Jumparoo

I forgot how babies at this age literally change daily. When Callie and I were gone last Saturday Shannon and Linda got out and cleaned up the exersaucer and jump thing. Chase liked them but really didn’t really know what to do. He just wants to put everything in his mouth and that didn’t work so he was mad. Last night when I put him in the jump thing, he loved it! I called it his jumparoo so Callie had to go downstairs to her jumparoo.

Siblings

Tuesday evening I was giving Chase a bath while Callie was outside with Shannon - usually Callie is the one giving Chase a bath. ☺ Callie came in with a surprise for me. It was a “flower” she had picked outside. So I guess she decided that she needed a surprise for Chase also. When I got him out of the bath she was waiting with something all wrapped up in her doll blankets. She wanted me to let “him” open it. So I held him in a sitting position while she guided his hands to open it to reveal her stuffed mickey mouse. She was crouched down beside him and said to him, “this was my mickey but now it is yours since I know you like mickey so much.” Talk about melting your heart. Chase thought mickey’s nose was great to chew on. Callie continued to want to “play” with Chase so I had him over by the front window and I said tell him about the humming birds. She was telling him how they were “so” cute. I said as cute as Chase and she said “well not THAT cute.” Got to love it!

Mother's Day Weekend Ramblings

Callie had her hair fixed and her dance recital pictures taken on Saturday. Then Maria and I had lunch and pedicures. Mom and Dad came down for the afternoon and evening. Sunday we went to Church with Shannon’s Grandma then to her house for lunch. We never make a big deal of mother’s day yet it seems like I remember them vividly. It was on mother’s day that we told Shannon’s family that we were pregnant with Callie. Two years ago I remember being at Shannon’s Grandma’s church and I was huge and uncomfortable counting down the days until I was due with Connor. So two years later we were at the same church and getting the same flower for mother’s day recognition but oh how our lives have changed in those two years. Last year on mother’s day was when Shannon and I found out we were pregnant with Chase. Talk about a day filled with all kinds of emotions. So all in all this year was a very uneventful mother’s day. However, Chase had had such a rough night that combine with a rough week and no progress on the stomach, eating, or sleeping fronts I decided to switch formulas. The doctor said that the extremely expensive hypoallergenic formula that he was on was the best for sensitive stomachs but I decided we had nothing to lose and went to walmart before leaving for church and bought the Enfamil AR formula that thickens in their stomachs thinking that it might help with the reflux. I was pretty much at my wits end by that point. He was so uncomfortable and unsettled. I was exhausted, stressed, worried, and could see no end in sight or anything that might it any better. It seems like the new formula might be helping. He actually seemed much better at first but I have thought that before just to have the bottom drop out so I am just trying to patiently wait to see this time. He slept better Sunday night and then even better Monday and Tuesday nights and was taking his bottles very well. Then Wednesday he was very constipated and fussy. We added karo syrup to his last two bottles. He had a very restless, fussy night Wednesday night but had a huge blow out first thing Thursday morning – guess the karo did its trick. Yet still we had a rough night last night so I am not sure what to think!!!!!!!!!

Callie's world

Callie's dance recital is the Saturday of memorial weekend.  I am learning a lot about all this.  Apparently, we are going to have our hair done for pictures next Saturday and then also the day of the recital.  Her costume is absolutely adorable.  She is to wear "stage makeup" and some with short hair even wear hair extensions!  After the recital there is a table for the florists to deliver flowers, balloons, etc for the girls.  I told Shannon this expecting him to have a fit.  I said we could order flowers or balloons or a stuffed animal - whatever.  He said why don't we just order all three.  Wow and we wonder why they are spoiled!

The dance theme this year is feel the love.    I couldn't resist taking her picture when she came out wearing the shirt and the rest of the garb she had put on.  We told her to hold her two fingers up!  She also scored some pop beads to make necklaces out of - I didn't even know they still made those.... of course I had to get them for her when we found them:-)  We are going to have a lot of baby proofing to do when Chase gets mobil!

All I've learned in almost 4 months

I've found my hands.  At first I just loved to look at them.  Then chew/suck on them while trying to fit both of them in my mouth.  In the last couple weeks though, I learned that I have thumbs - they are the best thing yet!  I love to smile a smile that takes up half my face and the laughs are coming more frequently now, for more people than just daddy.  I can hold my rattles - my favorites are the pig and chick.  I can grab onto things, like Callie's hair or the doctor's stethoscope.  I am currently intent on catching a flying mickey on my changing table.

It was funny the Sunday after Easter we went to Pizza Hut to eat after church.  Chase had just discovered his true love, his thumbs.  He was sitting in his car seat beside Shannon.  Chase spit passy out of his mouth and put his thumb in.  Shannon would take the thumb out and put passy in.  Chase would spit the passy out and put his thumb in.  They played this game for several rounds before Chase won and happily munched on his thumb thru the rest of the meal.

Step Up for SIDS 2009

This was our second year of participating in Step Up for SIDS in Connor's memory.  Joining me for our team this year was Grandma Linda, Grandma Peggy, Aunt Alisha, cousins Dylan & Rylan, and friends Jenny, Maria, and Martina with son Gabe (7 weeks).  Altogether we contributed $675 to the SIDS network of Kansas in Connor’s memory.

It was a wonderful time to actively remember Connor and all that he has meant to our lives.  We were so blessed to have him if only for a short time and we are blessed to have so many in our lives who love and support us as we learn to live without him.  God shows His goodness in many ways.  Everyone's support means so much.

The walk was great - I thought a little more of a fundraiser this year with less remembrance of the babies but still a great event.   The balloon release picture shows how lucky we were that the storms all held off.  We all went to lunch afterwards and then some of us shopped a little before heading home.  The find of the day for me was a gazing ball for Callie!

Great Grandparents

My Dad's Parents with Chase and the quilt she made him.

Easter

Shannon and I both had Friday off so the Easter bunny came Thursday night/Friday morning. Friday evening we went out to the mall to see the bunny himself. It was such a cute picture that I had to buy it - I've spent more on pictures since the first of the year! Saturday we went up to the Kincaid/Selma church Easter party. Rylan and Dylan met us there.  Callie was brave and did one of the kids games. She loved finding the eggs and looking thru her "goods". We went to Mom and Dad's for the rest of the day. Mom and Callie made a bunny cake.  Callie ended up eating an entire bag of Rylan and Dylan's gummy worms - we have never seen her eat candy like she did that weekend. Sunday we went to church and then to John and Linda's in the evening for Easter baskets and Shelby's 3rd birthday. Monday I had off but Shannon had to work. I had a very nice day home with Callie and Chase. It was one of the best days I have had staying home by myself (staying home alone with the kids since Chase was born has proven to be emotionally challenging for me). It was a very nice weekend. Callie said she had a great Easter and that she really loves holidays :-) I guess it was also Chase's first big holiday!