Catching up!

We've been busy lately... and most days I have forgotten to bring my camera d'oh!  So now I am going to iPhone photo dump on you all and you can see all the fun things we have been doing!!

Time Outs and Stall Tactics

Mark this month, 19 months begins the stall tactics and the use of time outs.  I know I know... could this little man really warrant time outs and be smart enough to use stalling as a way to delay naps, bedtime and more?

The answer is YES!

Stalling, well its begun in 2 ways that we have noticed.  When we say its time to take a bath or its time to take a nap, go to bed, whatever.... Mason now has to walk around, say goodbye to Hurley, pet him a few times, pick up a few toys and act like he is putting them somewhere important.  Run to take a drink of watch and point to various things in the playroom!  At first I was kind of like, ok ok lets get moving and then I noticed this is becoming a habit, he is no dummy and he knows that he isnt eager to do something on our timeline!  The other stall tactic is right before bed, after the books are read, milk is had, teeth are brushed....suddenly Mason has to walk around upstairs and look around in our extra room and our bedroom before he is ready to sleep.  Really?!

Time outs... we have only done a few, but I'm thinking this is just the beginning.  The hitting and throwing toys sometimes is little nuts and so we put him in time out.  Granted I sit with him there and turn my back to him but he does indeed seem to get that he is in trouble and shouldn't have been doing something.  Siiiggghhh, this whole teaching your toddler is tough!

19 months old

I guess its true, we blinked, and now our baby is not a baby, he is a 19 month old big boy!  He knows what he wants and what he doesn't want, he has favorite foods, toys and books.  He is creating his own path in this world, and one day all too soon he will be grown up.  So for now, I am going to relish in everything and enjoy our 19 month old monster boy.

Favorite food:  if we are talking meal, chicken nuggets.  if we are talking "of all time" -- fruit snacks (dont judge!)
Favorite book:  The Very Cranky Bear (there are others but lately its been this one)
Favorite toy:  play kitchen- hands down
Other: loves to be a helper in everything we do (bring in groceries, putting things away, getting Hurley his food, etc)

Halloween Wrap Up!

We have been celebrating Halloween for so long now and finally the BIG day arrived!  I thought I was "Halloweened Out" before it even started but, no... its still fun dressing up and running around, LOL!  We went trick or treating with Bubbe Sandy first and then with Grandpa, Bubbe Shelley and our aunts, uncles and cousins!  Everyone had a good time and, seriously, if you need some candy -- stop by our house and its yours, we have way too much!!

We can't forget Hurley :)

Family photo

And so its time to put away all the Halloween things and move on to Thanksgiving, time is just rolling by!

Getting in the Halloween Spirit!

We have been busy!  Rather than blab on about this and that, I am going to just load you up with photos...we went to touch the trucks trick or treating, pumpkin patch and an awesome Halloween party at our friends house. Splash in some totally random pics and .... that's what we have been up to in a nutshell :)

Pumpkin Patch!

Play Group Halloween Party!

Halloween Touch a Truck

Stay tuned we have more parties and Halloween celebrations coming up!

Summer in October

The past week or so we have had a reprieve from the quickly approaching fall and winter and were thrown right back into summer!  While I enjoy fall, feeling the warm 80 degree days is great--especially with a toddler.  Too bad our pool is no longer open because seriously I could have gone for a nice swim!  What we did try to do was be outside every second.  One such trip was to the park and to watch the ducks.  It's always nice to spend quality time with my family--these are the perfect days we'll want to remember when we are talking about wind chills!

As usual, slide, slide slide!

How can you not love this face? 

Duckies

He wouldn't take his eyes off the ducks for a photo... oh well!

Ben & Sydney's 2nd Birthday Party- Didier Farm!

Ben and Sydney are turning 2 on the 9th of October and yesterday they had their birthday party at Didier Farm. The weather was perfect and I think its safe to say that everyone had a great time!  Mason ran all around with his cousins and friends and literally couldn't keep his eyes open on the ride home.  There is so much to do at the the pumpkin patch so we are definitely going to be back there soon!

We are going on a hayride!

Enjoying the sites!

This is the kind of picture you get when you have 5 cousins within 20 months of each other :)

Happy Birthday Ben & Sydney!!

After the party we got to walk around and even ride one of the big kid rides (with Daddy of course!)

We had so much fun celebrating Ben & Syd!!  Can't believe they are already TWO!!

I know this sounds crazy but...

I have to tell you all about this yogurt that I love.  And the reason I have to tell you about it, is because I don't like yogurt very much. Not sure... maybe its the tangy-ness or maybe its the consistency, either way, I've never really been a real fan.  However...my good friend served us this maple yogurt along side some fruit at a play date one day and... well being hooked on it, that's just an understatement!!  I literally buy 2-3 a week and dip every fruit under the sun in this stuff.  ITS.THAT.GOOD.  I swear. Sometimes... I prefer it to sweets, which if you know me, that's crazy talk!  Go and try this... please its so so good!

Our Goofball :)

Mason is one silly boy, random things just get him going and then he can't stop.... I love this little boy

Bad Habit

That would be coffee.  I know, caffeine is addicting.  I really only drink 1 cup a day, soooometimes 2 a day.  At any rate every morning when I have my coffee or on the weekends when both Jordan and I are drinking coffee, Mason inevitably wants our coffee cups.  He just wants to be part of the activity.  So... now he gets his own "cup", no worries nothing is in there, and for now this makes him happy :)

Allstate Family Picnic

Saturday was Allstate's annual family picnic.  Jordan has worked there for a few years now but we have never gone to the picnic in the past.  We figured now that Mason is running around a bit, it might be a good time to start going.  Boy, have we been missing out!!  This picnic is a small fair, with tons of adult rides, kiddie rides, petting zoo, pony rides, food and concerts!  I'm thinking next year Mason will really get a lot more out of this but he had a blast walking all around and seeing the sights.  We rode the merry-go-round, had some lunch, saw all the characters walking around (Elmo, Mickey, Scooby, Woody, Clowns, etc) and attempted the petting zoo.  Thats right I say attempted because Mr. Mason did not like it at all... like not even for a second, ok maybe 1 second.  The animals were all pretty face to face with him and we think that probably freaked him out.  Opps. Anyway.... check out our pics!

Apples, Apples...Everywhere!

This week we made our first ever trip to the apple orchards.  Aunt Stephanie, cousins Ben & Sydney had been there last year and really had a good time and this year they invited us to come along!  Our other friends came too and we had a great time.

Ready to go apple pickin'

Once we had our bags in hand we started walking through the orchards.  In true Mason fashion he was not going to be pulled around in the wagon, he thinks he is 10 and not only does he not need to sit, he attempted to pull the wagon with 3 two year olds in tow.  Nice Mase.  He was however a super trooper, as aside from the tractor ride (maybe 5 mins in each direction) he walked.the.entire.time.  Probably from 9:45-11:30!!

"I'll pull you!"

Lots o' walking!

Everyone had a blast, we all ate so many apples as we walked.  The kids seemed to enjoy being able to actually eat things off the ground (right?!) and run free in the open space.

After a long morning of picking apples and pears we had lunch and then tried to feed the goats.  I'm pretty sure mostly only Elisa was into it... Ben, kinda sorta, Sydney and Mason pretty much backed away!

By 1pm we were pooped and headed home.  What a fun day we had and we cannot wait to go back next year.  We told Daddy that next year he is coming for sure, I think he would have really enjoyed running around with Mason :)

Can't wait to see how big Mason is on this next year!

Fun day with Mommy :)

Weekend Update

Friday was Mason's first day of "pre" preschool, better known as a Mom & Tot class.  It's 1hr, once a week and it seems to be a great introduction into the routine of preschool.  We get to enjoy our class with cousins Ben and Sydney too!  I will bring my camera this week to get some more pics during class but all the kids are cute together.  I tried to get a photo of Mason before we left, you know... one for the books.  Yeah right, he is so on the go its so hard to get him to sit still, so this was my best shot before I had to go running down the sidewalk to get him.

The rest of the weekend we just hung around town.  Library, the park, walks with Hurley and clowning around with Daddy!

Library: note his selection choice?

Digging in the sand

Literally walking Hurley (he won't let us hold the leash anymore)

Getting wheeled around the house by Daddy!

What? He won't eat saganaki?

That's right, our child wouldn't eat the delish saganaki at Greek Fest.  This photo is misleading...  looks like he is about to love it right? Wrong!  Oh well... he is going to have to love it soon because his Mom & Dad love it :)

New Camera

Our camera broke about 2 weeks ago and while that doesn't sound like very long, it felt like an eternity because I like to take pictures all the time as random moments happen.  At any rate we got a new one and in case you were wondering, we caved and got a DSLR.  I am thinking I need someone to show me everything this bad boy can do or maybe I will look into a class.  Seems a shame to have all this capability and not know how to use it.  I am though just blind experimenting so we'll see.  I am enjoying getting some better quality photos and also not missing the moment.  Here are some fun random pics from the new camera!

My first victim test subject, Hurley.

Would ya look at the lashes on this baby?  Why do boys get the gorgeous lashes always? :)

Action shot!

Enjoying a beautiful day outside.