masonvox

CTR

Dear Mason,

Sometimes standing up and doing the right thing is not easy.  By choosing right over wrong sometimes it makes you feel like you are the unpopular person, the odd man out, or the one people point and laugh at.  But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do the right thing!  By trying to choose the right path in the long run it will pay off.  Sometimes it takes a little longer to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it will be there.  I promise.

Love, Mama

catch up.

Dear Mason,

So you're now officially introduced to one of Mama's greatest life obstacles:  procrastination.  I've been jotting down little notes here and there for posts to make to this journal of yours, but just haven't brought myself in to sit down at the computer and write a proper letter to you in way too long.  I'll catch up, I promise.  A lot has been going on in the past few months!  You had your first stay in a hotel, first swims in a pool, first NHL hockey game, first Thanksgiving, first visit to Daddy's class, first post-birth vaccinations and tons of other things!

This past Saturday you turned 3 months old.  I can't even believe that you are that old!  It's quickly becoming apparent to Daddy and I how people say that they can't remember how life was before they had kids, that part of our lives is slipping further and further from our memory.  We call the time before you were born "P.M." (pre-Mason) and after "A.M." (after Mason). 

It's less then a month until your first Christmas and Daddy and I are having so much fun enjoying this time with you.  Everything takes on a different meaning now that we have you, Mason, and it's so much fun.  Yesterday we went and picked out your very first Christmas tree.  You actually slept the whole time, but didn't like it when Mama put the prickly branch in your palm to see if you approved.  Daddy asked me tonight what Christmas traditions we should start for you - so someday when you're a teenager we can force you to come for family time because "you've done it every year since you were born!!". 

We're going to be spending Christmas in Utah, where Mama grew up, and there will be a ton of family excited to see you.  So much family that Mama and Daddy are going to be a little bit crazy.  You have a huge family, most of whom you've never met.  Not only will Mama's side of the family be there, since they live there, but Daddy's family is going to be traveling there too - so we will see all your cousins and aunts and uncles from that side of the tree, too. 

I love you, Mason.  Every day I get to spend with you, spending time with you, raising you, reminds me of how lucky I am to have you and lucky that you're the little person you are. 

Love, Mama

funnyboy.

Dear Mason,

Sometimes your adorableness just blows me away.  Every single day you keep discovering new things about the world around you and it's so fun for me to sit with you and watch and help you discover.  You are developing quite the little sense of humor, too.  This afternoon I sneaked into your room to check on you napping.  When I peeked over the side of the crib I was surprised to see you wide awake and your big blue eyes staring right at me with this little smirk on your face like "ha!  gotcha!" 

Then your face erupted into the most beautiful, gummy, heart-melting grin while at the same time you let out the most massive fart I have ever witnessed from a being so small as yourself.

bigger smile

Mase, you make me fall in love with you more every day.

Love, Mama

nothing special.

Dear Mason,

I just want to tell you how much I love you.  That's it.  Oh, and that you're growing up much too fast.  Can you please slow it down just a little bit?

Love, Mama     

family.

Dear Mason,

Today you had a Dr's appointment to see how much you have been growing!  Mama knew that you had put on some poundage because some of the outfits you wore when you came home from the hospital are getting a little snug!

When you were born:  7 pounds, 15 ounces
Today (one month and 5 days later):  12 pounds, 1 ounce

That is almost doubling your body weight in one month!  The Dr. was surprised - she said you were going to be a healthy little boy!  I guess that explains why you have such a monster appetite - you are growing like a weed. 

Today Mama counted and you have thirty seven bibs.  Don't ask me why you need so many bibs or what we are going to do with all of them.  Counting those and seeing all the stuff in your room made me realize how lucky you are and how many people you have around you that love you.  There is the beautiful, handmade puppy quilt that Aunt Sherry made you.  There is the gorgeous chocolate brown, sage green and baby blue patchwork quilt and pillow set that Grandma Singleton made you.  There are the adorable vintage Mickey statues that Gramma P. found in an antique store for you.  The precious Angels onesie from the nicest people that own the season seats in front of Dad and I at the stadium.  The countless stuffed animals from Mama's coworkers and friends -- each one has a different meaning and hopefully you will come to love them all.  You have more clothes than Mama and Dad put together - I spend more time organizing and sorting and folding your clothes in a day then I do on mine all week!

You got 3 packages in the mail today!  2  were from Gramma and Granpappy and had lots of goodies inside.  You got some Halloween and Thanksgiving onesies (and bibs!), some Halloween candy and a little pumpkin, some books, some more handmade burp cloths (Mama loves these and has them stashed all over the house!), some denim overalls, 3 pairs of sweatpant-shorts, and 2 of the cutest handmade crafts Mama has ever seen.  Granpappy made you a little pull-toy that is made out of the letters in your name, each letter has wheels and little magnets that attatch one letter to the next.  Granpappy painted and assembled it himself.  It is so precious.  Gramma embroidered you a little picture with your name and duckies on it.  It's framed and is so cute.  They both love you so much, Mason, and it is so hard for them to live so far away from you.  They'd come see you every single day if they could.  I hope that they are able to see you grow up and for you to get to know them. 

Also, we found out today that Aunt Jillian and Uncle Michael are going to be having another baby boy.  You already have cousin William - and the second little boy is due in March.  Since Aunt Jessica and Uncle BJ are expecting their twin girls in the beginning of December, and they already have little AJ, that means that when all these babies are born there will be 6 kids in the family within a year and a half of each other!  You are going to be blessed with a big extended family, too!  How lucky to have 5 cousins so close in age to you.

You are certainly one very lucky, and loved little boy.

Love, Mama 

month one

Dear Mason,

Today you turned 1 month old!  What a milestone!  This is cause for celebration!  This means that your Dad and I have survived a whole month with you with NO major mishaps, not once have we forgotten you anywhere, dropped you, let you roll off the couch, let the dog lick your face incessently ... this is a big achievement for two people with limited child-rearing skills!

You are the best baby.  Mama is probably jinxing herself saying this, but ... you hardly ever cry.  If you do cry it's because you need a diaper change or you are hungry or you need a cuddle.  Three things that are very easy for me to remedy.  You eat well and you put up with Mama changing your outfit 100 times before we go out and you let us prop you up against the puppies because you just look so darn cute doing it.  You have started to gurgle and coo so much in the past few days and it's just a little more of a glimpse of your personality coming out and as much as I love you being an adorable little blob of an infant, I can't wait for you to start talking and moving around more and growing. 

But there are the moments that I glance down at you and I could swear that you are sixteen or at least eight, you've got such a grown up look on your face, and I know that I just let another few seconds of your baby-hood slip by while I watched another episode of "The Office".  I don't think that I can ever get sick of staring at you all day long.  Your smile is enough to make my heart melt - when you're sleeping sometimes you have the most precious grin that sneaks across your face quietly as if you're dreaming about ice cream or baseball or something equally wonderful.

We love you so much, Mason.  Dad loves you more than anything and I love you more than I can even write down here in words.  You've made us both better people in the one short month that you've been here with us.  You've brought us closer together and made us appreciate things in such a different way.  Everything now seems to have so much more meaning now that you're involved.   You couldn't be more perfect for us.

Love, Mama

4 weeks.

Dear Mason,

Today you turn 4 weeks old!  I can't believe on Monday you will have been with us for 1 whole month.  This time is going by way too fast for Mama.  Just to look at the pictures of you from the day you were born, compared to today - makes me so sad.  You are really filling out and chunking up and getting the most adorable little rolls on your arms and legs.  Last night I discovered a rogue piece of lint in a roll by your elbow - I don't know how long it had been there!  And this was right after you had your bath!

growing

Speaking of baths, you LOVE them now.  As long as I make the water warm enough for you - you seem to like it more on the hot side - you're content just sitting there while I pour water over you and scrub you down with the little washcloth.  Baths really calm you down and make you sleepy so we've been making them your late afternoon ritual before getting ready to settle down for the evening. 

I am so amazed at quick you're realizing how to do things ... it seems like it was just yesterday that you couldn't control your spastic arms and legs and eye movements, now you've mastered grasping my finger and your toys and you can steadily lock eyes with me and watch me move around the room.  When Dad comes home and starts talking you turn your head to his direction.  It is so sweet!

mason

 

Last night Dad mentioned how much he hates to be away from us when he's at work.  He said that everytime he sees your picture it makes him want to come home.  He loves you so much and it hurts him to have to be away from you for long times. He does such a good job of taking care of Mama and you, and he does it because he would do anything for us. 

I think I hear you waking up from your nap now!

Love, Mama

busy week.

Dear Mason,

We can't believe how quickly time is going by - yesterday you were 3 weeks old.  You are growing so quickly - you have already started to grow out of some of your smallest clothes.  It makes Mama sad because she wants you to stay little forever! 

This past week has been busy!  This was officialy Dad's first week back to work so you got to spend a lot of time with Mama.  You love when Dad comes home from work, though, you recognize his voice and look towards him when he gets in the door and calls your name.   You love to be rocketed up in the air by him - it always puts a smile on your face.  Speaking of which - in the past two days you've been starting to smile and giggle.  It's only happened a couple of times but it's pretty much the most precious thing ever!

This past week we went to 2 more Angel games.  You love the lights and sounds of the stadium.  We have not seen you more awake and aware and looking around then when you're sitting on Mama's lap at the ballpark.  Everyone around us loves to see you and hear about you and always comments what a good baby you are!

hello from Angel stadium!

with Dad at Angel stadium

big yawn!

You had your first visit to Wahoo's Fish Taco's with me and Dad and Grandpa Singleton.  You liked the colors and all the activity around the restaurant.  Soon you'll be able to taste their great fish taco's for yourself!

riding in the Mustang

with Dad

You went with Mama to visit her work this week as well.  I needed to fill out some paperwork too add you to our insurance and I was excited to get to show you off to all my coworkers!  Everyone LOVED you.  Mama has some really good friends at work and they all couldn't wait for me to bring you in.  You did the funniest thing while we were there.  Since you've been born you have loved to lace your fingers together or have your hands clasped up by your chin.  I fed you a big bottle right before we went into work so you'd be good and tired - and were you ever!  I was sitting at my boss' desk with you on my lap - and you had  your little hands clasped together on your belly as if you were saying "Ahhhh ... good food!  I'm so full!"  It was so cute!  Everyone was so surprised that you would do that yourself!  Kathy and Kim were taking pictures because they said they had never seen a baby so smart to figure out to do that themselves!

very relaxed

 

he does this to his hands himself

The biggest thing that we did this week was take you to Disneyland for the first time!
 

first ever meeting with Mickey!

Disneyland is a special place for Dad and I - we have had Annual Passports for almost the entire 6 years we've been married and have spent many nights there just wandering around or going on rides or going to eat dinner.  We know the parks like the back of our hands and have always talked about how excited we were going to be to take our kids there someday.  And we finally got to!  Although I think Dad was a little bit disappointed that you were more interested in sleeping then looking around at all the exciting things there. 

dad, put me back down

1st trip to Disneyland

But we had so much fun walking around and telling you about all the things that were going on around you.  You weren't at all startled or surprised by all the loud noises or fireworks or parades or anything.  We even got you your first pair of personalized Mickey ears.  Someday you'll be reading this and you'll have your Mickey ears on your shelf and you'll know how excited Dad and I were to buy them for you and take you to Disneyland for the very first time.

i dont care that im in a cute pluto outfit and im at disneyland i want food

 

father & son

We love you so much, my baby!

Love, Mama        

remembering.

Dear Mason,

Today is the 5 year anniversary of something terrible that happened to our nation.  5 years ago today Dad woke up early and discovored that his car had been towed overnight and he had to go to the tow-yard to get it out.  He had Grandma come and pick him up to give him a lift over there since Mama had to get up and go to work in a few hours.  Because of all this commotion we were all up early the morning of September 11th, 2001 and were awake to watch the events of that morning unfold live on TV. 

There are a lot of bad people in the world, Mason, and some of those people decided that morning to do some very evil things that caused thousands of people to die.  There really isn't an explanation Mama can give you on why things like this happen, and there probably never will be anyone who can.  All I can say is that Mama and Dad will do everything they can to protect you from bad people like that.  Mama has been looking at everything differently since you were born and I want you to know that I would give anything to protect you.  I never imagined I could love anyone like I love you, my son, and I always will.

Love, Mama

red sox fan?

Dear Mason,

Today someone played a horrible, horrible joke on you and even worse (gasp!) accused you of being a RED SOX FAN!  Two of Mama's wonderful friends, who live in Boston and are as big of Red Sox fans as Mama and Dad are Angels' fans, sent you a gift from their beloved Red Sox Nation.  Dad said it was okay, because we will need something to wipe up your spit-up with, and this bib and onesie will work perfectly!  :)

Waving NOOOO!!!

In reality, Mason, you are allowed to follow and fall in love with whatever baseball team you would like.  Just because you have tons of Angels gear and and Angel alarm clock and an Angel clock and all the Angel bobbleheads doesn't mean you have to be partial to Mama and Dad's team.  Dad won't admit it to many people - but growing up he had YANKEE PINSTRIPES for his wallpaper!

leg stretched

 

Thank you so much, Erin and Chris - it is ADORABLE!

Thanks Erin and Chris!!

 

Love, Mama