Mobile Madness

Thank goodness for technology. I'm so happy my Blackberry device has a nice camera on it. I never really cared that much to have a camera phone before, but I've been able to capture some cute moments with Mason since I'm likely to keep my phone with me. As a side note, I think my camera phone may take better pictures than both of my other 2 digital cameras...weird.

Here he is sleeping with his monkey binky. I thought it was funny since their heads are turned the same way.

And my little prepster was just chilling before church. He thinks he's a big boy already.

And then since I was the only mom to not bring a camera to the picnic (bad Mommy bad!), I broke out the phone for this sweet picture of the baby picnicking madness.

Dinner Last Night

He's got his Mommy's eyes
And her thunder thighs
He's a preppy dresser
And a silly mess-er
His smile shines like a beam
And oh he likes to scream

One of Mason's newest things (in addition to trying so hard to be more mobile) is he's found his screaming voice. He likes to yell out at random times. And lately it's been a challenge for me to determine if he's upset or just making fun noises....more often than not, he just likes the sound of his voice.

Just Doesn't Work For Us

Itzbeen Baby Care Timer: This has received a great deal of press, but I imagine a lot of that has to do with the company's marketing tactics (splashed across the frontpages of TheBump.com, listed as a hot item on Babies R Us, etc). In theory, it's a great idea- an electronic record keeper of when your last dirty/wet diaper was, bottle/nursing schedule, how long your child slept and when, etc. But the problem is that after your first couple of weeks, you as a parent and your newborn will settle into a routine that doesn't require hyper scheduling.

In my opinion, this is a waste of $25. I used my Blackberry for the first couple of weeks to record (in the "Note" application) the number of diapers and his feedings and to watch the clock on the device.

Basic Comfort Supreme Sleep Positioner: This fancy sleep positioner was something my brother convinced me to get when Mason was a newborn. Mason and I co-sleep (share a bed) at night, but I wanted to transition him to his bassinet and then cradle; I figured he wanted something cozy that would simulate sleeping with me. This crazy contraption even has a built-in heartbeat device that pulsates when a button is pushed OR when a baby's cry is heard. Stupid waste of $45! A baby knows the difference between his mommy and a foam-filled thingamajig. He doesn't even like this thing when he's awake! And I could never properly readjust the headrest so poor Mason's neck was always sitting too upright and the "wings" on the sides were never cozy enough.
Sophie the Giraffe: This French teether is all the rage right now. I walk into any baby boutique and they all seem to be so proud to carry her. I don't get why she's so much cooler than other teethers. Supposedly her giraffe spots stimulate visually and babies like the squeaking noise too. But why spend $20 on this teether when I can get 5 hip teethers for that price (or get the 3-pk water-filled teether toys at Target for $4). Sorry Sophie, but I don't even think you look that fancy.

(Almost) On the Move

We've made a few breakthroughs this weekend. While my guy still hates to be strapped into the car seat/stroller/swing, all weekend long he was actually content to ride in the car. This is a huge feat...just ask any poor soul who has car pooled with us before. I can watch him in the rearview mirror (there's a baby mirror on the back headrest too) and he seems to be content just chillin', sometimes tasting his piggy toes, and only falling asleep on one of the car trips all weekend long.

And yes, I think my son would make a great Ralph Lauren model. Of course, now that I've bought out their entire stock, they should make him an honorary one any way (just kidding!).

Baby Mason is growing up too fast. Here he is trying to figure out how to crawl using just his legs. From 3 months, he's tried to figure out how to become mobile on his belly but had only been using his arms. Now he's getting the leg part down, but just needs to coordinate his arms and his legs together.

{WARNING: these videos will be boring to everyone but his Mommy and Gigi}

Mommy Went Shopping

And although my sweet baby boy couldn't care less about what he wears...

Mommy still enjoys dressing her little man up!

Out of control...I know it.

I Didn't Know That

Did everyone else know that the baby bath tubs were designed to fit in a kitchen sink too? This entire time I've been using it in the bottom of the big bath tub (since Mason's birth). Of course I figured it out AFTER Mason's too big for the sink use.

Oh well. At least I know now that I can flip sides and use it for when he's a toddler. I figure the smaller the tub, the lesser the usage of water (otherwise I'd just fill up the big tub).

Just Tie a String on Your Finger

When Mason is terribly fussy or throwing an all-out fit, I sometimes need to remember my son really is a sweet baby. And I'll admit that sometimes I review past posts to help remind myself that he really is adorable. Even if he doens't seem to be so at the moment...

At 4-Months, having fun with the Web cam.

The Boon-er the Better

We have the Frog Pod...perfect for storing bathtime toys and there's a shelf for shampoo and body wash.

I'm thisclose to convincing myself to get the Boon Flair High Chair. It's bit more modern than my usual taste. For aesthetics, I originally wanted a wooden high chair, but after reading reviews some shared 1) you must use a chair cushion, which is additional cost and I'd imagine a pain to clean out; 2) they're not necessarily the safest as a child could slide out the bottom or smash their fingers with the tray (sheesh!); 3) although it's wood, evidently they're tough to clean especially those with slats like the Jenny Lind style.

The Boon has a pneaumatic lift (read: adjusts like a Barber;s chair), is very safe, is easy to clean including the pad, has a dishwasher-sized tray, rolls on 6 coasters and doesn't scratch floors (with a super easy brake), and it can transition to pull up to a table or counter. The cons are: the seat doesn't recline, the brake doesn't keep the chair completely stationary (did not appear to be a safety hazard though), and the tray is small although some moms said this was nice as it trained their children to eat off of a smaller surface.

And check out this cool feeding spoon! You insert your food in the handle and squirt a small bit out for feeding. It comes with a cover which means you can easily prepare a meal for the go and not have to deal with keeping up with another container for the food...and one less thing to clean up.

This trainer cup is ergonomically designed. We're not ready for a sippy cup yet, but I'd imagine this fits better in the diaper bag than other cups with handles that protrude.

Check out the other Boon products at www.booninc.com They donate 10% of their profits to children's charities. Cool baby cool!

5-Months Old

My monkey is 5 months old! I can hardly believe it...he's growing so fast.

At 5-Months, Mason's...

...a very happy baby.



...a big smiley guy and his laughs range from sweet little coos to all-out cackling.



...he's eating cereal and learning how to use a spoon.



...he's all BOY! Some babies are androgynous, but my child is defnitely a dude.

We're showing serious signs of seperation anxiety, although it's not a steady pattern nor is it consistent. He's figured out how to be more mobile on his back by digging his feet into the ground and pushing himself backwards. He'll also twist and turn his body so he rotates 180 degrees. He hasn't yet figured out how to continuously roll, so thankfully he has his mobile limitations.

Our First Fourth

We had a lovely Holiday at my sister-in-law's dad's lakehouse! Everything worked out perfectly as he had a house boat that we anchored and then attached the speed boat for the more fast-paced water recreation. Mason stayed on the houseboat, inside with fans and out of the sun.

And while he could be unfettered inside the house boat, he had to wear his life jacket when we boarded from the docks and when we rode in the speed boat to the Resort Lodge the first night. So guess what- my son who can't stand being strapped in a swing or car seat, HATED the jacket. But it sure was a cute infant-sized PFD!

Mason found a new friend. Al, Mary's dad, loved holding the smiley tyke.

Of course Uncle Sean did as well. And he was sweet to hold Mason while I tried to ski...couldn't get up longer than a couple of seconds, but at least all the prep part seemed familiar and didn't wear me out.

And I think Aunt Mary has "baby fever."

Uncle Josh just might have it as well!

Guess who was the center of attention?

On the night of the Fourth, Mason missed out on the fireworks show because he was fussy for snack time. It was our first time to feed in public. While I have a nursing blanket (a weighted blanket for cover), I used our new "Hooter Hider" nursing cover and adequately concealed both of us during the display. I'd highly recommend this for breastfeeding mamas!

It was a wonderful Fourth of July!

Where's the Nose?

Mason's walker has a playtray attachment. There's Marty the Monkey, Ellie the Elephant, and Leon the Lion. His jungle friends will sing notes and songs, count in English/Spanish, and make animal noises (well sort of).

The other day I was watching Mason as he kept going after Leon the Lion. He was intently grabbing at his face and then I wondered...didn't Leon have a nose attached? Ellie has her trunk, Marty's is still attached, but there's a deep indention where it looks like Leon's is missing. The deep oval-shaped indention (above the orange triangle) that makes it appear there was something attached sideways one time. Gosh I hope there wasn't a nose. I don't think there ever was a nose. Let's hope it doesn't show up in a diaper.

Now I inspect his toys before giving them to him to make sure he doesn't try and gobble up the next plaything as he's exploring the world with his mouth.

First Feeding

"What's going on Mommy? My finger sandwiches taste yummy enough, why are you trying to feed me with that stuff?"

Mason's first taste of solid food...organic brown rice cereal (Monday, June 22 @ 4.5 months)
"I guess it's alright."

And then literally one week later, Mason can't get enough of this stuff. He took a breakfast meal 3 days the first week and then at the start of the 2nd week, he's been gobbling up a ton of it. He'll get excited when he sees the spoon and chomps his mouth (well, he moves his whole head) to devour the meal. We'll finish up this box and then will try some organic oatmeal next.

When Nanny C feeds Mason he stays clean. But when Mommy feeds Mason, he's a mess...

Bham Bump GTG

If you're not familiar with Knottie/Nestie speak, then you probably have no idea what that heading means.

The Bump is an Online pregnancy and mothering forum. Our local Birmingham Moms had a get-together (GTG) this morning at the Botanical Gardens. It was a fun intro time and Baby Mason and I got to meet the Moms and babies I've been communicating with for almost a year. The Bump was a great hub for my many pregnancy questions, baby preparation and local resources as well as other whatnots. I've seen some of the coolest ideas, found out where to shop locally, what to do when _____, and what to expect next.

(Please excuse the superfatty directly in the middle. She's forgotten how poor posture makes you look dumpy and frumpy...shame!)

We had fun and hopefully will have a chance to get together again...perhaps on a cooler day.