each of the them chose things that totally reflect their friendship with Mason.  For example his friend Cache is Mason's lego buddy, those two can play legos together for hours, and he got him a transformer lego set.  Jackson and him play star wars every time they get together, so Jackson gave him some Star Wars fighter pods. I could keep going with all of his friends.  Mason got so many wonderful gifts.  I was very proud of him when he gladly let all of his friends dive in and open and play with all of his new gifts until their parents came. He really is growing up. 

The present that topped all other presents came from Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Val.  Mason is a huge fan of The Octonauts show and books.  If you're not familiar with it then the rest of this might sound like a foreign language to you. Mason loves playing Octonauts on the computer (*warning: do not let your kids look at Octonauts on disneyjunior.com unless you are willing to use an entire cartridge of ink printing things out).  While doing this he saw an advertisement for an octopod toy and decided that was the one and only thing he wanted for his birthday.  After looking into it I found that all octonaut toys came from the UK and were ridiculously priced.  I didn't want Mason to be disappointed on his birthday, but there was no way I was paying $120 for an octopod that wasn't that cool.  So I told Mason those toys were only in another country and too expensive to get in America, so we couldn't get one. He was perfectly accepting of that, but still longed for an octopod.  When his aunt Kacie asked him what he wanted them to get him for his birthday he asked her very seriously, "could you go to another country to get me an octopod?"  We all got a good laugh out of it.  So my mom and I went to work searching online for a deal and were able to find the Gup-A, Gup-B, and Gup-C toys for a reasonable price.  So my mom ordered them all for him.  We saved her presents for last and when Mason opened the first one and saw the Gup-A his voice raised to an octave only dogs can hear and exclaimed, "YOU WENT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY?!!" He was the happiest boy in the world. Oh how I wish I would have recorded it.

For the record these are the funnest and best quality toys we have gotten in a long time.  They can go in the water and each one has all sorts of little "tricks" it does.  They were a little pricey (even when we got them like 40% off), but actually worth it, I think. Thanks Grandma Nancy!

Mason is very proud to be a 5 year old now. The day after his birthday we went to the park.  I looked across the playground to see Mason going across the rings all by himself.  I was shocked!! Mason has never even come close to doing monkey bars or rings or anything and definitely doesn't try things like that on his own.  I waited until he successfully crossed then ran over to praise him.  When I got there he exclaimed, "I AM FIVE!" I love how now that he's five he knows he is capable of so much more.

These last five years have been so much fun! I am even more excited for all the great things in store for Mason in the next five years.

Thunder Thighs

I've always said a chubby baby is a happy baby and that is definitely the case with Miles. I swear this kid gets more rolls every day. It may not seem like it, but this is actually a flattering picture of his legs. I thank these thunder thighs (along with his thumb sucking) for the 12 hours stretches of sleep he has been having for several weeks now. Miles is an amazingly happy and good baby. He is such a blessing in our lives right now. We love ya Bubba!

Future doctor?

Mason is a very curious boy who likes to know how things work. After I had my c-section he had so many questions, including:

Mason: What did it look like when they cut your tummy open?

Me: I don't know, I didn't watch.

Mason: Did Dad watch?

Me: Nope

Mason: Then who watched it?

Me: The doctors and nurses.

Mason: Well did they take any pictures?

Me: No

Mason: Sigh. Mom, next time can you try to trip and fall so they have to cut your tummy open again. And tell Dad to take pictures this time!!
I explained step by step what the doctors did and none of my explanation was lost on Mason. A while back, I overheard him and Brynn playing doctor together and as I listened I realized he was performing a C- section on her. To his credit he had excellent bedside manner and explained everything he was doing in a very reassuring way.

So then a week ago I had a colonoscopy (Remember how my mom had colon cancer when she was 36? The doctor recommended us kids start getting checked at 26...oops I was a year late). As I was doing the lovely prep Mason had more questions about what I was going to have done. I explained they were going to put a camera in my stomach to make sure nothing was there that wasn't supposed to. He quickly requested that I ask the doctor to take pictures this time. I did just that, and the doctor got a good laugh out of it. That day Mason proudly showed all of his friends the pictures of inside my bowels. He even showed his friend's mom, who is one of my friends, and she called me laughing hysterically. Luckily I was able to talk him out of taking it for show and tell. This boy definitely got my love of the human body and medicine.

Miles is Mason and Brynn's favorite patient. Notice the toy bandaid on his ankle. That's because it wouldn't fit on his thigh where Mason gave him a pretend shot. :) I love his chunk!!

Three Months

Three months into this and I still absolutely love having three kiddos in my life. I don't think I've ever been busier, but at the same time I've never been happier to be a mom. How couldn't I be when my days are full of this For the first time in my life I have absolutely zero desire to do anything other than be a full time mom. Unfortunately my 12 week maternity leave ended last week and even more unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to go back full time (3 shifts a week) rather than the 1 shift a week I was planning on. I am heartbroken about it. I guess it just makes every laugh from Miles, every silly outfit of Brynn's, and every project with Mason that much more special to me. These last three months of full-time motherhood with all my kiddos at home will be one of the most cherished times in my life.

Unplugged

Scott and I have gone three whole days without any cell phones and it has been surprisingly refreshing. It all started when Scott decided to sell his iphone and just get a basic phone. Within minutes of posting it on KSL, he was receiving nonstop texts and phone calls inquiring about it. Less than a half hour later he sold his iphone along with the old one I used as an itouch. When Mason saw the guy leave with our phones he was crushed we weren't going to have iphones anymore because he won't be able to play motorcross. I guess we didn't really take into consideration that it would affect him, too, and didn't give him fair warning. That, followed by some other steps along the way, has left us both without phones. We have our landline so our family can reach us, but other than that we have pretty much been off the map. Neither one of us has missed them at all. Mason on the other hand had a couple small meltdowns today that included, "but I don't have an iphone!" Kind of pathetic that our 4 year old is addicted to iphones. This is part of the reason we wanted to get rid of them, our kids are obsessed with the games on them. We will be getting our new phones in the next day or two and will be plugged back into the world, but until then, we are enjoying every second free of ringtones and text alerts.

Binky vs Thumb

My first two children are evidence that I am a HUGE fan of binkies. I just love having that magical something that quites and soothes my baby when he is upset, pacifies when he's hungry, and helps him fall asleep at night. Mason was a binky addict from the day he was born, but gave it up easily when he was 2 1/2. Brynn despised binkies as a baby, but I continued to force them on her until she finally accepted them around 7 weeks (her hospitalization with meningitis did it). Apparently I created a monster because she is still totally and completely attached despite several failed attempts to get rid of them. But even that hasn't stopped me from once again encouraging my baby to love binkies. Miles really had not shown any need or desire for a binky until a couple weeks ago when he found his thumb. He started finding it more and more frequently and now requires the soothing it provides. At first I liked the possibility of him self soothing, but I'm not sure if I wanted a thumb sucker. I've watched as one of Mason's 5 year old buddies has struggled to give up thumb sucking and often catch him doing it in social situations. I don't want to have to deal with that. I like having the power to take it away when I don't want them to have it. So I've been forcing the binky on Miles in place of his thumb. He will now take a binky just fine, but as soon as it pops out he starts searching for his chubby little thumb to take it's place. At this point I'm still not sure if he will end up another binky boy or thumb sucker, and I'm not really sure which one I prefer, either. Whatever makes him happy, I guess. One thing I do know, though, is Miles is a very good natured baby, and I'm glad he's mine.

*UPDATE 3/25*

Brynn went to the dentist for the first time a few days ago. He took one look in her mouth and immediately asked if she sucked on her thumb or a binky. He said no more binkies as of that moment. Her front four teeth are all pushing out because of her binky and will probably require a retainer when she's five so she doesn't have buck teeth. It's been a rough transition, to say the least. Bedtime, naptime (or lack of naptime), and when she wakes up during the night have consisted of an hour plus of her sobbing for her binky. But it seems to be getting easier...slowly. Maybe we should try to avoid both the thumb and the binky with Miles.

Then there were three

He was my first born, my only baby. I look back and can't help but laugh at how "easy" it was. He never had to cry hard because with a simple squawk we were at his side and I could spend as much time as I wanted snuggling with him. He was the perfect baby and made us think we were rockstar parents doing everything right. I got a shower every day and going grocery shopping was still a breeze. The two years we spent as a family of three hold some of my fondest memories. But then...

# 2 arrived and life got a little more interesting. I still had a hand for each child to hold and when all together we could still go one on one. She quickly humbled us in regards to our parenting ability and taught us what it was like to have a real baby. Finding a good time to shower was trickier, but still happened most of the time. Getting out of the house was an ordeal and we were rarely on time. And now...

There are 3 and we have moved to zone defense where we are always outnumbered. The baby has to cry a lot louder to be heard and everyone has to wait their turn for mommy's attention...including dad. Sometimes the only snuggling time I get with my baby is when I'm up in the night with him. Showering is a rare luxury now and I don't even dare to attempt grocery shopping with the kids in tow. It takes me until noon to get us all ready for the day and being on time seems impossible. The days fly by so fast I often wonder why Scott's home early only to look at the clock and realize it's 5:30. As crazy as it seems right now, I know we'll find our groove. For now I'm more than happy to have my cup of life so full of wonderful things it's overflowing.