Another Step Down...

We just finished with our 5th & FINAL supervisory visit with our caseworker. YAY! Although we will miss our 'monthly' dates with Gemma we are SOOOOO happy to be another step closer to completing this process. (FYI- when you do an adoption you have to have 5 visits/interviews after the baby is placed in your home with a caseworker so they can approve and present you to court so the judge can legalize it) It's basically the last hurdle in this ever so long process. Now we run some paperwork to the court, then give it to our caseworker and our caseworker sends our 'case report' into the court and then we go back to the court house and turn in additional paperwork and then we WAIT to hear from the court with our court date. A lot of running around but that's okay. I can't believe we're already to this step. I still remember failed pregnancy tests, talking about adoption, our first scary interview, being approved and now we're parents to the most incredible baby boy in the world and almost at the finalization point in our adoption. That's crazy! We've had such awsome support along the way and we've been blessed with two amazing birth families that have just expanded our family. This whole experience has changed us as individuals and clearly as a family for the better. It's made us grow, strengthen and expand in such neat ways. We're so grateful for our loving Heavenly Father who has guided us every step of the way. We're so grateful for Mason... Oh man are we ever!!! He is seriously the best thing since sliced bread.... if not better:) I delight in being his mom. I love Seth in a whole new way after seeing him be a dad. I can't wait for his court date, I know our family probably won't be able to be here for it but that's okay. We're looking forward to having him blessed and sealed to us in Utah this summer surrounded by our friends and family.

Meanwhile, Mason has had the stomach flu for four days now. Poor little guy. He's sicker than a dog and he still coo's at me while I clean his throw up off of him. I've taken him in to the doctor and they said to watch for dehydration but that it just has to run it's course. So I guess I'll just hold him until it goes away:)

Free Formula***

In our quest to find the right formula for Mason we bought and were given many different formula's. He turned out to be a soy baby. We have lots of barely opened and brand new cans at our house. I really don't want to throw it away.... formula is expensive so if any of you or someone you know use any of these brands you're welcome to my stash- just leave a comment:)

-Good Start Supreme (Natural Cultures to support a healthy immune system) 3 new cans, 1 barely used

-Costco Brand 1 new can, 1 barely used

-Enfamil (A.R Lipil) for babies who spit up frequently. 2 new cans, 1 barely used

-Enfamil Lipil w/Iron 1 new can

-Nutramigen for babies with colic due to cow's milk and protein allergy. 3 new cans, 1 barely used

LoNg WeEkEnD:)

Seth had this last Friday off so we had a long weekend together... It was horrible weather (except Saturday), I was getting over being sick and Seth was starting to get sick so we stayed indoors for the most part and just hung out. It ended up being a really fun weekend for our family. Friday we took naps, went gocery shopping, had a great fish dinner and watched movies. Valentines is a special holiday but we don't go crazy for it with presents... that's not really what it's about for us, it's about LOVE so we celebrate that by spending time together.. the last 5 years we've made a good dinner together, seen a movie & sometimes a flower or two:) Oh and always a homemade card... seth did awsome this year... he actually pulled out my stamps. I almost died when I saw it. He's one in a million ladies:) so Saturday afternoon, we kept up the tradition and went out to the movies (rare, very rare since the little man came) and took mase to the babysitters (no dinner and movie for us.. just a quick movie and back since our babysitter is 8 bucks an hour! Ouch. She's worth it though:) We were gonna run errands but I missed Mase SOOO much that I just wanted to hold him. It was his nap time, he usually falls asleep in his crib but just this once... hee hee... I rocked him to sleep in my arms. I missed him. We ended up just spending time together that day and forgot the errands. We had so many good treats from friends for Valentines Day that we snacked on all weekend. We ate most of them before being able to get a picture... especially Ivy's... oh man, best sugar cookies EVER! We've loved our movie nights, good dinners and lots of time together this weekend. Here's a little sneak peek:)

The dreaded tummy time... you can see his excitement:(
Valentines Day after our 'date'

Daddy had to go coach his Basketball team Saturday morning so we decided to take some fun photo's:)

My son the thumb and finger sucker! He took a binki for maybe two wks after he was born.. then he traded it in:)

Movie night with Dad!

Seth just had to make his favorite childhood favorite treat "ants on a log" even though I forgot the name and called in "eggs on a farm" close right?!?! ha ha

Thank You for all the fun Valentines in the mail my dear family & for the awsome one you made me Ebby! I LOVED all of it SO much. It's made me feel Oh So SpEcIaL on MY very First VaLeNtInEs! What's a little man to do with such great cousins, grandma and friends?!?!

XoXo, Mase

Awwwe... the men I have in my life

I am one lucky lady! I don't need any diamonds or jewelry this Valentines... I have two of the most incredible men in my life- Mr. Mason and his Dad:)

let the mush begin...

Over the weekend (last weekend) I wasn't feeling so hot so I laid low hoping to feel 100% once the week started so I could take care of Mason. I was doing okay and then, BAM!!! Monday morning comes and I feel like I've been hit by a mack truck... no not a wimpy truck... a mack truck! ha ha. My nose is stuffy and leaking like an open bottle at the same time (how? I do not know). My body is sore from head to toe, my eyes are constantly watering to where I can't see, I'm sneezing, coughing, and can't sallow. So not fun. Seth comes home on his lunch break to bring me some meds, which seems to do little but at least they stopped my eyes from watering so much. I felt horrible for Mase. I didn't want to breath on him so I tried not to get too close. And well, I was so miserable I didn't know how I was going to meet all his needs.... We managed until dad got home...

Tuesday came and I was feeling the same.. which worried me cause we have a little joke in our marriage...okay so it's not a joke it's the truth. Seth doesn't have, lets say 'endurance' for sick people. He'll make you some soup and rub your feet for about a day and then he's over it... ha ha. So when Tuesday wasn't looking better I was a little worried... I woke up to Mason crying around 5:45 for his morning feeding I almost died thinking I had to roll over and get him with how I was feeling, only to realize I was alone in bed. Seth was up and taking care of him, which he did on Monday morning as well and continued to do this for the whole week. He not only didn't get sick of me, he's catered to me and took complete care of Mason the second he's walked in from work. Did I mention how lucky I am?!?!?!

Just when I thought it was looking good I woke up around 5am Wednesday morning, sicker than I was before. Everything I was feeling before, accompanied with nausea, body chills and a headache from... well you get it. I stumble into the bath because it's where I go when I don't know how to fix things. Seth gets up with mason and I make it back to the bed. Seth comes to the room and I just start bawling... I am not an emotional sick person but I had had enough by now. I couldn't imagine how I was going to take care of Mason that day when I was barely doing it before. I was so nauseous that crying almost made me throw up. I started crying that I wanted my sisters and that I hated not living near them... sisters are those people you can just call anytime of the day and feel completely uncomfortable and ask for help aka immediate babysitting.... and not feel worried, guilty or that your too much of a burden (i miss you sisters!!!) By then he could tell I was loonely and exhausted. I had no idea what to do so I thought to ask for a blessing, so I did. My husband performed a beautiful blessing that said I would be blessed with the abilities I needed to care for my son and that I was a good mother (the lord knew I needed to hear that after the guilt I was having for not being over interactive the previous couple of days), he spoke beautiful things and somehow I went to sleep quickly after.

When I woke up I felt... okay. like crap but SOOO much better than 5 that morning. I was thinking it was around 8. I look at the clock and it's 10:30! WHAT! I froze. I hadn't seen that time on the clock when I woke up for oh about four months... MASON! I thought. I completely went into a panic. Why wasn't he crying? had he and I hadn't heard him? Was he starving? Was he.... ahhh! I raced to his room making myself all to dizzy in the process.. to find my sweet boy playing with his toes and gnawing on his blanket... he saw me and grinned from ear to ear as if to say.. I'm okay mom. I hope you got enough sleep, I tried to be quite for you- He just started kicking in excitement... it completely melted my heart. I just started to cry. I felt so bad and so grateful at the same time. I have such an incredible son. (some of you are probably thinking: neglect!) Don't worry I am too! In that moment I realized how 'okay' I felt. I felt the blessing working throughout my entire day. My body still hurt and my nose was stilling running but I was able to meet Mason's needs and even play with him.

I am so grateful for a worthy husband who was able to give me a blessing that I needed in that moment. I am SO grateful for my sweet son who just chilled in his crib and allowed mommy to rest up for the day! He has been good all week. Also my my Heavenly Father who didn't fix me the way I thought was needed but blessed me in a way where my responsibilities were manageable. He is so mindful of us and I am so grateful for the faith and all the things it makes possible.

I just love my boys and feel like I am truly the luckiest women! Seth has been AMAZING and so has my little man. I'm feeling much better after a long week, thanks to two cuties in my life:)

(ugliest picture of me.. yes! How I'm posting this, I don't know?! give me a break... I was pretty sick. However this does showcase my week... Jammie time with mom)

i am sick. I want my mom

Our day with Mason's 'Minnie'

So this far I haven't posted any pictures of Melissa, Mason's Birth Mom because well the situation seemed too personal in that area at the time and the pictures seemed almost sacred with what the atmosphere was (pregnant, hospital, etc..) even though we saw her almost every month we chose and still choose to keep those off the internet however we're now at a place where we feel comfortable sharing. We are SO blessed to have Melissa and her amazing family in our lives! We truly love them. We feel so lucky to have the relationship we do with her and her family.

Last Friday they invited us out on their boat to take a little cruise around the harbor and out to see the seals and watch for whales. We didn't see whales but we sure saw dolphins.. it was unlike anything I've ever seen before. It was almost magical. We're going along and we see dolphins in the distance... M's dad tells us to go on the bow of the boat (front part) and wait for them to come along the boat (they like the waves apparently) next thing we know we're surrounded by ten of them. A couple swimming along side the boat, a few jumping through the wake and three of them right under us swimming at the front of the boat. They were like 5 feet away... closer when they jumped out. It was so stinkin cool. M & I were just screaming. Seth thought it was pretty cool too, he just refrained from screaming:)

It was our second time seeing her since he was born (the last time was three months ago) we were nervous and excited at the same time. It was SO good to see her, we definitely missed her. She just lit up when she saw Mase, it was so sweet. They look so cute together! I think he looks so much like her, especially when their side by side. She is an incredible individual and is doing really well. Her parents were fabulous with him and we just had a great evening. Her sister Jessica and her little boy Noah joined us for the cruise and then we met up with her grandparents, two brother's and one of her other sister's for dinner at the Yacht Club. It was crazy to think we can sit down to dinner with this family WITH MASON and have it be completely normal.. but it is. And we feel so absolutely blessed to have our adoption turn our this way. The Lord is truly mindful of everyone of us. Mason is so loved and we welcome that with open arms.

{Captain of the ship}

Diane, Melissa & Mase
Me, M & Mase
Mason and his 'Minnie"

Mason's 1st boat ride