God's Many Blessings

Poor sick Chase

2012-02-13T19:22:00.000-05:00

The past few days have been very rough for poor little Chase. He's been snotty off and on for days (or is it weeks?)... He woke up with a fever Thursday morning... He then broke out in a terrible rash (which sent us to the pediatrician on Friday)... and to top it all off, he's still teething! UGH!!! His rash looked absolutely awful by Friday/Saturday, and it just now seems to be going away. My dad and our pediatrican had differing opinions about the rash... It was either Chase's body's way of building immunity to chicken pox/MMR (which he got vaccine shots for the previous week) or it was a nasty virus. Because we weren't sure, we've been mostly home-bound lately. I AM SO READY FOR SPRING AND HEALTHY CHILDREN!!! =)

And of course I have lots of pictures from the past week or two. They are in no particular order...

1. They are truly Poppy's boys! (Jamie jokes and says that I'm #5 in Chase's world. These are who/what Chase loves in order: Poppy, Cole, his Daddy, the dishwasher (!), then his mommy!

6. Chase loves all sorts of things he shouldn't have his hands on - cell phones, remotes, and glasses!

9. It may be hard to see well in the picture, but this was Chase's rash on day 2 (it got much worse than this!). =(

10. Cole loves to snuggle and get covered up with a blanket. =)

11. I tried and tried to get a picture of the boys this morning, but it's impossible by myself. These are the best 2 that I got.

More birthday pictures, funny Cole sayings, etc.

2012-02-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

I recently read on a friend's blog (thanks, Kathy) that a wise woman once said that with little children, there are no good days, but only great moments. And I completely agree with this. I never get through a day feeling like it was wonderful... there's too much fussing/whining/tantrums for that...but there are always fun/funny/fantastic moments. =) Cole and Chase, your mommy loves you dearly even when you drive her crazy!

Recent funny Cole sayings:

One day I asked Cole twice if he loved Chase. He said, "No, I love Cole." =)
He loves to find the moon in the evening, and he always calls it his moon. He said, "I see Cole's moon. Where is Chase's moon?"
After running into another child and crying for a few minutes at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), Cole went to get his regular hershey's kiss (yes, he gets one for himself every week!). He said, "Chocolate makes Cole feel all better." Ha ha!!! (And by the way, Cole is always really quiet when he's dropped off at Bible study, the gym, etc. But when I picked him up last week, his teachers said he was talkative and sang loudly... Maybe he'll start acting at other places like he acts at home... =)
Cole and his daddy have gotten into a fun tradition of saying "bye" in lots of ways when Jamie goes to work. These include: See you later, Alligator... After while, Crocodile... Peace out, Trout... and a few others. You boys/men are so very funny!

Chase isn't saying any real words yet, but he's making more sounds. Unless he's fussing, he is typically a very quiet baby/toddler. He cracks me these days, though, because he constantly has his tongue sticking out. I think he's feeling his new molars coming in (#10, 11 and 12).

1. These are pictures from a couple of weeks ago. At playgroup that week, we had mini cupcakes on Chase's birthday, and of course, all the kids loved them! Chase had no trouble digging right in! =)

5. Cole, of course, wanted to get "all covered up." (That's one of his favorite things to do these days. He likes to get covered up and, as he says it, "get all nice and warm." Ha ha!)

6. Having fun on the tricycle... (And notice Cole in the background? He loves to push the empty stroller around in our driveway!)

9. Milk time.

10. I wanted to get a pictures of Chase's wild hair. This is usually what he looks like when he wakes up! =)

Chase is 1 year old!

2012-01-30T21:13:00.001-05:00

It's official - Chase Israel turned 1 at 11:18am on Friday. I can't believe how this year has flown by! And some days, I still can't believe we have 2 little boys!

Here's a little about Chase these days:

He's wearing 18-month clothes. He's definitely too tall/big for the 12-month stuff.
Update... Weight: 21 lbs. 4 oz. (26%); Height: 29.75 in. (48%); Head Circumference: 49 cm. (99%)... Yes, you read that correctly - his head has reached 99%. Apparently big heads run in the family! =)
He's cruising around everywhere, and he is practicing his walking skills daily. (He just took his first steps last weekend, so he's still very unsteady.)
He has transitioned to mostly table food now although I still give him the occasional baby food jar to make sure he's getting some good veggies. =) Thankfully, he's not too picky yet. He is a pretty good eater and probaby eats as much as his big brother!
If he's not fussing, he's a very quiet little boy. His sounds: Dadadada, nananana, and babababa. He hasn't said any real words yet, but he is starting to make more sounds.
I think he's currently working on teeth #10 and 11 (molars... ugh!). Like his brother, he's a terrible teether!
He still has the most contagious grin, and when he laughs, you can't help but laugh with him. He's so very ticklish. It's great fun to play pat-a-cake with him - he's a great clapper. =) I love it when he wrinkles up his nose and snorts/laughs! Hilarious!

Chase, you have brought so much joy and laughter into our lives!

Your daddy and I love you so very much!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

We had a fun-filled (and a little chaotic) birthday party with family and our playgroup friends on Saturday. When you put all of us into our little house, it's kinda crazy! But it was wonderful, and I think the kids had a great time. =) Thankfully, it was a pleasant day - chilly, but no rain - so the kids played outside for a little while before moving inside. We had pizza, pigs-in-a-blanket, fruit (thanks, Mimi), broccoli salad (thanks, Nana), and yummy cake. Thanks to all of our friends and family for coming! You mean so much to us, and we appreciate you all!

6. In the next few pictures, you can watch the progression of messiness as Chase discovers he loves birthday cake! =)

14. We brought out the jeep for the kids to play with, but I think they're all still a little young for it. Cole doesn't really know how to drive it and ran into a big bush at one point! =) Maybe by this summer, he'll be a good driver...

19. Joshua enjoyed playing outside. The kids are so funny... They decided it's great fun to push an empty stroller up and down our driveway. =)

20. Lily didn't want to actually drive the jeep, but she liked sitting in it.

21. Unlike her usual self, little Eliza acted shy at the party. Isn't she adorable?

22. Nana was caught sharing her soda with Cole.

23. 3-month old Micah seemed to enjoy the party. =)

24. Tenika, thanks for cleaning up!

25. Cole, you're such a silly boy... always sticking something new on/over your head!

26. The toddlers LOVED the pizza and cake!

31. We definitely had to hold Cole back while Chase opened his presents. Both of the boys will definitely enjoy the new toys! Thanks, everyone!

33. Thanks, sweet Mimi, for your help!

34. Happy Birthday, precious little boy!

Chase's first steps

2012-01-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

EXCITING NEWS: Chase has taken his first few steps! (He's been 'cruising' for a couple of months, but he wouldn't let go before now.) He started standing on his own on Saturday, and then he wanted to practice that new skill off and on throughout the day. Then yesterday, while he practiced standing, he took a few little steps to me!!! He's not steady at all, and he sort of rushes those little steps to get to me before he falls, but they're steps nonetheless. =) Yay, Chase! We can't wait for you to really start walking!

Other news: Chase got his first molar last week. He is absolutely AWFUL when teething, and it always seems to take a while for teeth to really break through, but he now has one molar in. Hmmm, that leaves a lot to go. =(

Chase has also finally figured out how to turn around on his own to come down the stairs. He figured out a long time ago how to come down when we got him started, but now when he reaches the stairs, he turns right around on his own. Awww, he's getting so big!

And of course I have to share a little about Cole too. I can't remember if I've put this on the blog or not... He makes me laugh because he often asks if he can eat a cookie when I say we're going to the store. I think he's distinguished now between Harris Teeter (where he can get a free cookie) and other stores (where he does not). We went as a family to H.T. yesterday afternoon, and Jamie had the fun duty of walking around with the boys while I got our shopping done. When he later told me what all they ate (cookie, lemon cake, turkey, cheese, bread), it's no surprise they weren't that interested in dinner! Ha ha!

1. Chase is so proud of himself when standing. He sometimes claps and wants to bounce/stomp, which, of course, makes him fall. What a funny little boy!

2. The boys still love our little train. Sometimes Cole wants to ride quickly around the house, but sometimes he'll go nice and slowly so Chase can walk along with him. So sweet!

3. And I just love this picture of Cole and his daddy. Aren't they handsome?!

A fun morning with Aunt Steph & her dogs

2012-01-18T14:56:00.000-05:00

The boys and I spent a recent morning with my sister, and they had a great time playing with her dogs. Well, at least Chase did. Cole talks about the dogs and can't wait to see the dogs, and then when we walk inside, he gets scared and doesn't want to be close to them. I mean, he shakes and wants to be held! He eventually warmed up to the dogs and would pet them, but it took a long time! I really hope he gets over this fear of dogs... Chase, on the other hand, just stared at the dogs and followed them around! What funny boys they are! Thanks for having us over, Aunt Steph! We had a great time! =)

2. Cole likes dancing with their play guitar. =)

January Fun

2012-01-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

As usual, I have random thoughts (and several pictures) to share.
Thankfully we all seem to be well now. The colds are finally gone, and I think everyone can breathe well. =) We hope this trend will continue! (The whining and fussing haven't decreased much, but I'm hopeful that this will also get better soon.)

Chase is walking behind everything he can push now! He still leans forward a little and doesn’t quite have his balance, so he’s not walking on his own yet. But he loves walking while holding onto things. So cute!

Some new Cole expressions:

“I had a good day.” He’s say this sometimes at the end of the day, when it’s actually appropriate, or sometimes at the beginning of the day. =) I don’t know if he’s predicting the day will be good or saying that whatever activity we just completed was good. So funny!

When I was a kid, I remember my dad telling my siblings and me to “hold onto our heads” when he was driving. We thought it was so funny, and of course, we held onto our heads. =) So now I’ve started telling Cole this, and he makes me laugh when I look into the backseat of the van, and he’s holding onto his head! It's the little things that make us laugh!

Cole amazed my parents recently when my dad looked in Chase's ears to make sure he wasn't getting an infection, and Cole said, "Poppy looks in Chase's ears with an otoscope." It's amazing how they remember even big words! =)

1. Chase absolutely could not stay awake one evening. My parents were over, and Chase crawled and played until he couldn't do it any longer. Then he laid on our couch and went to sleep (with Cole playing loudly in the background!) Poor kid!

2. FYI... We made sure he could breathe even though he had his face sort of smashed into the couch.

3. My parents can't get enough of their grandbabies!

4. We let Cole wake Chase up after letting him take a little catnap (it was close to bed time). Cole didn't mind doing that one bit! =)

5. In a pretty happy mood after his little nap...

7. The boys still love their bath time (which makes us love it)!

9. Chase has discovered that he can walk with his activity table. No, it doesn't have wheels, but it moves really well on our wood floors. =) He now loves to walk with it up and down our hallway!

Cole's first dentist visit

2012-01-10T14:51:00.000-05:00

With a little trepidation, I took Cole to his first dentist appointment yesterday, and I had no idea if he would be upset by someone trying to probe in his mouth. And I'm so glad to report that Cole did GREAT! He sat nicely in my lap, he opened his mouth when we asked him to, he let both the hygienist and dentist look at and clean his teeth... The dentist said in her twenty-some years of experience, Cole was only the second child who handled his first visit so well. =) Cole, I am so proud of you! (By the way, if you're reading this and looking for a pediatric dentist, let me know... I have a good one to recommend. And if you take your child before the age of 3, the first visit is free.) =)

1. Here are both my boys showing off their beautiful smiles.

3. Cole wanted to show off his new lion towel after a bath the other night. (Thanks, Mimi & Poppy! The boys love their new towels.)

On to my random thoughts... Cole is always saying the funniest things these days. There's never a day that goes by that he doesn't say something hilarious! And I wanted to share a couple of recent Cole sayings...

"Chase is a little stinker." (when Chase was getting into something off-limits)
One evening when we were all riding in the van, Chase was fussing. Cole said, "Chase, stop fussing. Stop fussing... Oh my word!" Jamie and I laughed and laughed over that one because it sounds just like me! What a reminder to watch what I say! =)

Our little family has had several rough weeks so far this winter, with one or all of us being sick. It seems that when one person gets better, someone else gets sick. I think we passed around a really terrible cold recently (with Chase having it the longest and worst), and Jamie and I are finally getting over it! I can't wait till warmer weather (and hopefully well children?) arrives! =)

Chase is 11 months old

2011-12-27T20:30:00.013-05:00

Jeez, I can't believe I'm saying this... Our little baby boy is 11 months old today! Wow, I have a first birthday party to plan! Amazing! Chase has such a fun little personality! He has a very contagious grin, and he has started scrunching up his nose all the time lately. I love it! He also has the best little giggle and is so very ticklish!

Here's a little about Chase lately:

I have no idea what he weighs right now, but he seems to have really grown this month. He's become quite the little eater, and thankfully, he has finally started doing well drinking his bottles. He eats three meals a day, and I've stared offering him cheerios (of course) as snacks.
He's still taking 2 naps a day, and like any stay-at-home mother, I really love the days that he and Cole take good naps together in the afternoon. =)
He's a very proficient crawler and can get to wherever he wants to go very quickly. He also pulls up on and tries to climb on everything. He'll walk with assistance from us or while he pushes toys (also with us making sure the toys don't go too fast). I think he's still another month or two from walking, but we'll see...
Chase is very curious and wants to be in the middle of everything. Unfortunately for Cole, that means that Chase wants to play with whatever Cole has. And unfortunately for us, that also means we've had to say 'no' a lot more these days. We have just begun to pop his hand after we tell him no (when he tries to touch the fireplace, dvd player, etc.). I'm hoping he'll get the concept quickly...
Chase is a total daddy's boy! When he has the choice between me and his daddy, he always crawls to his daddy! And when Jamie gets home, he can barely get in the door before both boys are trying to climb on him (Chase starts whining immediately and pulls up on his daddys' legs as soon as he walks in)!
Oh, and I almost forgot... Chase now has 8 teeth. He's gotten two more over the past couple of weeks. (And can I just say that he is NOT a fun teether!!! Chase, your daddy and I love you very much, but you drive us crazy when you're so fussy!)

4. I tried hard this morning to get a good picture of Chase, but the next three are the best I could get. He wouldn't stay still and wanted only to get his hands on the camera! =)

6. Chase, you're such a silly boy! Scrunching up his nose and growling a little this morning...

__________________________________________________________________________

7. I also wanted to share a couple of pictures of Chase's first haircut from last week. My mom trimmed some of his mohawk a couple of months ago, but last week, Aunt Wanda gave him a real haircut. She trimmed around his ears and a little in the back (although he still has a fuzzy head full of hair). =) He did NOT like having his hair combed or cut, and he cried and cried (which is why he has the paci and looks a little traumatized in the second picture). Thanks, Wanda, for cutting his hair! Hopefully he'll do better next time...

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T16:26:00.097-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

I hope all who read this have enjoyed the holiday with family and friends. We definitely have! We spent Christmas Eve with my family, eating some delicious chili and ham sandwiches (and dessert, of course). Then my parents and Nana joined us Christmas morning at our house to have a yummy breakfast and to watch the boys open most of their presents. After Chase's nap, we joined the fun at my parents' house again... this time with extended family for a huge lunch. The food was awesome!!! Oh, and the company was good too. =) =) =) We opened more presents and stuffed ourselved silly. What a wonderful weekend we've had!!!

We are so very blessed and thankful for all of our family and friends!!!

3. You'll notice a common theme in the pictures... Chase has started scrunching his nose and making fun faces all the time now! What a silly boy!

4. Uncle Stephen came into town to join in the fun...

6. Concentrating on opening the presents, Cole sticks out his tongue. =)

7. Cole has really figured out how to open presents this year. (Chase still just wants to play with and eat the paper.)

9. What a nice-looking family. We love you, Aunt Sneph, Uncle Shawn and Brandon!

11. There's always time for some reading.

12. Tenika stopped by for a visit. (Happy Birthday, Tay!) =)

13. Playing peekaboo with Poppy instead of eating...

16. Nana, you're so silly! We love you!!!

20. We tried to get a picture of both boys wearing the antlers, and this was the best we got...

21. Some Christmas Eve pictures...

23. 'Flying' with Poppy is always such fun!

28. Some pictures at our house Christmas morning...

31. Is this remote-controlled car for Cole or for his daddy? =)

34. Chase really just wants to play with the paper...

______________________________________________________________________________

37. I also wanted to share a couple of pictures from our recent trip to the mall to visit Santa. We went on Christmas Eve (during the day), and although I was expecting it to be crowded, it wasn't. We didn't have to stand in line for the boys to sit on Santa's lap. (Neither Cole nor Chase was very excited to sit on a stranger's lap, but neither one cried. They just didn't smile.) We also got to ride in a little train in the mall, and both boys really enjoyed that! We really had a great time!

Christmas party with friends

2011-12-18T15:53:00.000-05:00

Our friends Sarah and Lily hosted a Christmas party for our playgroup friends on Friday. (Thanks, Sarah!) The kids had a great time... playing, eating treats (cookies), and exchanging gifts. We always have a good time with friends, and we're so thankful for our playgroup!

1. Cole and his sweet friend Lily

2. L to R: Eliza, Cole, Lily, Joshua, and Russell (These are only pics of the older friends... Chase was actually napping at Nana's, so he missed all the fun.)

4. Cole liked the book he received, but I think he wanted to steal Eliza's 'Thomas the Train' book. =)

"Dada" & a child who can't whisper

2011-12-18T14:58:00.002-05:00

Here are some random things to share...
Here's my funny story of the day... We were crazy parents this moring and decided to keep the boys in the Christmas service with us (a Christmas cantata at my parents' church). Thankfully my sister kept Chase sufficiently distracted and mostly quiet (Thanks, Aunt Steph!), and Cole did surprisingly well. But at the end of every song, in his normal voice (because he doesn't know how to whisper) he said, "They're all done" several times. And close to the end of the program, he started growling and roaring. I know the people seated around us got a good laugh! Cole, what a funny boy you are!!!

Chase has finally started saying Dada recently. Yay! He doesn't know that this refers to anyone yet, but at least he's trying to make some sounds. Besides his fussing, he's been a much quieter baby so far than Cole was. Hopefully he'll start to find his own voice. Chase, what a sweet little voice you have! =)

Chase has sort of figured out how to come back down the stairs recently. He's been able to climb up for a month or two, but coming down is always harder. He can come down backwards on his belly, but only when I help him get started. =)

Oh, and Chase has figured out in the last few weeks how to wave, and it's so stinkin' cute to see him waving his whole arm!!! I love it!!!

Cole went through a phase a couple of months ago in which he was stuttering constantly and couldn't seem to get his words out. I wasn't too worried because I read that this is completely normal for a 2-year-old. Well, the stuttering got better after a few weeks, and we were relieved... But it's back again. I think Cole simply gets so excited that he can't get his words out quickly enough. Hopefully this will be a temporary thing...

I also wanted to make a record of some of Cole's favorite books these days... We own several good ones, and we've had several great ones from the library that he wants to read constantly...
Where is My Mother? (This was also a favorite of mine when I was a kid.)
The Great Truck Rescue (Cole says, "Where's Rita? Where's Rita?")
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
The Frog in the Bog
How do Dinosaurs go to School?
Tippety Tippety Little Black Feet

Just within the past couple of weeks, I think Cole has started to play on his own a little more. I mean, he still follows me from room to room, depending on what I'm doing. But he will stay in a room alone and play for a few minutes at a time now. Here's hoping this will continue...

Chase is even more of a paci baby than Cole was. We typically only let Cole have his paci at bedtime and naptimes (and occasionally when he was sick or teething), but Chase gets to have his much more because I just can't handle the fussing!!! He is a VERY fussy baby at times, and I'm SO ready for that to get better. I don't know what we'll do in a few months when we have to take the paci away...

1. Our precious little boy just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

2. Daddy, you're so silly!

3. Jamie's Aunt Jan sent the boys the sweetest 'Little People' nativity set recently. It's really adorable, and the boys have had a lot of fun this week playing with all the pieces. Thank you, Aunt Jan!!!

4. Trying to get a picture of a moving target is nearly impossible!!! (Notice the tie? Cole wants to wear one of daddy's ties much of the time now.) =)

5. I think Cole was trying to play with Mimi's hair. What a silly boy you are, Cole!

6. My sweet boys/men... Need I say more?

7. Jamie and I have discovered that taking the boys to a local mall is a great way to get out of the house and let them play some. We ventured there last night, forgetting how crowded it would be. The boys had a great time playing!

11. Future race car driver???

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

We helped decorate my parents' Christmas tree a couple of weeks ago, and the boys had a blast! Cole enjoyed helping Poppy put the ornaments on the tree, and Chase enjoyed pulling the ornaments out of the box (and trying to eat the tissue paper!). Cole really made us laugh, though, when he found a train ornament and tried to push it along the floor, saying, "whoo whoo... all aboard" over and over again! =)

We also finally got around to putting up our own tree last weekend, but I didn't get any pictures because we tried to video-tape that. We weren't sure that we would even put up a tree this year (with Chase pulling up on and trying to eat everything), but we thought we'd try it... No accidents yet. =)

4. It wasn't too long before Chase found the stairs and lost interest in the tree.

6. For a kid, there's nothing quite like playing on the stairs.

7. Like a typical easily-distracted toddler, Cole also forgot about the tree and learned that playing the piano is nice and loud!

Before there were kids...

2011-12-06T14:45:00.000-05:00

Before we had children, Jamie and I went on date nights fairly often. Nowadays it seems like a rarity, but we do still get out of the house occasionally. =) On Saturday Jamie had his work Christmas party, so we had a good time getting all dressed up and socializing with some adults. (Thanks, Mom & Dad, for the dress!!! And thanks, Mama & Daddy, for babysitting!)

_____________________________________________________________________________

And of course I have some other random pictures to share from the past week or so...

6. Cole, you're so silly! Aunt Steph took this picture of you wearing your plastic pants. You still have to wear this over your diapers at bedtime, but you decided it also makes a good hat! =)

7. Cole and his good friend Russell had fun jumping in bed and covering up one evening. What funny boys you are!

8. Cole wants to be like his daddy. He loves wearing a tie and a belt lately!

9. Playing outside in the exersaucer...

12. Cole has no idea he has the sunglasses on upside down. =)

13. Now we have to share with two little moochers!

Have a laugh!

2011-12-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

This cracked me up the other day! =) This is definitely how I've felt this week having two sick little boys that are even more clingy than usual!!! (Cole had a cold, then an ear infection, and now Chase is 'croupy.')

Chase is 10 months old

2011-11-29T20:53:00.001-05:00

Chase, I can’t believe you’re 10 months old!!! I can’t believe I’ll be planning your 1^st birthday party soon! Where does the time go?! You are an adorable little bundle of energy! You have a precious and contagious grin, and when you get excited, you scrunch up your nose and sort of snort a little. You are so stinkin' cute, and we love you SO MUCH!!! =)

Here’s a little more about Chase at 10 months:

He wears 12-month clothes and size 3 diapers.
He goes to bed at 8pm, and wakes up anywhere from 5:15-7:00 (We try not to get him up before 6:30). He naps at 9am (1-1.5 hours) and at 1:30pm (1-2.5 hours).
He’s crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything, and putting EVERYTHING in his very drooly mouth! =)
He adores his big brother and follows him ALL the time! He also seems to be a daddy’s boy lately - he crawls right over to his daddy’s feet and expects to be held! =)
He still has only 6 teeth – no new-comers lately.
He is such a little climber. He figured out how to climb our stairs weeks ago, and he just grins when we open the gate to let him climb. =)
He loves to spit and make ‘car’ noises. My nana thinks this is the funniest thing she’s ever seen, and she makes me laugh the way she laughs at him! =) He’s still not really trying to make other noises (besides his typical grunting noise), but I figure Cole does all the talking at this point.
We have really started saying the word 'no' more often over the past couple of weeks. I think he understands us, but that doesn't prevent him from doing whatever brought our response in the first place! I've had to pull him away from our fireplace, dvd player, etc. MANY time recently.
"No" has unfortunately become a very common word around our house (and not just for Cole any longer). Chase wants to get into everything he shouldn't. What a headstrong little boy you are, Chase!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T20:34:00.000-05:00

We have so much for which to be thankful!!! We had a wonderful, but very busy, Thanksgiving weekend. We spend Thanksgiving Day at my parents’ house, and we had a houseful of family! Of course we stuffed ourselves on delicious food, and we enjoyed playing with and watching the boys. Cole really loved playing with cousin James, and Chase liked having the attention of so many people! =)

6. Cole, you are such a little ham!!! =)

10. The vultures have arrived to pick at the turkey! (Love you, Sneph, Stephen and Brandon!)

11. It's always more fun to have a playmate. =)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Then on Friday, Jamie, the boys and I drove up to visit his family. What a wonderful visit it was! It was great to catch up with the adults, and it's always a pleasure (and a little / lot chaotic) to play with and take care of the kids. When we get together, there are 8 children under the age of 6 between us! I know our boys absolutely LOVED seeing all their cousins, aunts, uncles, and most of all Big Daddy and Marmie! Cole asked about you all most of the way home! (Oh, and by the way, the drive home was terrible! Chase cried hard for at least the last hour, and it stressed me out so badly that I had to have a little cry when we finally got home!)

While there, we played with kids, we ate delectable food, we shopped, and we even "hiked" a little (we probably didn't make it more than 1/4 miles with the kids). =) But it was a beautiful day, and we all loved being outside.

To our family: Thank you SO MUCH for your hospitality! We had a WONDERFUL time!!!

14. The older cousins enjoying a movie... (L to R: Cole, Landon, Jo, Macy, Brennan)

15. Cole loved helping Marmie make a birthday cake for his daddy! And even better than making the cake was eating the cake batter! =)

18. Getting in a little snuggle time with Marmie...

19. Brennan and Landon show the younger cousins how to climb a tree.

20. Cole definitely wanted a turn in the jeep!

21. Aunt Cara, you're so silly. =)

22. Jamie is getting to know our newest niece - Molly.

23. Sweet Brennan gives Chase a hug. How cute is that?!

24. The dinner table gets a little crazy (wonderfully crazy, of course!). =)

27. Big Daddy shows Chase how to work the bulldozer.

28. Playing outside with kids always includes some running/racing.

29. And playing inside with kids always includes some costumes! =) This is Brennan...

30. And here's Macy...

31. This one is Jo...

32. And though you can't tell, this is Cole. (He didn't keep the face mask on long.)

33. Kissing cousins???

37. We also celebrated Jamie's birthday while with the family. The kids really enjoyed the birthday cake!!!

38. Jack is ready for another piece of cake! =)

"Tole is pretty bunny!"

2011-11-18T14:20:00.002-05:00

Random thoughts to share...

Unfortunately Cole has gotten really mean with Chase over the past couple of weeks. He has struggled off and on with jealousy since his little brother arrived, but he's taken it to another level lately. =( He'll intentionally kick him or push him or close a door right in his face. Poor Chase. Thankfully Chase doesn't seem to realize it - Cole can still make him laugh in a heartbeat by 'tickling' him or pulling on his legs. I will say, though, that I think it's been harder on Cole since Chase is crawling everwhere now. He gets no personal space, and I'm sure it's no fun to be reminded so often to share. Oh, the joys of having a sibling!
Cole says a few funny expressions lately that I just had to share. 'Stop doing that' is a favorite that he says to anyone, but to Chase most often. 'Tole is pretty bunny' means 'Cole is pretty funny.' (He can't say f's or c's yet!) And he had me laughing the other day when he said, "You've got to load it up" while throwing the football with his dad. (While also laughing, Jamie explained that means he's loading his cannon/arm.) What a funny boy you are, Cole!
Lately, when Cole puts on his cowboy hat (yes, he has one), he says, "I'm the master of disguise." (This comes from one of his Elmo videos in which someone puts on costumes and says he's the master of disguise.) =)
One of Cole's favorite things recently is to "help" me do dishes. Anytime I stand in front of the sink, whether I'm ready to wash or not, he runs to get his stool and says he's helping mommy wash dishes.
Chase is pulling up on everything, and thankfully he's finally figured out how to get back down from a standing position. =) He has been very fussy the past few days, and I can't figure out if he's teething or what...

1. Having lots of fun in the tunnel...

2. I asked Cole to show me his teeth. =)

3. Notice his Charlie Brown shirt?

4. Chase thinks the camera is another toy he needs to put in his mouth!

5. Like Cole (and all of his friends), Chase has discovered the window on the stairs. A perfect size for him. =)

6. What a mischevious look, Chase!

The things we do to our children

2011-11-08T14:26:00.001-05:00

I'm finally getting around to posting Halloween pictures. We had a wonderful time dressing the boys up - Cole as Tigger and Chase as a dragon (i.e. Cole's first halloween costume). =) We had a great time at a friend's party (thanks, Sarah, Lily and Justin) and at a local church's fall festival. Nope, we didn't even take the boys trick-or-treating, but they loved eating popcorn at the festival, and Cole got a few pieces of candy too.

1. Although they look serious here, I promise they had a great time at the festival. =)

2. Starting top left: Parker, Cole, Eliza, Lily, Brynn, and Chase. Adorable, aren't they?!

6. Jamie's expression says, "Somebody, please help me!"

___________________________________________________________________________

Some random thoughts:

Cole made me laugh this morning. We were outside playing in the driveway, and Chase was sitting in the stroller watching. I stomped over to him in an exaggerated fashion and tickled his feet, which he thought was pretty funny. So then, imitator that he is, Cole decided to do the same thing. I wish I had videotaped this because he did it over and over again, and Chase thought it was hilarious! What funny boys! =)

Cole has really been 'singing' more and more lately. He says things in a sing-song voice, and he cracks me up when he sings the 'cleaning-up song' or the 'wash-your-hands song.' (Yes, we have a song for both!) And he amazed me this morning, singing the entire ABC song several times and 'Baa baa black sheep.' What precious memories!

Chase has been fussier than usual the past few days, and I'm not entirely sure, but I think I feel tooth #7 coming in...

I don't know about other parents out there, but can I just say that I hate the time-change? My boys (especially Chase) have been waking up super early (5:30/5:45) the past couple of days. I really hope this wake-up time gets a little later soon...

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Big brother & little brother, Fun with family, and Bath time

2011-11-06T16:48:00.001-05:00

Jamie and I went away for the weekend to celebrate our 5-year anniversary (Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!), and my parents graciously agreed to keep the boys. We had a wonderfully restful couple of days, and I know the boys enjoyed their weekend as much as, if not more than, we did. =)

1. This big brother is wearing a big grin...

2. As is this little brother. =)

3. Catching both boys with a smile, though, is the hard part!

5. Notice Cole's haircut? Thanks, Mimi!

______________________________________________________________________

8. My Uncle Rick came into town recently, and he enjoyed playing with the boys. (We missed seeing you, Aunt Vickie!) Chase crinkles his nose up lately, and it makes us laugh! =)

11. Cole and his beard of bubbles...

14. Aunt Steph enjoyed snuggling with Chase and giving him a mohawk!

October Family Pictures

2011-11-03T21:50:00.000-04:00

We went to a local park a couple of weeks ago to have some family pictures taken. Our friend Becca did a wonderful job trying to snap pictures of an ever-moving 2-year old and squirmy 8-month old! (You can view her blog here: http://rebeccahollandphotography.blogspot.com/) Thanks, Becca! You did an awesome job! As usual, we dragged my parents along to attempt to capture the boys' attention (and smiles) for the camera. =) And also as usual, I can't seem to narrow the pictures down any further, so know that there are a lot of them!

_________________________________________________________________________

And here are the ones that my dad took. The first four of the following are my favorites that he took although I really love all of them...

Chase is 9 months old

2011-10-30T14:01:00.001-04:00

Our little boy turned 9 months old this week. Here's some of what he's up to these days:

He's wearing 12-month clothes and size 3 diapers. He doesn't go to the doctor for his check-up for a couple more weeks, so I'll have to update this with his height and weight...
Update on 11/10... He weighs 19 lbs. 3 oz. (23%), is 28.5 inches long (52%), and his head is 47.25 cm (91%) - although I don't know how accurate this head measurement is because he would NOT hold still for the nurse! =)
He dropped his third nap about 2 weeks ago, so he naps around 9:00am (1-2 hours) and 1:00pm (1-2 hours). He wakes up in the mornings anywhere from 6:00/7:00am (although it's usually 6:30 because we have a school bus that unfortunately backs up right in front of our house and makes an obnoxiously loud beeping noise!). His bedtime is usually around 7:30/8:00, although this depends on when his last nap was.
He drinks (sometimes) 4 bottles a day, and gets baby food 3 times a day. He is still terrible about taking a bottle at times, but he eats his food well. I would definitely say he prefers fruit over veggies. =) And he loves munching on cheerios!
Chase is definitely a 'mover.' He never wants to sit still, and you can forget trying to snuggle with him. He wants to crawl/scoot/pull up ALL the time! I told Jamie that my prediction is he'll be walking by 11 months. We'll see.
He's doing really well in the crib. We moved him over from his pack-and-play last weekend, and he's doing great. He's typically a really good sleeper, for which I'm very thankful! =)
He loves clapping his hands now, and he's adorable doing it!

Chase, you are a wonderfully sweet, precious little boy, and it's so fun to watch you learn and grow every day! We love you, baby boy!!!

October Beach Trip

2011-10-30T13:49:00.000-04:00

Ya know, people never told me that a vacation is no longer truly a vacation when you travel with kids (or at least that's been my experience with little ones). Maybe it gets better/easier when the kids are a little older??? Anyway, Jamie, the boys and I traveled to the beach along with my parents and Nana for several days last week. We had a great time together... eating lots of delicious food, splashing in the indoor pool and lazy river, and shopping, of course. =) Cole did great in the pool - he wore his life jacket/suit and arm floaties, and he even let go of our hands to swim on his own. (This is a big accomplishment because Cole is a little bit of a chicken.) =) And we put Chase in the pool once for about 5 minutes and then got him out when he started shivering. We'll try again next year with him. =) Chase's own big accomplishment while at the beach was learning to pull himself up. He now thinks he can pull up on just about anything and can climb over or on or through anything! The fun has truly begun!

4. We call this Chase's troll face. We love you, Chase - even when you're fussy! =)

16. Here's Chase's new hat for the winter. Isn't he adorable?!

20. If you look closely, you can see my dad's reflection in Cole's glasses. Cole was our little model for the day. =)

Pulling up & the "big-boy bed"

2011-10-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

There has been so much going on lately. We went to the beach last week (I'll post pictures later), Chase has started pulling up and trying to 'cruise' around, we moved Cole into his big-boy bed and Chase into the crib, etc. What a busy, wonderfully crazy life we have! =)

Chase started pulling himself up to a standing position while we were at the beach, and we've realized in the last few days that he's going to be much more of a risk-taker than Cole was! That may good for him eventually, but it means that my work has doubled while I try to make sure he doesn't fall and hurt himself too badly! He's had several small falls already, and as I've told Jamie, he's going to have many, many more. (Jamie thinks that because Cole was more careful and didn't have too many accidents, Chase should be similar - I, on the other hand, think that because Chase attacks everything with reckless abandon, he's going to have many more bumps and bruises.) He's also very much of a climber. He's already made it to the 3rd step and on top of our toddler picnic table over the last few days!

Chase has also been scooting on his belly for weeks, but he is trying to crawl more lately. He's funny to watch, though, because he'll start out crawling for 2 seconds and then remember that scooting is faster for him. =)

We decided to move Cole into his "big-boy bed" Sunday night and move Chase into the crib (from his pack-and-play). I figured since we had been at the beach for several days, this might be a nice way to transition. I didn't know how Cole would handle the big twin bed, but he did GREAT! We have a long bed rail that prevents him from falling out, and he's already good at climbing in and out of beds... but we told him to stay in his bed all night, and he did! Yay!!! Oh, and he stayed in bed and took a good nap too! (Can I just say I was a little sad putting Cole in the big bed? Our little boy is growing up so fast!!!)

We put Chase's pack-and-play in Cole's room (beside his crib) so he could have a night getting used to the room before we put him in the crib. So Monday night was his first night in his crib. I'm SO THANKFUL that both boys transitioned well!!! =)

Here are a few funny things that Cole is saying lately... When he brings me something and he already knows my response, he says, "Thank you." I guess I also say "there you go" a lot (like when he's trying to figure something out, and he finally gets it, I'll say, "there you go.") So now he says this on his own too! And then this morning, for the first time without my asking or prompting, he said, 'I'm sad." Although not funny, this just amazed me! I'm astounded at how much Cole says and understands now!

Our funny boys (Part 2)

2011-10-17T14:21:00.000-04:00

We went to a local park on Saturday and had a friend take pictures of our family. I'll get those pictures from Becca in a couple of weeks, but my parents also came along, and I wanted to share just one of the many pictures my dad took. (I'll post more later.) Aren't my men handsome?!

I've taught Cole to say "excuse me," but I think that he thinks it means "move, get out of my way." He'll say it when trying to get by Chase while pushing him out of his way (especially in their tunnel)! I don't think manners are going to come easily...

Have you ever read the kid's book titled something like 'Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day'? Well, I think we had one of those last week. Cole pooped in his pants (yuck!), peed in his high chair (again!), and drew circles on our couch with an ink pen!!! UGH!!! Thankfully, we've had some good days since then. =)

Cole has learned a few new tricks lately - opening and closing doors, turning lights on and off, and hooking every clasp he can get his hands on (high chairs, carseat buckles, etc.). And trust me, he's practicing these new tricks ALL the time!

Chase is learning to clap these days. He's so adorable, and I just love seeing his face light up as he's clapping. This morning he started clapping while eating cheerios, and of course, Big Brother had to join in. And Chase thought that was hilarious! Those boys are so funny! =)

Chase made me laugh recently. He was captivated by his reflection in the dishwasher. He reached for his face, smilled and bumped his head against the dishwasher a few times. So cute! Oh, and he also had the biggest poop diaper EVER a couple of days ago!!! If you don't like potty blog posts, stop reading now............... Somehow he got poop all over the inside of his pants. And I don't just mean around his diaper. I mean, going down the pant legs! So when I tried to remove his pants, it got all over his legs, his feet, my hands! GROSS!

Our funny boys (Part 1)

2011-10-06T14:02:00.001-04:00

I've been writing down lots of little random things that I wanted to share on the blog. Chase does funny things, and Cole says hilarious things, and I have to write them down so I don't forget them. =)

We were riding home in the van a few evenings ago, and Cole looked out the window and saw the moon. When we turned, and he could no longer see it, he said, "I need more moon." So cute!

I woke up this morning to Cole's voice saying, "mine, mine, mine." He has learned this word recently, and it has become a favorite. It's funny to hear him saying this, but it makes my heart sad to see his selfishness becoming so apparent.

Cole loves to stand at the door and watch Jamie when he leaves for work in the mornings. A couple of days ago, though, he didn't go to the door even after I asked if he wanted to watch daddy. (Lately, he's gotten bad about saying 'no' to things, but then quickly changing his mind.) Well, when he finally decided he wanted to 'watch Daddy go bye-byes,' his Daddy was already gone. So I got to listen to a 2-year-old tantrum for quite a while. We even called his Daddy to say bye-bye, and Cole couldn't stop crying. =(

I asked Cole this morning how old he was, and he said, 'I'm two.' Then I asked him how old mommy was. He said, "Mommy's six." Ha ha! That made me laugh! =) (Oh, and he still counts like this, "1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 11." So funny!)

Chase makes me laugh because he seems so hyper lately. He is ALL over the place, scooting on his belly, but even when he's in my arms, he won't stay there. He twists and turns and would totally throw himself on the floor if I don't keep a good hold on him!

Chase has started shaking his head back and forth at random times. He seems to do it most when he's sitting in his seat when eating. This makes for an interesting experience trying to feed him! And he thinks it's hilarious when Cole joins in the head-shaking fun!!! Chase absolutely LOVES his big brother, but some days, I'm not sure that it's reciprocated!

Every time I sit down to feed Chase some food, Cole comes over and says that Chase needs a couple of Cheerios. I don't think he's looking out for his brother as much as saying he wants some himself. =)

1. Silly Chase kept trying to grab the camera. It's almost impossible for either boy to sit still!

3. I realize this picture is a little blurry, but it shows our adorable boys together!

4. Nana wanted a hug from Cole. Need I say more?

5. These boys love their Poppy!

6. I had to dig Cole's old hat and jacket out of the closet for Chase to wear. Doesn't he look too cute?!

7. This train has been one of Cole's favorites, and he loves to ride it in our driveway. (Thanks, Nana!)

8. Yummy green beans.

9. I asked Cole to show me his teeth! He's so funny!

Chase's 1st haircut

2011-10-02T19:25:00.000-04:00

Chase has had his mohawk since the beginning, and I just couldn't let it get any longer. (Check out how long it was in the pictures below!) The rest of his hair has come in soft and fuzzy and fairly straight, but the mohawk was very curly. So I've been bugging my mom to cut it for a while, and she finally did it this evening (while I videotaped and Poppy snapped pictures!). I don't know that this really qualifies as Chase's first haircut since Mimi only trimmed the mohawk... Isn't our little boy so handsome?!?!

He needs his paci

2011-09-28T21:21:00.000-04:00

Cole cracked me up the other day... We were working on puzzles, and one of them showed a clown crying. Cole said, 'He's crying. He needs his paci.' Ha ha!!! I guess because I give Chase his paci when he's crying, Cole thinks everyone gets a paci if they cry. =)

And here are some random recent pictures:

3. This was the best picture Jamie could get of the three of us. The boys do NOT want to be still for a picture!!! =)

4. The boys have such a fun time in the bath these days. I love that they can play together in the tub! So cute!

7. Our adorable boys...

9. Chase's expression looks like a tired one, but he's actually trying to 'escape' off the chair - he won't stay in one place lately!!! The little goofball!

Chase is 8 months old

2011-09-28T14:06:00.002-04:00

Our little baby boy is 8 months old! It depends on the day as to whether I would say it seems like he just arrived or that it's hard to remember our family without him in it! =) Chase, you are our precious, sweet little boy, and your daddy and I love you very much!!!

What is Chase up to these days?

He is scooting around on his belly everywhere. He's been doing this for a few weeks, but he's getting really fast lately. He raises up on his toes and pulls with his arms. He also rocks back and forth on his toes a lot, but he's not really crawling yet. (Since he's gotten so good at scooting, he may not crawl. We'll see.)
He wants to keep up with brother, and Cole is definitely Chase's favorite thing/person to watch! =)
He has a ton of wild, fuzzy hair. Some days I think it's looks fairly blond, but others it seems to be slightly reddish/brown. Who knows what color it will eventually be.
He has 6 teeth - 4 on top and 2 on the bottom. And he has a wonderfully contagious grin!
I've only heard him say a couple of consonants once or twice, but he says 'aaahhh' and 'hhhmmm' all the time. =)
He's wearing size 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. I have no idea what size shoe he needs because he's always barefoot or wearing only socks. (Terrible, huh?!)
He still has his umblical hernia. It doesn't seem to be going away on its own...
He has super sweaty feet. I joke with Jamie and say that Chase is going to be a smelly teenage boy one day! =) (We love you, Chase!!!)
He nurses or drinks a bottle 5 times a day and has baby food 3 times. Chase is good some days about drinking his bottles, and he still fights it other days. =( I'm down to only nursing once a day now (mornings), and I'm sure I'll drop that soon. Trying to feed him has unfortunately been a constant battle. On the upside, though, he eats his baby food great! He seems to like almost everything. The only food he didn't really enjoy were bananas (only when I tried to mash them up, not the store-bought baby food). It's also still fun to watch him try to eat Cheerios. I started giving those to him recently, and he still has a hard time getting them in his mouth with his uncoordinated hands. =)

Here are some fun pictures of Chase from the past few days...

Playing at the park

2011-09-19T14:08:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful afternoon at the park yesterday. The cooler weather felt wonderful, and the clouds made it not-too-bright. It was great! We rode the little train once (which seemed to make Cole nervous and Chase didn't mind)... Cole rode the merry-go-round with Jamie once (which also seemed to make him nervous)... Cole enjoyed walking around and playing, and Chase just seemed to enjoy it all. =) What a nice day!

1. My handsome boys

2. Waiting on the train ride to start...

5. Chase really liked the swing. I think this was the first time he's been on one. (This is a good shot of his front top teeth!) =)

6. When we got home from the park, Cole wore his new cape around the house! So cute!

Our funny little boys

2011-09-19T13:48:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of the funny/interesting/different things our boys do:

Chase has discovered that he can spit / blow rasberries, and he did it ALL day on Friday! He'll even try to so hard to blow that his little face gets red! He has gotten a little more vocal lately and is making fun 'aaahhh' noises.
Chase is getting teeth numbers 5 and 6. He has two on the top and two on the bottom, and now 2 more on the top/sides are coming in. Boy, he's a quick teether!
Chase scoots all over our floors now, and when he sees something he wants, he really goes after it! He also gets up on his hands and knees and rocks - which is so funny to watch - but he's not moving his legs yet.
Cole doesn't know his colors or numbers or letters yet. He makes us laugh because this is the way he counts: "1, 2, 5, 6, 11." And he's very consistent about this lately even if I try to count correctly after him. Also, he still gets M&M's for using the potty, and it's funny that he'll run to the kitchen asking for a 'treat' and say he wants a particular color. I'll tell him the color I give him, but if I ask him just a few seconds later (regardless of what color it actually is), he'll say it's a green one! We have a lot of work to do! =)
Cole absolutely loves reading lately, and he wants to be read to ALL the time. One of his new favorites is a book about Barnabas Bear. In the story, there is also a character called Russell Raccoon, but since Cole still can't say a hard C, he pronounces it 'Russell Ra-oon.' So funny!
Cole can be a little stand-offish at times, and he sometimes gives Nana a hard time and doesn't want to give her hugs. But lately he's been really cute about picking up a 'Peekaboo' book as soon as we walk into her condo and sitting in her lap for her to read it to him. I know she loves it! =)

(And by the way, I realize the first picture of Chase has him wearing Santa pj's, but that's one of the few winter outfits I could find for the arrival of the colder weather. I guess it's time to pull out the boys' winter clothes.) =)

Good luck catching two boys in a picture!

2011-09-10T18:22:00.000-04:00

So I told my parents that I would love to get a picture of both boys... one that captures both of them actually looking at the camera and smiling. Well, good luck!!! My sweet parents and I tried our best this morning, and can I just say it's just about impossible! The first picture is the best one, and both boys are smiling (although you might not be able to see Chase's smile because he wouldn't keep his hand out of his mouth). =)

2. Cole had a mouthful of pretzel...

4. Cole has a lot to say, and Chase, of course, wants to chew on his hands.

5. It's time for a little growling...

6. Cole notices Chase chewing on his hands, and he wants to be in on the action.

7. What funny, adorable boys we have!!!

Trying to keep up with two little boys...

2011-09-10T17:03:00.002-04:00

Trying to keep up with two little boys these days can be overwhelming! We have our good days - Cole listens fairly well without me having to repeat everything 20 times and Chase smiles and plays well with his toys. And then we have our bad days - Cole pees/poops in his pants and is whiny and Chase is fussy without any apparent reason. Sigh. I never know what kind of day I'm going to wake up to... But I do know without a doubt that every day is going to be filled with craziness! =)

Cole wants to read books ALL the time lately. He's always loved books, but he's had times where he enjoys them more than other times. He wants to have books read to him as soon as he gets out of bed in the morning and then all day long. He wants them ALL the time. And it doesn't matter how long you read to him - if he's in the mood to read books, then it's never enough... he's going to whine when you finish - whether you've read 1 or 10.

And Chase is definitely on the move now. He's scooting more and more, but it's more of an army crawl than anything. He pulls with his arms and pushes forward with his toes. But he's really working his muscles lately, and he cracks me up when he gets up on his hands and toes or on his hands and knees and rocks! So cute!

1. Although you can't tell from Cole's expression, he loves his new toddler table. And Chase was excited to join him! (Thanks, Marmie & Big Daddy!)

2. What a little goof ball! See what he does with Mr. Potato Head's glasses... (And don't you like his hair after a nap?!)

3. Cole loves playing with his Mimi!

4. Having a good time jumping all around...

5. 'This thumb tastes really good.'

7. Who knew carrots were so good?!

9. Chillin' with Daddy...

11. Chase has such a fun 'duh' expression! Isn't he adorable?! (See his two teeth on the bottom?)

12. Smiling for the camera (or more accurately for Mimi)... And notice his teeth?

15. Just doing a few exercises...

Scooting, cheerios & more

2011-09-06T14:05:00.000-04:00

Within the past couple of days, Chase has started scooting around on the floor. He's been rolling and turning circles on his tummy for weeks, but he has just started scooting forward to reach toys. =) He raises up on his hands and toes - almost like he's ready to do a push-up - and then he wiggles forward. He's not even 7.5 months old yet, so he's ahead of Cole at this stage (of course, Cole hated 'tummy time'). I think he'll be all over the floor very soon! Yay, Chase!

I gave Chase his first taste of Cheerios this morning. I wanted to see what he thought of the little o's, and I forgot how funny it is to watch in the beginning. He had trouble getting the Cheerios in his hand, and if he succeeded in grabbing one (in his fist, not his fingers), he immediately forgot about it and let it go on the floor. So I had to put a couple in his mouth, and he was quite good at pushing them back out with his tongue. =) He eventually ate 4-5, and his mommy got a good laugh. =)

And on a another note... I just wanted to say THANK YOU to my parents! Thank you for being so sweet with our little boys. Thank you for letting us take over your house every few days - with toys everywhere! Thank you for your company, for sharing your food and time with us, for buying some essentials (shoes, clothes) and fun things (lots of toys) for our boys! Thank you for being our wonderful Mimi and Poppy!!! We love you both! =)

1. Chase loves getting kisses!

3. If you look closely, you can see Chase's top 2 teeth that have come in. He looks so different with teeth!

4. While he's still not good at times about taking a bottle or nursing, Chase is great at eating!

6. Mama Sue, it was great to see you yesterday. I know the boys loved watching your funny faces! =)

7. Cole loves reading (or doing anything!) with Poppy!

8. Still waking up, Cole likes to snuggle for a few minutes.

9. At playgroup last week, the kids enjoyed eating at the table together. We're missing Russell in the pictures, but do you know how hard it is to catch 5 toddlers in a picture? (L to R: Cole, Joshua, Eliza, Lily)

Chase is 7 months old!

2011-08-28T20:05:00.001-04:00

Here are a few tibits about our sweet little boy lately:

Chase is wearing 9-month clothes and size 3 diapers. We'll find out how much he weighs at our weight-check appointment on Tuesday. (Update: He weighs 16 lbs., 12 oz.)
He's now rolling everywhere, turning in circles on his belly, and scooting backwards. He hasn't gotten up on his knees yet, but when he tries to reach for toys, he scoots himself backwards. So cute! =) I think he'll be crawling very soon...
Chase is getting 4 teeth at the moment. I felt one of his bottom middle teeth just last weekend, and then one of his top middle teeth, and now I can see the other top and bottom middle teeth trying to break through his gums. Poor kid - 4 teeth at one time! (I told Jamie that Cole looked like a little vampire with his side top teeth coming in first, and now Chase looks like a little redneck with 1 on the top and 1 on the bottom coming in!) =)
Chase has gotten a lot more hair lately, but his mohawk, which has been there since he was born, is still there and is very curly!
We think he's definitely going to have hazel eyes like Jamie and me. He has big beautiful eyes! (We're still wondering where Cole's blue eyes came from.)
He nurses 4 times a day, gets a bottle twice a day, and eats baby food twice a day. He still has issues nursing/taking a bottle at times (which we still don't know the cause and is VERY frustrating), but thankfully he's not picky about food at all and will eat whatever I give him.
He's still taking 3 naps a day, and his bedtime varies depending on when his last nap was. He goes to bed usually anywhere between 7:30/8:30 (then I wake him around 9:30 to nurse him one last time). He is thankfully sleeping through the night, and wakes in the morning anywhere from 5:30/7:00.
He is generally a fairly happy baby, but as with all little ones, he definitely has his fussy times. He has a wonderfully contagious grin, and I LOVE to hear him laugh... He's extremely ticklish, and we frequently take advantage of that to hear his giggles/squeals. =)

Chase, you are so very precious, and your daddy and I love you 'to the moon!' =)

(3. If you look closely here, you can see his top teeth that are coming in.)

What a horrible mother!

2011-08-26T13:15:00.000-04:00

I felt like the most horrible mother last night!!! I decided to cut Chase's fingernails right before bedtime, and I accidentally cut him a little on the end of his thumb. =( Of course, he cried and cried, and because he squirmed and moved his little hands around, I couldn't get his thumb to stop bleeding. Plus he has the sweatiest little hands, so we couldn't keep a band-aid on either! Then to make matters worse (yes, they can always get worse!)... we had our linen closet door open to get out paper towels and band-aids, and Cole decided to see what he could get into - which happened to be comet, the powder cleaner. He managed to dump it all over the floor before we looked up from Chase to see what he had done!!! So Chase was still crying at this point, I was crying because it was all my fault and I had hurt my little boy, and Jamie got to clean Cole (and the floor) up! If anyone could have seen this moment, I'm sure they would have thought it hilarious, and I can laugh about it now... but it was NOT funny last night! Jamie finally got Cole all cleaned up and in bed, and I called my dad, crying, and asked him to come bandage up my little boy. So my sweet parents came to help me with Chase. Poor Chase, we couldn't get the band-aids to stay on his tiny, sweaty, moving hands, so my dad bandaged up the entire hand. Oh, the joys of parenthood!!!

1. See how awful Chase's little hand looks! Thankfully, it's just a little cut on his thumb, but for a couple of days, he may be bandaged like this...

____________________________________________________________________________
And of course I have to share a little about Cole too. He's still having 1-2 accidents a day, and I got so frustrated a couple of days ago, I almost quit. I put a diaper on him while we went out for a little bit (he's been wearing diapers only to bed lately). When we returned to the house, though, and he said he had to 'go potty,' I, of course, couldn't say no. So we're still plugging along. Some days I have more patience for this (as with all things) than others! =)

Oh, and I was trying to think of some of the funny words that Cole says. He still can't pronounce certain letters, so his daddy and I have to translate for him sometimes. =)
'boff' - fall (I don't know why he can't put f's at the beginning of words, but so far, he simply can't do it)
'tole' - Cole (nope, he can't do a hard c sound at the beginning of words either)

2. Cole decided to climb into Chase's exosaucer for a turn. =) He cracks me up sometimes!!!

3. What a (sometimes) sweet little boy!!! =)

Chase is getting his first tooth!

2011-08-23T21:27:00.000-04:00

A week shy of being 7 months old, our little boy is getting his first tooth. Chase has been terrible about nursing and drinking his bottles over the past several days (which is nothing new, but it seemed even worse than usual). And on Sunday I felt a possible reason why - one of his bottom middle teeth is breaking through his gums. Poor kid - he's drooling like crazy (also nothing new, but is a little worse than usual!) and his little nose is slightly runny today. I hope this tooth (teeth) come in quickly!

And of course I have to share a story about Cole too... He amazed me a couple of days ago. Lately when he draws/scribbles, I will write his name and say the letters aloud. Well, he actually has been paying attention to me! A couple of days ago, as he scribbled with a pen, he said, 'C o l e.' He said it so clearly, and I dropped what I was doing to call Jamie so he could hear it! How cool is that?! Great job, Cole!!! It's fun (but also scary) to know that our little ones are listening to what we say! =)

On a different note, Jamie and I both felt the earthquake/tremor this afternoon - that was a first for both of us! (For any West coast friends reading this, it was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in VA.) I was eating a late lunch at the house, and I felt some movement and heard the house creak a little. I looked out the windows, thinking maybe it was just a strong wind pushing against the house (but I noticed the trees weren't moving so wind wasn't the culprit). I know the movement was only slight where we are, but it was definitely a creepy feeling that I don't want to experience again!

1. We don't seem to get a decent family picture very often, and at least everyone is looking in the right direction here! Aren't my boys cute?! =)

2. I don't know who likes the toy more - Chase or Cole!

4. Our friend Michelle came for a visit, and boy, did Cole try to impress her! He is such a little lady's man!

5. And here is Cole trying to 'impress' another female - his friend Eliza! They always have a great time playing together! (Yes, that is a happy meal box on his head!)

Another day at the lake

2011-08-17T13:13:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we spent another wonderful day at the lake. We loaded up our van (and yes, even a day trip requires loads of stuff for little ones!) and headed down to the lake with my parents and Grandpa. We had a fantastic time riding the jet ski, swimming in the water, paddling on the kayaks... and Chase had fun playing inside. =) Oh, and Cole LOVED watching Poppy fish - he liked trying to touch the little fish that Poppy caught. Fun times with the boys!!!

A bath with brother...

2011-08-16T20:58:00.001-04:00

We recently gave the boys a bath together for the first time... I'm sure there will be many more to come. =)

A friend of ours let us borrow a bath seat for Chase (thanks, Leigh Anne!). Chase is fairly steady sitting up now, but not enough so that I’m comfortable with him sitting in the hard tub. He’s almost always great in the bath, and since Cole is his favorite entertainment, this worked perfectly. Thankfully Cole didn’t mind the intrusion on his bath playtime. He was more than happy to dump water on Chase! =) What CUTE boys we have!!!

____________________________________________________________________________

And you know me... I always have other random topics to share...

Chase is still having some eating issues. Thankfully he's eating all the baby food I give him really well now. It took a couple of weeks, but he's finally eating more than he's spitting back out (which usually gets smeared all over the place!). =) Either I'm lazier this time around or I can't seem to find enough time in the day - so Chase is getting store-bought baby food so far. (I was good about making Cole's baby food.) Oh well. So far he's had: baby oatmeal and rice cereal, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, pears, and green beans. I don't know that I'd say he has a favorite yet. I think he likes them all. =) Right now he gets food sometime in the morning and sometime in the late afternoon/evening. I'll probably up this to 3 times a day sometime soon. I'm currently nursing him 4 times a day, and he gets a bottle twice a day (usually with 4 oz. although he rarely drinks it all). He has a weight-check appointment scheduled with the doctor in two weeks, so we're hoping that he's putting on some weight.
Cole is doing so-so with using the potty. He is consistently having 1-2 accidents every day, so I still don't know if we're making much progress... He wears underwear around the house, training pants when we're out, and diapers to bed. I don't know what else to say about this, but I do know that I'm tired of cleaning up 'accidents'! =) Here's hoping that I can give a more positive update sometime soon.....
Oh, and I just have to share this... Cole makes me LAUGH when he makes his 'siren' noise. Anytime he hears a firetruck or ambulance go by, or he plays with a firetruck, or sometimes just out of the blue, he makes this high-pitched squeal. It almost sounds like he's humming, but it's really high and loud. It's hilarious!!!
Chase has his fair share of noises too. He has a really fun laugh (which I just love!), and lately he's been making a noise that sounds like a growl. What funny little boys we have!!!

Chase is sitting up

2011-08-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited - Chase is sitting up on his own! He's really gotten the hang of it the past few days (a little after 6 months) although he still needs to be on a bed or have pillows around him because he falls frequently. Cole tackled this feat a little earlier than this, so I've been trying to work with Chase more lately. It's hard to sit down and focus on Chase - a certain little 2-year-old wants my constant attention. =)

Check out my adorable little boys... Chase looks so proud of himself! =)

4. Jumping and doing flips on the bed are a favorite family activity!

5. Here is Cole's serious expression. "What did I do?"

6. And here's his roaring expression...

7. Chase loves playing in his exosaucer. What a sweet, adorable little boy!

Cole & Chase, your daddy and I love you SOOOO much!!!

Our potty-training adventure

2011-08-07T17:36:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: If you don't like reading/hearing about bodily functions, you should skip this post entirely. =)

It's official... I must be CRAZY!!! I decided a couple of months ago after reading several potty-training articles and hearing several stories that I would try this 3-day potty training method that is apparently popular nowadays. Using this method, your toddler is naked or semi-naked, and you stay in your house, close to a potty for 3 days. When your toddler pees, you hurry him to the toilet, and when/if he finally pees in the potty, then you dance, sing, have rewards, etc. With Cole, we're dancing, watching a video with songs (potty dance, potty cheer, etc.), and he gets stickers when he pees in the potty. (Update: The stickers didn't work nearly as well as M&M's!) I enlisted my mom's help, and although she rolled her eyes, wondering what she had gotten herself into, she agreed to come along on our adventure. =)

We started our 3-day adventure on Monday this week...

Day 1: My mom arrived around 8 this morning, and Cole was already naked and ready to play by then. We watched short videos, colored, played with his new Chuck toys and his tee ball set, played with play dough, ran, jumped, ate snacks... and Cole peed in the potty 4 times this morning, I think. YAY!!! We danced and sang and got stickers for that. =) He also peed ALL over the floor probably 10-15 times. My mom and I did a fairly good job at acting disappointed but not too frustrated. As my mom says, Cole's a 'peeing machine'!!! Who knew all my floors were going to get so clean?!?!

Cole had a melt-down before lunch (saying 'I want my penguin, yeah yeah' over and over again - his new stuffed animal - thanks Brandon!). He cried and pitched his fit for about 20 minutes before he finally recovered. Then we put on a diaper and clothes for nap time. He was TIRED - he took a 3-hour nap. Thankfully he woke up in a much better mood although he still wasn't too enthusiastic about peeing in the potty. I think he peed 2-3 times in the potty this afternoon/evening (and ALL over the floor probably 5-6 times). He did poop in the potty, though, and that was a major accomplishment! =) Oh, and he also peed in the bottom of Chase's exosaucer... Jamie was wondering why Chase's feet felt so wet (he has sweaty hands and feet), but it wasn't sweat this time - it was Cole's pee! Ugh! And Cole had another melt-down at bedtime. (Terrible twos, anyone?!)

So I have mixed feelings about our first day. Thankfully my mom agreed to come again tomorrow for day 2. I told her that whether this seems to be working or not, we are sticking it out for at least 3 days. This may or may not work, but I want to at least try... Here's hoping for a better day 2...

Day 2: Well, we made it through another day. We are nowhere close to being 'potty-trained' yet, but I think we're making a little progress. Cole does not like getting naked now... I think he knows we're going to make him 'work' and not just pee everywhere (that's putting it loosely!). After breakfast, he started out the morning by peeing twice on the floor. Then he went quite a while without doing anything, and then finally he initiated and sat down on his 'big boy potty' and peed! Who knew my mom and I could be so goofy while trying to praise him?! I think he did this once more and then when I was watching him a little later, I could tell he needed to sit on the potty again. He pooped in the potty, and I was SO excited!!! I thought, 'YAY, maybe we're actually going to do this in 3 days!' And then he quelled that notion by peeing on his little picnic table while we were eating lunch. Oh well...

After his nap, Cole once again didn't want to take off his diaper. I think he peed in the potty a couple of times this afternoon and peed (and pooped!) on the floor a couple of times. UGH! So I'm not sure if we're getting anywhere or not. I do think that he's more aware now that he can't just pee a little all day long and he's holding it longer. I'm not sure that he knows when he's going to pee until he actually starts. Even when he pees on the potty, he often pees a little on the floor first. Here's hoping day 3 will be even better...

Day 3: With day 3 drawing to a close, I'm still not sure where to say we are on the 'potty-trained scale.' Cole is definitely aware of going pee and poop now, but he still starts peeing on the floor occasionally if I'm not hounding him to sit on the potty. We went outside to play for almost an hour this morning in 'big-boy pants,' and he did great. That's the first time he's been out of the house without a diaper on... He peed in the potty a few times today - twice maybe of his own initiative - and he peed on the floor a couple of times too. I'm trying to put him in clothes (or at least underwear) so he'll get used to that. I'm not ready to take him to a really public place yet, so instead of meeting friends out tomorrow, I invited them over here. Since Cole has to ask for my help to pull down his pants/underwear, I just don't know how this will go when we try to leave the house. One good thing about trying to potty-train now is there's a break in Bible study, my moms' group, etc. so I don't have to leave him with anyone for a little while. Oh, and another great thing was my mom - MAMA, YOU'RE AWESOME FOR COMING OVER TO KEEP ME COMPANY (and keep me sane!) AND TO HELP CLEAN UP AFTER OUR LITTLE BOY!!! THANK YOU!!! I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU!!!

Tthis is definitely a work in progress. Since those first three days, Cole has been doing fairly well. He really enjoys getting the M&M's, and he doesn't mind getting his underwear or training pants on now. At least for the next few weeks, he'll probably wear underwear around the house and training pants when we go out. I'm nervous about him peeing somewhere out in public. I'll keep you posted as to how the next few weeks go...

WOW! Cole is 2 years old!!!

2011-07-31T15:32:00.001-04:00

I can't believe my precious little baby boy is 2 years old!!! Okay, maybe he's not so little anymore - he's actually really heavy to carry around! But I still can't believe he's been the center of our attention (along with Chase, of course) for 2 years!

What's up with Cole these days?

He weighs 31 lbs, according to my parents' scale, and he's 35.5 inches. According to http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_percentiles.htm, that means Cole's in the 82nd % for weight and 76th % for height.
He is a very rambunctious, energetic little boy! He can definitely run circles around me (and Jamie thinks I'm hyper). =) He is extremely curious and wants to get into EVERYTHING! It's fun to take him to stores as long as I can let him wander a little. He picks up everything he can get his hands on. I usually keep him in the cart until I'm done with most of my shopping, and then I'll let him loose for a little bit. I have to really watch him, though, because he's quick!
Cole's bedtime is 8/8:30, and he sleeps until anywhere between 5-8am. We usually hear him moving around and talking in his crib at least once during the night, and often several times. He is NOT a great sleeper at night. But he thankfully takes great naps. He typically goes down around noon and sleeps 1.5-3 hours. (I love the 3-hour naps, escpecially when Chase snoozes for part of that time too!) =)
He still LOVES music, and he's such a fun little dancer. He bops his head and jumps and prances and claps his hands! Oh, and watching him run is one of my favorite activities! =) He has a funny little run, and the way he bounces his shoulders when he walks makes me laugh!
Cole is definitely pushing boundaries lately!!! And his temper tantrums are TERRIBLE!!! Yes, we are in midst of the 'terrible twos'!!!
Favorite activity: jumping on the bed or looking for dinosaurs in magazines/books with his daddy
Favorite song: Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee... or the ABC's... or the Itsy Bitsy Spider (he calls it the 'spider song')
Favorite video: any Elmo video we can find
Favorite food: fig newtons - he calls them cereal bars, and if I ask him what he wants to eat without providing clear options, this is what he'll request (He also has a serious sweet tooth, and if I let him, he would eat nothing but sugary food all the time!)
Dislikes: most veggies (peas, carrots, corn, brocolli, cauliflower, etc.), being told no, sharing with Chase

We celebrated Cole's birthday on Saturday morning with lots of friends and family at a local park. It was a VERY HOT day, but thankfully it didn't feel too badly until the last 1/2 hour or so. The kids played hard on the playground while the adults chatted. My dad grilled the hot dogs, my mom helped set up the food, Aunt Steph brought balloons, and Nana made the potato salad - THANK YOU TO ALL MY FAMILY FOR HELPING!!! =)

The first two pictures are my favorites of the birthday boy. (I'm afraid my son isn't a huge fan of the camera, so he's almost impossible to catch smiling for a picture. But he's still adorable!) =)

3. We wanted a picture with the birthday boy before all the festivities began. (Chase wasn't at the party yet - he stayed with Nana indoors until a little later. It was a HOT day!)

4. Cole loves his Aunt Steph, Shawn and Brandon!

5. We are so thankful for our playgroup friends!!! (L to R: Russull, Jennifer, Sarah, Lily, Cole and Eliza. Joshua, Jenn and Kathy were busy playing/talking.)

7. Cole was so cute trying to give Lily a hug...

... And you can tell she didn't know quite what to think of that! =)

9. Jennifer with baby Meredith...

11. I think Joshua enjoyed the slides...

14. We had hot dogs with chili and slaw, fruit, potato salad, chips, goldfish, pretzels, cookies, and yummy Elmo cupcakes. Cole's favorite was definitely the last course. =)

18. My dad was a WONDERFUL grill man! =)

19. Chase's favorite part of the day was definitely the Elmo balloons!

21. And little Meredith was great even in the heat. =)

24. Cole didn't act too happy when everyone sang 'happy birthday' to him. He couldn't blow out the candle with everyone staring at him. I don't think he cared for being the center of attention. =)

25. But boy, did he enjoy the cake (as did all the kids)!!!

29. Russell and Eliza liked the icing...

30. And even sweet Lily, who never seems to get messy, dug right into the cupcake. =)

31. Nana loved the cupcakes and the Elmo rings! Can you tell her cupcake was green?! (Check out her green mouth!) Nana, you're so cute!

32. Aunt Steph had to help Cole open his presents so he would open them all and not just play with the first one. =)

33. And this look says it all. Cole was TIRED and starting to have a melt-down by the end of the party. He was VERY ready for a nap (and some air-conditioning)! =)

Thanks so much to all of our family and friends for playing such an important role in our little boy's life! Thank you for your support, your encouragement, your playdates, etc! And thank you for making his birthday a special day! We love you all!!!

Chase is 6 months old

2011-07-28T17:44:00.000-04:00

As of yesterday, our little boy is 6 months old! I can't believe it! He has such a sweet temperment (most of the time - except when he's having tummy issues or is really tired). He's still a very 'smiley' baby and his favorite thing to do is watch his big brother! He had his 6-month check-up earlier today, and he did great with his vaccination shots. He cried, of course, but he didn't turn red/purple like his big brother did, and he recovered quickly. Way to go, Chase! =)

Here's a little more about Chase at 6 months:

Height: 26 inches (36%)
Weight: 16 lbs. 6 oz. (31%) (FYI - This is what he weighed a couple of weeks ago when I took him to the doctor because of his nursing/eating issues. The doctor doesn't seem terribly concerned because he has gained weight since his 4-month appt, but she wants me to bring him in again in a month for a weight-check.)
Head Circumference: 44.75 cm (78%)
He wears 9-month clothes and size 3 diapers
His 'cradle cap' (really dry scalp) has improved tremendously over the past few weeks. It's not really even noticeable any more. (I think coconut oil and Selsum Blue did the trick.)
He's been rolling over from his tummy to back for a couple of weeks now and does it all the time (especially when he's been laid down to sleep - and he won't sleep on his back!). He also rolls from his back to his tummy, but not as often or as easily. He loves to stand when someone is holding him, and he likes being in his exosaucer and jumper for 10-15 minutes at a time.
He's not quite sitting up on his own, but he's close. He can do the 'tripod sit' for a couple of seconds before he falls over. =) We'll be working on this more...
I fed Chase his first 'real food' (rice cereal) last Friday, and he's had it once every day since then. Because he lets his mouth hang open ALL the time, this has been a very funny activity. I don't know if he's really eating any of it because he seems to just let it fall right out of his open mouth! Today was the first feeding where I think he actually swallowed most of the food instead of just letting it slide right out of his mouth. =)

Chase, you are such a treasure and a blessing to me and your daddy! We love you so very much!!! And we thank God for you daily!

July Beach Trip

2011-07-25T14:05:00.001-04:00

Jamie, the boys, and I enjoyed a WONDERFUL trip to the beach with my parents and Nana. Cole rode down and back with my parents, and he stayed with them in their camper. Jamie, Chase and I slept well at a hotel about a mile away, but we spent our days at the campground. =) My family has been going to this campground since I was a young teenager, and it's a great place for families! Because Chase is still so young, the trip pretty much revolved around Cole. (Nana, THANK YOU for babysitting Chase so we could enjoy the pools and ocean with Cole!)

Our beach trip included: lots of swimming in the pools (and Cole jumping in the pools), playing in the ocean and sand (only a little because Cole's still not a huge fan of the waves), riding around the campground on the golf cart, watching a belly flop contest in the outdoor pool, going down the massive blow-up slide, feeding the swans and ducks, and eating lots of delicious food (of course!). My parents are great at camping, and they had all sorts of food for us for the week. We only ate out once - seafood, of course, and it was really good. With so much to do, Cole often had a hard time settling down for naps and bedtime. Thankfully, though, he only had a couple of minor melt-downs. There were a couple of days he ate little lunch because he was SO tired and was in bed for a nap by 11:20 (he's usually in bed by 12/12:30). He does great in his bunkbed in the camper. He loves his Mimi and Poppy so much, he could definitely live with them! How fun it will be next year to have the boys playing with and doing things with one another at the campground!!!

1. Chase has the most contagious grin!!! He makes us laugh!

3. My two handsome men, just chillin' outside the camper...

4. Cole LOVES riding in his wagon! How fun it will be to have both boys riding together next year! =)

5. Cole loved playing in his float in the pools! (Side note: He always puts his hand in front of his left eye whenever we're outside. He's done this since he was tiny... Maybe that eye is more sensitive to light?)

6. Chase is wodering, "Who is this brown man holding me?" =)

7. Cole couldn't quite make it to nap time. He was SO ready for a nap every day!

8. Cole and his daddy had lots of fun splashing and kicking and jumping in the pool. =)

9. This is the only picture of my mom on our trip - I promise she was there! =)

11. Another favorite activity was riding on the golf cart. (And look at the cool dude! Cole's new sunglasses kept him from putting his hand in front of his eye all the time.)

13. Kisses for Nana...

17. We played putt-putt one evening. This was Cole's first attempt at playing the game, so his Poppy helped him just a little. =)

20. One benefit of being the photographer is the lack of your own picture. =) =) =)

22. Cole liked Poppy's sand alligator. =)

23. We enjoyed feeding bread to the swans and ducks.

24. Cole was attempting to 'floss' Chase's... gums? (He doesn't have any teeth yet, but because Cole likes to simply put the flosser in his own mouth, he thought Chase might like it too.) =)

26. My dad makes the BEST burgers in the world!!!

27. Is the trip over already???

And as if I didn't have enough pictures already... Here are a few more that my dad/mom took...

Our Village

2011-07-23T13:19:00.000-04:00

I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful friends and family that God has placed in our lives! As I recently read on a friend's blog, it takes a village to raise children, and we are so very BLESSED to have a generous village! =)

1. 'Mama Sue' came for a visit. She hadn't seen Chase since he was tiny (well, he was never tiny - but you know what I mean!). =)

2. My sweet Nana just LOVES to hold her boy! (Chase has started to really suck on his lower lip - which he is sort of doing here.)

3. My sister brought a couple of friends over to play with Cole and Chase. Gabby turned three in February, I think, and she's so sweet!

4. Here is Gabby making a funny face...

5. And here is Cole trying to imitate Gabby with his own funny face! Aunt Steph had to help a little. =)

6. Cole LOVES his Aunt Steph!

7. Gabby's sister McKenzie (3 months older than Cole) wanted a turn in holding Chase. =) Those girls are so precious!

9. While I was attempting to give Chase a bath, Cole, McKenzie and Gabby ran half-naked up and down our hallway! Then they had to check in on Chase, of course. (They were still shirtless because we had removed their shirts while they ate messy pizza for dinner.) =) I wish I had gotten a video of them running cuz they were hilarious!!!

10. Cole's playgroup buddies (Lily, Joshua and Eliza) joined him at his new picnic table for lunch. So cute!

11. My 'brown sister' Tenika can always get a big grin out of Chase (as can everyone else, I think)!

Daddy's a wiener... I need some more dinosaurs... & Chase is rolling over!

2011-07-12T13:14:00.000-04:00

Instead of using the proper term, Jamie has taught Cole that boys have 'wieners.' This evening Cole somehow got on the topic of boys and girls. He doesn't really know how to differentiate between the two yet. (He often rambles about whatever subject comes to mind - this happens to be one of them.) But while he was talking through the words that he knew on the subject, he suddenly blurted out 'Daddy's a wiener!' Needless to say, we thought this was hilarious, and Cole joined in the laughter even though he didn't get the joke! =) Cole, you are one funny kid, and we can't wait to share these stories with you one day!

It's really fun to watch Cole and Jamie interact in the evenings. Cole LOVES his daddy and is so excited when he comes home!!! His favorite thing to do lately is to flip through the 'Answers in Genesis' magazines with his daddy and look for dinosaurs. It's hilarious to listen to Cole try to repeat the long dinosaur names (velociraptor, tyrannosaurus rex, etc.). After they finish looking at one page, Cole says, 'I need some more dinosaurs.' (By the way, 'I need some more...' is how Cole asks for more of anything.) So cute! =) Oh, and also in these magazines there are lots of pictures of animals and bugs, and there's one particular picture of a beetle that fascinates Cole. Every time he comes to it, he cries out 'spider.' In the beginning, that's what he thought it was. But now he knows it's a beetle, and he and his dad just go back and forth saying spider/beetle. Cole's giggle is so contagious when he does this (or anything silly)!

And I have to also mention... Chase is finally and officially rolling over. He rolled from his tummy to his back for the first time last week (at a little over 5 months old). I have yet to actually see him roll over yet, but there have been many times since last week that I lay him down on his tummy to sleep and when I check on him, he's on his back (usually smiling up at me with his feet in his mouth). =) I'm afraid that if he doesn't figure out how to completely roll from his back to his tummy soon (which he can almost do, except his arm is always in the way), then he's going to start doing this at night time. We'll see.

1. This is what Cole's hair looks like after he wakes up. =)

2. Chase is having fun on his activity mat... or at least he's having fun when I talk to him. =)

A Day at the Lake

2011-07-10T14:19:00.000-04:00

My family had a wonderful day at the lake last Saturday. And by my family, I mean, me and my 'men' (of course), my parents, Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Wanda, Gary, cousin Curtis, Aunt Patty and her daughters Amy and Megan. It took us about an hour to get there, and we arrived by 9:00 (and stayed until 7:30). We spent much of the morning and late afternoon in the water and on my dad's jet-ski (the early afternoon was nice and quiet while the boys were napping). =) As usual, my family packed loads of food for the day - so we ate well, played in the water, and had a generally relaxing day. It was WONDERFUL!!!

1. Cole LOVED riding on the jet ski with his daddy!

2. Splashing / swimming / playing in the water is always fun!

3. My cousins Amy and Megan enjoyed the day at the lake. I don't know what they liked best - riding the jet ski or on the float...

4. Aunt Wanda didn't mind a little drool when playing with Chase. =)

5. Grandpa likes a nice comfortable recliner...

6. L to R: Gary, Aunt Patty, Megan, Nana, Curtis, and Amy

7. Megan had a turn holding Chase...

8. Then it was Amy's turn...

__________________________________________________________________________

And I just had to share a few random pictures that my dad took back in May. Somehow I missed them, and they're too cute not to share...

(Chase's expression is saying, 'Cole, what are you doing???') What a silly boy! =)

Milk Allergy or Acid Reflux?

2011-07-06T21:01:00.000-04:00

I finally took Chase to the pediatrician on Tuesday. He has never been a good 'nurser,' and off and on he gives me a hard time when trying to nurse him. Well, he's gotten fussier and even harder to nurse lately, and I knew it was time for a doctor's opinion. The doctor seems to think that Chase either has a milk allergy (which, I thought when talking to her, meant that he was allergic to my breastmilk?) or acid reflux. Something is definitely going on because trying to feed him should be getting easier, not harder! The doctor wants us to try a special non-milk-based formula for a week and see if things improve. If they do, then I guess we're buying expensive formula for 7 months. If they don't, then I can go back to nursing him, and we'll try reflux medicine. So that means I have to pump for the next week before I know whether I need to quit or not. (And as a sidenote, can I just say that although I've really hated breastfeeding, now that I'm faced with the possibility of not being able to do it, I'm a little sad!)

Anyway, if you're reading this, please pray for Chase. Please pray that God would heal his little tummy - whether he's allergic to something or he's in pain with reflux. And please pray that I'll be able to let go and trust God. Either way - breastfed or formula-fed, he's in God's hands, not mine!

Nursing Monkey

2011-07-05T12:49:00.000-04:00

Ok, so we all know that children are wonderful little imitators. They watch us and mimic us, good or bad. Cole cracked us up the other day because he decided to 'nurse' his monkey (pronounced 'montney')!!! He sees me nurse Chase several times a day, and this was the first time he copied me. He sat down on the couch in my spot, made sure the pillows were behind his back, put my boppy pillow around his waist, pulled up his shirt, and put his stuffed monkey up against him! HILARIOUS!!! Cole, I'm sure this will be embarrassing to you one day when you're older and reading this! =)

He also made us laugh this morning when he decided to give both Jamie and me zerberts (that's what we call them - when we blow on someone's belly, making a fun noise). He doesn't do it exactly like we do, though, and he pretty much just spits all over our bellies! Cole, you're so fun!!!

Chase is also doing his fair share of spitting these days. That's his new favorite noise - not cooing, but spitting. =) And when Cole pays attention and notices that Chase is spitting, he, of course, has to join in. Chase has also really found his feet lately - he knows they're there, and he grabs his feet every time he's lying on his back now. I'm sure he'll be putting them in his mouth soon... Oh, and Chase hasn't rolled over yet, but he's really close. He hasn't rolled from his tummy to his back yet (which, I've been told, usually happens first), but he's so close to rolling from his back to his tummy. He'll roll completely over except his arm (which is usually in his mouth) is in the way. So he'll hopefully be rolling soon...

1. Because Cole wears a 'hat'/bowl on his head often, he thought he'd share with Chase. =)

3. There's nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby! How precious!

A Thankful Heart

2011-06-29T19:32:00.000-04:00

My heart feels like it is just bursting with thanksgiving today! I attended a women's Bible study this morning (and, by the way, it's wonderful to drop my boys off for 1.5 hours and know that they're in good hands while I get a break!), and it really blessed my heart. I am reminded so often lately (and not by God, I might add) that I am NOT a great mom and wife and friend. But it's days like today when I remember that God loves me despite my short-comings, and it's through HIS strength, not my own, that I should be living!

A song was shared this morning in Bible study, and I would like to share part of it... It's called 'Grace' by Laura Story...

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.

I see the things You do through me as great things I have done.

And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me

And hold me as my Father and mold me as my Maker.

You are so patient with me, Lord.

As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means.

The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary.

So, instead of trying to repay You

I'm learning to simply obey You

By giving up my life to You for all that You've given to me.

And I ask You how many times will You pick me up

When I keep on letting You down.

And each time I will fall short of Your glory

How far will forgiveness abound?

And You answer, "My child, I love you and

As long as you're seeking My face

You'll walk in the power of My daily sufficient grace."

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR DAILY SUFFICIENT GRACE!!!

1. Here are my adorable boys. Cole was, oh so sweetly, trying to push Chase out of his way.

2. I can't remember if I've mentioned this before... Cole loves to wear the plastic bowl as seen in the picture below as his hat. Unfortunately, his head is getting too big for it, but he shoves it on anyway and leaves red marks on his forehead. So funny! =)

3. Jamie looks tired (I wonder why!), but Chase looks like he's ready to go. =)

4. Cole loves my friend Miss Kathy (it sounds more like 'Biss Kaffy' when he says it). She was kind enough to include Cole when reading to her daughter Eliza.

7. Cole LOVES playing in the water these days! I stripped him to his diaper a few days ago, and he had a blast just splashing water around in a bucket. =)

8. Chase says, 'What's up?' =) If he's not grinning at you from ear to ear, then he usually looks like this - with his mouth hanging open. =)

10. Here's another favorite activity - Cole loves crawling through his blanket tunnel...

14. Our good friend Lily turned 2 this past weekend, and we had a great time at her birthday party. (Thanks, Sarah and Justin!) The kids had a great time playing on her new swing set and splashing in her water table. But they especially loved the end of the meal - when they all got to eat cupcakes! (From L to R: Lily, Brynn, Joshua, Eliza and Cole)

15. I just had to get a pic of Chase's shirt (Little Brothers Are Awesome)! Thanks, Papa Ed and Nana Lois - Chase looks adorable in it! =)

16. Something tells me Cole is going to be into hats...

17. I know this isn't a great shot because of the angle, and it's a little blurry... But I wanted to capture this moment. Chase usually enjoys lying on his activity mat and batting at toys. Well, Cole also enjoys lying down with him and trying to take the toys away! What a little goofball! =) I'm so excited for them to really be able to play together one day, but I can't say that I look forward to being the referee! This is going to be a wild ride!!!

I love you to the moon! & Fun with E.T.

2011-06-29T14:45:00.001-04:00

Since Auntie Steph has been telling Cole lately that she loves him to the moon, we've all adopted this saying. And Cole usually just gives his biggest grin when he hears it. Well, when Jamie put Cole down for his afternoon nap a couple of days ago, he told Cole that he loved him. And Cole loudly (or course!) responded back, 'I love you to the moon!' How cute is that?! Our sweet little boy! =)
__________________________________________________________________________
And on a very different note... A few of my girlfriends and I celebrated with my good friend Erin (E.T.) recently. She's getting married this weekend, so we had a 'bachelorette day' (we bowled, ate, watched a movie, etc.) a couple of weeks ago, and then we had a lingerie shower last weekend for her. It's definitely nice to have some girl time occasionally!!! We love you, Erin!

2. Erin, me and my goofy sister... =)

3. Yes, we all wore mardi gras masks for part of the day! =)

6. The lingerie shower was supposed to be like a slumber party of sorts, so we all wore pj's. (Thanks, Sneph, for letting me borrow yours.) =)

Chase is 5 months old!

2011-06-27T16:59:00.000-04:00

Our precious little boy Chase is 5 months old today! He's looking less and less like a little baby...
Here are a few little tidbits about Chase at 5 months:

He's wearing size 2 diapers and size 6/6-9 month clothes.
He's still exclusively breast-fed, but I'll be adding cereal to his diet sometime in the next couple of weeks. He nurses well probably 75% of the time - the other 25%, he still gives me a hard time and fusses. I'm still hoping this will get better...
Chase sleeps through the night only sometimes. I never know how long he'll sleep. I typically nurse him around 9:30 pm, and then sometimes he'll sleep till 6 the next morning, and other times, he wakes me up during the night (1am last night) and then again early in the morning. So it's still difficult to have him on a consistent schedule as far as napping goes because it really depends on what time he gets up. I'm SOOO ready for him to consistently sleep through the night, but I think I don't let him fuss as long as I did with Cole because I hate that his fussing at night also wakes Cole up. =(
Chase loves to sit or stand up when someone is holding him - he no longer sits back against you for very long.
His favorite thing to do is watch his big brother! His eyes follow Cole around ALL the time. He definitely gets a lot of entertainment! =)
He is DROOLING ALL THE TIME now. He cracks me up because he always has his mouth open (very much like his brother did), and his hands are usually stuffed in!
His grin is contagious, and he makes me laugh when he gets excited and wobbles around while grinning from ear to ear. =)

Check out how absolutely, positively adorable our little boy is!!!

Happy Father's Day 2011!

2011-06-21T13:09:00.000-04:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DADS READING THIS! =) Jamie, I truly hope you enjoyed your second father's day - your boys and I love you very much! And Daddy, you know I couldn't have asked for a better dad - I love you!!!

We spent part of Saturday and Sunday with my parents, and we always have a good time with them. Cole enjoyed the little pool on their back deck, and Chase enjoyed watching. =) I had good intentions of getting a picture with all of my men, but it never happened... At least we got cute pictures of the boys.

1. Don't you just love arm chub on little babies?!

2. This is how Chase gives kisses... Actually this is how Chase is all the time - his mouth is ALWAYS open! He is such a little drooler!

4. Playing in the pool is definitely a favorite activity these days!

6. Nana never gets enough of 'her boy.' =) (She loves that Chase is still small enough to sit and cuddle with her!)

7. Cole played in the pool in his 'birthday suit.' =) What a great day!!!

Musical Rocking Chairs

2011-06-19T16:00:00.000-04:00

We were at my parents' house last night for dinner, and Cole, being the hilarious kid that he is, absolutely did NOT want to share the little rocking chairs with his brother. My Aunt Wanda would try to put Chase in one of the chairs, and Cole would move quickly into it, blocking his brother from sitting in a chair. Thankfully Chase is too little to care yet, but I think we are going to have many battles in the future... (I've never posted a video before on my blog, so I hope this works.) =)

A personal confession

2011-06-19T14:27:00.000-04:00

I have a personal confession to make... I have a been a terrible person lately with a very bad attitude. I've felt hormonal ('baby blues'?) and sleep-deprived, but that is no excuse for my attitude or behavior. And I'm sure that God has been disappointed with my selfish ways. Instead of reflecing Christ and pointing others to Him, I have been self-centered and short-tempered. Instead of being compassionate and loving, I have been mean and easily-angered. How sad God must be when I wasn't acting at all Christ-like - what an awful example I've been to those who don't know Christ! I have been especially ill-mannered toward two close friends, and I am truly sorry for that. Please forgive me. I know that God's grace covers all sin, but it's hard to get back up and ask God for forgiveness and help and strength again and again. Will it ever get any easier?

God, I thank You for Your grace, Your unmerited favor, Your love and compassion! Please help me to die to my self daily and allow You to live through me!

"... My GRACE is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness..." (2 Cor. 12:9)
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His GRACE..." (Eph. 1:7)

Uh oh, bear.

2011-06-16T08:23:00.001-04:00

This morning Cole made me laugh (as he often does). When he threw a ball, it knocked over one of his teddy bears. He walked over to the bear, saying 'Uh oh, bear.' Then he gave it a hug and said, 'What's wrong?' How cute is that?!

He also makes me laugh when he says, 'I missed it,' after trying to hit a ball and missing it. (This, by the way, I much prefer over throwing himself on the floor and screaming after missing the ball - which he also does.) I'm absolutely amazed at how his vocabulary has progressed over the last few weeks! It's fun but also scary to have him repeating everything we say now! It's also cool to hear him not just repeating what we say, but also saying what's on his mind. =) This is really a neat age/stage for Cole because he's a lot of fun - the only downside to this age is the frequent tantrums...

Oh, and I have to add... Since my last blog post, I've been up during the night again with Chase. I was hoping we were through that, but I guess we're not yet... hopefully soon... =) I must say, though, that Chase is typically a really sweet baby. He is a much happier, smiley, not-as-high-maintenance baby than Cole was. And he absolutely loves to watch his older brother! So cute!!! =)

And one more sidenote: Thanks, Mama, for watching the boys on Tuesday! My mom was kind enough to babysit for most of the day so that I could have a little kid-free time on my birthday. =) I was able to go out to lunch and go shopping with Stephanie and Tenika and even go on a date night with Jamie. It was a nice day although I can't say I'm thrilled about getting older!

Our boys are so adorable! Here are some random pictures that my dad has taken lately. Some are from our camping trip and some are at home...

1. My parents have a sensor outside that displays the temeperature. Cole thought it might play music, I guess, and put it immediately into his ear. =)

Small Victories

2011-06-12T13:39:00.002-04:00

I am overjoyed that Chase has slept through the night the past 5 nights!!! YEAH! We put him to bed around 8:00 (sometimes a little before or after depending on when he woke up from his last nap). Then I get him up around 9:30 to nurse him (during which he's usually only semi-awake), and then he's back in bed around 10 or so. He has slept until at least 5:15 am the past several mornings, and there have been two mornings that I awakened him at 6:45 to nurse him! How awesome is that?! =) He's almost 4.5 months old, and I'm SO excited that he's finally sleeping longer!!! Sleep for baby means more sleep for mommy! =)

Yesterday I typed out a schedule for Jamie (because I had a day with my girlfriends planned, and he got to keep both boys). Here's a what a typical day looks like for me (although it can vary by an hour or so):
6/6:30 - Nurse Chase
7:00 - Breakfast for Cole
8:00 - #1 Nap for Chase (30 minutes - 1.5 hours... usually about an hour)
9:30 - Nurse Chase
10:00 - Snack for Cole
10:30/11:00 - #2 Nap for Chase (20 minutes - 2 hours... if this one is short, it's better because the next nap will be longer)
11:30 - Lunch for Cole
12/12:15 - Nap for Cole (1.5 - 3 hours)
12:30 - Nurse Chase
1:00/2:00 - #3 Nap for Chase (This nap is very dependent on the previous nap. He usually goes to sleep 1.5 - 2 hours after the last nap. And it can range from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on how long the last nap was.)
3:30 - Nurse Chase & Snack for Cole (try to stagger these, depending on who woke up first)
5:00/5:30 - #4 Nap for Chase
5:45 - Dinner for Cole and me
6:30 - Nurse Chase
7:15 - Milk for Cole
8:00 - Bedtime for both boys (Chase will stay awake for about 2 hours after his last nap before he needs to sleep again, so this time varies.)
9:30 - Nurse Chase
10:15 - Bedtime for Mommy =)

Our Camping Trip with one AWFUL night

2011-06-07T12:39:00.000-04:00

The boys and I went camping with my parents last week (in their camper, not a tent!) at Hungry Mother State Park in VA (yes, that's the name of it). We were hoping to stay Wednesday to Saturday, but we ended up coming home Friday evening. We were able to meet up with friends of my parents Deana and Walter (they're friends from college). We ate great food - as we always do with my parents - the weather was nice, and we enjoyed walking/hiking and watching Cole play on the playground. We had a great time - except for Thursday evening... It was AWFUL!!! We put Cole down to bed as usual, and he talked and rolled around for a while. Then I had to get him up because he had a dirty diaper. Well, then he went to PIECES! I mean, he threw the biggest, most ridiculous temper tantrum I have EVER seen. He SCREAMED and SCREAMED for 1.5 hours (from about 9 - 10:30pm). Finally I begged my dad to take us driving because I didn't know what else to do. Thank the Lord, that finally worked, and Cole went to sleep after about 15 minutes of driving. We were able to put him into bed after that. (I don't know if he was feeling badly or perhaps cutting his 2-year molars, or if he was simply overtired and couldn't calm himself down so he threw the biggest fit I've ever seen!) Unfortunately that meant we didn't get into bed until about 11:30, and I was up twice with Chase that night. Ugh, what a HORRIBLE night!!! I can safely say I will not be camping again with two small children anytime soon!!!

1. Cole loved riding on Poppy's back.

2. I told my mom that Cole looks like a little redneck child with no shorts on! =) He loved playing and splashing in the creek, and of course, he got all wet in the process.

4. Hanging out by the creek with Mimi...

6. Aren't my boys adorable? (Yes, even when they're terrible, and I'm exhausted because they won't sleep, I still think they're pretty adorable!)

8. Chase liked going for walks. He can even sleep in that thing!

10. The park had a great sand area by the lake. Cole would only go so far in the water because it was very cold, but he enjoyed splashing around and watching the teenagers run around.

12. Deana was sweet enough to entertain Cole for a while by throwing rocks in the water with him.

13. Ride that horsie, Cole! He would rock back and forth, saying, 'Cole's riding.' He would also want Poppy to swing so he could say, 'Poppy's swinging.' If Poppy stopped, he would tell him to it again. I wonder where he gets his bossiness from... =)

14. This was the first of what I'm sure will be many double wagon rides. Thankfully Cole didn't seem to mind Chase riding with him.

15. What a contagious grin Chase has!

17. My parents enjoyed seeing their college friends Deana and Walter again.

18. Cole went down the slide with Deanna's dog Lady.

19. And then he went down with Walter. =)

21. This was the best one of a couple of pictures - it's so hard to get a good picture with a toddler who's always on the go! =)

Picking Strawberries, Haircuts & Pools

2011-06-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

Jamie, my dad and I took Cole strawberry-picking for the first time recently (this also happened to be my first time ever picking strawberries). As you can imagine, the only picking that Cole did was out of our buckets to eat. =) I can't say I blame him, though, because I did my fair share of eating as well. It was a very hot day, but we had a good time - probably because we only picked for maybe 45 minutes. Then we ate some strawberry ice cream and cobbler to reward our hard work! =) What a nice day!

1. Cole loves doing just about anything with his Poppy!

2. The strawberry farm also had goats to pet although Cole kept his distance.

3. Sampling what his Daddy had picked...

6. Cole can be such a Daddy's boy at times.

7. Eating ice cream was a treat for Cole. =)

8. My Aunt Wanda was once again kind enough to cut Cole's hair. She had to work quickly because he's not so good at sitting still! Thanks, Aunt Wanda!

11. Playing in the water is the only activity we can do outside in the afternoons - it's much too hot for anything else!

14. What a sweet face!

15. Chase joined in the fun in the kiddie pool at my parents' house. He enjoyed chewing on Poppy's arm. =)

18. Cole, you're so precious!!!

20. Nana's always in on the fun. She just loves spending time with her boys!