LEVI MATTHEW BEST

Levi Matthew Best arrived at 12:24 pm on Thursday, January 24th, weighing in at a whopping 8 lbs. 7 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.

The labor and delivery went picture perfect....with Levi wasting no time in making his debut--just 2 hours from arrival to the hospital! Tim was the first to announce, "IT'S A BOY!" and, I must say, it was definitely worth the wait for that special moment.

We are again amazed at and in awe of the miracle of life--THANK YOU LORD FOR ENTRUSTING LEVI TO US. WE KNOW THAT HE IS OUR GIFT FROM YOU AND WE ARE HUMBLED AND OVERWHELMED BY THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS RESPONSIBILITY. We don't take for granted for a second that Levi is healthy and have spent every waking moment (and there have been quite a bit of waking moments lately ;-) oogling at his fingers and toes and ears and lips and eyes. He is simply perfect and we are slowly adjusting to life as a family of four.

Month in Review

Mason's Wish List

1. Kid’s Easel – Big Lots for $39.99










2. Fisher-Price Little People Garage – On sale this week at Target for $19.99






3. Melissa & Doug Shape, Model and Mold Play Set - Target.com for $14.99 – might be in stores, too.








4. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Lacing Beads in a Box - Target.com for $14.99 – I also saw this or something very similar in the store.






5. BeBop Kidz Sing-Along CD Player.






Mason also could use:
· Hot wheel or Matchbox cars or trucks
· Those big sandbox trucks--bulldozers, dump trucks-preferably the metal, durable ones
· Crayons (WASHABLE), construction paper, coloring or toddler activity books, finger paint stuff, watercolors, paint brushes
· Toddler cds, books, Barney or VeggieTales DVDs
· Balls—any size...preferably soft for indoors
· Gift card to Target for purchase of toy storage unit
· Lincoln logs
· Alphabet/Number/Color/Shape Cards made out of heavy duty paper or cardstock to hang on walls—like teachers have??
· Play-doh
· Mr. Potato Head

Things I Never Ever Never Never Want to Forget About Mason Boy

As Mason approaches his second birthday and as my pregnancy hormones kick into full gear, I feel like I am trying to soak in every part of his little personality...every essence of his being. The camera in my mind is trying to freeze specific pictures throughout the day. I am trying to make sense out of how much he has grown and how quickly the past two years have gone by...from that sweet smelling infant that stretched with every ounce of his strength to this boisterous toddler that can walk and run and talk. He has stolen my heart. He has expanded my patience. He has taught me about life and love and given me a greater sense of purpose and responsibility than I thought I could ever have or handle.

Pretty soon I'll be busy with another little bundle of joy...I'll have to divide my time between the one that has been my whole world for the past two years with a new gift from God. I am excited and anxious at the same time. How can I love someone else as much as Mason....How can my heart grow even bigger....How can I keep from being too busy to enjoy every smile and tear and coo and giggle and milestone?? HOW?? I don't know, but I do know that I never want to be too caught up in diaper changes and feedings and routines to soak in all of the joys of life.

Here are some 'pictures' I am choosing to freeze...these are things that I never ever want to forget about my Mason and the way he is right now in time:

- The way he walks in his snow boots. It is like he is clumping around...big, serious steps...with a big, cheesy grin.

- When we sing "If you're happy and you know it", he puts his fingers in his ears instead of on his cheeks when he sings, "You're face will surely show it"

- Belly laughs.

- Running around and jumping on the bed after bath time!

- Happy feet.

- His addiction to one purple dinosaur.

- When he falls asleep on my lap while reading books for bed or naptime.

- Ring around the rosie.

- The way that he points for me to tell him the 'coloring rules' : Don't color on the table...only on the paper. We go through this EVERY time the crayons come out.

- 'Helping' me bake and licking the spatula.

- The way he makes the "CHOO-CHOO" sound....super high-pitched with the arm motion....

- The amazingly beautiful color of his eyebrows. Seriously, this is something only a mommy would notice.

- Hugs and shoulder pats. And the way he leans in for a kiss.

- The peaceful look on his face when he passes out in the car.

So many more memories that I'll be recording in the next several weeks. I am so blessed to be home with Mason 24/7 so that I can have both quantity time AND quality time!

The Picture Problema

Well, it will be a while before we get some new pics on here....There is no more room on our computer and we are waiting for the perfect 500gb external hard drive...perfect meaning...the right deal at the right time. Target had them for $88 bucks on Black Friday, but they were out of them (of course)...

So, there will be more pictures soon!

Gobble, Gobble

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Tim worked Thanksgiving Day so Mason and I spent it at Grandma Bella's and Grandpa John's house...Aunt Brittany was there with her brother Kyle and Aunt Lindsay and her friend Joe showed up. It was one of the best (if not the best) Thanksgiving dinner EVER! Tim met us there at 8:00 pm for a quick bite...and then home to bed.

Mason likes to party. He enjoyed being such a little social butterfly all weekend...Friday, Tim's dad and Linda and Brandon came over with the Proellochs Fam for a low-key pizza party.

Saturday, we lounged all day...and Sunday, we went to my parents for MORE TURKEY! It was super fun....and Tim was off yesterday, too...so we have had a ton of family time...I'm already missing him this morning.

Mason is in a MEGA-DADDY PHASE. He pushes me away and says DA, DA!! It is a glorious thing at 5:30 in the morning ... sorry, honey, Mason wants YOU...I'm going back to bed.

And, now the holiday season is upon us....SUPER EXCITING. We'll be putting up our tree and decorations this week...and making our lists and checking them twice. It will be interesting to see how much more Mason 'gets it' this year...and then the big boy will turn 2!!!! YIKES!

So much to be thankful for--family, friends, health...and a Savior that loves us and provides for our every need. Our pastor spoke on his missions trip to Cambodia this past Sunday...and it was a great reminder of how blessed we are to live in this country...to have a roof over our heads, with heat, warm clothes. It challenged me to be thankful for so much more than I normally am....