Happy Father's Day Kurt!

Kurt is the who stays home with Mason during the day (grandma bonnie helps out a few hours a day too). He doesn't just stay at home and work while mason plays on his own. Kurt plays with Mason, sings to him, dances with him. Kurt teaches mason sign language, and how to clap and dance. Kurt takes Mason to kindermusik every week, and also on fun field trips to exotic locations like brokers opens.
Kurt doesn't just stay with mason during the day because it saves us money, or because right now it makes more sense for me to work - although those are two true statements, kurt stays with mason during the day because he loves it and he loves his son. The two of them are pals and have so much fun together. When i walk in the door Mason is excited to see me - but that is boobie effect. Seeing Mason and his dad together you can tell they are a team. As soon as mason can talk they will have inside jokes, and secrets to keep from me.
Kurt also has the difficult task of balancing all the guilty mommy musts in throughout day - must have two naps, must have a certain number of bottles, must not watch tv, must have cute matching clothes on. and then when i get home, he is off to work to try to finish what he didn't get done in the morning - but always home in time to be there and give mason his bath.
You would think that being the full time parent and working, when night came he would be glad to be off duty. However he takes the night shift too. Ok, maybe partly because when the monitor starts going off I don't hear it to wake up. and maybe partly because if i do wake up i literally bounce off the walls on the way to mason's room and back. (i don't wake up easy or well). But every night or morning (depending on how lucky we are) when mason wakes up kurt goes and gets him, and brings him to me so i can nurse him.
On my bad days i am jealous and sad that i don't get to be one with Mason during the day, that i can't be a stay at home mom and love on mason full time. But on the good days and most of the time I feel so lucky that mason has a father who is so present in his life, who is in love with him, and enjoys spending time with him.

To celebrate our first father's day we went to the academy of sciences. Mason LOVED it. He couldn't get close enough to the open top aquarium tanks - he would have jumped in if we let him. And we got to take a look at the albino alligator - i think that thing was around when i was a little kid. We had so much fun, but are looking forward to going back on a day when there aren't quite so many people around, holiday weekend makes for quite a few people out!

Mason's 1st music video

Since mason was about 5 weeks old we have been going to kindermusik. at first it was because i had cabin fever and needed to get out of the house, and now it is because he loves it. he has learned so much about rhythm, movement, motor skills and he watches the older kids to figure out what to do. it is so fulfilling to see him as on of the "big kids" crawling around, and interacting with others. it is also sad, to see him grow up and not be my baby anymore. i remember having him as a floppy newborn sitting on my lap just watching. However to be honest - i see this very rarely, Kurt is the one who gets to take him almost every week. i get to go just every once in a while when work is real slow and i can sneak away for an hour or two. it breaks my heart to not be there for his every new discovery - but kurt gets to see and report back. anyway.... Mason loves just about every instrument he can get his hands on, and will figure out a way to make most toys an instrument. the most recent addition is his xylophone. even since it has joined the toy box, it is the first one to be played with every day.

Novato Art and Wine Festival

This is one of my favorite events all year long, being able to stroll the street, look at the art vendors and drink wine or beer - and eat. it is just a wonderful event. Last year i was 9 months pregnant and it was so hot, it was actually the weekend of my baby shower last year, that i could only make it two blocks and decided to go home. This year it was cold and i wore a sweatshirt. Murphy's law. But this year i have my little monkey!

Mason can dance

He has been in music classes since he was 5 weeks old...and he can boogy and get down like the best of them! this is not the best example of his dancing - but it is what i have now

How Big is Mason?

When we were at the picnic at the cheese factory my Aunt Juli taught mason this trick....it is so cute and he gets on a roll and doesn't want to stop - he gets so proud of himself that he can make us laugh! P.s. i was able to take the movie on my new digital camera that kurt got for me for my birthday! (he got it for me before i decided i wanted a "real" camera) we have a fancy HD video camera - but those files are too big for a blog lol

Photo Shoot results

One of the members of our church took photos of our family out at the palace of fine arts. there were 115 shots, all of which i loved - but here are a few of the highlights:

you should check her out at mattandkellysummers.com

Going through the shoot, seein how much fun she had, and seeing the result gave me the photography bug....but where to start or what to learn, or what camera to even get? i need one for my birthday and was going to get a cheap $100 digital - but maybe i should get a "good" one? HMMMM.........

Bay Area Discovery Museum / 10 months old

The first Wednesday of every month the Bay Area Discovery Museum is free. All the good, free, fun stuff is always on the weekdays - and as a working mom i tend to miss all those types of things. But i have a ton of paid time off, around 2 weeks, so what better day to take off than a day where Mason and i can have all kinds of fun? We spent the majority of our time in the "tot room" but this place is massive. The next time i go i will join - it is well worth it for a year of fun. Here are some of the highlights:

Cheese Factory Picnic

Kurt and I are always looking for fun things to do with our little monkey, which use to be so easy when he was a passive observer. However now that he is active and either wants to be always on the go or in the ergo snuggled up to one of us it can be a bit challenging. One day we were out at the Cheese Factory, of curse we arrived just as it was closing, and we thought what a fun spot it would be to invite people out for a picnic - with wine!

Of course the date we picked was overcast and a little on the cold side - but with a sweat shirt on it was fun. We had some new friends from kindermusik there and some friends that we have known for a while - it is so fun to get to know new friends, and reconnect with friends we have known for a while. Since moving to marin i have struggled with meeting new friends, and really connecting with people. I have found that having a child is a great reason to meet people!

Mason and his great Aunt Juli:

The fun that 5 babies can have with a picnic basket:

Mason and his friend Harry, from Kindermusik: