Christmas 2011

In a word...WONDERFUL...and absolutely memorable! We had an awesome holiday with family! Hunter was in his glory, playing Santa's Helper and handing out gifts, then helping everyone to open them. He had a blast!

Mason loved it, too, squealing and laughing all day. He enjoyed the attention and seemed to enjoy playing with the wrapping paper, as much as his gifts.

Foxy

We have a little buddy sniffing around our yard daily. In fact, most days, one fox is playing and chasing another fox around the yard.

Gimpy Crawler

Mason has been doing a gimpy military crawl for a couple of weeks now and is getting faster and faster. Here's a clip of him going after the choo-choo train under the Christmas Tree.

Now we're talkin'!!

Mason just started saying "Ma-Ma" and I couldn't be more thrilled. Of course, he started saying it when I was away on a business trip this week, which breaks my heart a little. But Ryan says it is because he missed me so much that he was asking for me!

An early Christmas gift to us!

Hunter went poo-poo in the potty Sunday night and again on Monday morning, and again on Monday evening...and every day since! YAHOO!! We are so very proud of our big boy!!

Christmas is underway!

We picked out our tree and started putting up the holiday decorations this weekend last weekend, while listening to Christmas music, of course! One of my very favorite things to do! Hunter was a big helper this year. He put a few ornaments on the tree himself, but then seemed to prefer to unwrap each ornament from the packaging and hand them over to mom and dad to hang (after the appropriate amount of "ooohing and aaahing" over each one, of course). Mason slept through most of the tree decorating, but he was awake earlier in the day when Hunter was down and "helped" me to unpack some of the other house decorations. We waited to turn on the Christmas tree lights until just before dinner when it was getting dark outside and they both seemed a little awed by the sight! We really had a wonderful time and I know it will be a memory I cherish for a lifetime!

This weekend we took the boys to Christopher's Train Garden at Broom's Bloom Diary Farm which is now our third year in a row. Both boys sat on Santa's lap and Hunter told him he would like Bobba Fett for Christmas. SO CUTE! Both boys got a kick out of watching and playing with the trains, but Mason was especially intrigued by it all. This inspired us to come home and create a train track around our Christmas tree, which Mason has been thoroughly enjoying ever since. Hunter also helped me wrap gifts and bake Christmas cookies. We kept it simple and made only our usual Monster Cookies, which has everything you could possibly want wrapped into 1 cookie. Then we also tried a new recipe for Reindeer Cookies, which turned out both cute and delicious! They will definitely need to be added to our growing list of annual Christmas traditions in our house.

Baby Deer!

We have 5 to 10 deer in our yard on any given day and Hunter never seems to tire of them!

All I Want for Christmas...

is my two front teeth!

Mason just cut his two top teeth! YEA!

Finally back to sleeping through the night again!

7 Months Old!!

Mason is getting big!! He has gone through some visible growth spurts this past month and is starting to look less like an infant and more like a little boy! He is still quite the mover! If he's on the floor and there is something he is interested in getting to he makes it happen. In addition to his usual repertoire of rolls, he has also started a one armed gimpy crawl. It is pretty cute...he basically tucks his left arm under him and uses it for leverage while reaching forward with his right arm and pushing with both legs. It isn't the most efficient move we've ever witnessed, but it gets the job done. He still likes getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth, and recently has started lifting himself up to his hands and toes.

Mason is also progressing on to bigger better things at meal times. It became apparent that he was not happy with just getting his pureed assortment of fruits and veggies, when he would turn away from it and then stare openly at the food on our plates and grunt or squeal for it. So, while he still eats mostly pureed items, we aren't mashing them up quite as fine and have started giving him tiny pieces of soft table food too. He has even had some of alphabet pasta with sauce and just gobbles it up - think that has been one of his favorites! It is super cute to see him chew things up and the look of surprise on his face as he encounters these new foods and textures. He still hasn't figured out the pincer grasp or how to really get the tiny pieces of food into his mouth on his own yet, but he likes to try, so we imagine it won't be long until he is shoveling it in solo. He certainly can get his toys in his mouth, and by "toys", I mean any reasonably large item that he can get his fist around.

While he's had a few episodes of runny nose and congestion, he's been a healthy boy. In fact, some of the "colds" he's had may have just been teething symptoms. So we are feeling pretty lucky and hope it continues through the upcoming holidays!

Here are some of our favorite pics of our little man!

Drama

Hunter was very upset when Daddy left to go play soccer tonight. Lucky for Mommy he is easily distracted...

Thanksgiving 2011

So very much to be thankful for this year! An amazing marriage that gets better and better with each passing year, our incredible 2 year old who keeps us guessing...and laughing, and our gorgeous baby boy who melts our hearts with his beautiful dimpled smile! Life couldn't be any sweeter!

Here are photos from our Thanksgiving weekend with some of those we love best!

Our busy little mover!

Our little guy is really getting around:


A Typical Tuesday Morning:

CHEESE Daddy

This cracked us up! Hope it does the same for you!

Da-da

Did he just say what I think he did?

Mason's 6 Months Old

And he's everywhere! I'm telling you this boy knows what he wants and has the energy and determination to get it! He's been rolling and turning in circles for a quite while now. He gets where he wants to go by doing a combination of the two until he reaches his destination. He's sitting up on his own now, but will occasionally throw himself backwards so still needs pillows behind him. He loves being in the jumparoo, bouncing in place. Recently, Mason has started to get up on his hands and knees, rocking back and forth several times and then lunge forward...not quite a crawl, but it is forward motion. I think we'll be seeing some crawling in the very near future, then all hell is going to break loose around here.
Mason really is a very good boy though. He's still as sweet as can be, gives lots of smiles and giggles, but one thing he is NOT is content being a passive observer. He makes sure everyone in the room knows he's there and what he wants to do. I'm telling you sometimes when we hold him, it's like he turns into an octopus; arms and legs all going at the same time and he'll throw all his weight towards the direction he wants to go...he's wild! I think we are lucky he hasn't been dropped. I think this little guy is going to give us a run for our money, but we are totally up for it!
During his check-up he weighed in at 18lbs 7ozs (67th percentile) and was 28 inches long (91st percentile). He is now eating a variety of pureed fruits and vegetables three times a day in addition to the breastmilk he gets (about 30 ozs or so). He continues to chew just about everything and it seems as thought he may have his top front teeth coming in soon.
He is a complete delight and we love watching him react to Hunter. Whenever Hunter enters a room, Mason automatically looks his way and starts grinning. When Hunter starts running around like a maniac, it spurs Mason to squeal and giggle along. They are a hoot! Can't get enough of our little sweethearts!

Wall Shadows

Teasing the children, as usual!

Our Little Liebchens on Halloween

Mason's First Tooth...

make that teeth! Today, just shy of turning 6 months old, Mason cut his two lower central incisors. The left one is just about a half a day ahead of the right.
He definitely seems to be less fussy now that they have emerged and he has started babbling up a storrm. Guess they have made him more aware of his mouth and all the fun sounds he can make. He's really using consonant sounds now...wa, ya, da, ma, ba! Of course, I hear Ryan telling him to say "Da Da" all the time when he thinks I can't hear him. HAH...little does he know, I tell him to say "Ma Ma", too. We'll see what comes out first!

A little glimpse into Hunter's psyche - we asked him what he wanted Mason's first word to be, he thought about it for about half a second and then said "WATCH TV?" Ryan and I looked at each other laughing and groaned "Nooooo!" in unison. We already hear that about a million times everyday from Hunter...

First Snow

this season, and Mason's first snow ever! It was pretty minor, just a dusting which melted within 24 hours but it was still pretty to see.
We had a great time staying in and being silly in the basement!

Fall Fun 2011

We enjoyed a great fall weekend getting into the Halloween spirit. It started with the arrival of our weekend visitors, Mom-mom and Jez. We welcomed them with a dinner and bonfire in the backyard...with s'mores, of course. On Saturday we attended Ian's Halloween inspired birthday party. We visited a local farm's pumpkin patch on Sunday, where they also provided hayrides, face painting and other fall activities. Then we ended the weekend by carving our pumpkins...and yes, that is the welshman carving his first jack-o-lantern; to prove it, he is holding a cloth to his wounded bloody finger.

Mason and Me

While Daddy took Hunter to his friend's annual Octoberfest celebration. I decided to stay home and get some quality time alone with Mason. Something I haven't had much opportunity to do since maternity leave. Mason has such a big personality now and it was such a treat to have uninterrupted time alone with him. We took a walk outside with Mason facing forward for the first time. He was so quiet that I thought he had fallen asleep but each time I peeked he was wide-eyed just taking in the views from his new seat! We got lots of time playing together and I even got out a toy he hadn't seen before to help him with sitting up on his own. We tried a new vegetable (green beans) for dinner and then played some more. Exhausted, he eventually rolled over close to me, popped his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes. I got the point and put him to bed.

When Hunter and Daddy got home with Mimi and Opa from Octoberfest, we had a bonfire and cooked s'mores and I got to hear all about how Hunter fed the horses apples and ran around the farm. Drank apple cider from a German stein and all kinds of other fun things!

It was a great day for all!

Hey Mr. DJ!

This video pretty much says it all, but I'll set the stage by telling you that Hunter LOVES to "scratch records like Uncle Scott". He was quite disappointed when everything was boxed up for our move and he couldn't play them for several weeks. On this evening, Ryan unpacked the essentials and let Hunter scratch a little bit which absolutely made his night!
We just love this!

BONFIRE

Our first of many bonfires at the new house! Ryan and his dad worked all day to make this fire pit by moving these giant rocks from all around our property. I captured on file the last rock they moved..."rock" is an understatement. They named her Big Bertha, they moved her from in front of the house to all the way around back. It took a sled, a hill, gravity...and I still thought the rock was going to kill them

Here, we are enjoying the fruits of their labor...and s'mores!

Sitting up tall

Mason is starting to sit up on his own. He still bucks backwards sometimes so needs a pillow (or hand) ready to catch his fall should he tumble back, but his core is definitely getting strong!

Yummy Yummy...FEET?

Mason has found his feet and is enjoying them tremendously. Whenever they are bare he cannot resist stuffing them into his wide open mouth!

Football Season is Back!

Mason's 5 Months Old

Mason is extremely alert and mobile these days. He has figured out how to roll himself back and forth to get closer to an object he desires. Of course, it takes him awhile, but he is one determined little guy when he wants something! He is still extremely vocal and will cough or grunt loudly to get our attention...he especially does this when big brother is stealing the show.

Mason still has a healthy appetite. We've moved on to vegetables and a couple of fruits and he hasn't turned anything away yet. He opens his mouth wide whenever he sees a spoon moving in his general direction...which is hysterical to watch.

He is still a sweetheart, giving big smiles and giggles to anyone who looks or talks to him. His latest favorite things are his feet - he sticks them in his mouth as soon as his pants come off.

Mason seems to be going through a growth spurt every couple of weeks lately and we notice it not just in his overall size, but his features seems to really be changing a bit too and maturing a bit. He's definitely not an infant anymore and is definitely starting to develop a little personality. We just can't get enough of him!

Special Visitors

Memaw and Papoo came to visit us all the way from Georgia. While their visit was a short one, we certainly enjoyed our time with them. Hunter, though he's only met them a handful of times, talks about Memaw and Papoo all the time because of the pictures we keep around the house. Needless to say, he was beside himself with excitement when they were here. He showed them every single one of his toys and gave them a tour of the house. He had a blast! Mason was a bit more subdued, but he seemed to enjoy the cuddles.

We love and miss you Memaw and Papoo!

Moving Day

We settled on our new home on September 14th and have spent every day since scrubbing every inch of it, painting and doing a bizillion other things to get it ready for today...MOVE DAY!!

And what a day it was...torrential rain all day long. Our poor movers were soaking wet. Thankfully they wrapped our furniture very well so nothing was damaged by the rain, but "UGH"! We also found out that the front flower gardens turn into a pond which floods our front walkway when we get this much rain. So Ryan was out digging trenches so the movers could use it without walking through ankle deep water. It was a crazy day, but we are in now and have the rest of our lives to get it all in order!

A special "thank you" to our family for spending so much of your personal time helping us fix our place up. Specifically, Hanns and Pat who seemed to work with us around the clock, neglecting their own home for several weeks to better ours. We love you all very much!

I think he likes it!

Mason loves his rice cereal and we have now progressed to some pureed fruits and vegetables. He hasn't turned anything down yet!

Mason's First Rice Cereal from a Spoon

Mason ate rice cereal for the first time from his high chair on Sept 12th and he seemed to take to it pretty quickly, though was a little unsure about whether he really liked it or not! The truly amazing thing is just three days later on Sept 15th he was searching for the spoon and opening his mouth wide for it. We couldn't get it to him fast enough! He's a good eater - as we already knew.

Here is a video of him on Sept 12th:

Here is a video of Mason on Sept 15th:

He's a rollin'

Mason rolled over from his back to his belly for the first time today! He was so happy with himself that he proceeded to do it 4 more times!

Hunter's 2 Year Check-Up

Hunter turned 2 yrs old about a month ago, but since he didn't require any vaccinations we decided to push his visit back so it could be combined with Mason's 4 month check-up.

Hunter weighed in at 32lbs 5 ozs (89 percentile) and 37 inches long (95th percentile). He is a healthy and active boy! In just the last week, he has really begun to climb. We were at the playground and he was watching other kids climbing all over the place and the very next day he was giving it a try himself. It hasn't stopped since. On all types of furniture, obstacles, and people, he seems to spend a lot of time trying to get off the ground. For us, it is both awesome to watch and a bit scary, too.

As far as the "terrible twos" goes, we don't think we are there, or at least not yet. It is true that we get the answer "no" to just about everything first, but many times it is immediately followed by "I do". It is easy to see that Hunter is trying to assert his independence in many ways - specifically with daily habits like eating, diaper changes, brushing teeth and bedtime. But overall, he is a good kid and listens fairly well...certainly better than I would have imagined a two year old acting. Meltdowns are generally reserved for times when he is already tired and therefore a bit cranky. The awesome things he does most definitely outweigh the negative behaviors!

To name a few...

He is talking up a storm, which is incredible. He tries very hard to communicate his needs now and also tells us a little bit about his day and glimpses into what he is thinking. WHAT AN IMAGINATION HE HAS ALREADY! He is very patient with us too. As his pronunciation still needs to be refined, we don't always understand exactly what he is saying the first time out. If we repeat it incorrectly, Hunter tells us "no." and will then either repeat himself (sometimes, several times) or he will act it out or show us, so we understand him. He is stringing anywhere from 3-5 words together at a time to speak in phrases, which is pretty awesome. Hunter loves telling Knock Knock Jokes - he really is just amazing and cracks us up daily. He is very well mannered too and we think it is adorable when he says "excuse me" when he interrupts us to speak and after he burps.

His memory is incredible, as well. We can show him something and name it once and he surprises us by calling it by name several days later or even weeks later. He can also recite almost all the words to his favorite books and songs on command and is getting pretty close to saying his ABC's.

He continues to go pee in the potty when asked and has earned many prizes and much praise as a result. He has tried a few times to go #2 on the potty, but otherwise has no real interest. One other tell-tale sign of his development and lineage is that he now finds burps and farts to be extremely fascinating and usually are the punchline to most of his jokes. Dad is very proud ;-)

We could go on and on and on... but will wait for another post!!

Mason's 4 Month Check-up

At 4 months old, our little Tubba Wubba weighs in at 16lbs 4ozs (77th percentile) and is 26.4 inches long (91st percentile). He has really hit some growth spurts. In fact, we think he is going through a big one right now as he has been eating and sleeping a ton these last few days. He even looks noticeably larger from one day to the next. He is a healthy boy and handled his vaccinations with minimal tears.

He is doing a great job rolling over from his front to his back, and is getting very close to rolling from his back to his front now. He basically rolls onto his side, but because his arm stays under him he doesn't quite go that last little bit to get completely on his belly.

Mason is still extremely loud. In fact, the whole time we were at his appointment he was squealing and squawking up a storm. Dr. D asked if he was always so happy, and when we answered "yes", he said we got lucky with 2 good natured children. (WE SURE DID!)

The 2 nights prior to his check-up, Mason slept straight through from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. What a treat! We hope it continues.

Mason is also very alert now! He seems very in tune with his environment and loves interacting with others. He is starting to respond to his name and still watches mom and dad when they are moving around a room - he will contort his neck all kinds of funny ways to make sure he can follow us with his eyes. He's also starting to use his voice to let us know when he wants something, usually to be picked up or fed. Did we mention he is loud???

His hands are still one of his favorite soothers, he chews and sucks on them constantly. Lately he is also taking a special interest in his feet. He grabs them and pulls them close to his face, but has yet to put them in his mouth. I'm sure that day will be coming soon. With so much action at his mouth, it is no surprise that he gives very sloppy kisses these days.

It feels like Mason is hitting these milestones so quickly...I guess because he isn't an only child, so we aren't watching his every move under a microscope...but it really seems like the time is flying by and he is growing up so very fast. Wonder what he'll be up to next month?!

Here are some of our favorite pics from this past month:

Our New Indian Chief

We Caught a Live One!!

This was our last summer visit to Mom Mom's house in O.C. We had a great time as usual and Hunter really enjoyed his time at the beach, chasing the waves to and fro. Mason, on the other hand, enjoyed his quality time with Mom Mom while we were out.

Deja Vu

This past month Mason has really taken an interest in his hands. He sucks and chews on his fingers and thumbs every chance he gets. We are starting to think we may have a true thumbsucker in residence!

During a recent nap, we caught Mason in the act. How cute is he?!

Of course, we have an extremely similar video of Hunter at around the same age, as you can see below. Hunter didn't really take to sucking his thumb, but he tried it out here and there before moving on to FOOD!

Mason's 3 Months Old

Our little Tubba Wubba is already 3 months old, if you can believe that! He is still a complete sweetheart! He loves to smile and coo, and is doing a great job batting at his toys. Mason is fitting in like an old hat at Day Care, and because he is so expressive, Miss Connie tells us that the kids love going up to him and making funny faces because he rewards them with an instant smile.

Mason has been doing a wonderful job with his Tummy Time activities for a while now and can really hold his head up very high on his own. He is also starting to get the hang of rolling over from front to back, but he still needs a little help every once in a while or he gets frustrated with it.

We are anxious for his check-up next month to see how much he has grown. He is filling out so quickly that he is already starting to stretch his 3 month clothing and has graduated to 6 month outfits.

Hunter turns 2!

We had a blast celebrating Hunter's 2nd birthday! (Wow...did I really just say we have a 2 year old? When did that happen? Where did the time go and how can we slow it down?) Hunter invited all of his closest buddies to his bounce party where they proceeded to wear out all of the adults in attendance! The birthday boy was in his full glory and showing his silliest side throughout the day. He had just as much fun running and rolling around on the floor as he did in the actual bounce houses! It was a riot to watch!

After his party and a big nap to recuperate, we ended the day with a nice family dinner, in which Pop-pop and Ya-ya were also able to enjoy since they didn't make it to the bounce place.

We took a million pics throughout the party, but unfortunately these kids are so darn quick the majority came out blurry...so here is what we have left!

Bedtime Rituals

Ever since Hunter was a newborn, Felicia has sung to him at bedtime. Now he sings along too! We love it!

Back to Work

Sadly, I had to kiss both my boys goodbye this morning and send them off to Day Care. In some ways, it was easier this time around because I knew what to expect and was better prepared. I think it also helped that we've known Connie, our Day Care provider, for 2 years now and know how good she is with the kids and just how much they love being with her and the other boys, so we know they are well loved and looked after in our absence.

Even with that, it was definitely the longest day ever and there were moments when I felt like I was missing a part of myself (like a limb or something), but it was my little Tubba Wubba that I was lost without.

Here are a few pics of Mason on his first day at Day Care:

Our sweet boys!

I really don't think there are words to describe just how in love we are with these boys! They are so amazing and sweet and funny; we just can't get enough of them!

This is the last week I have off for maternity leave before returning to work, so I'm trying to soak up every single moment with them, especially Mason who is home with me everyday and will be going to Day Care for the first time when I return to work on July 27th.

Mason has started blowing raspberries and bubbles, he also loves gnawing on his fists (or anything else he can stuff in his mouth). Here are some videos showing his new "skills"!

Our little baker...

Hunter just loves helping out in the kitchen, especially when it involves chocolate treats! Here are some pictures of him helping mommy make rice krispy treats dipped in chocolate and his all time favorite...cake balls! (He even made a few without eating them this time.)

After dinner jam session...

After dinner in the Vandrey household, we generally have dance parties, jam session or some other bit of silliness! This particular evening Hunter wanted to jam on the electric guitar with Dad!

As you may gather from Ryan's song, we had corn on the cob for dinner and it was indeed stuck in our teeth! :o)

New House?

Ryan and I are happy to report that our 3 year search for a new home may have finally come to an end! We were very excited when we came across this house in Forest Hill. In addition to being a larger home with more indoor living space, it is set on a 12 acre lot...can't wait to watch the boys running around the property! The neighborhood is awesome and looks to have other children around Hunter and Mason's age. It is also in a great school district. Almost seems too good to be true, but this is exactly what we have been waiting for and we are SOOO glad we didn't settle for some of the other houses we've looked at in the past!!

The next few months will be hectic with inspections and renting our current home, but if all goes well we should settle on September 14th. YEA!!

Back to O.C.

Another trip to visit Mom-mom in Ocean City means lots of water time!

As always we had a wonderful time and hope to make one last trip before the end of summer.

We love you mom!

A sweet moment captured on film...

Hunter joined Mason in his play gym this morning for some play time, then gave him some unexpected love before jetting on to something else.

Our Happy Boy!

Mason continues to be a delight, smiling and cooing any time you make eye contact with him. He is so darn sweet, it's kind of hard to believe he is ours! LOL!

Music Man

As you know from other posts, Hunter loves music. He loves playing various toy instruments, dancing around and even singing. When we go to Opa and Mimi's house it is a special treat because Opa has a drum set and allows Hunter to play.

As you can see from the videos below, Hunter is just tickled, especially since he had an audience of devoted fans dancing in front of him!

2 Months Old on the 4th of July!

Time flies when you're having fun... and it blasts right past you when you have 2 little boys!!!! Mason is already 2 months old and even though it seems like yesterday when we were waiting for him to arrive, he has already assimilated himself into our daily routine. He has managed to keep the full head of long brown hair he was born with and it is as wild as ever, shooting out in all directions.
His 2-month check-up with the doctor confirmed what we already knew, Mason is healthy, happy, and growing at an incredible rate!!! At the check up he weighed 13 lbs 3 ozs (84th percentile), was 24.5 inches long (93rd percentile) and a head circumference of 16.4 inches (87th percentile). If you are like us, you will have gone back to Hunter's 2 month measurements and see that Mason has outgrown his big brother at this stage! The doctor even commented during our visit that he is bigger than most 4 month olds.
Mason is really starting to interact with us these days...he follows us with his eyes all around the room and does lots of cooing and gurgling. He also has one of the best smiles in the world, and all you have to do to get one is make eye contact!! He is indeed a sweetheart! Mason can also bat at and grasp his toys and is even, on occasion, rolling over from front to back when placed on his tummy.
Coinciding with the 2 month anniversary of his birth was 4th of July weekend. It was pretty hot, but our neighbors threw one of the biggest (and longest) backyard parties we have ever witnessed on our block. The party lasted for 2 days and included a 60 foot tent, volleyball net, tons of delicious food and drinks, and a 2-story tall, 67 foot inflatable water slide for the kids (including Ryan) to play on. In addition to seeing the town of Bel Air's fireworks from our backyard, our neighbors also put on a show of their own which was quite spectacular, though it did end with one misfire into an inflatable pool in another neighbors yard, which is now, sadly, no longer inflatable!
All-in-all, we feel very lucky, very happy, and very TIRED these days. It is just hard to believe we have wrapped so much into the first 2 months... the next few should be a wild ride!!!

Night(s) at the Roxbury

Our brief vacation to the Catskills with our good friends the Hammonds and Withams was great! While there was not much to do there, it was exactly what we needed. We enjoyed our company, went on a few hikes, and relaxed around the fire pit at night.

The Roxbury Motel was quite a treat with its amazing room decor (each room had a different theme), huge lawn and Bed & Breakfast feel. We stayed in George's Spacepad, based on the Jetsons, and enjoyed it's glowing red tub and sink!

More chatter...

Mason has gotten even more vocal these last couple of weeks!

And he wasn't finished...

An Eventful Visit to Mom-mom's

We had an awesome visit to Ocean City and, given that our trip overlapped Father's Day and Felicia's birthday, it was quite an eventful visit. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with our plans so we were unable to get to Assateague Beach during our stay, but we did go to the Salisbury Zoo and Felicia also took Hunter to the pool one day, which he LOVED! Hunter also surprised us by eating a ton of steamed crab claws during Felicia's birthday dinner - making his mama proud, she was worried that he might get his father's non-seafood eating gene!

Here are some pictures and videos of our trip. (As usual Mom-mom spoiled Hunter with some new toys which will explain the crazy masks and light sabers we are wearing in a few of the photos!)

The sweetest birthday serenade I received:

Fun in the pool:

A bit of chatter...

Mason is growing by leaps and bounds. We have always thought him a very noisy baby (he makes all kinds of loud noises when he eats and sleeps, including snorts, grunts, snores, gasps, etc.) but lately he has been cooing up a storm. He is also giving us the biggest smiles, which are so precious. He is just the sweetest baby!

While he doesn't seems to enjoy tummy time for long periods of time, he can raise his head up quiet high and is getting very strong. He can even roll over from front to back on occasion.

Here are some videos of him doing his thing!

P.S. I love the way he raises one eyebrow in this first video...so cute!

The Cake Ball Fiasco

Hunter loves to help out in the kitchen, so I thought it would be fun to have him help me make cake balls for Uncle Scott's birthday. He started out trying to roll them in to balls, but I think the temptation became too great and eventually the cake balls he had disappeared. Once he tasted them, there was no more helping...just eating. He very much looks like the cat who ate the canary!

Ryan was able to video us at the very end...

Brotherly Love!

Hunter just loves to give Mason kisses and asks to hold him often. It is the cutest thing; we are so blessed to have such sweet children!

Here are some pics dating back to Mason's first week home.

I recently asked Hunter who his best buddy was, thinking he'd name another child at Day Care or one of the neighborhood kids, to my surprise this is what he said:

1 Month Old!

Yes...Already! How the time flies! Mason is really thriving, at a recent doctor's appt he had already gained about 3 lbs since birth, weighing in at a hefty 11 lbs. 4 ozs. and has grown an additional 1.5 inches in length.

We were having some concerns about his eating, mainly because he seems to have extreme abdominal pain after feedings. We suspected it may be acid reflux and he was prescribed some medication, which seems to be working. Otherwise, he is a healthy and happy boy.

Mason started lifting up his head a little bit, smiling and cooing to us at 2 weeks old and it's just improving with time. Now he is really able to lift his head up high for longer periods of time when on his belly, he is batting at his toys, smiling much more, and has recently found his voice and begun "talking" to us a bit more.

Life with two children is definitely a bit more hectic. It takes a bit of juggling, but it is 100% wonderful. Mason is reminding us of all the fun infant moments that we were starting to forget given all the fun toddler moments. It is great to see and enjoy them all simultaneously now! Gosh - we are so in love with our boys, words just cannot describe it!

Here are some of our favorite photos from this first month!

Alphabet

Hunter has been repeating the alphabet for some time now and can even identify some letters by sight alone. He can also count to 3 reliably all by himself, and some days up to 5 without help!

We finally got him saying the alphabet on video, though he had already gone through it once for us before we thought to grab the video, so he was becoming quite bored with it, hence the silliness, and definitely had better things to do when it was over!

Memorial Weekend

It was a beautiful weekend and we spent most of our time outdoors. Hunter enjoyed playing with Jack the Cat and the other neighborhood children in our backyard. We took a trip to Carroll County and had a nice visit with Nanny, Aunt Faye, Uncle Jerry, Pop-pop, JoAnn, and Aunt Kathy. Hunter was beyond thrilled to ride the tractor with Pop-pop. So much, in fact, that once they were finished he dragged Ryan and JoAnn back out to the barn separately to show them the tractor again. Mason slept through all the excitement!

Aunt Laurie, Uncle Scotty, Abbey and Jim stopped by for a visit and got to meet Mason for the first time, and last but not least we went out to a farm in Elkton to pick some strawberries (8.5 lbs to be exact!) haha!

And the tractor ride...

Milk Coma Flashback!

Here is a picture of Mason right after eating at 19 days old:

And here is a similar picture of Hunter when he was 18 days old:

Ryan's Birthday

The weather was gorgeous on Ryan's birthday. His wish was to picnic at Jerusalem Mills, a great park near our house, and then go for a nice hike through their trails. Opa, MiMi and Uncle Scott met us there to join in the fun. We ended the day back home grilling some steaks for dinner and playing with the boys out back! It was a great day and, of course, we were all relieved that the world did not end!

Mason's First Bath

As soon as Mason's umbilical cord fell off and his circumcision wound healed, we were able to give him a full bath rather than a sponge bath. He didn't seem to mind it at all!

"Un"professional Pics of Mason

We wanted to get some professional newborn shots of Mason taken, but unfortunately the photographer we used in the past was unavailable, so Felicia decided she'd wing it on her own. This was the outcome...

Mason's Belly Photos

This is a little late, but as we did with Hunter, I wanted to post pictures of Mason's 40 weeks of growth within the womb.

Of course, we didn't quite get a picture each week, but we did our best!

A Mother's Day Surprise

After Hunter's bath this evening, Ryan dried him off and then sent him into his room naked to me for a diaper and pajamas. Hunter seemed to have other plans and ran back into the bathroom where he peed in his potty seat... granted, the potty seat was on the floor and not on top of the toilet at the time...but it is a start! We are VERY proud of him!

First Mother's Day with Two!

What a spectacular Mother's Day to have both of my sons with me...Mason's arrival couldn't have been more perfectly timed! We had a pretty leisurely day, as I am still in the midst of recovery, but it was sweet nonetheless. Hunter made some adorable gifts for me at Day Care and Mason is eating extremely well and starting to sleep better at night, which is a gift in and of itself!

Pat, Hanns, and Scott were also able to come over for a visit and snuggle with Mason and Hunter. As usual Hunter was very excited to see and play with them, and Mason seemed content to snooze the time away in their arms.

Another very special Mother's Day treat was to have my own mother here with us. She came to stay with us the night before Mason's arrival and has been such a huge help with entertaining and caring for Hunter. In addition, my house has never looked better, she has cleaned and also done all the weeding in my flower beds as well as bought and potted some new flowers for me on Mother's Day. She's cooked a ton of food so we all have loads of good things to grab out of the fridge whenever we are hungry! It is amazing all the wonderful things she has done for me over the years and continues to do for me and my family. I strive to be half the mother to my boys that she has been to me.

WELCOME MASON!!!

At 9 a.m. on May 4th we went to the hospital for our induction. Upon admission they exammed Felicia and she was 3 cms dilated and 50% effaced. They started the pitocin at 10:30 and contractions got underway at 11:15. We sat around playing cards through most of it, but they eventually became a bit more painful and were coming every 2-3 mins. Just before 2 p.m. the doctor stated that she was going to break the water and this would intensify the contractions quite a bit and get things moving along a bit more. At that point, Felicia opted for her epidural. So at 2 p.m. she got her epidural and the water was broken at 2:15. We watched a movie and let the medicine do its thing. At 4:30 p.m., Felicia was 4 cms dilated and 90% effaced upon examination, and at 6 p.m. she was 10 cms dilated but Mason's head was not yet dropped into position. Felicia was told to sit up a bit more to let gravity help him along. At 6:45 p.m. Felicia was feeling a lot of pressure during her contractions and was asked to start pushing. With the first push Mason's head crowned and the doctor exclaimed "WAIT, don't push, I wasn't ready for that!" She and the nurse quickly broke down the table and got everything ready. Felicia pushed 2 more times and at 6:53 p.m. we welcomed the arrival of Mason Alexander Vandrey!! He weighed 8 lbs 5 ozs and was 21 inches long.

The next day he was introduced to his big brother. It went wonderfully, Hunter immediately wanted up on the bed to sit with Mason and Mommy. After checking Mason out thoroughly he exclaimed "Hold, hold!" with his arms out. While holding Mason, he gave him some kisses on his forehead. It was a truly beautiful moment!

Officially late...

Mason's due date was yesterday (April 30th), so today Hunter has been trying a few big brother tricks to get him out!

Last Weekend as a Family of 3

As we countdown the days to Mason's arrival, we spent the weekend running around with Hunter. We played a little in our backyard on Friday. (Note: Hunter loves playing string with Jack, but NOT when the string is attached to his pants! We thought it was hilarious though!)

On Saturday, we took Hunter to the playground in the morning, then spent the afternoon at Sherwood Gardens enjoying the beautiful tulips and picnicking outside, then to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

On Sunday, Pop was in town and stopped by for a visit and we played a little more out back though the weather was not as nice.

It was a great weekend but we are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new little guy to make our family complete! Should be any day now...

Easter 2011

What a lovely Easter Sunday! Mom-mom, Opa, MiMi, Uncle Scott, Pop-Pop and Granny J joined us for a big breakfast. Hunter loved having all the visitors and was our little entertainer, as usual. His grandparents spoiled him with lots of toys and treats in his baskets...no surprise there. This was the first Easter that Hunter could participate in an egg hunt, but unfortunately due to all the rain we have been getting the ground was still saturated in the morning, so we hid eggs around the house instead. His little face brightened each time he discovered a new egg and he just loved opening them to get all of the goodies out.

After his busy morning, Hunter was absolutely pooped and took a nice long nap. When he woke, he got his 3rd and final Easter basket from mom and dad. Then we all went outside to enjoy the gorgeous day and Hunter played with his neighborhood friends.

Hard to imagine that next year we are going to have 2 little ones hunting for eggs...we are so very blessed in life!

Canines

Hunter's top and bottom canine teeth on the left side have just started coming in and it looks like the two on his right side are not far behind!

It has made for a bit of fussiness lately, lots of chewing on his cup straws, and fingers constantly in his mouth. Can't wait until they break all the way through so our baby is a bit more comfortable!

The CIRCUS!!

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to Baltimore and we couldn't resist taking Hunter! Admittedly, he is a little young, but he seemed to enjoy most of the sites. He LOVED the elephants and motorcycles that drove together in a sphere the best. He also got to enjoy his first taste of cotton candy - boy did his eyes light up when he had his first bite!

After about 3 hours Hunter started to run out of steam (and so were Mom and Dad) so we headed out about 30 minutes early. At that point, we had already seen all the big events and enjoyed spending the evening together!

A Surprise Shower and Birthday Dinner!

What a wonderful weekend! Mom-mom came to visit and I planned a wonderful suprise birthday dinner for her which included cooking my first crown roast with homemade stuffing and a layered carrot cake. We went out for a quick shopping trip and when we got back, my friend and neighbor Sofia asked me to come over real quick. When I walked through the door, it was my turn to be surprised, I was greeted by a gathering of friends, neighbors, and family!

Sofia had planned a baby shower for me and I was so completely unaware. It was so very sweet and generous for Sofia to have such a wonderful gathering in my honor! I had a wonderful time enjoying good food and conversation with everyone!

Play Dough Fun!

Hunter just loves making art - coloring, forming play dough and painting are among his favorite activities. Here are some pics of some of our most recent play dough sessions!

Happy 90th Birthday Ur-Oma!!

Special happy birthday wishes from us to Oma in St. Louis! Hope you had a wonderful day!

Playground Weather

We had some wonderful spring weather come in this weekend and took the opportunity to visit a local playground. We hadn't been there since last summer when Hunter was too small to enjoy much there. What a difference a winter has made. Hunter was everywhere, climbing on everything, going down the slides by himself, playing in the sand pit. We were there for 2 hours straight and he didn't want to leave, but he sure crashed hard at nap time when we got home!!

A Week with Mom-Mom

While Ryan was in Stratton VT for the US Open, Mom-Mom came to stay with us for the week. It became clear from the Day 1 that she was Hunter's new shiny toy. He took her by the hand and led her everywhere with him and there were certain things that only Mom-Mom could do with him, Mommy wasn't allowed anymore. Of course, she loved every minute...even after he exhausted her! She lavished him with attention (his favorite thing), new toys, and lots of hugs and kisses! In fact, she spoiled me, too, with lots of help around the house and yummy dinners. We both miss her terribly and wish she lived closer!

Hunter didn't want to stop playing with the new guitar and drum set that Mom-mom got for him...and he didn't want to let anyone else play with them either - not even Mom-mom or Mommy!

Hunter's Big Boy Room

With Mason's impending arrival, we have been preparing a new big boy room for Hunter over the last couple of months. We finally got everything in and had Hunter pretty excited about sleeping in a "big boy bed". Once we got it set up we decided we wouldn't have him sleep in there right away, but would give him time to play in there and get used to it first. Funny thing is, he immediately started taking his favorite blanket and stuffed giraffe (which he sleeps with every night) into his big boy bed at night time and getting into his toddler bed. Guess he was more ready to make the move than we were. We gave it a few weeks and upon putting the final touches on his room, we let him have at it.

When he went down for his first nap in his big boy room, Ryan laid outside the door and every time Hunter got out of bed he would tell him to get back in. This went on for a while but ever since then Hunter does NOT get out of the bed once we have tucked him in. In fact, he even stays in bed and calls out for us when he wakes up, waiting for us to come and get him before he will get up. It is pretty funny...we really expected to wake up to him banging on his toys each morning...so glad that is not the case!

Here are some pictures of his new Dr. Seuss Big Boy room!

Lollipop, Lollipop

Hunter decided he wanted to look through mommy's purse and found a Tootsie Pop during his exploration. He immediately said "OOOOOOOH. POP!" Ryan and I both looked at each other quizzically as neither of us have ever given him a lollipop before, but it was quite clear that someone has at some point. We decided to let him have it as a treat after dinner and he seemed to enjoy every lick!

Of course, now, he pulls at my purse and tries to get into it constantly while saying "Pop, Pop, Pop".

Bath Bubble Fun

Hunter has started to flip onto his belly during bath time and was very pleased when he received a bubble beard as a result. We told him he looked just like Opa, which he loved!