Solid Food Adventure!

Oh my lanta! This kid did not enjoy my cooking. Or maybe he just didn't enjoy the food. Who knows but man he sure did put up a fight! So below is the video of his first bites ever of food. I made homemade rice cereal. I will admit it is bland but that is what the recipe calls for. It is not straight liquid like he is used to but man he sure did not like it. After the 2nd video he proceeded to spit it up into his bib, and then about an hour later more of it came up. We will try again later but he did not enjoy it one bit! Oh and sorry that it is sideways, but you still get the picture even if you close your eyes! You might just want to turn down the volume a bit on your speakers so that he doesn't blow them out. Just a warning.

Flips For Fun

Mason is going to be 6 months old this week. For a nice surprise, Mason has decided to entertain me this evening by flipping over every time I put him on his belly! It is only 1 way that he is flipping, always rolling on his left side, but he is rolling! I captured it on my phone for future's sake and for Daddy to see as well. He is also starting to lift his belly off the ground when on his belly too, so I think crawling is in the near future for this little guy! So here they are, and I had to do both the second one for the razz he does at the end! ENJOY!

It Is What It Is

6 months in and 6 months to go until Matt comes home. I don't think he will be coming home early at this point. Just the vibe that I am getting when I speak to him and I'm just not feeling it that he will be home soon. It sucks! It really does. I miss my best friend. I wish he were here to get to know our amazing kid and get splashed by him in the bath. Yesterday, Mace and I went to Bertucci's, Matt's fav restaurant out here, for Matt's birthday. It would just be really nice for Matt to come home to be a family of 3. It looks like he will be there until July though. I just keep praying for the strength to get thru this time without him here. Anyhew I just wanted to let everyone know. Matt is one of the 15,000 stuck in Kuwait. I am thankful for having Mace here because I don't know how I would have done this if Mace wasn't here. Thanks for all of your support.

On another happier note. Mace will be 6 months old next week. I am so excited to write about that and how much he has grown and changed in the last month and overall in the last 6 months. I love Mace so much. He is such an amazing little guy. I love being able to stay home with him all day long and I am so thankful that I have the means and opportunity to be a stay at home mom. I love and miss my students but I am so thankful to be able to have this chance to dedicate my life and time for my child. I love it so much!!!

Just For Fun

I took some pix of Mace tonight just for fun! He is almost 6 months old and well I wanted to get some more pix of him before he was half a year old! We were just chillin' in front of the fireplace watching Wheel Of Fortune, which Mace loves to watch because I think of all the clapping. He was such a great sport smiling for almost every pix, there were 2 that the flash took him by surprise and well he just gave his confused face. Still cute though by the way. Anyhew, here are some pix of my cute little boy!

 ~Look Ma, no hands!~

Mason's Christmas Pictures

I never did post these from Mason's first professional photo shoot and I said that I would. So here are a few cute pix of Mason in his Christmas outfit! Mason did wear this on Christmas morning. It was quite a bit shorter than it is in these pictures. My little guy is getting too big too quickly! It was very big on him in these pix and was almost like a romper on Christmas morning. Amazing how quickly he grows! I love my little guy so much and he is just as cute as ever. (What?!? I'm his Mommy I am allowed to gush!) I hope my little guy enjoyed his first Christmas.

Mason's First Christmas

It is here and it was done with so quickly. All those days of anticipation of having the wrapped gifts under the tree and for it to be over so quickly with the excitement of tearing open the wrapping paper to see the prize inside. Anyhew it was a GREAT Christmas! Matt was able to join us via Skype, I love Skype, and he got to watch Mace open all of his gifts along with some for us. I wish so much that Matt was able to be here with us but we got the next best thing.

Mace got a LIFE SIZED Alligator, which I think was more for me than anything! It is the coolest thing. Some great toys and of course all of his plates, cups, spoon and bowels for the next phase of his life, solid food. Mace was so excited with his toys. And of course ripping all the paper off. He did a great job with his first Christmas. Before we were done he was passed out on Grandma. So sweet.

It has been a wonderful week with Grandma and Grandpa here. We have been just spending time hanging out at the house. Eating at one of our fav restaurants here in Charlottesville, Timberwood Grill. For Christmas Eve we had yummy baked potato soup and croissant sandwiches. For Christmas dinner I am making a yummy soy rubbed tenderloin which is making the whole house smell like fresh baked bread. Thank you Paula Dean for your recipe.

But my fav thing of all is to spend time with my family and be together. I am so glad that they were here with me and that Matt was with us for a bit on the computer. I hope Mason knows how much all of us love him. I am thankful for him in my life and for him to finally be here with us. Wishing all of you a very Merry Chirstmas, Love the Allens!

~Christmas Eve~

 ~Christmas Day~

~Grandma and Mace at Christmas Dinner having a great time! So cute!~

 ~Archer enjoying his new toy~

5 Months

My little angel is 5 months old... yesterday! The time has thankfully and sadly flown by. I am thankful because that means that we are just 1 month closer to Daddy being home but I miss my small little baby! My friend had her baby last week and E is just so small and tiny and I miss those days when Mace was that small!

Grandma and Grandpa are in town this week for Christmas. I am so thankful they are here so that I don't have to fly across the country with a baby that doesn't like to be confined for long periods of time and so that I am not alone. We have been so excited for them to come and what does Mason do when he see them, he cries. A LOT! It is hard being so far from them and for him not to remember them. I think this is sadly preparing me for how it is going to be when Matt comes home.

Mason doesn't seem to have grown that much this past month. But I see him everyday. He is just a happy little chunky baby who knows who his Mommy is and is starting to prefer me to hold him over strangers. It is a very odd but warm fuzzy feeling. Babies have always tried to get away from me when I held them and this kid wants me and only me. I love it, I really do.

He rolled from back to tummy for the first time just before my birthday, which of course I missed it. I hoped he would do it again for my birthday but he didn't. He hasn't done it since but I have been flipping him over to help him out.

He loves to be rough housed! HE IS SUCH A BOY! He loves to be tickled all over, nibbled, and swung upside down. He does not take after Daddy on the part because he would have puked all over me by now with the way Daddy has motion sickness. He loves to giggle and smiles all the time. He is so patient in the grocery store, which by the way he is now sitting in the shopping cart seat at the store and holds on to the rail. IT IS SO STINKING CUTE! He will now sleep 9 hours straight at night most nights. We have our ups and downs with that but he is doing well with the sleep department. He also takes 3 naps a day sometimes 1.5-2 hours each still!

I am so thankful every single day for this little kid in my life. I know that he was sent to us during this time to help me get thru this difficult year of Matt being deployed. Mace is the one keeping me sane. I miss Matt like crazy especially at this time of year. Everyone keeps asking me if he is coming home, no he is not. I pray everyday that if it is possible for him to come home that he would but I also pray for strength to get thru this time without him. I went to a cookie swap the other day and most of the cookies are being sent to him and his unit for Christmas. Anyhew Happy 5 months Mason! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!