Monday, April 28, 2008

I am alive and Chase is 6 months today!

Sorry it has been so long- I have been out of commission. My Crohn's flared up and sent me into the hospital for a quick stay. Besides the occasional few hours in the wonderful ER this was the shortest hospital stay I have had. Thankfully this was the first time I have even felt an inkling that I was having a flare up in over a year. It was really difficult to be away from Chase for the first time and so unexpectectanly. To be honest the drugs helped to numb everything other than the urgency to camp out in the bathroom. But Ernie did such a great job having to play Mr. Mom for Chase, thankfully with the help of my mom and my aunt Mal, who had been visiting when we needed her the most. I am doing much better now and on the right track to stay healthy. I have to admit... I was having a real hard time losing the last ten lbs I wanted to since getting pregnant, and this did the trick! Bad, I know... But their is a rose at the end of the thorns!
On a much brighter note... My little man is half a year old! And he completely grew up in just the last 24 hours. Beginning with a sense of more awareness when he was playing with Ernie and followed by no tears when he got his shot today! My little boy is all grown up! He now weighs 18.6 lbs and is 27 inches long! I will have to get my butt together and post some more recent pics soon.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

The Joys of Motherhood and Milestones


Milestones... Every mother out there knows that in the beginning months and even years of life, milestones seem to consume our thoughts. And how can we help it? With all the baby books out there telling you what to expect and when to expect it, I find myself obsessing over things such as Chase being able to roll from front to back, but not back to front.

Sometimes I feel I read too much about how my baby boy should be sleeping, eating, rolling, smiling, staring, crying, socializing, napping, sitting, playing, drinking, smelling... Ok maybe not smelling, but you get my point? So far I have had a healthy obsession with watching Chase accomplish such small tasks that only a parent can see worth mentioning. Such things as finding his feet for the first time, or passing a toy from one hand to the other. And as for the tasks that he took his time on, I never began to worry because I have learned that my little boy has a big personality and he does everything in his own time and in his own way. Whether it is eating big boy food for the first time or looking down after he dropped his toy, every milestone is amazing.

The most recent milestone Chase has accomplished is protesting when a toy is taken away. Oh boy does he protest. Protesting is actually an understatement. Chase has a lovely habit of only tolerating a toy for 5-10 minutes max before he becomes frustrated and angry at it. Whether it is his jumpy seat, exersaucer, or a simple rattle. Eventually he begins to scream and we have to remove him or take it until he calms down. This wonderful habit is something I am certain he has gotten from his dad. In the past we take the toy and he calms down soon forgetting why he was so pissed. But here comes the new milestone of memory and the lovely tantrums that accompany it. I had to take a bottle of water away from Chase the other day when he began yelling at it for not being able to fully submerge it down his throat. This is when I got my first dose of Chase and his cute protesting milestone. First he did the silent windup and next he let out a God awful scream with the full on tongue quiver and shriek that makes your hair stand on end. Let me tell you, this is a milestone I could do with out. My sweet precious little baby boy is quickly becoming a little man with a personality that will knock you on the floor.

So as I clapped and cheered while taping him rolling over, eating his first foods, and everything in between, this will not be one you hear me bragging about. This post is more of a warning to everyone that I may in fact be one of those moms you see in the grocery store as my son drops limp to the floor screaming and crying while everyone around me looks in disgust. Optimistic, huh? I guess I should give him more credit than that. I could look at it like my son knows what he wants and goes after it. Here's to high hopes...


Saturday, April 5, 2008

Daddy and Chase


Chase loves his daddy so much that he insisted I made a post for all to see. I have learned that just because I am the one who gave birth to this little man, doesn't automatically make me his favorite. I have hard competition. Ernie has a special bond with Chase that only a great dad and son can have. I am so awed when I watch them together. The times when I hand Chase over to him to take over a task like feeding, or even just to play, I can't help but staying to watch. Ernie can get Chase to giggle in the bath even though bath time isn't one of Chase's favorite past times. The smile Chase gives to him when he sees him for the first time after he has been gone at work is priceless. From ear to ear he grins so big as his eyes light up the room. Ernie is also the only one who can get this fussy little boy to sleep in minutes by bouncing and rocking him the same way every time. Chase knows I am the best at coming up with new activities or things for him to enjoy, but when it comes to spending down time on the couch these two are best buddies. I thought I would always love Ernie for how great he is to me but I never knew I could love him even more for how great he is to our son.