Where is Supernanny When You Need Her?

Okay, so Mason has been a mama's boy--we all admit that, but recently things have taken a turn for the obsessive. At daycare he has spells about every half hour where he drops what he's doing and runs to the door crying my name. At home I can barely get him off my lap or out of my arms.

Two nights ago he woke up at 10:49 crying for me, so, of course, I punched Chris in the arm and told him it was his turn to get up (Sidenote: Chris had been hunting all weekend, so it was REALLY his turn). Dutifully, he stumbled into M's room, but five minutes later, M was screaming for me at the top of his lungs. I lay in bed, pondering if I should go help or if Chris would see that as interference, but I didn't have to wonder long because Chris rushed back in and said, "He won't stop screaming your name, and he won't let me pick him up."

When I got in the room, Mason was backed into a corner of his crib and was smacking at C anytime he tried to touch him. As soon as M saw me, he rushed toward me, arms up, and immediately silenced when I picked him up. He put his head on my shoulder and didn't make another peep--although he did stay awake for 2 hours after that, but that's a different issue. And then last night he did the same thing. C tried to take him from my arms, and M screamed and pushed him away.

It's so weird, and I know it breaks C's heart, so I hope this phase passes quickly. We're definitely seeing the beginning of the Terrible 2s, so maybe this is a symptom. Oy vey.

Ba-aww!

We tried to do Photography Day during the Great Snow-Week of January 2011 (we were desperate for ANY form of entertainment), and it was pretty much a dismal failure. Alas! Chris is no Miriam. Haha!

We did come out with this one picture of Mason with his ba-aww (which is actually Jase's, and when Jase realizes it and comes for it, we will have a MAJOR meltdown...followed by a trip to Dick's to pick up a replacement). Love it!

*All these are posted pre-photo editing, so be kind.

All By Myself

Mom and Dad are heading to Lexington for Jordan's first collegiate track meet, and Chris is leaving for a duck hunting weekend, and 1.) I am happy for him because he needs a break from reality as badly as I do; 2.) I can take as many baths and read as many books as I want when Mason is asleep and not have to talk to anyone if I don't want to; 3.)M and I will be bored out of our minds, so someone please rescue us! Please! We'll be good if you'll just take us somewhere! Anywhere!

By noon tomorrow we will be so desperate that I cannot even begin to predict what we will do in our stark raving madness. Stay tuned to find out where we end up. Before you judge, remember that I spent 5 straight days in the house, snow-bound, this week. I will try not to channel Britney Spears and ride my bicycle naked into Pistol Creek, but I can't promise much else.

The Big 3-0

So I turned 30 last Sunday, and I think it made my mom feel older than it did me. I was fine with 30. Who cares. I don't feel older, although I did take inventory: 3 faint but permanent lines across my forehead, 5 pairs of size 0 J.Crew pants that fit a year ago but do not any longer, and no visible gray hairs...so not great, but nothing to whine about either.

Because we're still little budgeting fiends, there was no birthday cake or presents, but I did let Chris know that I expected a dining room suit for my birthday as soon as all this house drama is straightened out (yes, please continue praying that The House That No One Wants rents or sells...or burns). I didn't even get one of Chris' super-romantic birthday cards (and let's be honest, I think we could have afforded a card, Cuh-ris). Anyhow, for reasons totally unrelated to turning 30, it was a horrible day except for the couple of hours that we went to the mall and out to Jimador's for dinner. Oh, well. Just another day. 30 will be an awesome year, though...I am SURE. Seriously.

Oh, and I did get a birthday cake (from Rita's--yum!) at work today, so that made it allllll better!

The Beginning of the Snow Chronicles

On Christmas night we went over to Donna's again, and M got to help JaRon (Shaina's boyfriend) open his presents, which was hysterical because that stocking was the ONLY thing that could get Mason near JaRon that night. Every time Mason is around JaRon, they start back at ground zero: JaRon tries everything, and M gives him the cold shoulder. It takes a few hours before M warms up.

Besides the little Nerf gun JaRon got in his stocking, the highlight of the evening was definitely M's trip outside in the snow with Rosie. Donna made Diddy dig out the old Radio Flyer sled, and out we all went to brave the cold. Mason loved it, but his poor little hat always turns sigoggled, which drove him crazy!

Christmas Day

This was possibly our last year of sleeping in on Christmas morning for a loooong time (and by sleeping in, I mean 7:30, which is SUPER late for Mason). Once we finally rousted him and got in position (me with him and Chris with the camera), things got off to a slow start. First of all, he wasn't interested in going into the dining room where the tree and gifts were; he wanted to linger in the hallway and look at all the pictures. Eventually, we ran out of pictures and made it out of the hall, but we couldn't get Mason to look over toward the tree! I had to walk him right in front of it, and he just looked at it in confusion for a moment. In short, his excitement level was slow in peaking, but he did eventually get into the spirit. M wanted to ride his Smart Trike immediately, but we induced him to open some presents, and he made quite a mess and ended up with WAY more than one child needs...and this was before my family's Christmas or Christmas with Papaw and Nanny Baker. Geez.

After the opening of presents, we went over to Kristin's for breakfast and enjoyed the snowfall on our White Christmas. Mason and Gracie and I ventured out briefly. All in all, a good Christmas even though we're still (sigh) in limbo. Lots to be thankful for, and I'm trying-trying-trying to keep that foremost in mind.

Waiting for Santa

This year we packed up M and trekked over to Rutledge for the Baker Family Christmas at Uncle Johnny's house. M met his Baker cousins for the first time, and Lauren helped him open presents. It was fun to talk to Chad and Kathy and all the rest, and Mamaw Baker looked great and was in high spirits. The only bad spot was that no one had mentioned to us that everyone was exchanging presents, so M had a pile of presents, and we had brought nothing except a gift for Mamaw. We were mortified, but what do you do? Sigh.

M resented the long drive home from Rutledge and let us know by crying for the entire 1 hour-long drive, so Chris and I were both frazzled by the time we pulled into church for the Christmas Eve candelight service. M lasted through about 15 minutes of the service, and then Chris had to take him out, but the service was lovely.

After that, we headed over to Donna's for Christmas Eve dinner, and M's spirits improve exponentially because Donna's house means unlimited food and a plethora of attention. He has had Donna riiiiight where he wanted her from the beginning, and he knows it now. Dinner was--as always--excellent, and we stayed just past M's bedtime (we've been trying to push back his bedtime, and this was night 2 of the experiment...so far a wild success!) before heading home to read his Christmas bedtime story and tuck him in for the night. Mason got a prelude to Christmas morning at Donna's and opened a little dog that bounces and barks (soooooo annoying, but he likes it) and some UT pajamas that M just might fit into by kindergarden.

Once home, Chris and I (ahem) paved the way for Santa's arrival quite cheerily until we realized that the video camera was nowhere to be found. After 45 minutes of frantic searching, I called Donna in hysterics. As usual, she bailed me out of my crisis, and at 10:45 on Christmas Eve I was driving back to Donna's in my jammy-jams to borrow her camera. After an extended wait in the Walgreens line to buy tapes for the camera, I made it back home and into bed just before midnight. Drama, drama. Luckily, Christmas morning proved less traumatic.

Oh, and NO, Chris did not let Mason wear the elf outfit all day. We compromised, and he wore a Christmas sweater vest all day until we got to Donna's, and THEN he changed into his festive-wear. And it was precious, as you can see.

Sidenote: Lesley Burdine called Monday to let me know that she had my camera bag (with video camera) at her house, where it had been left during Miriam's shower. As I had never taken the camera out of the car, I would NEVER have entertained the notion that it culd be anywhere but at Mom's house, but Mom or Tyra must have noticed it in the car when they arrived at the shower and "helped me out" by bringing it in. Oh, well. It's found, and all the discs of M's first birthday, learning to walk, etc. are safe and sound at Miriam's house now, where they will wait until we return to Clarksville to see the new Shasserre babies.

Must Love Dogs

These pictures of M and his cousins are courtesy of my brother Tom. I helped Pattie paint Rachel's new bedroom pink (PINK-pink!) one night over the holidays, and Chris and M and I lounged with the Beem cousins and watched Despicable Me afterward.

Facts evident from these photos: 1.) Bella is a longsuffering dog. 2.) Mason idolizes Cousin Thomas already.