Mason 4 months

My chunky monkey is 4 months old!! He is the happiest, sweetest, squishiest, little love muffin I know :) Handsome debil (as me and Ava like to call him) is rolling now from back to stomach! And he is OBSESSED with eating his hands! We have been having problems with reflux (same as Hudson..throwing up all day every day) and he was put on Zantac (we quit after a week since it wasn't working) and a special very expensive new formula called Nutrimagin. (we stopped breast feeding at 3 months) and just the past week we have been adding rice cereal to his bottles and it has helped the reflux tremendously! The doctor also put him on nexium and it didn't seem to help either so we will just stick with cereal in his bottle and hopefully he will outgrow it soon! Poor boy is losing all his hair! We moved him up to his room for the first time and were preparing to do sleep training but I don't think we will have to do the traditional "cry it out" because he is already soothing himself to sleep...I'll say it again, this baby is golden! He laughs and smiles and "talks" constantly and I love how loud and happy he is! 

Baby boy is BIG! He is in 9-12 mos clothing and we even put a pair of Hudson's jammies on him at the beach and they weren't much too big on him (18 mos). He is in a size 3 diaper for now but will soon be moving up to a 4.

He had his first vacation :-) we went to the beach! He enjoyed napping under the umbrella and sleeping in the room with all of his siblings like a champ! And family bath time wasn't bad either!

Sweet rolls had sand all in them!

Mason had his 4 month check up...

Big boy weighed in at 17lbs 4oz :-)

Sweet Mason is in 90% on weight and height (and his head).

He really is the sweetest little guy and I love when I get to spend time focusing all of my attention on him (even if it is in a waiting room at a doctors office).

We played and he "talked" and laughed at me for a while and then he passed out and poor little guy stayed asleep through half of his exam!

He had to get 4 shots and an oral vaccine and he barely even cried...seriously he is the BEST baby! 

So thankful for this perfect, handsome, fluffy, smiling, little nugget of love! 

starting summer...

It's SUMMER!!! I LOVE summer and having all my babies home with me and not having to wake up and rush out the door! We started off the summer with a short beach trip to Destin!!! Mason's first beach trip! 

We stopped at steak and shake on the way down 

Ava and Mary Lindsey

We went out to dinner twice to the crab trap and then to a Mexican restaurant. The crab trap was rough...I thought Hudson was going to be banned from ever coming back...he didn't have a nap and after a long day on the beach and waiting to be seated for an hour he was DONE! 

How we felt about no naps and waiting an hour to eat! 

This boy is always all smiles :-)

These little besties were so happy to be there together! They love each other so much and I'm so thankful they will always have each other :-)

Jake had friends down with him and the girls were in heaven with all the big girls around...and so were we because they would play with them :) win win! I didn't get many pictures on this trip...I didn't have a spare hand!

This beach trip was a bit challenging. With 4 kids it really isn't an easy going relaxing vacation...AT ALL! I am so thankful for my kids but it is what it is...we are outnumbered and their ages right now make it a little difficult to do certain things. Allie Kate LOVED the water this year and refused to wear a puddle jumper (she can swim above water but still refuses to go underwater at all) and I had to stay on her not to get out in the ocean without an adult. Ava had to be held in the ocean and so did Hudson and then Mason was in a bouncy seat under the umbrella and he couldn't just be left there alone. And then there's the actual getting to the beach part...with chairs, a cooler, umbrella, beach toys, towels, beach bag, and all 4 kids.  While I was getting the kids sunscreen and bathing suits on in the room Heath would carry everything over and set it up and then come back and help me get the kids back over to the beach. We only went to the beach two days and stayed at the pool at the house the others. It was a fun but short trip BUT we are going back for a full week in July! And I can't wait! :) 

I wouldn't trade this time with my little family for anything! Yes, it may be hard, and I may be tired and crazy but this is the good stuff :)

When we got home we hadn't seen our cousins in a while so we had to have a play date!

Hudson was so happy to see "Minnie" as he calls her now :-) 

All 8 of them were so good and they always blow my mind how good they all play and get along! Love these little Vaughn babies!

Me and Allie Kate made a summer check list right when school got out and on my list I had "play in the rain" and yesterday was the perfect time to check it off :) It was raining steadily but no thunder or lightening...just a beautiful summer rain :) So we played in the rain and then once dinner was ready the kids wanted to eat in their playhouse in the rain...so they did :) Yep...they ate dinner outside in their playhouse...in the rain...in their jammies from the night before! YEP...we stayed in our jammies ALLLLLL day long and it was glorious! We have been so busy the lately and we wanted to CHILL!

Little boo didn't play in the rain but he stayed out on the back deck and smiled :)

Recital 2016

My girls first day of dance this year...

Ava Grace's recital was at 9am (which meant we had to be there dressed and ready at 8:20am). Ava hopped up out of bed ready to go :) She was PUMPED! And she looked beautiful...and she knew it :)

Allie came back stage with me and Ava and Heath had the boys. I could tell Allie was excited for Ava and she was proud :)

Jammin' to "Party at Mickey's house" Ava did so good and she immediately wanted to "do it one more time...no 5 more times" :) Little ham

giving me the peace sign :)

                                               "Mermaid in the sea" ballet dance :)

"I give a show to the fish below"

Both girls were very excited that they got flowers :)

Finally has a trophy of her own :) She has been waiting on this!

And just like that baby girl has her first recital in the books!!! So proud of my tiny dancer :) 

After Ava's recital we didn't have time to go all the way home before we had to be back for Allie Kate's so we went to Gran and Papa's house for about an hour to eat a sandwich and get Allie's hair and make up done. Then it was back for round 2 :)

Hard to believe this is her 4th recital! 

Ava got to come with me backstage to Allie's and she was happy about that too :)

"Momma I'm a big girl now"

Her favorite is clogging and she LOVED this hot pink sequin outfit something fierce ;) 

"My boyfriend's back"

"Once upon a December" Ballet 

Lined up ready to be called back

She was kind of shy starting out in her first dance but then she got up there and did great and I was so proud at how far she has come ;) My momma heart has been just beaming with pride with all these performances lately between choir, Graduation, and recital!!

Allie and finley :) Besties!

This sweet boy was such a trooper! He was literally black by the end of Allie's recital from rolling around in the floor and being fed way too much candy...but he was better than I thought!! Poor guy is just not at the age to sit still!

This little love was literally perfect during both recitals...again NO surprise there! He is the best baby ever and he didn't make a peep during either show!

After we were done we went home for a few hours to rest and then Allie Kate wanted to go back and watch the "big girls" dance recital at the 6pm show (her cousin also happened to be in that show) so we went back and stayed until 9:30pm!! We had a full day but I wouldn't take anything for these sweet memories with my girls...I know right now we are living in "the good ole days" and one day I will look back and long to have these days back! 

So proud of my precious girls :) Mommy loves y'all to the moon and back!