Merry Christmas From The Bates Family

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Christmas This and That!

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I love wrapping gifts and on Christmas morning looking at the piles of wrapping paper and then watch my dad put it into multiple garbage bags.

Real tree or artificial? Much to Derek's dismay, we have an artificial tree. I'm allergic to all grasses and when I am around such things, it makes it difficult for me to breath, so he chose an artificial tree over a dead wife! I love our tree! It's beautiful!

When do you put up your tree? The day after Thanksgiving

Do you like eggnog? I used to when I was younger, but now, I think it's nasty! I am a big texture person and it's much too thick for me!

Favorite gift received as a child? I don't even remember! Now as an adult, my engagement ring was my favorite or my cookware from MiMi!

Hardest person to buy for? My mother- in- law Sheila! I don't know why, but it's difficult buying for her! It's weird!

Easiest person to buy for? Mason or my dad! Mason doesn't care right now what he gets and you can never go wrong with a Sportsman's Warehouse or Bass Pro Shop gift card for my dad!

Do you have a Nativity Scene? No but I would love the Willow Tree Nativity Scene.

Email or mail Christmas Cards? Mail them if they would ever come in! I've been waiting about 2 weeks now!

Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My MawMaw Wanda got me a Hickory Switch and potato as a joke once.

Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation or Elf

When do you start shopping? Whenever I have money, usually mid November!

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes and I waited a whole year and ended up giving it back to the person who gave it to me! Oops!

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? MiMi's cream cheese braids, sausage balls, Popcorn balls, and I love drinking apple cider.

Lights on the tree? Yes thank God for pre- lit trees!

Favorite Christmas Song? Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas or Mary Did you Know

Travel at Christmas or stay home? We do a little bit of both! Here is our plan for this year, we leave Friday the 19th for Mississippi and have Christmas with Sammy, Dinah, Casey, Christa, Elijah, Emmeline, Zeke, Brian, Stacy, Slayton, Freddie, Diane, Nick, Hope, and Weston at Sammy and Dinah's on the 20th in the morning. Then we will do Christmas with Milton, Kim, Anna Beth, Nathan, and Natalie on the 20th that night. We will come home on Sunday. Then, MiMi and Pop will come in on the 23rd, we will go out to eat for Mom's birthday (it's on the 22nd) that night. Then Christmas Eve, MiMi is cooking for Derek's 23rd birthday and Mason's 6 month birthday at my mom's house. Then we will open Christmas presents at my mom's Christmas morning and Pop will make breakfast. Then, we will come home and open presents with Sheila later that morning. Then we will enjoy a day of putting things together that Santa brought Mason. We will both go to work that Friday and after work, we will head for Knoxville where we will exchange gifts with James, Kristie, Ricky, Terri, Brent, Laura, Haden, Hudson, Bob, Angie, Matt and Mandy. Then we will wake up Saturday morning where we will meet Mom, Dad, Kaitlin, MiMi, Pop, Milton, Kim, Anna Beth, Nathan, and Natalie at the Pancake Pantry and enjoy the weekend in Gatlinburg until Monday night when we will come home! We are busy beavers!

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? EASY... Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course the most famous reindeer of all. What was his name again? J/K Rudolf

Angel or star on top of the tree? We have a gold star on top this year!

Open Christmas present Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? We always open one present on Christmas Eve, we all open our Christmas pa jams, with the exception of Derek who opens a lot of gifts on Christmas Eve because it's his birthday!

Most annoying thing about this time of year? The traffic and the crowded malls and other shopping areas, who's up for shopping online next year?

Favorite ornament theme or color? Derek and I have decided to do a different theme each year, this year it's gold and brown! We are thinking purple and gold next year. We will have a different theme every year until Mason starts making us ornaments, then we will probably have two trees like my mom!

Favorite Christmas dinner? Probably not dinner but Christmas breakfast! I love when MiMi and Pop wake up at around 5 and start making us breakfast and we unwrap our presents to the smell of bacon frying and biscuits baking!

What do you want for Christmas this year? I've asked for mainly gift cards although Derek and I asked for a desk for our house. We are really just excited that we have a baby to share Christmas with this year!

Yes this is a tag! I tag Courtney and Claire! GO!

Home Alone

Well, not really! I am at my mom's the rest of the week! Which by the way is totally weird, being back at my parent's house. Even though it's just a few days, it's weird because I haven't stayed there just me and Mason, well, ever! I forgot how uncomfortable my bed is! My back is killing me today!
Derek is in West Tennessee fighting the wind and snow to yet again, find us some decorations to stuff for the man den! I'm sorry but I would have to agree with Claire about the hunting thing. I have no idea why you would ever want to go hunting in weather conditions that they are in. Derek called me this morning and here were the weather conditions: cloudy, 26 degrees, and 20 mile and hour winds- prognosis for these blistering weather conditions, no ducks! So my point would be, stay home!
I miss Derek! Life is so lonely without him! I am so glad that my mom is around to help me with Mason! Derek will return on Friday and hopefully, completely for his sake, I hope he can bring something home!

Baby Food Good? I think not!

Ok, so a few weeks ago, we got clearance from Dr. Wiley to go ahead and start baby food with Mason. He said to start out with the vegetables, do each veggie 4 days to make sure he wasn't allergic to them, then once all of the veggies were completed, go on to fruits. So our journey began with green beans. At first he wasn't quite sure what to do, but once he got the hang of it, he loved them. Then we went on to carrots which were a big hit, then we went to squash which he approved of as well. Then, to much of my dismay, we tried peas. Derek and I hate peas so we were praying that Mason didn't like them either, more like I was praying because I would be making a pot of peas just for him, but I think I would deal with it for my sweet baby! I want him to be a kid who will at least try anything and not be the kid that doesn't want to eat something just because his mommy and daddy don't.

So anyway, since he liked everything else, I thought for sure he would be a "weird- o" and like peas as well, so of course I stocked up on them. Well, Mason isn't the eater that I thought he was. The first bite of peas- which smell horrible I might add, he spit them out all over himself and me, and then began to gag. I thought it was just a first time reaction, so I tried again, and he did the same thing. So needless to say, if your kid likes peas, call me, I have plenty.

On the other hand, we have started the fruits now. Bananas were so so and applesauce? Well, see for yourself! Stay tuned for more.....

Starting up with some carrots! Applesause is next

Ah, what is this stuff?

Please do not make me eat anymore!

Still not quite sure about this!

Hey mom, I like baby food!

A little sour!

Mommy- I think I am done!

Mason's New Tricks!

Mason is cracking us up! He is hilarious! He has three new tricks, well, two actually, but they are different, but the same, anyway, you will understand in a minute.
First of all, I think Mason is Superbaby because everyone in my family has been sick with the "crud" but not Mason. He hasn't shown any signs of being sick at all (thank you humidifier) I recommend everyone to get one. So we have all been coughing and all that and Derek coughed the other morning, and Mason some what imitated him and coughed, well of course Derek and I made a big deal out of it with our "Oh goodness" and our "Bless you baby." So now Mason fake coughs. It's hilarious! He loves the attention!
Second and third all, we have a roly poly baby! Mason is rolling from his back to his tummy and tummy to his back! He's getting so big! We are looking forward to the holidays with him!

Doctor's Appointment

Mason had his 5 month check up (well 4 month but it was closer to 5). We tried out a new doctor this time. We weren't really happy with our last doctor so we asked around church and Dr. Wiley came very highly recommened and I can see why! He really took time to talk with me and explained things to me. Derek and I had a major concern with giving Mason immunizations and our last doctor refused to see Mason if we didn't do them. Not that we weren't ever going to do them, we just wanted to space them out a little. Anyway, so we went to the doctor today and Dr. Wiley really explained the concerns and risks of not having shots and having shots. So we decided to have shots and just space them out which was fine with Dr. Wiley.
Mason is off the charts as far as height goes, but in the 90% for his weight which Dr. Wiley said since he's so long, he's really in the 75% which is great for a baby his age. He said he needs to be practicing his jump shot.
Mason also gets to start baby food. We are going to start with green beans tomorrow. He said to start things and do them for about 4 days at a time to make sure that there is no allergic reaction. I will have to post pictures tomorrow of our first experiences of baby food! Wish us luck!

Exer Saucer

So Many Pieces!

Ok, so I have a really bad habit of posting pictures on one site but not the other. A few weeks ago, Derek's mom, Sheila (Nannie) bought Mason an Exer Saucer and he loves it! Derek put it together immediatly and Mason plays in it often. It's a life saver when it comes to showers and house cleaning!

Such a good daddy!
Such a good Mommy! My Contribution!A man reading directions! Who knew?Almost Done!

Wow! This is fun!

I Love This!

My Baby Is Not A Baby Anymore!

Ok, so yes he is! He will always be my baby, but our sweet Mason is growing up so fast! I can't believe it! It seems like yesterday that I checked into the hospital to have him, and yesterday marked his 20th week with us! So to celebrate, well not really, it's just our Tuesday usual, we went to my parents house and ate with Scott, Beth, Ansley, and our new love; Cooper! We had chicken gumbo and chicken noodle soup because Beth and I don't eat gumbo. Anyway, we are sitting there visiting and Derek is on the floor with Mason and Ansley playing when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. MASON ROLLED OVER! I am so proud of my big boy! I can't believe he's getting so big! He rolled from his stomach to his back! I know this is the easy one, but it's still a big "step" for him! I made the biggest deal out of it which only made him laugh and want to do it more. I love our sweet baby so much and although it breaks my heart that he is growing so fast, I love these milestones in his life! Stay tuned for more!

The Fab Five!

Ten Years Ago I:
1. Was in 6th Grade and my teachers were Ms. Grindle, Ms. Freeman, Mr. Scruggs, Ms. Chrisman, and Mr. Holland- he was new and wasn't there long.
2. Had Bangs!
3. Was making my enormous Christmas list
4. Had my first locker #121, combination, 21-32-75
5. Thought that Backstreet Boys and N'SYNC were way cool!

Five Things On My "To Do" List Today:
1. Work
2. Go to Bi- Lo
3. Cook spaghetti
4. Do the 9000 piles of laundry at my house
5. Watch "21" with my husband

Five Snacks I Enjoy:
1. Popcorn
2. Any kind of cereal- with milk (I eat a bowl every night before bed)
3. Cheddar Cheese Chex Mix
4. Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
5. Sonic Watermelon Slush

Five Things I Would Do If I Were A Millionaire:
1. PAY OFF OUR DEBT
2. Have 3 more kids and adopt one
3. Donate to our church- we need a gym
4. Build my mom's dream home- a bed and breakfast
5. Travel with my husband

Five Places I Have Lived:
1. 7930 Bill Reed Road Chattanooga, TN 37421
2. 1101 Gann Road Apt. 1024 Hixson, TN 37343
3. 1010 Harbor Landing Drive Soddy Daisy, TN 37379
4. 1105 Clift Cave Drive Soddy Daisy, TN 37379
5. 940 Brandy Way Soddy Daisy, TN 37379
There are a lot more!

Five Jobs I Have Worked:
1. Gymnastics Instructor- Garner's Gymnastics
2. Big Ridge Elementary- After Care Assistant- YAY for Lynda Hunt!
3. First Tennessee Bank- Financial Services Representative
4. SunTrust Bank- Financial Services Representative
5. First Volunteer Bank- Customer Service Representative

I have no one to tag once again! So if you haven't done this and you haven't been tagged, I TAG YOU!

My Thoughts On The Election!

As the day is quickly drawing to an end, my thoughts have been racing. What will this world be like if McCain/ Palin win? What if Obama/ Biden win? Who will make the biggest difference? Will this country be in war over the outcome? As a Christian, should I be scared or thankful that my God is more than enough for me?
As a McCain/ Palin supporter, I would love to see them win because of my beliefs and because I think McCain and Palin would do an amazing job and I think they are great people, but a part of me feels that it's already done.
I am not one who really knows much about the candidates or the election. I guess my fear is, "Is this the beginning of the end?" i know many of my fellow Christian believers are saying, why are you fearful of the end? I am not fearful of the end in general, but how bad will it before it's the end? What if some of my family/ friends aren't ready?
I guess my main reason for the blabbering would be regardless of the outcome, the Lord has his people in his hands. We as believers should just BE READY! Regardless of who gets in office. I think many things are going to stay the same regardless of the winner, but one thing will never change is that God is in control. This country was based on those beliefs and that's what us as Christians should believe and pray for in these next couple of hours!

Tag, I'm It! Seven Random Facts About Me!

1. The day I had Mason, although filled with excitement, nervousness, and thrill, I felt in some way, I was fulfilling part of my purpose that God has placed before me. Something about holding that sweet baby in my arms, I felt like this is what I was made to do. Derek and I love children and don't plan on stopping with Mason. We love Ansley and can't wait until Cooper gets here! Derek always gets mad because Mason will snuggle with me all night long and not Derek, but his time is coming if we ever have a little girl! He brings an overwhelming amount of joy to our lives. I can still not look at him sometimes without crying. Just something about his smile that melts my heart. He's so special to us and we can't wait to watch him grow. I love my life as a mommy and wife.
2. I knew on our first date that I would marry Derek one day! I can't explain it. Maybe women's intuition, but I knew. The funny thing is, the year before when our friends Craig and Meredith tried to "hook us up" we told them that we hated each other. We have many funny stories with Craig and Meredith, like the time that Craig asked us if we were "boyfriend" and "girlfriend"... by the way, it was only our second date! Very weird! Thanks Craig!
3. My favorite movies are Dumb and Dumber and Steel Magnolias. So much so that I can quote them line for line in both movies. I will spare you the fun, but I think I could watch these movies everyday and never get bored with them! Derek gets so mad and pretty much refuses watching these movies with me because I laugh hysterically at the same things, quote the lines, and say "This is the best part" about pretty much the entire movie.
4. I hate to shop! I am a weird girl I know! It just aggravates me to no end to walk into a mall, try on about 30 things and not find one that is suitable. I guess I am a little picky, but it drives me crazy! I would rather have my sisters hand me downs when she is over them after wearing then twice.
5. I am OCD about my bed. I may not make it before I leave for work, but before I get in it that night, even if it's for 5 seconds, my bed will be made. I cannot stand to get into the bed with the sheets all gathered and the comforter all over the place! AAAHHH!!! It's so nerve wracking. I have to have tight sheets and the comforter has to be even on both sides and tight.
6. There are certain words in the English language that if people don't say them correctly, it drives me crazy. So much so, that I have a list:

The Incorrect Pronunciation The Correct Pronunciation

1. nakin 1. napkin

2. pukin 2. pumpkin

3. Valentimes 3. Valentines

4. birfday or birtday 4. birthday

I'm sure there are plenty more, but these are my main ones.
7. I love clean sheets and shaved legs. May sound like a weird combination, but that's such a good night in my house. I love the feeling of ice cold sheets and smooth legs. I usually have clean sheets in my house at least twice a week if not more. The sheets get washed before my clothes:)

Since there is no one left, and I am the last one, I tag no one... maybe Meredith if she hasn't already done it or someone hasn't tagged her! Or if I could get my husband to sit down for 5 minutes, I tag him! Maybe that should have been one of mine, I am always the last to know and do everything!

Fall Festival

We had our Fall Festival at church on Sunday night! I must say, Mason was adorable! Of course he had to dress up. Now on a babies first Halloween, I think they are supposed to be a pumpkin. I think it is written in some hidden chapter in "What To Expect When You're Expecting." But we went against the "norm" and Mason was a baby duck. And by far the cutest baby duck in the world! I was so worried that he wouldn't do good and would hate the costume, but he did great and really enjoyed the attention that he recieved! We had so much fun!

Bath Time Is A Family Favorite!

Every night Derek and I look forwad to one part of the evening! BATH TIME WITH MASON! Mason loves his baths! He thinks that we are hilarious when we give him a soap sud beard and Alf Alfa hair! We love our baby so much and he is growing to be so big and Derek and I just don't know how to stop it! So every night after his bath he gets a rub down! Johnson's Lavender Lotion is the bomb and it makes Mason smell and sleep so good! So he gets a good rub down and the whole time he is kicking and talking to us! It's our favorite time of night when we all pile up in the bed and play!

Derek and I truly treasure these times and are looking forward to many more years of this!

New Sunday Traditions

Ever since I was a little girl, my mom every Sunday morning made me and dad, and later Kaitlin Cinnamon Rolls. We woke up every Sunday morning to the sweet smell of Pillsbury cinnamon Rolls. so I decided that I wanted Mason to have a tradition that he could say that his (incredibly awesome mommy) did every Sunday morning. So I decided to continue the Oscai house tradition and I woke up early Sunday morning and made Derek and I cinnamon rolls. Mason just enjoyed watching us! It was nice having something to look forward to that morning.

As far as updates go- Mason hasn't stopped growing much to me dispair! He's becoming a young man and not just a baby anymore! He's sleeping great and has a great appetite! He's holding his head up and loves his baths! Every night when he gets out of the tub, we all pile up on our bed and play for about an hour! He enjoys it and Derek and I truly cherish the time with him.

I can't believe that Mason is 14 weeks old today! It's breaking my heart into a million pieces! It seems like only yesterday that I called Derek, my mom, Brittany, and Courtney and told them that they were taking me in at midnight! Words cannot describe how excited I was! Mason is a wonderful baby and Derek and I couldn't ask for a sweeter boy!

Starting a new blog!

Ok, I am sorry if you have our old blog saved to your website, but we have a new one now since I cannot remember for the life of me what email address I used and what my password was, so here's a new one for you!
Here's an update on our Mason boy because Derek and I have come to realize that it no longer matters what happens in our life, only if Mason makes a funny noise or looks at you with those piercing blue eyes! Mason now weighs 12 pounds on the dot putting him in the 75% and a whopping 24 inches long putting him in the 100% for him age! Can anyone say Chicago Bulls? He's so tall that he is in the 3-6 months pants because the 0-3 months look like daisy dukes! He is so precious and Derek and I just eat him up! He has started smiling at you whenever you talk to him which has completely melted our hearts! We are now Mason puddles! We just love our baby so much!

On a lighter note, I start back to work Tuesday, devistated and loaded down with Kleenex! I cry about everything! I guess the hormones haven't worn off at all! I cried when we moved him up to the next size in bottles and even in diapers! It's terrible and I am sure I am drving my husband crazy. Monday morning, Mason woke up ready to eat, which by the way, he sleeps from 11 pm- 6 or 7 am, THANK YOU JESUS, but Mason ate his usual 6 ounces and was ready for more, so as I was crying while burping him, I very tearfully asked Derek to make 2 more ounces! My boy is getting so big!
He has completely spoiled us rotten because he's so good! I'm almost scared to ever have another one! Well, not really, Mason needs a sister!
We are heading to Ohio this weekend so we will update after!