Week 14: May 12 - 18

This week wrapped up our time in TX and took us on to NC.  Jim had to head back to WA on Sunday for work, so it was just me and the boys from this point forward.  I was a little nervous about our travels specifically, and Jim and I were talking about how helpful it was to have the double stroller with us to get through the airport.  Even if both boys weren't in the stroller (either Mason walking or Jackson in carrier), it was still so great to have a place to put the bags, etc.  That was my saving grace! ...until I got to the mean, strict College Station airport and they refused to let me take the stroller because it was too heavy for a gate check item.  So I had to take both boys and two bags (a backpack and a diaper bag) by myself for the whole day without a stroller.  I made quite a scene crying at the check in desk when the lady told me this.  And then she had the nerve to tell me that my layover was kind of tight, so I was really going to have to hurry through the DFW airport, to which I yelled "YEAH! WITHOUT A STROLLER!"  ha ha, actually, it went just fine.  Mason was awesome, he was a good listener and he did a lot of walking.

Mason:
- For our travel days, I would put him in a pull-up instead of underwear.  But I think all of our events and playing and going all over the place was a bit much for him, because he started having accidents, so I started putting him in pull-ups for the rest of the trip.  We would be riding in the car and he would say, "do I have a pull up on? ...May I pee?"  I thought that was pretty funny!

- One day while we were playing at a park, Mason tried to walk over to where a bigger boy (prob 6-8 y/o) was playing in a little house area, and next thing I know I see Mason trying to get sand out of his mouth and eyes.  Come to find out the boy threw sand in his face because he said "little kids weren't allowed there" :-(  I was so freakin mad at that stupid kid, and sad my little buddy got picked on.  

Jackson:
- Most days for nap I would bring him to bed with me, because I knew he (and therefore I) would sleep better that way.  He would hold onto my hand the whole time, it was so sweet!

Speaking of sleep... that was the toughest part about this whole trip.  Since Mason isn't in a crib anymore, we're used to his whack-a-mole shenanigans at home and have a pretty good set up to not have to put up with them (potty in his room, furniture bolted down, closet and door locked).  But with new beds, frequent different locations, non locking doors, and in some cases all three of us sharing a room - bedtime was exhausting, and neither of the kids (and therefore me x 2) were sleeping through the night.  It was so frustrating and [worth repeating] EXHAUSTING!  But - complaining aside, our trip and all of the friends and family we were able to see was amazing and I would totally do it again :)

Pancakes with Pops

Cousin Connor love!

Brother love!

Love for Aunt Lauren!

 Mason sporting his new aggie hat, playing at the little red caboose at Benjamin Knox studio while I picked out my diploma frame.

Enjoying some cool TX temps

 Mason being a big kid with the big cousins

 Secrets. (Which Connor pointed out is not nice and is hurtful)

 While this picture is pretty cute, Carolina was actually getting pretty annoyed by how much Mason was talking ;).  (Her mom, Aunt Melissa thinks it's great pay back, ha!)

 Blue.  Bell.  Ice.  Cream.

Jack Jack bath

 Mason, Court, and Pops, more tractor ridin

Cheezin it up for the camera

On Tuesday, we made a trip to Houston, and saw Catherine and her son William, who are Longhorn fans.  When no one was looking, we did a little bit of this ;)

Then we all went to lunch, where we also got to catch up with my HS friend, Ashley.  She came straight from work, so unfortunately we didn't get to see Avery this trip.

 Mason and William hug-wrestling goodbye after lunch

 I was lying next to Jackson when he fell asleep and needed something to prop him up when I moved away.  This worked well <3

 Scrub a dub dub... three boys in the tub!

We talked about it all week, and right before we left for the airport, we made a trip to see Firefighter Andy, Sassy & Pop's next door neighbor

Checking out the truck

There's a KITCHEN in the FIREHOUSE??!  Could you possibly combine two things more exciting than THIS??!

Firefighter Mason

I got lucky with two sleeping children on our longer flight to NC... Mason slept over 2 hours!

We got to NC on Wednesday evening, and then Thursday we were off on more adventures.  We started by meeting Kristin and Parker for a walk followed by play time and a picnic at the park.  Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures!  Then we drove straight to New Bern (~2.5 hrs) from there to spend the night with Korin and her bunch.

This guy was asleep in the car in a matter of minutes

 Minivan adventures.  Due to rear facing status, Jack Jack not pictured.

I love that Korin can handle visitors and not slow down life at all - we went to a swimming lesson, a baseball game, and also to the gym with her when she was teaching classes the next morning.  We hung in pretty well!

 Pretty great bunch, but I think we are done adding kids to the Lockard / Leffler clan.

 I went to check on Jackson at the fitness center play room, and saw he was being well taken care of by Chloe... I mean, this beautiful "tween" was JUST our flower girl, like, the other day!

 Before leaving Korin's we had a yummy and fun lunch at Cow Cafe - complete with ice cream of course!

Back at my mom's, a night out at chop 'em up!

Sweet Sleeping Children

 If you have to be awake at 6 am, this is the way to do it!

 After our snuggle nap

Jackson's ear-print on my arm!

 a Lola bed time story

 Lola taught him at a young age to say, "Mmm Mmm, Pancakes!"

But dipping them in ketchup??  That's his own new invention.

Sweet Lola and Jackson snuggle

We spent the afternoon at an art festival called Artsplosure 

 Making a rainbow candle

 and a bracelet

And enjoyed some sand time

 

He LOVED this candle!  We had to light it every time we ate a meal or a snack at the table, and practice blowing it out a few times too.

With big weeks like this, these boys are just going to grow bigger and bigger!