Mason is 22 1/2 months old. He will be 2 next month! Since Masons surgery he has made a great recovery. It took him about 6 weeks to get back on his feet and start walking again. He can walk with his walker for about 30 minutes before he gets tired. He cruises around furniture and can even climb on onto our coffee table now. That was a great surprise! We have been watching to see if the tethered cord release would make any difference in his lower extremities. The only things I have noticed so far is his weak right ankle that use to be floppy isn't floppy anymore. It feels stronger, has some resistance now. He walks a little differently now, which is hard to explain. But basically he is starting to walk on his toe on his left side instead of striking on the bottom of his foot. We have been working with the physical therapist and orthotist on seeing if we need to make some adjustments to his AFOs.
He is obsessed with cars. He points them out wherever we go. He has about 6 hot wheels cars that he carries with him everywhere. He also likes anything with wheels, which he also considers a car. Strollers, trains, bikes, even his walker is called a "car". He likes to build with his Lego blocks and we make a track for his cars to slide on.
He loves to eat goldfish crackers, noodles, and fruit snacks. He loves to watch 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood' and 'Thomas and Friends'. He also loves to explore outside and pick up rocks and leaves and look at bugs. He loves the park and swinging on the swings.
He thinks its funny to terrorize the dog and has become such a tease! He will throw his drink at the dog or scare him. It doesn't take much to scare Tivo. Mason likes to tease me and Malone and poke us and "zing us" like Grandpa Snedaker does to all the grandkids. He thinks its funny to throw his food on the floor and empty all the diapers out. He likes to wrestle with Malone and snuggle with me. He gives us kisses and really good hugs ( he will lay his head on your shoulder and pat your back). He is usually friendly with strangers, always saying 'hi' and fist bumping people.
Mason talks a lot. He has quite the vocabulary. 'Mom' is the newest word! He finally calls me mom! Before he called me and Malone both 'Dad'. So that has been wonderful. He says car, dad, stairs, side ( outside), no ( nose), eye, shoe, boo, flah ( flower), where is he/it, where'd it go, ball, bubble, show, Da'oh ( Daniel ) O ( O the Owl) and many more. He understand quite a bit more than just what he says. We can read a book and I can ask him where something is on the page and he will point to it. He knows the moo sound for a cow, and growling around for lions tigers bears dinosaurs etc. Of course he knows the sounds for cars ( vroom or sometimes whee ooo for his ambulance).
Mason is so much fun to be around. He continues to surprise us with how smart he is all of the time. And he is walking more and more all the time.
Mason is so much fun to be around. He continues to surprise us with how smart he is all of the time. And he is walking more and more all the time.
This week a friend of mine called me and asked me if I would like to help out at her preschool in the two year old class a couple times a week. In exchange I could bring Mason with me, even though he's not quite two yet. It has been a great experience for Mason. I bring his walker with us and he has plenty of room to roam and play with the other kids. He gets to play with toys, learn colors and shapes, do crafts, play with kids and eat snacks. I get to get out of the house and help teach Mason and other kids so its pretty great.
I have been hanging out with friends and getting out more than usual lately. I have been serving as pianist in Primary at church and once in a while get asked to play at baptisms, choir, or even funerals. I enjoy being able to serve in a way I am most comfortable! Piano is no biggie for me. I love it. I been with friends to some indoor play areas and open gyms lately for kids. So Mason gets to play and exercise and I get a little social interaction with other moms.
Malone was able to borrow a bike from someone and has been riding it to work. I have had the car and he is getting a great workout. He has been really great at working out consistently lately. Malone started up with Webelos again since school has started. They had a pool party last week.
We have been doing pretty great lately and are enjoying life!
