Party Planning

It's been far too long since I've provided an update, and seems even longer since Mason turned 2! I've been asked several times by my net friends how his Construction Themed party turned out. One word... FABULOUS!

While I've got a little down time, I thought I'd share some highlights of the decor.

To set the tone, I employed Donna of Swish Designs to well, design the invitation. I gave her some colors, the Contruction theme, and a little fine tuning after a couple drafts were in place, we came up with this.

On every good job site there are some rules. We didn't have many.

I had a few other signs posted around the house and front walk. All were secured with Yellow Electrical tape found at our local hardware store. It also served as anchor for the yellow "Caution/Cuidado" tape that was strung over doorways and down the hall walls.

Common sense tip: when going for a theme, immerse yourself in the theme. I found so much inspiration while wandering the long aisles of the hardware store and purposefully driving by construction sites leading up to the party.

How could you get any work done without trucks?

And don't forget break time! Sound that wistle! (We used a dollar store version of a wooden train whistle to get the attention of our guests. It worked perfectly.)

Desert was, what else, Orange Saftey Cones & a very special Yellow Hard Hat for the birthday boy.

Parting gifts were not very themed, but the packaging was. Kids, young and old, were offered a satchel with a "Thanks for Stopping By" badge. I printed them on my home computer, cut out and hole punched with a rectangle die on each diagonal. The badges slid easily over the silly straws.

And this last photo doesn't do the decor or my son justice. It's a not so great photo of both, but you still get the cute factor. For the dining table, I took a plastic table cloth and used up more of that Yellow Electrical Tape down the center to create a road. Mason and the other boys loved it for racing cars and trucks across.

I've already got plans for next years theme and some pretty grand ideas. I'll be sure to keep you posted on the crafty details as we get closer. Which, at my blogging rate, will be about this time next year! Thanks for reading & feel free to leave comments!

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Here's some Mason cuteness to warm your heart in the midst of the chill.

Mason picked this flower just for you. (it's that purple-ish blob on the right) Doesn't it smell pretty?

From all of ours, to all of yours, wishing you a blessed holiday season filled with family, friends and cheer!

Happy Holiday's & Wish List

Hello folks. Those in the know, know that we've had continued internet problems over the last year. We thought we had it fixed, but must have carried over a virus or two because we're still having problems. SO so sorry that I haven't been able to maintain updates here as often as I should. I will try to have a hodge podge of photo updates over the last several months before the end of the year. A look back at 2008 in slide show fashion basically. Please bear with me.

I feel even worse at what this post is. Friends please ignore. Family listen up. This seems to be the easiest way for me to share Mason's Christmas list. There are some specific things that we've had our eye on and I've kept web links to. He's also working in to several different size clothing now so it's easier to write down than explain. Here goes.

First off, fun stuff. Toys and books!
One of Mason's favorite beditme stories is Stanley Goes Fishing. Stanley is a very one dimensional figure with a very 3 dimensional way of thinking. Many giggles are heard when we say the line, "Stanley had an idea", because we know something very creative, innovative and silly is coming next.
We love "Flat Stanley"! The art is vivid, the story compelling, and definately gets an imagination working.

Stanley books by Craig Frazier by Emohememy

Mason loves all things that move. This line of toys allows him the most stimulation of his imagination and they're "green" to boot. No bells or whistles, but much needed durability for our Mighty Mason .

Bajo Vehicles from Oompa.com by Emohememy

Now that we have a new outdoor patio, fence and play space Mason could use a quiet space of his own to relax and enjoy a sunny California winter day. This Endless Adventures table from Little Tykes is the perfect option for our small space. It folds up on itself for easy storage & is just as durable as the cement pad itself. What outdoor play area would be complete without some sporting equiptment? Think soft though, we are dealing with a toddler.

Outdoor Toys by Emohememy

As far as clothing, think mix & match. I know you grandma's can't resist a matching set, especially those little boy suits - I agree, totally adorable. But, not really practical. So if you must indulge I understand, but don't go overboard. :) Here's the rundown on sizing.

Long sleeve: 2T - 4T - if they can't be worn this winter they'll get much use during the Spring rains and even next winter).
T-shirts: 2T-3T - the most used clothing item in a toddlers wardrobe. They grow so fast and get used so much, we're advancing to the next size in the blink of an eye.
Pants/Jeans: 2T-3T- Two words: ADJUSTABLE WAIST. Although Mason is tall, he's got a tiny waist & most 18mo pants are falling down his waist, even with a full diaper. Downside is that at 18 mo he may as well be wearing shorts they are so high up his ankles. Look for length with an adjustable waist.
Shorts: 2T-3T - Great for summer fun. If you find them, adjustable waist here is also bonus. If not, then plain old elastic waist is best. Forget the buttons & zippers, a busy toddler has no time for such decoration at this point.
Socks: 2T-4T or Toddler shoe size 6 or higher. Sports socks are preferred, again, toddlers don't have time for cuffed socks.
Shoes: Toddler 7. We're currently in 7's, so buying larger isn't a bad idea. Toddler 7.5 or 8 would work.

I think that's the basics. If you've got any questions, or aren't sure about age appropriateness, please call me. I'm happy to give suggestions or let you know if Mason's ready or not for a specific item.

Much love to you all. Have a safe & happy holiday! Blessed wishes for a joyus season!

Long Time, no Updates

So you may be asking where's my Mason fix? Why haven't there been any updates? Has this blog shrivelled up?

No, it was just on a brief hietas. With only a dial up connection it was difficult to keep up with demand. Now that we have High Speed on our side, you can look forward to more frequent updates.

Latest on our home front:
We've joined the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Networks chairity walk. It's on September 20th in Golden Gate Park. If you'd like to show your support by donating, volunteering or even walking along side us, please visit this link: www.tinyurl.com/MasonsMarch. You can find all the details there.

We'll have a more extensive update soon. Much love to you all!

Adventures In Toddle Town, Vol 1 - The Park

I woke up thinking today was going to be like any other day. A bottle of milk, some cereal & cartoons. Possibly a nap to build up my energy for the afternoon. I was sorely mistaken, as you can tell from the picture above.
You see, Mom thought that with my new found mobility, that I should be out and about. Experiencing the world around me. Going on grand adventures, as every young boy should.

She was wrong! This little glimpse into my day showcases my growing love for the slide & my absolute hatered for the swing.

Mom, let's not revisit the swing for about 15 years. I figure by that time I'll either be driving or flying a car and will have no need for the thrill of a swing. Thanks.








What's down there?









Are you watching? You sure you're watching? Put down the camera, and watch!






Whoa!?







M'kay, I guess we can do it again.






I actually look forward to my next visit to the park. Maybe I can try the twisty slide & might even muster up the courage to try out that swing one more time. Mom tells me that I really didn't give it a fair try. I guess I can think about it for a while.

I've gotta get back to my Roll'ways(Cheerios). I'll try to give the parents a break now & again so we can visit more often. I like these chats we have.


Bu-bye

Happy New Year!

I know, I know... it's been way too long since our last update. But, in my defense, a baby on the move doesn't leave for much internet browsing time.

Mason is very mobile, walking with assistance, and even a couple of steps on his own! He's really talkative and sociable (once the ice is broken), and I know I'm biased, but cute as a button.

The last post features a picture of him trying to get at Daddy's stereo equiptment. "No, no Mason! Not that button, we don't know what it does!"

Here's a few photos from our first Family Portrait Session.
We all hope this finds you healthy, happy & safe this New Year! Enjoy!

Blue Stripe

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

We're on the move!

Mason's actively crawling now, but will still combat crawl on occassion if he's not moving fast enough.
He's cruising on the furniture like mad and we had our first tumble this weekend which resulted in a small shiner. Ouch! I acted fast though, and got one of our plastic ice cubes, threw it in a thick sock of his and applied to the bump. Seemed to work well as long as he wasn't trying to grab at the sock. :)
He can tour our whole living room/kitchen area if he's holding our hands and sometimes stops to dance with excitement that he's walking around. The joy on his face is priceless.
He's also pointing at things and babbling, like he's asking me what they are. So I repeat his question, and answer. :) It's so cute. Sometimes he points at his reflection in the mirror, asking, "Who's that handsome baby?". :)

I hope to have some new pictures and maybe a video or two posted by the end of the month. Hopefully, we'll be able to share some of our Halloween adventures with you! We must be one of the last households on the planet to still use dial up, so anything bigger than the word "THE" takes ages to upload. LOL