MASON
Mason is still darling, loving, sweet, funny and oh-so smart. He also has his lovely 'turd' moments. He can throw a pretty big tantrum. Then, after time out and apologies, give me the biggest hugs and say 'I love you, Mamma'. He makes me melt. I have started doing nightly routines, which have grown from just book reading to songs and 'lay with me' time. I don't do very well singing, not because I care about how I sound, but because I just can't remember words to songs without having the music with it. Luckily, he doesn't know the difference on most songs. I tickle his back/belly with 'X marks the spot with a circle and a dot. Dot, dot, dot and dash, dash, dash. Raindrops here, raindrops there, water flowing everywhere. Spiders crawling up your belly. But watch out, they're kinda smelly. Warm breeze, tight squeeze, now you've got the shiveries.' He loves it. I just love to cuddle up to him. Rachael, his babysitter, teaches him all sorts of fun songs. There are many times where he makes requests and I have no idea what song he's talking about. I end up asking Rachael to sing it to me, which always embarrasses her. Ü
Halloween was fun this year. Mason actually went door to door and enjoyed it...for about 15 houses. That was enough for all of us. He was Batman. Kenley was Wonder Woman.
I get season tickets to Weber State University's sporting events, since I'm an employee. After some convincing from co-workers, I decided to take Mason to a men's basketball game. Just Mason and I, on a date. It was delightful. I don't know that I've done something with just Mason, since Kenley came along. He loved the game and the giant KitKat and Sprite he got spoiled with. We'll for sure continue going and are scheduled to double with Gma and Gpa Reynolds in a couple weeks.
Mason has learned to write and type his name. He's sounding letters/small words out. His skill at video games is unreal to me. Whether it's on the computer, the Wii or his iPod, he's a quick learner. When he's stuck on a level he always comes and asks me how to do it. I muddle through it for a few turns before he says something like 'Here let me show you how to do it.' He is so funny. Unfortunately, he decided to start saying the 'F' word last week. Ugh. This is not a word that I use, so when daycare mentioned it to me I about died. He said it 3 times in one day. I had a few chats with him about it. I didn't tell him it was a bad word, but instead that some words make people feel sad. Those are words we don't use. Another example was 'butt head'. He proved he is just too young to understand when he said 'but we can say belly head, right?'. I told him to just try to say nice words all of the time. That mean words make people feel bad. Granted, Mason will learn lots of swear words from me in his lifetime, but I'm doing my best to let him know that he needs to be very careful with 'words'. Some other favorites that he says often: 'What the earth?' (Instead of What ON earth or What the hell), 'You've got to be kidding me!', 'See mom, I told you so.'
Mason loves his sister. I can't tell if they are inseparable because of love or because she is clingy, but I like it either way. We call her 'sissy' and I hear him talk with her like she's a big girl often. Of course, he also tells her 'NO, KENLEY' all of the time. He's learning to share with her. I teach him to trade with her, if he wants to play with something that she has. The trick is making sure he doesn't just swipe everything away from her, like she tries to with him.
He has started to play pretend with toys. I love to listen to the interactions he has with his 'friends'. Generally, someone dies and some super hero saves another. That's pretty much a boy thing, I figure. I do worry about his concept of death, but I certainly am NOT ready to have that deep of a conversation with him. I already struggle trying to teach him who Jesus and Heavenly Father are, since I seldom make it to church with them.
He is fully potty trained and has been since right around his 4th bday (July 2011). He thinks it's super cool to stand with 'no hands' while he pees. Boys are so simple. Then again, the other day he got in trouble and I put him in time out in the bathroom. It was bedtime and I instructed him to stay in there until he went pee and got ready for bed. I shut the door and went about the house. A minute later he yells from the bathroom 'I peed' (in an extremely proud of himself tone). I went in to tell him thank you, only to find that he had peed, fully clothed, on the floor and was sitting in it. Spiteful, little punk. It was 100% on purpose. I made him clean it up too! (Of course, I helped, cuz I'm a sucker!)
And then, there are nights where he just wants to snuggle and play with me. He was sick this week with another virus (last month it was a cold). He got Hand, Foot and Mouth disease somehow. This is a virus of the mouth that produces small blistery bumps in your mouth and down your throat. So very sad. Actually, Kenley got it too, but so far hers is mild comparatively. Mason will drink, but refuses to eat. He actually asks me for his medicine. It should only last about a week, so we're through the worst of it. I took yesterday off and stayed home with both of them. We played, we danced, we cuddled, we decorated for Christmas, etc. I have such wonderful rugrats. I may not be the most patient mom ever, but I couldn't love my kids more!
Next up: Kenley....stay tuned.
Seriously, I only ever have one hand to type with, unless I'm at work. Kenley is now 3 months old and very demanding. She wants to be held or have you hold her binky in her mouth all of the time! Needless to say, blogging has suffered. Kenley weighs 12 lbs. now. She is all smiles, when she's not screeching. Even with RSV for the last 2 weeks, she'll smile at us every time she sees us. She's wonderful! I'm not used to a baby that actually cries, so when she does it still startles me. She is not afraid to show you she wants to be heard.
I went back to work beginning in January. I am still working part time at the Davis Applied Technology College, for now. Unfortunately, I need to work full time and they don't the ability to give me benefits. I have a job offer pending (background check must be done first) with Weber University. I am so grateful to have found a full time job with benefits. We've been without health insurance since November and it freaks me out. Plus, paying out of pocket for prescriptions and doctor appointments sucks rocks! Working full time will be an adjustment. It's been 3 1/2 years. I have found a great daycare for the kids. A darling girl in my neighborhood started a daycare out of her home when she had her 2nd child. She has kids about the same age as mine. She is so great with the kids! Daycare is a horribly expensive deal. Of course, I still think they get paid way too little for all that they do. It's just new for me to pay someone to watch the kids. She lives 2 houses away from me and we get along really well. I am SO grateful. Even more important though, the kids love to be there! At some point, I'll have to address Mason going to pre-school, but not right now. He still won't allow us to potty train him. I say it this way because I know dang well he COULD be potty trained. He chooses not to. No amount of bribes or coercing is working with him. Stubborn monkey.
Proof that she does open her eyes, occasionally. 
