Preds Fever

The Predators are going to the Stanley Cup Finals! Preds Fever has hit the Mason household- the boys are getting pretty good at showing their "fang fingers" and watching "puck" on TV. They look so dang cute in their little Pekka Rinne jerseys! 

Capturing Griffin going in for a hug

These boys love their sticks

Mini Rinnes

Watching some golf tournament action (From a safe zone)

Even when we're in our PJs, we show our Preds Pride!

I think golf is going to be Will's game

Toothbrushes, check.

Baby bear, check.

Little Blue Truck, check. 

Crib Issues

The boys have discovered a favorite new spot for playing in the bonus room. They love to play on the couch where cushions once were. We had our first crib escape last weekend. Terrifying!! The boys are still having some large overnight diapers that require morning baths, so I was getting Will dressed in their room while Will had Cooper in the bonus room and Griffin was in his crib. I had my back to Griffin while I got Will changed into clothes at the changing table and all of a sudden, I heard a very loud thud followed by a very loud scream from Griffin. I turned around and found Griffin laid out on his back next to his crib. I didn't see it happen, but he must have toppled head first over the crib bars. Will came running in and, though my first instinct was to run and sweep him up into my arms, warned me to not pick him up until he moved on his own. We had no idea how he fell out exactly, but I shudder to think about how badly he could have been hurt if he had landed on his head or neck. Scary, scary stuff.

Fortunately the fall has seemed to scare Griffin as much as it did us, because he hasn't attempted another escape since then. Just in case, though- we have added some padding around their cribs! And now the boys are having fun driving their cars up and down the couch frame. I fear that toddler bed days are in our very near future...but I am not looking forward to that new milestone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New set up

New set up

They love to play on the cushions in their room, too!

Moose Pajamas

Growing Boys

I pulled out the boys' premie clothes last night so Cari could pass them onto another mom who is expecting twins soon. Being the sentimental sucker that I am, I couldn't pass up a chance to do a comparison shot. It's truly hard to believe that the boys were ever this tiny! 

So cooperative

Happy Griffin

And here's Cooper, showing off his new personality. This kid has entered the terrible two's at the ripe age of 22 months. 

Stomach Bugs

Last Thursday Griffin woke up covered in vomit. That began what has now been 9 days straight of:

• non-stop poopy diapers 
• a washing machine that is constantly running
• going through 10 bottles of pedialyte
• many many meals of oyster crackers
• 2 gallons of milk that have been sitting in the fridge longer than a week (that NEVER happens)
• super whiny, fussy, clingy kids
• a bathtub that has gotten more action in the past week than it typically gets in a month's time

I do feel bad for the boys. It has been a really rough week for them. Thankfully Griffin is finally starting to feel better, but the other 2 are still very much in the thick of this bug. If we're being honest, I don't think it really bothers them that much. They are definitely hangry and clingier than usual. But it's like they know- as long as this stomach bug keeps up, they will get to take at least one bath every day...and some days more than that. And as you can tell from this Instagram video I posted this afternoon- that is pretty OK with them.

Easter 2017

We spent Easter up in Bowling Green with Sue, Pete, and their kids. The boys enjoyed their first Easter Egg hunt thanks to Aunt Sue, who cleverly put Puffs and Yogurt Melts in their eggs instead of candy. Will and I debated whether or not to do our own hunt for the boys, and decided that they were probably one year too young to have one. Apparently, we were wrong- they LOVED hunting for the eggs! Griffin was especially into it and his basket was definitely the most full. Cooper was more interested in hanging out with Gus than he was in finding Easter eggs.

Trying to get a posed picture of them in their Easter outfits was basically impossible (trying to get ANY posed pictures with all 3 of them in it is basically impossible these days) but they did look very cute. Cari and Curtis gave us the outfits last year, but we were never quite sure what size they were since they aren't marked. We're glad we tried them when we did as they just barely fit into them for Easter!

The Easter bunny brought them their favorite- muffins!

AKA- muhmuhs

So happy

They looked like they worked at an old-timey soda fountain shop

Or maybe like the old-timey nerd costumes. Their hats were just missing the propeller on top!

Egg hunting

With his Aa-Eee

Freeeeedommmmmm!

Shooting hoops with Luuu

Silly boy

Brother bonding over Baby Signing Time

21 Months Old

The boys, 21 months

 Some quick notes about the boys at 21 months old, days before they turn 22 months old:

• Personalities are continuing to shine through. We have entered the stage where they actually have a preference and opinion about seemingly-trivial things. Like what color cup they want to drink out of during meals. Will is a master negotiator and can often convince one of his brothers to switch with him if he doesn't have the cup that he wants.
• Trucks continue to be popular toys for all, especially Griffin. We have one pair of pajamas with a fire truck on the front that Will and Cooper constantly request to wear.
• We're noticing more and more that Cooper and Will are developing quite a bond. Will has noted, especially this past week, that those two will pair up a lot during the day and play together while Griffin does his own thing. Admittedly, that somewhat hurts this mama's heart to think that Griffin is being left out. But in truth, he doesn't seem to mind his solo play time.
• Will taught them how to do the "robot" yesterday. It is hilariously adorable to see them imitate their dad.
• They love to be outside and will ask and sign to go "outside" over and over and over again. Taking them into the backyard is getting easier as they don't make a beeline for the edge of the patio. They love to explore the landscaping, search for golf balls in the yard (and usually we find at least one!), and say "hi" to the golfers that pass by. And in typical boy fashion, we search for bugs, play in dirt, and pick up and carry sticks around.
• They recognize familiar faces and will often play roll call, pointing everyone out. Will is especially good at this. He knows Mama and Dada of course. He calls himself "Vill", Griffin is "Der" and Cooper is "Per". He also knows Papa, Nana, Sue, Cari, Avery ("A-eee"), Olivia ("LoooLooo"), Luke ("LUUUUU"), and he even surprised us on Easter by pulling out a "Pete!" Griffin and Cooper certainly know everyone too, but they spend most of their time asking for Mama, Dada, Sue, and A-Eeee. 
• In addition to being good at naming people and negotiating the ideal cup to drink out of, Will is starting to step out of his shy-guy personality. He is still the most reserved of the trio when it comes to new places or meeting new people, but he's quicker to warm up these days. He is still a daddy's boy, though mama is starting to get some love here and there. Usually when we are walking somewhere, he'll prefer to hold my hand. He makes the best facial expressions lately. I'll have to try to get a video of it because it's hard to describe. Basically he looks at you a little sideways while pursing his lips together, almost like he's ready to reprimand you...then explodes into a fit of giggles. It's hilariously adorable.



Will, 21 months



Will, 21 months

• Cooper is our little lover of the group. He is quite the mama's boy, though Dada gets his fair share of love from him, too. He is the first one to run and greet me when I get home from work, and his immediate request is "Bup, pwease". He will whine to be held the whole time we're downstairs prepping dinner, and once we go upstairs to play for a bit before bed, he will settle in as close as possible to either Will or me. It's not enough to be beside us- he has to be physically touching us when he sits. He has started playing the "bye/hi" game with us. He'll walk away saying "bye bye!" then immediately turn around and run back to us and say, "oh, hi! Back!" Repeat over and over and over again.

  

  Cooper, 21 months



Cooper, 21 months

• As I mentioned above, Griffin is extremely into trucks and will spend quite a bit of time independently playing with them. He's still a lover of soft things and sleeps with at least 2 stuffed animals and his blanket, often more items. He'd love to sleep with a truck if we let him! In the past couple weeks we've been lining his stuffed animals up on the edge of his crib during bedtime routine. He then goes down the line, brushing each of their teeth. It's pretty cute.



Griffin, 21 months



Griffin, 21 months

•  They love books and will happily sit with you and read 5 or 6 books in a row. Generally all 3 will clamor to sit in your lap on the floor. They can't sit next to you while you read- they must be sitting in your lap. It's becoming somewhat challenging to do that since they're growing so quickly, but we make it happen most days. Fortunately we have most of their books memorized so I don't need to actually see the pages!



Book time with Lou Lou