Nichole: Mase, did you and Mommy play together today?
Mason: ...I just love her.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Just a Great Day
I've been working opening shifts at the bar, so I haven't been able to have a real breakfast with Mase for about a week. Coffee and eggs with this smiling face makes life seem so much better.
A morning of puzzles and Play Doh... and then - Mason's nap time and my second grad school exam:
!!! :)
A morning of puzzles and Play Doh... and then - Mason's nap time and my second grad school exam:
!!! :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Date Night
After Bland's Park the other day, Mason took me on a dinner date to Texas Roadhouse. It was still gorgeous out so we ate outside - perfect!
After a few pieces of bread and a ton of pictures, our food came. Mason got mini cheeseburgers and I had... oh wait, notice something missing?
Yep. The steak. Burnt. Maybe it's because I prefer my steak to come to the table still mooing at me, but I always, always get burnt steak. Nine times out of ten I don't say anything, but this one was super well-done. Ew. I got a new one though, and 5 bucks off my bill, so yay, Roadhouse!
Thanks for a lovely dinner date, Mase!
Bland's Park
I think we've gotta start going to this place a little more often. I didn't spend much money, rode on a merry-go-round for the first time in I don't know how long, and we all got drenched in the kiddie water park. Successful day, if you ask me. :)
Flops
If you were paying attention, you may have noticed Mason's footwear in my last post. Just in case you aren't that observant, here's a closer look.
Purple flip flops. They were five bucks at Target and he picked them out himself. He wore them outside and around the house all weekend and then, that Monday, he wore them to daycare. When I picked him up that afternoon, I was putting him in his car seat and he says, matter-of-factly, "Mommy, these are girl flip flops".
Ouch. My gender-role protesting heart. I told him he could wear whatever kind of flip flops he wanted and that there was no such thing as "girl colors". He didn't seem entirely convinced at first but, even when given the choice between purple, brown, or black, he's chosen his purple flip flops with confidence every morning since.
Purple flip flops. They were five bucks at Target and he picked them out himself. He wore them outside and around the house all weekend and then, that Monday, he wore them to daycare. When I picked him up that afternoon, I was putting him in his car seat and he says, matter-of-factly, "Mommy, these are girl flip flops".
Ouch. My gender-role protesting heart. I told him he could wear whatever kind of flip flops he wanted and that there was no such thing as "girl colors". He didn't seem entirely convinced at first but, even when given the choice between purple, brown, or black, he's chosen his purple flip flops with confidence every morning since.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Wise One
Sometimes I think there's something about Mason that makes him a lot different than other three-year-olds.
I'm sure every mother thinks that - after all, everyone thinks their child is the most wonderful, special, beautiful thing on the planet. But Mason just seems... different. Different in a way that makes him wise for his age. Knowledgeable, somehow. I'm not even sure how to explain it.
For example, we went to Bland's Park last weekend. Amusement parks kill me. Now, I love a good rollercoaster as much as the next person, but it always makes me a little sad for the human race that we have to pay a bunch of money to get on these man-made rides in order to have a little fun and enjoyment in our lives. Store-bought entertainment and it's only good if someone's making a giant profit. And then you see all these people with their families and you can tell it's just painful to try to stick a smile on their faces. They're moping on benches, complaining about the heat, and most of them are even frowning while they're on the rides. Anyway, Mason rode all the rides with this serious, stoic look on his face. All of them - the cars, the elephants, the firetrucks. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he actually did smile quite a bit, but he wasn't cheesing all over the place like the other kids, either. It was as if he was trying to figure out how the ride worked or maybe he was thinking the same things I was about the downfall of the human race. I'm not sure. Mason is just constantly observing. Thoughtful. Sometimes he looks at me with those big eyes and I know he knows everything that's going through my head. It's crazy, really.
And then today, during dinner, I asked him what he did at daycare. After a few seconds of what appeared to be careful consideration, he says, "I breathed today at Georgi's".
When I realized he was talking about the deep breathing I've been teaching him to do when he gets sad or frustrated, I was amazed. I've never seen him do it on his own, and I've only had him do it with me a couple times. I asked him why he had to breathe and he said that the other boys wouldn't help him clean up. He's three. Three years old and he's deep-breathing instead of hitting or yelling. And there was no mention of what he had for snack or what games they played outside.
He just breathed.
I'm sure every mother thinks that - after all, everyone thinks their child is the most wonderful, special, beautiful thing on the planet. But Mason just seems... different. Different in a way that makes him wise for his age. Knowledgeable, somehow. I'm not even sure how to explain it.
For example, we went to Bland's Park last weekend. Amusement parks kill me. Now, I love a good rollercoaster as much as the next person, but it always makes me a little sad for the human race that we have to pay a bunch of money to get on these man-made rides in order to have a little fun and enjoyment in our lives. Store-bought entertainment and it's only good if someone's making a giant profit. And then you see all these people with their families and you can tell it's just painful to try to stick a smile on their faces. They're moping on benches, complaining about the heat, and most of them are even frowning while they're on the rides. Anyway, Mason rode all the rides with this serious, stoic look on his face. All of them - the cars, the elephants, the firetrucks. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he actually did smile quite a bit, but he wasn't cheesing all over the place like the other kids, either. It was as if he was trying to figure out how the ride worked or maybe he was thinking the same things I was about the downfall of the human race. I'm not sure. Mason is just constantly observing. Thoughtful. Sometimes he looks at me with those big eyes and I know he knows everything that's going through my head. It's crazy, really.
And then today, during dinner, I asked him what he did at daycare. After a few seconds of what appeared to be careful consideration, he says, "I breathed today at Georgi's".
When I realized he was talking about the deep breathing I've been teaching him to do when he gets sad or frustrated, I was amazed. I've never seen him do it on his own, and I've only had him do it with me a couple times. I asked him why he had to breathe and he said that the other boys wouldn't help him clean up. He's three. Three years old and he's deep-breathing instead of hitting or yelling. And there was no mention of what he had for snack or what games they played outside.
He just breathed.
A Slide Down Memory Lane
When I was in elementary school, this slide was the second best thing ever, right after Lisa Frank dolphin trapper keepers.
Fifteen years later everything else on the playground is new, but the way that metal slide sticks to your legs and burns your butt cheeks remains exactly the same. And the hike to the stop is still a heck of a climb.
Fifteen years later everything else on the playground is new, but the way that metal slide sticks to your legs and burns your butt cheeks remains exactly the same. And the hike to the stop is still a heck of a climb.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Beach Trip #1
It was over a month ago now, but these are from a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, DE and Ocean City, MD. It was chilly most of the time, but it's always nice to get away for a little bit and Mason and I plan on seeing a lot of beaches this summer so we had to get an early start.
We haven't been to the beach since April 2009 when we went to San Diego. Mase was just a tiny thing then - indifferent to the beauty of the ocean. I was hoping he'd love it now that he's old enough to appreciate it. And he did. Just like his mommy.
We haven't been to the beach since April 2009 when we went to San Diego. Mase was just a tiny thing then - indifferent to the beauty of the ocean. I was hoping he'd love it now that he's old enough to appreciate it. And he did. Just like his mommy.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Mase in the Hat
He turned three. My tiny baby turned three. I realize I'm just now posting these pictures, but his party was almost three weeks ago (note to self: get started on thank you cards). The party went wonderfully - no rain, cake didn't collapse, no fist fights. Can't complain!
These pictures are in no particular order due simply to laziness on my part.
The cake took 8+ hours to make, the food cost me a small fortune, and I think I got a few new wrinkles around my eyes worrying about what the weather was going to do - but I'd do it all again (and will next year, I'm sure) to see this happy face.
These pictures are in no particular order due simply to laziness on my part.
The cake took 8+ hours to make, the food cost me a small fortune, and I think I got a few new wrinkles around my eyes worrying about what the weather was going to do - but I'd do it all again (and will next year, I'm sure) to see this happy face.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)