My Day with Daddy

Mom had to go to work today, so Dad and I hung out since he had the holiday off. I was excited about our day together so I decided to get up a little earlier than normal...5:45am. Daddy was nice and let Mom sleep a little longer since she had to get up. I did a lot of talking today which Dad seemed to like. We played on my blankets, play mat, exersuacer, bouncer, and read some books. I was a stinker and on two occasions when I laid down for a nap he decided to either lay down for a nap too or tried to get something to eat, I woke back up and wanted to play! I do that to Mommy too but she is catching on to my little game. I had so much fun with him, that on Monday when Mommy goes into work after my appointment we are gonna have some man time. Here are a couple of pictures from today that daddy took.

That's right ladies...you know you want me!

I of course had to check out what these judge shows are all about that Daddy seems to like.

I hung out on my Michigan blanket that Grandma and Grandpa Umnus made for me. That's right people, no Badger fans here.

We even saw the lady who helped Mommy and Daddy make me on tv...Dr. Hayes!

This is me yesterday but mom said I should share it.

Playing in the 'saucer is tough work, I just had to take a nap.

Okay on to Pardy Hardy with Mom and Dad for my very first New Years. I bet I won't make it until Midnight...:) Here's to hoping for a breathe easy, illness free, gaining some good pounds year!

we have a roller!!!!

Tonight we decided to do a quick little tummy time session before his 10:30pm bottle and this is what happened...

Yea!! This is actually the second time he did it. The first one happened a mere 5 min prior. I guess you could say we helped because we tucked his arms in front of him, but he did all the rest! We figured it wasn't long before he would do it. He likes to scoot himself around in almost a circle when he is laying down. The other thing he does now with tummy time is he can get his legs up into a crawling stance and ends up pushing himself forward while his whole front half is still on the ground. So, perhaps we will be reporting on some more of these good things soon.

Happy New Year to all!

4 months and 1 year ago today

Derek says that I remember everything. Not totally true, but I do remember a lot. December 28th, 2009 is one of those days I remember.

One year ago today our lives changed forever.

One year ago today we couldn't believe our eyes.

One year ago today our hearts were racing a mile a minute.

One year ago today our prayers had been answered.

One year ago today we found out a little baby Umnus was already on his way.

I still remember that morning. I knew there may be a small chance I may be preggo because we did not heed the doctors stern warning to stay abstinent because I just had way too many eggs from the hormone injections. I knew I had to test in the morning...so at 7:45am I took the test while Derek still slept. I sat there daring the stick to only show me the word pregnant, thinking what it would be like to finally have that be the only word on that god for saken stick. I sat there once again just daring to dream what life would be like with a little one in our arms. Then i looked and there it was. I truthfully stood there, not sure if my eyes had been tricking me. I ran into the bedroom to wake Derek from his slumber and watch his eyes go from groggy to wide eyed. We were finally pregnant! Little did we know what kinda ride we were in for.

Mason is officially a 4 month old now! Crazy to look at him and realize how big he has gotten! He continues to keep us very busy. I sometimes think "how the heck do people do it with more than one?"

Pooh and I for our monthly date!

Here I am with Hurumph too!

He is babbling more and more every day. What makes me worried are the latest noises...the have a very demanding tone to them..eek! :) I love having "conversations" with him. He just lights up and smiles away during those times.

He is getting closer and closer to rolling over I think. He gets to his side from his back and you can see him trying to go further, instead he just ends up moving his whole body about 90 degrees. Tummy time is still not a favorite activity and were told by the doc to spend more time on it. Although he doesn't hold that head up to far yet, those legs are moving like he wants to go somewhere!

laying down on the job.

He does have good head, neck, trunk control when he is upright. Mason also enjoys standing. He is always trying to stiffen up his body and stand...perhaps a walker right off the bat? hmm? :)

pardon my bubbles

We also have been enjoying our excersaucer now that our feet touch the ground. He everyday seems to start to play with the toys attached. I still have to stuff a blanket in there so he doesn't thrash around. He usually will spend about 15 minutes in there before he gets bored with it.

Grandma Pam playing with me in the 'saucer

Those giggles that started about a week or two ago have been gaining steam! He has been giving those performances out with much more frequency. Derek is pretty good at getting him going and you can't help but laugh right along with him. Isn't there anything sweeter than an innocent babies giggle?

And last but not least...Mr. Mason has found his toes in the past few days! Usually during a diaper change is when he most often will grab for them and hold on...making an actual change of the diaper more interesting. :)

His 4 month appointment with Dr. Shallue was on Dec. 23rd. The official report for height is 25 1/4inches (68%)! He has grown 3 inches in less then 2 months! His head circumference is 43cm (74%). His weight, which we were most interested in, was 13lbs 15oz! This puts him in the 35% for weight! YEA! That is a 13 point increase since his last appointment. I guess all those "heaping" scoops of extra formula are helping! Dr. Shallue said to keep on with what we are doing because it's working. She was overall very pleased with how he is developing and growing. We did have one concern that we discussed with her. It was that he doesn't seem to lift his head as high or much anymore with tummy time as he did before. Of course, he did the exact opposite while in the office and had his best performance during tummy time ever. Darn Kid! She did comment on his apparently awesome back muscles. Derek had the day off so he was able to come along. So he got to witness the "i'm crying so hard no sound comes out, my face is so red" cry when he got his second round of immunizations.

Playing with the iPhone before Dr. Shallue comes in

I just love how he is holding Derek's hand!

Next appointment on the books is January 3rd at Children's CF clinic. Mason will get his very first X-ray of his chest. Dr. Levy wants one to have as a baseline. I am soooo wondering how they take a 4 month old's chest x-ray.

Be sure to check out the Christmas post just below..two posts in one day...wohoo!

Mason's 1st Christmas

I must say Christmas was a success. Mason did pretty well. He held out until 7:30 for his bottle and then was out for the count. It must have been all the presents the little man got. He sure was one lucky little boy! Mason says "Thank you" to everyone including Santa.

It was amazing to have him here with us this year. I distinctly remember thinking how I felt last year at Christmas. We been going through fertility treatments and only 18 days earlier were told by the Doctor that she was cancelling the current cycle and we would most likely need to do IVF...and IVF is "brand new car expensive" and our insurance did not cover it. So, there was sadness not knowing if we were ever going to get to hold a little one while they open presents in amazement. Little did we know that he was already with us...by just a few weeks. So this year was filled with excitement, joy, happiness, and love.

I just love the oddity of this picture...

putting Mason's ornament from Grandma Pam on the tree.

I like to do a little calisthenics before I open gifts

Here comes Santa Clause!

Grandma and Grandpa Umnus

Grandma Pam

Great Auntie Kris and Great Uncle Randy

Mommy and Daddy

...I'm about done with pictures now...

Me with all the presents under tree!

Mia wanted in on the action too!

Mason's pile was the biggest...

I believe my comment was "how old is he?"

Let me at those gifts mom!

Notice Mia trying to sneak in the picture too?

trying to open one of his many gifts

all set up in his new chair, with a good book, and the blanket Grandma Pam made him

And then he was all Chistmas'ed out

I must have been on the "nice list"!

This is one happy little 4 month old!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

This past Sunday we spent at Great Auntie Kris and Great Uncle Randy's house for a small family Christmas gathering. It was Mason's chance to finally meet his Great Grandma Marci. He enjoyed his visit and even opened up his very first Christmas present that was from GG Marci.

My future is so bright I gotta where 3D shades!

This was his only nap for a majority of the day...and it was a short one because I woke him up with all the camera flashes...oops!

Ohhhh...I get presents! Hand em- over!

Hey Mr. Monkey...I got my eye on you.

Thanks GG Marci for my monkey, I like monkeys!

I can stand! (well, with a little help from Super Nanny/Great Auntie Kris)

4 generations...yea!

Meeting GG Marci

getting in a little snuggle time

trying to sneak a peek at the football game...his father's son

We are so blessed to have such a happy baby...

And last but not least...Mason got a Christmas video from Santa Clause today! click on the link to check it out!

Message from Santa Clause for Mason "click here"

Here's to a very Merry Christmas to everyone!

our little production

Yea, the onesie finally fits!

sooo tiny!

We spent the majority of the day out and about. The stores are C.R.A.Z.Y!!!! should have known. Kohl's was an interesting experience...Mason was one of those babies that cries and cries and you sit there thinking "shut that kid up." Well, we worked through it and he fell asleep. Funny, I always thought I would want to leave the store immediately when that would happen but I was so oblivious to everyone else, the cries just blended in with the rest of the crowd. The leaving immediately will be for a future visit when he is old enough to throw a temper tantrum right there on the floor. :)

Shopping is rough...

I am secretly hoping to condition him to like to shop like his grandma Kathy did to his father. :)

Sitting in the Bebe Pod...

thanks to the Molle's for letting us borrow it.

This is how he feel asleep last night. He had his arms up like that for close to 30 min before he finally let sleep win him over.

Derek, messing around with Braeden's play tunnel... Always the goof! Love him for it.

Mason is now taking 6oz at a feeding. For the most part he keeps it down unless we don't sit still and upright for at least 30min afterward. So this means that he gets less feedings..only one, but it is nice to have one less bottle to wash! We pretty much are now on a feeding schedule. I have been keeping a journal of sorts of when he eats, sleeps, and wakes to get a better idea of a pattern. So, for the past 5 days we have been right on track! I can now plan my days a tad bit better now. The sleeping/napping is starting to get into a rhythm as well. Yea!

He has started to giggle a little more each day which is sooo fun to hear and see. I must admit the first time he giggled for me, i had a few tears. Not entirely why a giggle made me cry, but it was happy tears. He is finding his voice more and more everyday.