Deep concentration during labor (at home).
Grandma Joan and the little guy.
Grandpa Wes and the little guy.
Moments after the birth.
Mom and Papa and baby.
Michael, at the hospital, changing his first diaper, ever.
Grandpa Larry and baby.
SO EXCITED...
Michael get's hungry.
Leaving the hospital.
On our way home. His first car ride.
Momma and baby.
Grandma Kerry and baby.
Finally getting a little shut eye.
Grandpa Larry, Grandma Kerry, and family.
What the hell are you doing to me?
Ol' Mom and baby...the ninth great-grandchild.
Baby feet.
Hold on...I am thinking about it...
Michael and baby taking a nap.
His first bath at home.
Not happy as a clam.
Sleeping in with Dad.
Yet again...how does Michael manage to get so much sleep?
Puzzlement.
What. Do. You. Want?
A bed full of love. Zola, Papa, and baby.
Yeah for sleep!
His first nap in the crib that papa made for him (he was only in it for about 5 minutes before fussing too much).
Boo for waking up.
Naptime #1
Naptime #2
Naptime #3
Naptime #4
Naptime #5
Naptime #6
With Grandpa Doug..."I'm not quite sure about this guy..."
With Grandpa Doug..."Oh, he's pretty nice. Okay, I'm alright with this guy."
KD Guest Ranch Promo Shots
Taking Mason out for a stroll at the NC Arboretum with Grandoa Doug.
I love rock n' roll...
Cold lampin' (see Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy for cultural reference).
It's time for what!?!?
Oh, that's not that exciting anymore...
My first day at work with Daddy...sort of...
Stretch...
A look of quiet consternation
A sort of first smile.
Stick out your tongue...
Hot tomato.
Steve Holt! (See "Arrested Development" for reference)
Morning calisthenics.
Momma and Mason in the early morning of the 4th of July
Incriminating shots for age 16
Black & white of hands and feet
Mason's hands
The many faces of Mason on a Saturday morning alone with papa.
B&W of Mason.
Michael and Mason watching Jeopardy.
Mason going for a ride in the car.
Uncle Sam and Mason.
Uncle Will and Mason getting to know one another.
"I don't know what that was..."
Mason and Uncle Sam on the couch.
Mason in Uncle Will's miniature tent that he made at North Face just for Mason.
"Dad, I told you it wasn't the Bolshevik Revolution."
?
Oops, he fell over.
"Why won't you sit still, you little twerp?"
Hungry again...Mom will be home shortly. I hope.
Dad and Mason at home alone.
Uncle Pierce finally succumbs to the charms of Mason. Shortly after this photo was taken, Mason charmed Pierce even more by pissing through his diaper and all over Pierce.
Funny look on Mason's face.
A lazy Sunday afternoon.
Just hanging out in my bouncy chair.
"Mommy, what are you doing?"
"Hrmph mfpgh hgph, ehpgh."
Ooooh...flashy thing...
I don't understand English.
He is trying to mimic Audrey's facial expressions and noises.
Mason and Mommy
Mason and Mommy - In the Air
Black and white #1
Black and white #2
Mason and Mommy - Standing up with Mason on her chest.
The consultation...
...the cut...
...and the donation.
"Don't I look fabulous?"
Prepared for a day of hiking.
Daddy and Mason, heading to some waterfalls...Mason slept the entire day of hiking (about 5 hours or so) minus a feeding. This carrier was a god-send.
Stretching at the end of the hike(s).
What it now means to take a short drive and go on a short hike...three carriers, a car seat, diaper bag, dog, leash, baby, and mom & dad...
Mom's new haircut...au natural.
Mason in one of Uncle Will's Northface tents.
Baby crack swing.
Baby tattoos. Jess brought us a sheet of baby removable tattoos. They had some that matched daddy's tattoos.
"I hate this outfit, Mom. I look like a bean. Gaw..."
Grandma, Mason & his cousin Ashleigh
Mason and dad napping out on the lawn...sort of...
Ear
Sucking on Audrey's wrist.
"I do not like that color. That color makes me sad."
Grandpa Tony and Mason.
Raising his head.
Carrot top
Playing on his mat and watching mom
Man and his dog...laying around, dancing.
...now it is nap time.
Leanring to crawl...sort of...
Okay, I am done trying for the day.
Imagining
Distracted.
Dancing.
Contemplating.
Serious.
Uber-Serious.
Flirting (some more).
Satiating a hunger.
Happy.
Flirting.
Being shy.
Sleeping (honey).
Taken with Jess' phone while babysitting Mason so Daddy could take Mom out for her birthday. Obviously, he likes Jess. A lot.
Pierce and Jane's little play mat fits him just so...
About to laugh
100% Organic
Mason and Mommy taking a bath on a Saturday night.
What happens when daddy dresses Mason...he looks like a little daddy.
Daddy and Mason taking a break from working on the weekend.
Oh so sleepy...
Not feeling well, but oh so cute.
Finding his hands
Mason and his favorite, flourescent colored, toy
Gravity taking hold
Daddy and Mason on the floor playing.
"You will not take this from me..."
Do I look more like my mommy...?
...or do I look more like Daddy?
Grandma Joan and Mason
Grandpa Wes and Mason
The happy family (come on up, Zola)
Mason sleeping on the way to Hickory Nut Gap farm (where Audrey and Michael were wed nearly 2 years ago) for pumpkins and apples
Picking apples from the crates
Neslted in the Ergo carrier
Lunch time
Upclose shots
Up closer
The little hand that grabs
Stopping and smelling the flowers
Neslted up next to mom, protected from the sun
Funny terrified look on Mason's face...he was actually pretty happy while these shots were taken. This one just caught his face in a weird pose.
Demure...
Up close
Looking at Mommy and Daddy's wedding and honeymoon albums.
Posing on Daddy's legs.
Another series of "The Many Faces of Mason"
Jess helping us ready Mason for bath time (and giggling over his naked bum)
Crazy Daddy Boppy Pillow Head
Mason was sitting in Daddy's lap mesmerized with Zola (and reaching out towards her trying to "pet" her)
Daddy feeding Mason
Daddy helping Mason feed himself
Proof he is (learning the art of) sitting up.
End of lunch time, beginning of the hike
Momma and Mason feeding out in a meadow (Pink Beds trail, Pisgah National Forest)
Grandpa Larry and Mason
Up close in the court of the Krimson King
Look at my butt.
You looked at my butt, you cheeky monkey!
This is what happens when Mommy dresses me.
They left me out in the rain again.
Halloween Costumes for his first Halloween party
Hanging out with his buddy
Feeling happy
Group shot from the Halloween party
Pumpkin butt
Not Mason, but a really cute shot from the Halloween party.
Mason on the front steps...all by himself;)
Passed out on the bed after an hour on Dad's back (while he cleaned house and talked to Grandma Kerry)
Ol' Mom down for a visit with Mason (and Audrey and Michael...by default;)
Rocking the new chair
From a series of nudes (i.e., pre-bath time). He rolled all over the floor, a total of about 4 feet from his original spot. The days of leaving him in one spot are numbered.
Quack, quack.
Daddy playing Mason to sleep
Mason's feet and leggings.
Posing by the fireside
Posing in his chair
Mason in lights
Family of four
Momma and Mason asleep on the couch, in front of the wood stove.
Bath time for Mason.
The two-headed monster...or "Daddy has been up too long with too much coffee and spare time this morning
At Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
After Robarn and Sarahs wedding.
Opening Grandma Kerry's present
Mason with some of his new booty.
Getting ready to rip into the presents.
Hiding in his new toybox (that daddy is in process of refinishing, but did not build)
Enjoying Uncle Will's gift
Mason learns to fly....
Grandpa Wes and Grandma Joan saying goodbye
What happens when daddy is allowed to dress Mason.
Mason's first snow storm
Asleep on momma's chest
Mason's new high chair
Learning to stand up by himself
Monhegan Mason
Drinking
Happy Valentines Day
I am going to catch the light
While Mason was sick.
(No caption)
Dad and Mason taking a hike while Mason sleeps.
At work with Daddy - His foot
At work with Daddy - Eating his sock
At work with Daddy
At work with Daddy - Flirting with Daddy's female coworkers (plural)
At work with Daddy - Being coy
At work with Daddy - Daddy's little boot licker
A chilly winter walk to the park
A chilly winter walk to the park - with Mom stopping into the salon to get an appointment
A chilly winter walk to the park - Zola hates wheels
A pre-bathtime minor meltdown
Mason sitting on Ol' Mom's (great-grandma) living room table. All grand children are allowed to play and sit on top of the great table until age two. Then...no more.
Mason trying to get away from his great-uncle Jim.
Mason and Grandma Kerry.
Stopping to smell the flowers
The many faces of Mason
Eating his bead game
Mason and Ella playing together.
Just looking coy on the floor.
Again, looking coy and ready to crawl...
Up close on a walk at the NC Arboretum
Hair
Cheek
Mason and Daddy finishing their walk (while Momma and Zola ran)
Daddy turns 33.
Mason looking out the front door while daddy was "working" at home.
Eating dinner...and wearing it.
The archtypical photo of the baby playing in the stove drawer.
Mason sleeping (for the first few hours most nights) in his crib.
We have had to resort to giving him distractions while changing him. During this evenings change, it was his thermometer. He just happened to pose and look sickly as he did. He was fine.
Coy.
Concentrating on eating his carrot.
Eating lunch at the California Academy of Sciences.
Mommy and Mason watching sharks at the CAS.
Grandpa Wes and the "Babe Magnet" picking up ladies in downtown Asheville.
Playing in the 5 and under room at The Health Adventure, a place that, despite Michael working at THA for 2 years, Audrey and Michael (and Mason and Wes) just discovered as a wonderful play pen for Mason.
Mason tries to eat his own head.
Mason's First Birthday: After getting into "the cake", a banana chocolate tart.
Mason's First Birthday: Trying to blow out the trick candle with dad.
Mason's First Birthday: Learning about hot candles and how to burn things down.
Mason's First Birthday Party: Mason trying to eat our friend Jeff's head. Or give him a kiss. We aren't sure which...
Mason's First Birthday Party: Ella learning to spit.
Mason's First Birthday Party: Momma and Mason enjoying everyone's company.
Mason's First Birthday Party: Mason tasting some of Daddy's flatbread pizza, fresh from the oven.
Mason's first tattoo (well, really his third).
Mason eating his first birthday "cake"
Mason eating ricotta cheese
Mason visiting Dad at work (aka, climbing out of a giant red hole)
Mason at work with Dad, helping him take photographs.
Mason at work with Dad.
Mason watching dad at work.
Mason and the Bernoulli Blower.
Swimming at Jim and Cynthia's after Ol' Mom's 90th Birthday Party.
Dad and Mason watching the garbage truck before heading into work on Monday morning.
Mason and Ella going for a ride. Ella went on to scratch Mason's face after this shot was taken.
Eating watermelon on the back deck one summer evening.
Maon eating watermelon inside.
Folding his tongue.
Looking at some fishermen downstream.
Mom helping Mason play in Lower Laurel Creek (near Black Balsam Knob).
Having a look in the trees at Freedom Park, Charlotte, NC.
Hamming it up while Grandma Kerry helps me eat his breakfast.
"I have now had my fill of brains...no wait, I want yours, too."
Creeopy photo that Mom took while Mason should have been sleeping.
Overlooking Cincinnati, Ohio from Grandpa Larry's house.
Posing...
Posing (again)...
Posing (again, again)...
Selecting his poison...
...saddling up to see how he looks with his poison
...trying to open his poison (with his 7 teeth)...
...tasting his poison...
...drunk.
What have you got in your mouth, Mason? Oh, right, an entire half of a peanut butter sandwich...
Mommy, Daddy...look what I just found!
Pre-requisite cute babies taking a bath (together)
Mommy's little monster (thanks Will;)
Daddy saying goodbye to Mason before his first day of school.
Mason's first day of school.
Omi and Mason taking a nap.
Multipurpose toy box.
Mason in the Tigger outfit (for Grandma Kerry)
Mason in the jumper that Auntie Jess gave him.
Momma and Mason
I don't want to be a bug...
Grandpa Doug giving Mason a lift down the trail.
Running around the parking lot at the NC Arboretum.
Chomping at the bit...
Walking down the trail.
Pumpkin Patch at Hickory Nut Gap, where Audrey and I were married.
Go on boy, you can take it home if you can lift it.
The view atop Daddy's shoulders.
I am not sure why he has that look on his face.
A rare shot of both of them (sort of) smiling. Not that they don't smile a lot, both of them, it is just rare to get them both in a shot AND both smiling AND in focus.
Taking a break during his first "solo" hike in the woods of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Getting his hiking legs during his first "solo" hike.
I thought this caught the spirit of the afternoon quite well, Audrey nearby to help him if he needed it, Mason exploring the woods on his own two legs and I, Daddy, capturing everything with the camera.
I know that I will look back at this photo in 10 or 20 years and think to myself, "My God, that seems like just yesterday..."
One of his favorite past times: climbing on Zola. She is such a good sport. We really need to buy her more dog treats for being such a good sport.
Mason needs glasses...
Mason teaching Opa how to read.
Christmas 2009 morning.
Going for a morning stroll after opening gifts.
Standing up in Uncle Will's present to daddy.
Too much stuffing.
Mason at Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog
"You think you can catch me? Try."
Mason pensively looking out the window for Mommy.
Climbing the stairs.
Just another cute shot of that hair.
"Come to Daddy!"
Climbing the stairs (2)
Trying to keep up with Mason.
Feet.
Mason is actually driving (well, steering) the VW. Mommy is working the pedals.
Snack Time.
Running around the house naked (minus his favorite hat) while Daddy tests out his new camera.
Eating popcorn in daddy's chair.
Playing in the sandbox in Montreat.
"I'll show you mine (belly) if you show me yours." She did not. She was a lady.
Watch out. I am rolling.
Creepy staring.
Audrey at Bent Creek. I just thought this a good shot of her.
Hiking at the Arboretum.
Playing in the (light) rain at the playground in his new rain coat (which just happens to match Daddy's new raincoat).
Sunday morning, hanging out in the kitchen.
Walking tall.
Mason took this...his first photo.
Mommy and Mason starting toilet training.
I have no idea what was happening, but that is a pretty interesting look for someone sitting on the toilet.
His first haircut. We made it two years to the day (almost the minute) without cutting his hair. Sadly, we cut it at about 20 minutes shy of his actual birth time (8:17 PM).
More potty training shots.
Mason's Second Birthday dinner - Michael's Regionally Famous BBQ Ribs
Mason's birthday haircut (sorry it took me so long to get this posted).
Mason being a ham after dinner (which wasn't ham).
"Who wants a drink from the firehose!?" Gift to the first person to correctly name the movie from which I stole that quote.
Playing while momma is working.
"Helping" daddy mulch. Notice two things "wrong" with his attire.
What happens when Mason and Mommy have the house to themselves on a Saturday night. BTW, that is Mason's foot...
Man in the box
Working up a sweat playing.
Sweating.
Chilling with his ladies (Ella was to his right). And for the record, those are pureed berries frozen onto sticks. No sugar;)
The REAL Naked Chef.
Stealing kisses (from Ella).
Upon closer examination...
Peek-a-boo...
Mason Juice Face: He had just downed a tall glass of carrot, ginger, lemon, apple juice when I took this photo. It looks like he might have tore into a live animal. I assure you: it was carrots.
This is an after shot taken AFTER he played in the mud and got thoroughly dirty. We had to strip him down before letting him in the house (his feet, as muddy as they are, were previously shod and STILL got that dirty).
Mason at "Splashville", or as it should be renamed, "Le Cite de Bidet".
Contemplating running through some more pop-jets.
Pure joy. Or surprise.
Slightly(?) overexposed, but I kind of like the effect.
"Robot solo: 10010101011010101100010101001110110101010011101000100101001...
Taken on my phone, so forgive the resolution, but he was so stoked to go on a hike, he went and put on his carrier/backpack that I carry HIM in.
Zola taking Mason for a walk.
Playing in the stream that eventually leads into the Swannanoa River.
Who you calling a chicken?
Fascinated with an acorn during a hike to Lookout.
The lighting was really great this afternoon. The red face is from the sunlight reflecting off of Audrey's (Ask Audrey) shirt.
A rite of passage: peeing in the woods.
What happens when A) Daddy tries to work at home while B) Mason refuses to take a nap. He gets bored while I am not paying attention and empties Zola's food bin onto the floor. There is still some in the cracks of the deck.
Naked bike ride in the basement.
Mommy and Mason just after story time.
Angry face. I took a whole series of him making various emotional faces.
Inquisitive.
Joyous.
Surprised.
Daddy and Mason being silly.
Thanks for the boots, Uncle Sam.
Mason in mid-flight as he was jumping up and down on Daddy's spleen.
Kissing "Baby Sister".
"I found Mommy's belly button."
Staring off into Tennessee.
Family shot.
Bath time pose.
Bath time with Mommy.
Pre-requisite baby boy with baby animal during farm visit to Warren Wilson College.
Mason watching the horses (at WWC).
Mason at the Eliada Homes Annual Corn Maze (kiddie-version).
One of the few shots I have gotten of Mason facing me, holding still and NOT looking straight into the camera.
Mason riding the "Cow Train" (cropped).
Mason during our annual trip to Hickory Nut Gap Farm.
Mason during our annual trip to Hickory Nut Gap Farm. And no, that is not a popcicle, it is frozen apple cider.
