all the colors of the rainbow

Mason learned colors in the fall, but in true Mason fashion, they're not necessarily the words we use for them. Instead, they correspond with the Sesame Street Characters:

Red= Elmo
Yellow=Big Bird
Green=Oscar
Blue= aaaaaaaagh CRASH! (That's the sound of Super Grover crashing.) Lately, though, this has just been Blue. I guess that's way easier than aaaaaaaaaaaagh CRASH!
Pink= Abby

Orange= Orange-y
Purple=Purple
Brown=Brown

When your shoelaces are untied...

you have to "tight" them. (If you ask Mason, anyway.)

Our baby is growing up

Mason has lots of Mason-isms... and they're transitioning to big boy words.

this week, 2 transitions happened.

Mason was sitting on my lap reading a couple of books with me. In one book, a cat was a "meow"... by the next book, it was a "cat." (That's an easier word anyway, but he held onto "meow".)

Last night at dinner, the television changed, too. Up to that point, it had been the "O.V." Don't know why... I guess, it was just letters to him. Last night, it changed to "T.V."

Sigh!

Who is Cute and Who is Not

Post from the Dad this time since Mom wasn't there.

So let me take you back to the afternoon of Friday, February 13. Dinner is on the stove but several key ingredients are missing to complete the meal. Mason and I volunteer to jump in the car for the fast trip to Kroger and are silly through the store with the race car cart. (Almost ran over another customer as we made the turn around the shredded cheese refrigerated island but that's not part of this story.)

After checking out with Mason hollering "Happy Day" to the woman in front of us with balloons, he and I head to the car.

As I put him into the car seat I ask if we are going back home and who we are going to see.

His response, making perfect and complete sense in Mason world, is "Mason ... cute."

So I ask if Paxon is cute: "Yes."

Is Daddy cute: "Yes."

Is Mommy cute: "No."

Mommy's not cute: "Noooo."

Is Mammy cute: "No."

Is TT cute: "No."

Is Mason cute: "Yes."

Paxon: "Yes."

Daddy: "Yes."

Mommy, Mammy, and TT: "Noooo."

Needless to say that was one of my more triumphant entries back into the house with a story to tell!

Consequently in the retelling on the phone, both Aunt Bubba and MarMar asked to see if they were cute. Sorry ladies, just Mason, Pax, and Daddy.

"He thinks I'm cute, he thinks I'm cuuuuuute!" to borrow a phrase from the well-loved Monker DVD.

My sweet little valentine

Today, Mason and I were snuggled up in the chair reading "The Napping House." For those not lucky enough to have memorized that book, the last page (in the board book version, anyway) features the granny, the child, the dog, etc. all playing outside in beautiful sunny weather. Over the house is a rainbow.

I don't know whether Mason really had a concept of a rainbow. But, as we got to that page, I said, "do you see a rainbow?" We pointed at it and talked about the picture. Then I handed him the book to "read" and started talking with Jamey, with Mason still sitting on my lap. I hear him saying something over and over again... "Rainbow Nuckshun, Rainbow Nuckshun. MOMMY! RAINBOW NUCKSHUN!" It dawns on me... The Rainbow Connection. You know, the song brought to us by Kermit the Frog.

I learned the song in elementary school-- we had a spring performance that was rainbow-themed and our music teacher taught us a ton of rainbow songs. I still remember them.

Anyway, I've been singing that song to Mason... well, I don't know how long-- a very long time, most of his life. It's part of my repertoire when he's having trouble settling down at night and needs an extra song. Or sometimes, after we've said prayers, JAMEY wants an extra song. It's almost always "The Rainbow Connection" that I sing.

M: "Rainbow Nuckshun, Mommy!"
JG: "The Rainbow Connection?"
M: Nods. "Rainbow Nuckshun, Mommy! Ni-Night, sing Rainbow Nuckshun!"

So, he's been listening. During all the sweet snuggles, the sleepless struggles, and moments in the dark, he was listening. And now he knows what a rainbow is.

The song includes the lyrics, "Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection..." And today, my sweet boy found it, along with the lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Jen

when a child weeps to go on an airplane

Mason has been my traveling partner since... well, since before he was born, really. He's accompanied me all over the country for conferences and meetings. We're leaving for another one in the morning. It's in Tampa. We've been talking about it off and on over the last week.

Last night, (after not sleeping well the night before) he walked through the house sobbing, "Airplane, Airplane" and dragging any bag he could find to the door. He knows the travel routine way too well.

Toddler Wisdom

We live with our sister (Amanda) and brother-in-law (Travis), and their son Pax. Travis has been out of town this week and has been staying with some family (Aunt Fran and Uncle John).
Yeseterday morning, Mason and Jen got out of bed around 6:15 a.m. It was still dark and Mason didn't want to even turn on the TV, so Mom-and-Toddler snuggle time was in effect. The following conversation occured:

M: TT home?! (TT is what Mason calls Travis)
J: No, TT is at Nanny and John's house.
M: TT home!
J: No, TT is at Nanny and John's house. Do you remember Nanny and John.
M: Pause. No, TT! No touch John pants.
J: WHAT?!
M: No, TT! No touch John pants!
J: No touch John's what?
M: PANTS!

And, there you have it, from the mouth of babes. When staying at your aunt and uncle's house... don't touch your uncle's pants.

Jen

Play it again, Monker!

One of the funny happenings, or maybe I should say a series of funny happenings, from the past holiday season is related to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Mason watched it for the first time on DVD at Thanksgiving. The next morning when we awoke the first words were "Monker. Teeth." (Translation- Monster. Teeth.) You know-- the scene when Hermey pulls the Abominable Snowman's (known affectionately in our family as "Monker") teeth. Well, we continued the conversation, about how Monker was nice, not mean and he helped (complete with this quote "Star. Ding!") You know- he puts the star on Santa's tree at the end and doesn't need a step stool. The sound effect when the star goes on the tree= ding! Apparently for Mason, Monker is the star of the show, even the title of the movie!

Anyway, from there, we've never looked back. He received a singing and dancing "Monker" from Aunt Bubba (Jamey's sister, Becca) during that same trip. Mason wasn't sure quite what to make of him for a few days, until Pax decided he really liked him. (The Pax seal of approval means Mason likes it too. After all, they're toddlers and what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine!)

We caught it on TV during ABC Family's 25 days of Christmas (or whatever they call it). After that, the conversation expanded to:
"Monker. Teeth. Nice. HELP- Star- DING. Daddy Deer. Drip Drop. Deer. Nose."

Drip Drop? Drip Drop (complete with tapping on his head) has always meant rain. Well, it was raining that night when I came home and the guys were watching it. So we figured that's what he was associating with the movie.

Until we went shopping a few days later and passed a display of Rudolph stuffed animals. "Mommy, Drip Drop Deer. NOSE!" Then the lightbulb went off-- Rain Deer= Reindeer. Sadly for us, he has switched to saying reindeer sometimes. But the default is still Drip Drop Deer.

Aunt Bubba also gave Mason a copy of "Monker" on DVD for Christmas. He watched it 4 times that day. We still watch it at least once a day.

And singing and dancing Monker still sleeps in Mason's bed.

Jen