Tooth #2!

                       It has finally POPPED!

After a night of not much sleep AND a day of being very clingy I am glad it is here!  Other then extra drool yesterday there was no other effects! 

What a night!

Wow.....it has been a LONG time since I last posted. While it has been years, it feels like yesterday that I was on here every night or day updating the progress of a little man fighting for his breath and his life. At the time it was cathartic to purge emotions and fears through this medium but as time continued, I found myself searching for moments rather than living in them so I took a break which kind of turned into a complete hiatus.

Thankfully my wife was able to continue and keep this thing going.

Then tonight happened and it made me understand why living in those moments was so important and why if I search for meaning in the moments, I just might find some!

So it is Mason's 5th birthday. We had a great day. He chose McDonalds for lunch, Chuck E. Cheese for playing game time with friends and family but didn't have a preference on dinner. We were in Bellevue with my Mom and Dad who were staying at a hotel downtown and we were all hungry.......what to do?

We had just passed Chick Fillet or however you spell that place and we got to talking about how long the lines were for the first 2 or 3 months at that location that it "must be good" when we decided to pull up the menu online to see if it struck anyone's fancy. It did not.

So we started throwing out suggestions......Rock Bottom, Sushi, The hole in the wall place Julie and I found that serves amazing Indian food, Red Robin, Maggiano's, etc.

My Mom checked the menu at a few online and decided that Rock Bottom offered the most variety and everyone should be able to find something that filled them up. We were off! Got there about 6ish and found the place crazy busy. There was a function of some kind where a bunch of people were hanging about so we got seated in the back of the restaurant in an area that had a couple families.

Ordered, chatted, yadda yadda yadda when a family of 5 seated near us started to finish up their meal and the 3 children were starting to play and run around a bit. They were all so cute. The only boy, about Mason's age from what I could tell, was dressed up a firefighter complete with a hose backpack that looked like Mason's one he has from Paw Patrol.

I caught the Father's eye and asked him where they got a shirt his youngest daughter was wearing. It said "Nana and Papa" in a heart on it. He chatted me up about it a bit and then showed off a super cool personalized Firefighter jacket and pants combo they had found and had made for their son Ryan. They were very cool and, since Mason loves firefighter stuff, gave us great ideas for later.

Dinner continued and soon the staff were bringing out a cake with a Spiderman candle on it and ice cream for the family. It became pretty clear that it was Ryan's birthday. They sang, blew out the candle and I asked how old he was. "He is 5"..........ummmmmmmm really.

So you can imagine the discussion on Mason's 5th birthday and isn't it a cool coincidence yadda yadda yadda.

There was so much in common between the two boys. Love of firefighter stuff, Star Wars (Ryan had on a killer Star Wars tee shirt) etc. But soon the awkwardness of "hey it is your birthday too" kind of wore off and the conversation waned. I then asked if they had him at Overlake hospital right up the street as we had too.

I never expected anything like what happened and can't have made it up as it actually happened.

You see, they did have Ryan at Overlake hospital. On the same day that Mason was born. In fact, at 3:00 ish am. Mason was born at 2:00 ish am. Strange right???

Wait for it.................

Ryan's mom was the very next mother to give birth after Mason! She had a scheduled C-section but went into labor a bit early and had to bump her birth experience up. It just so happened to be on the same day as Mason!

Kind of trippy right?

What if I told you that she was THE very person that we "bumped" out of the delivery room to have the emergency C-section to have Mason???!!! Well she was.

She remembered the words spoken to her when they wheeled her back into her room because there was an emergency that took precedence at that time. She had a radiant attitude and was almost thankful right there in the restaurant seeing Mason. It was almost as if she had cheered him on without knowing him at all. I can guarantee you that she didn't complain or show any sign of inconvenience that night and tonight may have had it all come full circle for more than just our family.

We were stunned. Blown away! What are the odds????

There are no coincidences, no random chances, no accidents like this. This was a brief moment to remind us how small the world is and how connected complete strangers really are. Here were two families with nothing in common beyond geography and an affinity for cold drinks and hot food, galvanized for a moment in time by circumstances well outside their control or comprehension.

It was amazing!

Add to all that, the Mother's birthday is the same day as River (which it is!) and you have one of the strangest nights I have ever experienced since the night River was born.

So.........to the family at Rock Bottom, thank you! Thank you for understanding that night that someone was in need and your sacrifice, even if it was imposed by doctors, may have saved Mason or Julie's life. Thank you for being there tonight to see what a gift Mason is to the world. Thank you for being so friendly as to share that strange a moment with us. Thank you for having awesome kids who shared their toys and smiles with us. Thank you!

Pretty cool stuff!

Oh, and I came to find out that Ryan had a hole in his heart when he was born and he and his family not only understand what we went through but experienced the same. He looks great and his Dad said he has healed completely and everything is great. God Bless Ryan and his family and thanks for tonight!

Mason's 5th Birthday Party at School!

Can you believe it.....5!!!!!

Since Mason does not have school on his actual birthday he got to celebrate it today!  We were all invited to come in and join in the fun.  Daddy got off work in time to be there and of course River and myself were there as well.  

The celebration was all about Mason.  We had to fill out a packet of his favorite things and exciting highlights from each year of his life.  His teacher, Ms. Ruth, then shared with the class all of these things during their special circle time.  

 After each year's highlights, Mason got to walk the Earth around the Sun while everyone sang a song about the length of the year.

 

After all FIVE laps had been walked the class then sang Happy Birthday.

Then it was time for everyone to enjoy the cake pops that we had made!

 Once we were done eating it was time to go home so we passed out little goodie bags of some of Mason's favorite things!

 Thanks Granny and Pa for helping get all the favorite items to us......the kids were all very very excited to get sand, play dough, paint and many more fun art like things to play with at home!

Hard to believe that in just a few short hours this little guy is going to be FIVE!  As you can see, he had a great time celebrating at school today.  Oh and of course he had to sport his NEW BRUTUS shirt

 

.......Granny he is in LOVE with it and I think it is safe to say you have officially got another Buckeye fan on your side! 

Happy Grandparent's Day!

To the best "parents" around! (as Mason likes to say)
Thank you for all you do for us♡♡♡

First Day Of School

Today marked the very first day of school for Mason.  Today he went to his first day of Pre-K!!  While River was sleeping, this morning, we were able to take a few pictures just him and I.  For once he was totally willing to take all the pictures I wanted!  Here are just a few : )

This ones says the following:

I am 4 years old

When I grow up I want to be:  Play video games

My favorite color is:  RED

I love to:  play video games and play dress-up

I am excited to:  have fun and play at school

Mason was SO excited to go to school.  After we took the above pictures he asked if he could wake River up so that we could leave for school!

 Walking in to school.....

 Outside his classroom door

The three of us waiting for Mason to be called in.  Once he was I helped him put his book bag in his cubby, wash his hands and fill up his water bottle.  Once that was all done he gave me a great big hug, a kiss and told me he would see me after school.  Just like that my little man was all grown up!  I held it together until I started to drive away......Such a bittersweet moment for us all.

Tom ended up picking him up from school.  (long story there)  He was ALL smiles and full of excitement that he just LOVED his new school!  He told us that he had lots of fun, got to play on the playground, have snack, complete a paper worksheet and more that he just could not remember!  Here's to a GREAT start to the next chapter in our little man's life!  We are SO very PROUD of you Mason!

T'was The Night Before Preschool

Today was a big day in our sweet little man's life.  He got to meet his preschool teachers and check out his classroom! 

Nana and Papa are in town so it was just Mommy, Daddy and Mason!

 The outside of the classroom.

Mason's favorite part was the indoor playground. 

He also cut some paper and glued it together to create his own spaceship!

Tonight is full of excitement for tomorrow's first day of school!!!! Mason has been talking non-stop about getting to go tomorrow after lunch : )

As for tonight Mason is as sweet and as loving as ever!  He decided River and him should wear their matching PJ's that Granny bought them! 

Here's to the BEST first day EVER!!!

Eight Months Old!!!!

Well today River is officially EIGHT months old!!!! I know I say this EVERY month but how is time going by SO SO fast?!?!  We have been busy having fun at Ganny and Pa's house, all month, and wow has River changed.  He is crawling like crazy, pulling himself up, babbling non-stop, yelling to get people's attention,  still a nursing champ, wearing size 3 diapers,  in 6-9 month clothes, eating solid foods,  has one tooth, always wants to be doing what Mason is doing, a total Mama's boy and trouble maker! 

 

Happy Eight Months baby boy.  We sure are enjoying every moment and every little thing you do!