Week 19: June 16-22

This week I started back at Western, and Jackson started his day care in Bellingham.  We both only go on Mon/Wed, so I feel like that is a pretty good compromise, and I don't actually start teaching until next Wednesday - this is just a few practice and prep days for us.  We both did pretty well, but I'm glad we are easing ourselves in!

Mason:
- we love it when he says "when I'm a dad / fireman / pilot / grown up..."  I'm not quite sure where he got the idea/understanding about growing up to "be" something, but he has so many great ideas of what he can be, and makes very smart comments about what he'll do as a dad / fireman / pilot / grown up.  :)

- He is so sweet and thoughtful about asking us questions, which HE comes up with on his own... "How was your day / work / flight today?"  If he hears us mention something in the morning while we are all getting ready, he asks us about it later!

- One day, I made the bad decision to try and squeeze in a grocery trip between picking up Mason from school and nap... bad. idea.  Anyway, he was a hot mess, very fussy, hitting Jackson, hitting me, grabbing things on shelves, crying about EVERYTHING... it was not good.  That night, after we had all napped and recovered, he asked me "how was your day, mommy?"  I proceeded to tell him that I had a pretty rough day because of our grocery trip.  Apparently he LOVED the story, so now every day after he asks me "how was work?" he asks, "how was your rough day the other day?  The one at the grocery store?" and he wants me to tell him that story again.  Ugh, lol.
- One of Mason's least favorite things to do while swimming is still back floating.  He also doesn't love lying down in the bathtub, and having his ears underwater.  However, this week he discovered that it sounds fun to sing with your ears underwater :) What a great discovery!

-He likes to stand upstairs and look downstairs and say, "below down there!" (instead of hello down there).

Jackson:
- is all about bringing his hands and anything else he's holding to mouth
- he found his feet this week and is super excited about grabbing them

The calm before the storm - he woke at 4:00 our first morning for Bellingham, so I brought him to bed to feed him, knowing I probably wouldn't get back to sleep otherwise. But then this precious boy slept in my bed all morning while I got myself ready, then I finally had to wake him.

"first day of school! first day of school!"

Infant playland at Jackson's daycare 

They sent me this picture a few hours later to show me that everything was going well and he was taking his bottle just fine!

They also have a webcam that I can log into whenever I want to check on him!

Here he is during story time :)

It was an exhausting day, so he slept all the way home!

Jim and Jackson came to watch Mason's swim lesson

We got a few pictures at the end of our play time, he loves the noodles

This is Jackson's "dude".  We like to bring him everywhere with us.

Firefighting.  With "fire boots" and a "fire hat"

Just some sweetness

Mason learned to "tuck in his own toesies"

Which is bittersweet because my rule is I will only tuck him in once each night... but he's getting so big! 

He started making this hilarious face this week, where he would shrug his shoulders up, squish his cheeks, and smile.  Makes me giggle out loud!

One of the days that we didn't have work/school, we fell asleep on the couch together.  

It wasn't planned, but we both really enjoyed it! <3

Look! FEET!!

First this little wiggle worm scooted his way off the mat.

Then he got more interested in his feed than his toys :)

Mas has discovered flashlights.  Flashlights with glow sticks on them.  He must have one every night for bed.  It is pretty cute to watch him lay in bed and play :)

Playmat nap

A new handsome haircut and a special treat!

Family selfie at the Berry Dairy Days parade

Enjoying an afternoon cookout at a friends house

Jackson's new travel "go pod"

Sunday Mae Mae (and her parents) came over for dinner.

We don't get to see them often enough these days!

Aren't these feet the COOLEST??!

Week 18: June 9-15

Mason:
- had his second swimming lessons class this week, at first he was very clingy, but he loved to "monkey down the wall" (hold on to the wall with his hands and walk all the way around the pool to the stairs).  He was still being hesitant about putting even just his mouth in the water to blow bubbles.  The instructor pulled out a floatie and suggested that Mason stand on it to "surf" (holding our hands on each side), run to the edge, and jump off into the water.  He was the only student who would do it (granted he's the oldest in the class by far), and he was all about it!  He went completely underwater twice, and was so excited about it saying "I'm just like a scuba diver!"  It was SUCH a relief for me, after how timid he has been!

Jackson
- has been introduced to Sophie (the giraffe toy), he seems to have pretty good hand to mouth control.
- I noticed that he makes a groaning sound when he's getting tired, and two days in a row I had success putting him down in his crib for naps and he fell asleep on own with no swaddle, no feeding, no pacifier.  I was very excited about that because he starts day care next week and I was worried about whether or not he'd sleep/stay asleep there [they aren't allowed to sleep in a swing or anything there... he sleeps through the night in his pack n play, but I do still utilize the swing and car seat (via stroller workouts or errands in the car) during the day for naps].  I think he was on to me though - because he didn't go down that easily for naps any other days that week :).

Both boys love some Exersauc-ing

Daddy is super fun and very smart...

He drew a chalk fire that Mason could spray out with water :)

Duncan was all about some Jack Jack one morning.  

Look at how he was hanging off the bed to be next to him!

We went for a walk one afternoon (me + double stroller + Mason's scooter + Duncan), and at one point while Mason was scooting, Duncan decided he had walked far enough and went deep into this person's shady lawn and literally would not move.  

It worked out well for Mason though, since there was a fire hydrant right there - his new favorite obsession!

Photographic evidence that I do very occasionally make Jackson do tummy time ;)

(this might be the best "head lift" he's ever done)

A day's work at home for mommy, 

lots of sweetness from Jackson!

More sweetness!

Mason and Jim enjoyed "Dad's and Donuts" day at school for Father's day

Ugh, that cheese face!!

Mason and Jackson made some sweet pictures for Daddy's special day

We spent Father's Day in Seattle shopping (i.e.: admiring ourselves)

Riding the Carousel

A delicious waterfront brunch

two happy boys

and would you believe... the fire station was right next door to where we were eating.  We could see the fireboat out in the water right outside our window!!

Pretty happy little dude these days!