Showing posts with label Chase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chase. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
The end of the bottle
Chase is nearing the end of the bottle era. Both our pediatrician and dentist recommend eliminating the bottle shortly after their first birthday (definitely by 15 months), so it's been in the plan but I wasn't quite sure how I was going to work it.
As it turns out, after our dentist appointment on Wednesday, I decided I would no longer give Chase a bottle at bedtime. The dentist didn't have a problem with continuing the bedtime bottle, but stressed the importance of brushing Chase's teeth after the bottle. We always brush right after bath and I like to get everything put away and cleaned up before we go to his chair to cuddle, read and get the bottle. So, rather than having to take him back into his bathroom to brush his teeth once he's all settled for bed (brushing his teeth isn't the most calming thing, per se) I decided to just NOT GIVE HIM THE BOTTLE! Tough love, baby! Honestly, he didn't seem to mind one bit. It made mommy sad as it's just another sign that he's growing up, but it's for the best.
So, March 1 was his last bottle before bedtime, which left 2 bottles at each nap. (Oh yes, he has been back on 2 naps for a few weeks now, with the exception of maybe a day or two a week, due to our schedules. I guess the "one nap a day" was short lived!) Anyway, on March 3, he gave himself his bottle before heading upstairs for his morning nap and as of today, March 4, he took no bottles at either nap time (he refused). So, I guess I'll start putting milk in his sippy and see how that works. We could very well be off the bottle within a week or so!
I just looked back to see when Addison was off the bottle. This whole time I thought it was right after her 1st birthday, but it turns out her last bottle was a few days prior to January 7th, which would put her just over 13 months. Funny how Chase is just over 13 months now and we are eliminating the bottle. I definitely didn't plan it this way.
This all made me recall a book we own, titled Let Me Hold You Longer. It's a tear jerker so I don't make a habit of reading it too much, unless Addison requests it. It's a book that encourages parents to savor not only their children's "firsts"—like first steps and first words—but the "lasts" as well. Most of us (I know I do) tend to rush through our children's lives, excited to reach the next milestone. But in doing so, we often miss their "lasts". Those lasts are so bittersweet, aren't they?
With that being said, I snapped a couple of pictures of Chase yesterday drinking what will ultimately be one of his last bottles ever.
For whatever reason, my heart aches a bit when I look at these...
While I realize that it's such a wonderfully amazing gift to be given the chance to raise and nurture a child through infancy and adolescence and into adulthood, I'll always miss my babies. I'm sure the nostalgia when I think of every stage of my children's lives will never completely fade. I am very thankful to have had this outlet to document it all!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day from Chase
You know me, I have a hard time choosing which photos to post. I love all of these of my sweet little man!
Those green/blue/hazel eyes! What color do you think they are?
My smooooooshy face!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Chase naps - again
UPDATE: (2/13) Chase has taken 2 naps a day since this post.
I decided to put Chase down for a nap this morning while Addie was at school because 1) he was up at 7am and 2) I needed a nap, myself. He fell asleep in my arms at 9:05am and I had to wake him at 11:15 to get sissy from school. I then put him down at 1:40 for what I was hoping would be an afternoon nap. He fell asleep at 2 and is sleeping as we speak (3:30). Now I'm all confused as to what to do. You would think I'd have this down pat by now.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Chase's stats at 1 year old
24lb. 12oz. (75%) and 31 inches (80%). Dr. B. says Chase is looking great. He got 3 shots and was so caught off guard that he couldn't even outwardly cry. He held it inside the whole time. It was SOOO sad.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Chase - 12 months
It's hard to believe my little boy is 12 months old. He has really developed such a huge personality. He has stolen all of our hearts and complements our family perfectly. Our sweet Chaser.
Here's a little recap on what the munchkin has been up to lately.
His vocabulary currently consists of: Mama, Dada, Ball, No, and Duh (Done). He can also sign "all done". Well, it's sort of more like hand flailing, but it's definitely intended to mean "all done".
He's a big eater. Each meal takes anywhere from 20-40 minutes as he plows through his food. He loves fruit, especially pears, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and mandarin oranges (LOVES THESE). He also loves avocado, cheese, meat, salmon, bread, eggs, peanut butter, beans (green and black), crackers, and pasta. We started him on whole milk and he can't get enough. He still takes 3 bottles and I limit them to 7 oz. each. If I didn't, I think he would just keep drinking that milk! He's been doing great on a sippy of water and gets really excited when he sees me filling it up.
He's pretty much down to one nap a day. Every once in a while I'll try him on two naps. He'll always fall asleep for his morning nap and then it's half and half on whether he actually falls asleep for his afternoon nap. He'll stay in his crib for 2+ hours if he doesn't fall asleep, which is nice for me to maintain my "mommy time" as they both nap (or in his case - rest), but I don't think we're going to try for the 2 naps anymore. If I put him down for 1 nap, he'll sleep 2 1/4 - 3 1/2 hours, and though I can tell around 10am that he could easily fall asleep, he gets a second wind and does just fine (a little more needy/clingy) until his 1pm nap.
He goes to bed around 6-6:30pm and sleeps for 13-14 hours.
He wears a size 4 diaper and mostly 18 month or 18-24 month clothes, though he's kind of all over the board with clothes, depending on brand and style. He can still fit into a few GAP 12-18 month onesies, but they're getting difficult to snap. His 12-18 month GAP Jeans are flooding on him but 18-24 month need rolled up. I actually had to put away an 18-24 month Gymboree romper the other day, as well as two size 18 month Carters Rompers.
He wears a size 5 or 5 1/2 shoe. If he were walking, I think the 5 would be best but I went ahead and bought a pair of 5 1/2s recently because I know he'll be grown out of the 5s shortly.
It is extremely difficult and frustrating to change his diapers and clothes. No one likes to do it. Enough said!
He has 8 beautiful pearly whites. His front two teeth may or may not end up gapping due to his oral frenulum but I am actually leaning towards not.
He is starting to sit still for books and especially likes the "touch and feel" ones.
He loves to play peek a boo. He prefers balls and cars/trucks to most other toys. Though, if his sister were a toy, she would be his favorite one. :)
He is standing a lot and starting to walk behind things.
He LOVES kisses. If he is being kissed, he leans into it and seems to take it all in. He also reciprocates with mouth-wide-open, slobbery kisses. He giggles and smiles all the time.
He has a lovey. It's a brown owl, made out of a microfiber material. Over a two week period, I introduced him to several potentials (taggy blankets and other lovies) and this one was the winner. (Congratulations, Emily!) He clings onto it while sleeping (a lot of times he lays on it). The only bad thing is that he sucks on it, so it gets a little stinky. I have been known to wash it daily and sometimes twice a day!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Houston, we have a problem.
Chase hates, hates, HATES being on his feet. He pulls up and once he's there, he stays for a long time because he doesn't know how to get down, but getting him to stand is not easy. And walking is even worse. He won't walk holding our hands or behind anything unless he has to (in other words, if the thing he is holding onto starts moving!)
Honestly, I think he mainly lacks confidence. He has pretty good balance and can stand on his own (unknowingly) for 20 seconds. I know he'll go at his own pace and that's completely fine. It has just caught me off guard. Addie was cruising by 10 months and walking on her own at 13 months....and she was a pretty early preemie. Dustin is rumored to have started walking at 8 months :), so I thought, while always taking into consideration his prematurity, Chase would be on the earlier end, too. I was wrong. I'm beginning to think that maybe he's a little too laid back!
This is about the best we've done so far. Poor guy is miserable!
I absolutely LOVE the end of this one when he is saying "no" and shaking his head.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Chase's FIRST Birthday Party!
We had such a fun time throwing Chase his first birthday party ever. We chose a snowman theme for our jolly little fella.
We decided to give our house a break and host the party elsewhere. The fact we were expecting around 70 people made this much more appealing! We found a great community room at one of our township parks.
It was nice to have it outside the house, but the prep work was a little more challenging. I spent weeks sorting supplies and decorations into bins and carefully planning the menu.
My main focus was the dessert table. It didn't turn out according to plan due to some inexperience in the preparation of a few of the items. For example, did you know that if you want to make "lollipop cookies", you need to bake them with the skewers in them? Yeah, me either!!! However, even given the few mistakes that no one else would know about but me, it was pretty cute! Dustin worked hard making our pretzel snowmen and marshmallow snowmen.
All of the food was snow-themed and turned out great!
A week and a half before the party, our friend, Andrew, passed away. He left behind a wife and two young children (ages 2 and 3 months). A family support fund was set up for the children and I asked our attendees to consider donating to the fund in lieu of gifts. Though it doesn't even begin to compare to what Brooke, Aiden and Addison have lost, we collected some very generous donations and it felt good to send that money in the next day.
I was really excited about our craft tables. We had a play dough table, a sand table where the kids could fill a snowman bottle with different colors of craft sand, and a coloring table where the kids could color in a gift bag. They could then go to the bins and fill their bags full of favors, all snow/winter themed, of course. :)
Addie, Grandpa, Grandma and Chase
Chase and his Gammy
Chase, Gammy and Faith
Beth and Andrew
Poppy, Matt, Beth and my future Godson, Owen!
Addie, Faith and Gammy
Family picture with the birthday boy
Thanks to all of our wonderful friends and family for showing so much love for our Chase. We had a great day celebrating his first of many, many, many birthdays!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
