Mason Shoma

My doggies don’t do much. They don’t bark or run around or move at all for that matter. But they are still fun! Somehow we keep ending up in a dog pile. I know they are stuffed animals, but they are still great companions!

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After a nice morning nap I’m a happy boy, ready to start a brand new day!

I am very animated and expressive in a lot of ways. You’ve seen my facial expressions. I kind of look like a manga or anime character. But I don’t have to be awake to portray that kind of expression. Look how dramatically I can nap.

For some reason, I tend to cry uncontrollably in the evening. It usually happens between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.. Even if I am having a very good day and I’m in a good mood, I can start crying in the evening. Apparently this is sometimes referred to as the witching hour. It is often the time of the day when our baby brains are at capacity and we have to process all the information that we collected during the day and that can cause an overload and lead to crying.

Mommy usually tries to take me for walks around 5 p.m., because that is usually when I cry, but I started a bit early today. It is tough trying to deal with a crying baby at this time of day. Mommy is usually trying to get dinner and my bath ready. It is a pretty busy time of the day for her. And even though Daddy is working from home, it is the time of the day where he has to start wrapping up and finalizing his daily report.

And I choose this time to cry. Well, of course I don’t “choose” to cry, but it seems this is my crying time. So sometimes I just have to let it out. It’s not pretty or fun to watch, but I usually feel better after I have a good cry.

Usually, Mommy and Daddy sit on the couch and I am on my mat on the floor. But every so often I manage to commandeer the couch. Oooh, this is comfy!

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Yep, I’m still trying to get all the food and flavor from that spoon. The spoon looks empty and clean but I’m trying to get food and flavor on the molecular level. So if you’ll excuse me, this takes some time and concentration.

A quick quiz. Take a look at the picture below and answer whether I’m facing up or facing down. Ready, set,… GO!

So what did you answer? Naturally if you take your time and look closely, you’ll see that I’m lying face down. But it kind of looks like I could be lying on my back. Trippy, yeah?

Now that I’m eating solid foods, I’m also practicing drinking something other than milk. I’m drinking barely tea out of my baby mug. It has different tops for me to practice with. The first stage is a practice straw where suckling and sucking brings the tea up the straw and then I can drink. It is a lot easier that using a regular straw. I manage to use the straw pretty well, but keeping the tea in my mouth is another issue. It is not as sweet as milk and I’m not really a fan of it.

As you know, I am only allowed a small amount of solid foods at a time. I don’t like it when my food is gone, so I try to get every last bit of food that I can. If that means sucking the flavor out of my spoon, that’s what I’m going to do!

I have a habit of falling back to sleep after I feed in the morning. I’m supposed wake up, feed, and then start my day. But I when I feel full and satisfied I get sleepy and drift back to slumber. But the morning is very bright and it is hard to stay asleep, so I start stirring.

Usually after I wake up from my early morning nap I’m in a really good active mood. Naps are very refreshing and rejuvenating, even if I didn’t do anything yet that day.

Daddy is usually in charge of my late-night/early -morning bottle. He does a good job, but somethings he is really sleepy and ends up nearly dozing on the job. I have to help him hold my bottle. I also help adjust the angle for optimal formula intake.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night hungry? You know, so hungry that you’d eat just about anything? Well, that happens to me a lot. But I figured out a way to satisfy that hunger. Yum!

Since birth I’ve always had a lot of hair, but I’m surprised that it just keeps growing. Check out that hair! There is so much of it!

I love being carried. It doesn’t matter how I’m carried, I just like being in Mommy and Daddy’s arms. So even when I’m being carried like this, I’m happy!

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I really like my chew toy. I know it sounds like a pet product, but I don’t know what else to call it. It’s not a teething ring and it’s not quite a rattle, even though it does rattle a little bit. I think “chew toy” is the best description.

Even though I like it a lot, I get frustrated by the fact that it isn’t food. Sure, it satisfies my itching gums when I’m teething, but it does nothing for my hunger. Oh well, nothing I can do about it but to just keep chewing.

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I’ve been spending a lot of time with my doggy. He actually used to be Mommy’s doggy. Daddy gave him to her a long time ago. I think it was one of his first gifts to her. He is a very gentle and well behaved dog. He never barks or bites, and is always by my side. He is a very loyal friend.

Just me in my natural jungle habitat with all my animal friends.

This is becoming my favorite time of day. Food time! I eat solid foods for one of my meals and am nursed for the rest. I hear that some babies are picky eaters and don’t really like solid foods at first. Not me. I love it! Give me more!

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Not only am I an eager eater, I’m also a good eater. Unfortunately, I’m being limited on how much I can eat per day. My body has to be given time to get used to new foods so we are taking it slow. (Not my idea to take it slow.). I have been having a slight reaction to solids, just a few tiny red spots, but it is normal and nothing to worry about. Give me more!

Just a post-nursing morning nap with my doggy for company. Don’t we look cute? Just to be clear, I’m the cute one on the left.

Mommy and Daddy just adore me and think I’m the cutest thing on earth. At times they think I might be mistaken for a girl. If I had longer hair or if you cover my hair, I just might.

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