Merry Christmas 2009

As usual, we spent Christmas with the family in Carthage. Both boys were really into opening presents this years. For Ian it was more about tearing the paper off than the actually present inside, and for Mason, well, Mason was ALL about the presents this year. He'd been asking to open presents for weeks - every day, several times a day. And I'm sure it was all the junk he was eating with all the parties and everything but his little attitude was wearing me out until he I finally talked to Santa and we agreed that needed to go on the naughty list. The whole week leading up to Christmas he was on the naughtly list and Santa was very firm in that if he couldn't take care of the toys he had he certainly didn't need any new ones. Fortunately, for Mason, his attitude improved enough so that Santa moved him to the nice list on Christmas Eve. So while we were away Santa dropped a few presents off in Carthage, but left the boys' big gift at our house. They had a special surprise waiting in the garage for them this year!

My mom (now known for her awesome trees) decorated this tree just for the boys this year.

Mitchell and Brittaney gave Mason some dwarf frogs.

Ian LOVES his bat - thanks Grammy & Pop Pop! We've already had to take it away a few times.

Santa's surprise to the boys. They love it!

Ian's First Haircut

On December 17th, Mason and I took Ian to get his first haircut. He's been to Cool Cuts (or the Haircut House as Mason refers to it) on numerous occasions when Mason gets his hair cut so he was very familiar with the atmosphere. I was honestly surprised at the fact that he cried the ENTIRE time he was getting it cut. He began crying the moment I picked him up to put him in the seat, and he didn't stop until back on the floor. In fact, the moment I put him back on the floor he was fine. Nothing was helping to ease his pain that day.

So upset

Cutting off his precious locks

Still not happy. Neither the train car or lollipop helped ease his distress.

It's all good!

Breakfast with Santa & A Night in Bethlehem

I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. Where does the time go?

On Dec. 5th we had Breakfast with Santa in our subdivision. It was a neat little outing. Not only did we get to eat with Santa but Mason was able to get his face painted and make a couple of ornaments. Ian was too little and not interested. Ian was too focused on Santa to do much of anything.

Mason got a Rudolph painted on his cheek

Drew and I were interested to see how both boys would react to sitting with the jolly guy. Last year Mason posed with him but wouldn't talk to him and Ian was just too little to know what was going . This year Mason was excited to see Santa and he told him everything that he wanted without getting the least bit upset.

We should've known how Ian would react - he didn't take his eyes off of Santa from the moment he walked into the room. And when it was his turn, he certainly didn't want to sit with the man!
He did, however, give Santa some "knucle love" when he was back safe in his Daddy's arms.
After breakfast with Santa we went home to decorate our Christmas tree. Both boys had a fabulous time helping with the decorations. Don't worry, they only got to handle the plastic decorations.

He's hanging like the 6th ball onto the same branch!

Ian's job was to get the ornaments out for us.

That afternoon, after nap, of course, we went to A Night in Bethlehem hosted by Resurrection Lutheran Church (that's where Mason goes to school). The gym was filled with different shops where we got to spend our gold coins. We made bread, wove a basket, made a rope, worked with clay, and did other art projects. We also learned all about the oils people "bathed" in during Biblical times, and even got to bring home our own sample of frankincense. We topped it all off with a look at the live nativity.

Making a rope

Rolling dough to make bread

Checking out the camel - this is the 2nd camel we've gotten up close and personal with in a matter of months!
All in all we had an incredible day that day!

Baptisms

Mason and Ian were baptized into the Lutheran church on November 15th. It was a wonderful day, and both boys did a great job.

Halloween

We had a really low key Halloween this year. We spent it with the Howells, Wagners, and some of the Farleys. It was a toddler Halloween party - so much fun! There were nine children there and Mason was the oldest!

Drew was channeling Brett Michaels this year, but I better be his only "rock of love."

Mason had a blast trick or treating

Decorating our pumpkins

A couple of weeks ago we decorated the pumpkins we had picked up at the various pumpkin patches.

Ian painting his pumpkins

Mason & Daddy carving the jack o'lantern (or jaqueline as Mason refers to it)

Finished products

Boo!

15 month checkup

I took Ian in several weeks ago for his 15 month check up and they weren't able to give him any immunizations because he had a cold at the time so I had to take him back two weeks ago. He weighed 24 lbs. 11 oz. (50th percentile) and was 32 inches tall, which is the same as his 12 month height so they think they measured him wrong then, but that still leaves him in the 75th percentile for height. Doc said that he looked great and he isn't concerned about anything at this point. Poor little Ian was hysterical though. He started crying the minute we got into the exam room (as if he remembered the place). I got him calmed down to have him weighed and measured but the minute doc touched that stethoscope to his back IT WAS ON! He had a full blown freak out - screaming at the top of his lungs and trying to climb me like a baby monkey. Dr. Schaffer was telling him, "Control yourself, my multi-chinned friend." But nothing worked. I had just gotten him calmed back down when the nurse came in to give him his shots, and you can imagine how that went. Poor guy tuckered himself out from screaming and crying so much and he fell asleep as soon we got in the car. Thankfully, Mason wasn't there to witness any of it - he was in school.

Ian is such a goof ball - he has the craziest laugh and the sweetest personality. He is so expressive in his face - he'll arch his eyebrows and he has the most adorable smirk. He is running everywhere and climbing on everything. He is our little monkey, and he believes that he can do whatever Mason is doing. He isn't very vocal - he mainly grunts and points - but he understands what you're saying to him and he can follow directions (at least for now). He says, "mama" "daddy" and "Dixie" and he'll tell the dog to get "BACK" when she invades his space. Interestingly enough, he doesn't call Mason anything right now though. I was talking to the pedi about it, and his response, "He'll have plenty of names for him as he gets older." I LOVE Dr. Schaffer!