Mason walks

Mason has been practicing his walking lately, he's getting pretty good, but its still arms up and stagger steps, awesome!

Birthday Cake

I made a delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for Mason's birthday.  This is a departure from the usual chocolate cake with mounds of fluffy buttercream frosting that I have made for other birthdays.  I have some concerns with Mason and food allergies.  There are no signs that he actually has any, but his skin is so sensitive that I worry.  So I decided, in my strange way, that carrot cake would probably be the safest bet.  He liked it.  He like the ice cream more. (I guess we're not worried about milk allergies.)

Happy First Birthday Mason

Amazingly, Mason's first birthday is here.  A year ago today on a blistering August afternoon, our little guy was born.  He was 8 lbs 8 oz (or so we think) and 21 inches long.  He had a mop of dark hair.  

A year later Mason now crawls at break neck speeds, cruises the furniture and has even taken his first few steps.  He says Mama and waves bye-bye.  He signs "more."  He adores his big brother Elias and follows him everywhere.  This boy is very easy-going and is quick to smile and laugh.  He is curious and always wants to know what "the big people" are up to.  

Can't wait to see what the next year will bring!

Various and Assundry

I haven't felt much like blogging lately, some days are just like that I guess.  But even though I don't feel like writing, I keep checking my blog, wondering if it has changed despite my lack of effort.  It never has.  I must therefore, bite the proverbial bullet and write something myself.

This past weekend was Father's Day.  Addison surprised Douglas with a felt tie she had made when we were visiting my parent's ward in SLC.  It was darling! (See picture)  And to attest to Douglas' greatness of character, he wore it proudly to church.  All of the other fathers were jealous, of course.  

My own Funky Fresh Father is currently tooling around Ireland with my Fabulous Mom.  I hear they are having a wonderful time.  Love you Dad!

This past weekend Douglas and I celebrated our 10th anniversary.  (Woo-Hoo!) 

We celebrated our "family birthday party" with the kids (thanks Valerie for the great idea!)  We retold our wedding day story, and all the mushy, lovey-dovey stuff we remember best.  Then we took the kids for ice cream.  I wanted to get out the wedding albums, but somehow they got put into cold storage.  The best part of the weekend though, was when Douglas and I forked out the $4000 to hire a babysitter and go out for an evening.  This year we opted for sushi - yum, yum!

And now for the kids:

Addison and I have started studying Latin together.  So far:  Sum non nauta et lego ergo sum! (Translation for you non-Latin speakers:  I am not a sailor and I read, therefore, I am.)  In two more days she will be officially done with third grade and I will have a fourth grader on my hands.  The horror, the horror.

Elias wiped out and hit his chin hard.  He has a horrible bruise.  Everytime he looks in the mirror, he fake cries and says his chin hurts.

Big milestone of the past week - Mason is officially crawling!  Ta-dum.  He is everywhere and into everything.  He particularly likes the cat food.  You gotta love the crawling stage.

A Sigh of Happiness

My little Mason makes my heart smile.  

This is his favorite position on his bouncy chair.  

He will sit quietly for sometime if he has something to chew on, something yummy like a rubber monkey or his jacket.

He always knows when I enter the room.  He makes me feel like a star by the way his eyes light up as he stares at me.  (I know he's probably thinking - that's my woman!  she has the milk!)

He giggles and coos until you think your heart will burst from the sheer pleasure of the sound.

He slept from 11pm to 6am last night.

I love that little guy!