Thanksgiving etc...

Mason's first m&m's.

Matt thought he would look pretty with earrings We finally got the tree up after Daniel kept bugging us for about a week

Such a cute boy

Thanksgiving turkey, has all that we are thankful for written on the feathers

Had to take pictures in the santa outfit now cause it won't fit him by christmas. Grandma bought the wrong size.

Daniel's play at school for their thanksgiving feast

Already a colts fan...just like his dad

GO COLTS!!!
So, I have gotten really lazy with the blog and it seems that the only time I am willing to update is after a holiday...:)

Halloween update!

So the pictures are definately not posted in chronological order (I was too lazy to move them around.) Daniel got a drum set from his father for his birthday. Luckily for us, he is willing to shut the door when he plays them and does not spend that much time on them.

Mason has learned how to smile and loves to smile at everyone!

We blessed Mason on November 2. He looked so handsome in his little outfit. Thank you to everyone that came and supported us and came to Daniel's birthday.

This was the more attractive of the two Halloween outfits that I wore. Funny thing is, I went to work and several of the kids there said I could totally pull the look off...maybe I should think about a makeover.

Here is the more embarrasing of the two outfit, do I really need to say more?

Kelli is a master pumpkin carver since we got the electric carver.

Mason has learned how to smile and is now smiling all the time. Even in the middle of the night when he wakes up hungry, he sometimes smiles when he sees you. Mason is also working on grasping things. He has started to reach for toys on his gym and other toys.

Daniel was so proud of this pumpkin. It actually has two faces, but I only put this picture on the blog.

Look at our two little boys! We had so much fun on Halloween!

Monthly update!

Yeah, it has been a little while since I updated. Crazy how busy things can get. Here are some pictures from the last month of the Andersen Family.

Daniel finally got hurt on his bike a couple of weeks ago. He took a header over his handlebars and cushioned his landing with his face...
Daniel had been begging and begging to feed Mason. Doesn't he look so happy?
I am holding up two fingers and Daniel is holding up one because that is the order we finished in "Memory." Yes, it is a humbling experience losing to a 4 year old in a game of memory...and I have a Master's degree?
We went to Vegas for Kelli's nephew's baptism. We spent ALL day at Circus Circus and this was just one of the many stops we made.
Daniel loved this little slingshot type ride.

Yay for bumper cars! Yes, this was September and we were swimming! Vegas is awesome for some things.

Here is the birthday boy!!

Look at our little man! He is growing so fast already. Oh, and yes, that does says Dad's team!

Daniel wanted to give Mason a horsey ride. Mason looks like he is having fun doesn't he?

Mason is so funny and starting to show his personality already! When he gets excited he starts kicking! We think it is really funny because it looks like he is trying to start a motorcycle. This clip actually shos him getting both legs in the action.

Mason's Little Cry!

Mason has been a pretty good baby so far. He rarely actually cries. I thought that I would post this video of what Mason usually does when he is hungry. We thought it was kind of cute!

Daniel's First Day of School and Mason's First Week

Daniel was so excited to to get to go back to school. He is only in pre-school again this year since he won't be 5 until November. He was so proud of his new Lightning McQueen backpack that we had to take a picture of it. Daniel is also very excited to have Mason in the family and asks to hold him on a daily basis. He also loves to stump his mom with difficult questions about why he can't help feed the baby (He doesn't understand why there is no bottle for him to hold) or about how the doctor got the baby out of mom's belly. He is curious and isn't afraid to ask questions.

Daniel loves his little brother! Don't they look beautiful together?
He is also a very curious boy and asks about all of the little baby parts.
Mason tuckers out his mommy...

Mason is such a good little baby and doesn't fus much at all. He cries very rarely and is a good sport about us picking on him.

Welcome to the world Mason!

Alright! I have already found the time to post our latest and most exciting change! Mason was born on August 27th! Let's start with some pictures shall we?

Mason is such a beautiful boy isn't he? Our family is so grateful that he was able to make it here safely, especially after the scare he gave us at birth. Kelli and I went to the hospital at 10:00 on Tuesday night to get things started. Then we settled down to try to get a little bit of rest before things really started.

At 3:00 Kelli woke up and said that she was starting to have a lot of contractions. I stood up to look at her monitor and she said "I think my water just broke". So we called in the nurse to check things out. She looked down and said "I need to get the doctor" and left the room. That made us a little nervous. The doctor came in and told us that she thought that Kelli had a partial rupture and she was going to continue bleeding. She said that we would be able to wait for a little bit, but that they would prepare the OR in case we had to do a C-section. Well, things went fairly well for the next few hours with the nurses checking in periodically. At about 5:30 the nurse came and said that Kelli had dilated to a 9 and went to get the doctor. She came in and checked Kelli again and decided to break her water.

Almost immediately Mason's heart rate dropped to about 60 bpm and the doctor looked very concerned. She said that we needed to get this baby out right now and prepared for the delivery. She told Kelli that she would have to push really hard and so she did and out he came. They placed him on the table and began to clean him up, but he wasn't breathing! So, they grabbed a bag and helped him to breath. Kelli and I were very worried as it seemed like minutes passed. Kelli asked the doctor if he was breathing, but we could see that he wasn't even moving. The doctor told us that they were helping him breath, but his heart rate was up and okay. Finally, he started to cry and we were SO relieved and we finally got to hold him. We are so thankful for the doctor and the nursing staff that worked so well with Mason and with us. Daniel loves his little brother and told us that we can keep him.

Our Temple Day and misc...

Okay, so I have a lot to update on, but first and definitely most important, we went to the Idaho Falls temple to have Daniel sealed to us. He was pretty good in the temple and spent most of the ceremony in a broad, goofy smile. All of the mine and Kelli's siblings and parents were able to attend the ceremony which was also very cool.

Daniel has also reached another milestone! The other night, Daniel begged and begged me to take off his training wheels on his bike so that he could learn how to ride it without. So, I took off his wheels and before I could even set down the wrench, he was on his bike and out the door! As you can see in the picture, I spent a few trips down the street running beside him, but he did just fine without me. He can now ride a "two-wheeler"!

The faith of children

The other night I had gone with the Young Men's President to visit a young man that has recently been inactive. When I came home, I was subsequently interrogated by Daniel about what I had been doing and the nature of our Savior. The conversation went something like this:
"Where did you go?"
"I went to visit a boy that hasn't been going to church lately."
"Why him not going to church?"
"I don't know, buddy. I went over there to remind him that Jesus wants him to be there and to learn."
"Is Jesus big, big, bigger, than the whole city??"
"Well, kind of. He can always see us and is watching what we do."
"Is he way bigger than you?"
"Well, I don't know. But he probably is pretty close to the same size as me. We look a lot like him."
"Where hims at?"
"Right now, he is in heaven with the people that are there."
"Why?"
"He is teaching them about the gospel and about church."
"Oh...(pauses looking thoughtful) Do you remember, when I was a baby, and Grandma Fisher died?"
"Yes, I remember that. Do you remember going to her funeral and seeing her in the casket?"
"No. (Another thoughtful look). And she lives...um"
"She is in Heaven."
"Oh, yeah, she live in heaven. Why is she there?"
"I think she might be helping Jesus to teach the other people there."
"Why do they need teached?"
"Because they don't know about Jesus or about church."

He then turned around to sit down at the table for dinner. I am often impressed about the faith that children seem to have in our Savior and the healing power of the Holy Ghost. Daniel often wakes in the night and asks Kelli or me to help him say his prayers if he didn't before he fell asleep. I am so grateful to have an example of unwavering faith from an innocent child. I feel so blessed in my life to have Daniel and Kelli and our baby who will be joining us soon. Kelli and I are also going to the temple this weekend to have Daniel sealed to us. This warms my heart and fills me with an indescribable sense of peace. The church is true!

Look at that Prego Belly!!

Oh, my goodness! Kelli is eight months along and looking more beautiful than ever. I love her little belly and the cartwheels that the baby turns at night! The other night, right around the time that the baby really starts to move, I leaned in close and spoke into the mic (Kelli's bellybutton) and said, "Mason, do a cartwheel!" Sure enough Kelli's belly rolled as he moved inside. I laughed my butt off! Oh, and yes, I think we have found a name that we both love and think fits our family. Mason Craig Andersen. Sorry for all of you that voted for something different, but it is our kid and we will do what we want! :)