A few shots

When Addison was a baby, my camera was attached to my hip. I've always heard the second child never has as many pictures as the first and now I believe it! I am going to try to be better about photographing Chase more often. Here is one attempt. I need to play around with my camera A LOT more.

Weight update

Chase weighed 15lb. 6oz. (with diaper on) today at the doctor. He is a BIG BOY!

Holding his bottle

I caught Chase holding his own bottle the other day while our sitter, Jenny, was feeding him.

Addieisms

Getting Addison out of bed in the morning

A: Where's daddy?
M: He's at work, honey.
A: Oh, where's grandma?
M: In the shower. How about you say "hi momma, it's nice to see you this morning".
A: Can you hold me? (expecting my answer to be no because I can't pick her up yet.)
M: Yes, of course. Let's get in your chair.
A: OHHH, that would be GREAT!
(We sit down) A: Hi momma. Nice to see you morning.

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Put Addison down for a nap and forgot Wrigley was under the bed. Went to her room to get him. I had just eaten a handful of goldfish. She smelled it on my breath and asked, "What do you have in your mouth?" I opened it to show her it was empty and said "Nothing." And she says, "I want some goldfish!"

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While Addison was acting her usual animated self at dinner one night:

Me: Addison, I'm going to put you in acting classes, okay?
Addison: (gasp) Ahhh, YOU AAARRRRRRRRRE?

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The next two aren't really "isms", but it just goes to show how perceptive Addison is.

Addison and Dustin were giving Chase a bath. Chase spit up on Dustin's shirt. Addison, unprompted, went into our bedroom, pulled open Dustin's t-shirt drawer and brought him a clean shirt. I have no idea how she knew his shirts were in that drawer and think it's pretty amazing that she thought to do that in the first place!

My mother-in-law was in Chase's room opening a new box of diapers. Addison came back with a pair of (sharp) scissors that she retrieved from one of my bathroom vanity drawers. She knew those scissors were there. They have since been moved to a high shelf in our linen closet!

My Addie girl being...well...Addie!

Love you, Em!

Happy Mother's Day!

This Mother's Day was twice as nice this year thanks to my brood multiplying by 2! Addison painted me a sign (pictured above) and Dustin cooked up some yummy french toast and fresh strawberries.

Dustin got himself The kids gave me a remote control. Actually, it's really nice. It's an all-in-one and makes operating all our electronic components much easier. They also gave me a new, beautiful, shiny...MacBook Pro, which was subsequently returned. I am notorious for returning really nice gifts that Dustin takes the effort and spends time he doesn't have to get me. Don't get me wrong, I love all the gifts he gets me, but I just have a really hard time keeping them because I know the money could be used in a more practical manner. I really, really, really do want the MacBook, but I figure by the time I actually get around to using it (if that would ever happen...I mean, life isn't getting any less busy!), they will come out with something better. Thanks, honey, for being so sweet!

Our attempt at a picture of me with my TWO precious children.

I was lucky enough to celebrate this special day with my Mom, as well, as she and Phil were up visiting/helping out that weekend. The girls went to church while the men stayed home with a napping Chase. It was a very nice morning. Addison is such a good girl in church. She always does something that makes us giggle, like loudly bless someone when they sneeze or point out that someone is coughing. This week, she thought our deacon was Jesus. We sat in the front row and she kept pointing at him saying, "Look, there's Jesus!"

She loves to do the sign of the cross (though she mostly does it with her left hand) and is obsessed with Holy Water. She often blesses herself with her water (or milk) when we are sitting down for a meal.

Mom, Me and the kiddos.

I hope every mother, mother figure, Godmother, and mother-to-be had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Happy 30th Birthday, Daddy!

We made Dustin a German Chocolate cake and my friend, Abby, brought us some cupcakes (Addison's favorite!) She thought they were for her, so we gave her one with a candle in it.

Opening Daddy's gifts, of course. It was HER birthday!

Flowers

Last year, my sister (Addison's Aunt Lori) decorated a planter and planted flowers with Addison. Addison loved watering them (and occasionally picking them). They did it again this year. Addison had even more fun and has been taking great care of them. Thanks, Aunt Lori!

Daddy and Addie

Daddy and Addie before heading to cousin Aaron's 3rd birthday party.

She loves her Daddy!

And I love her hair. Seriously, I'm very jealous of her beautiful, silky, golden locks.

3 Months Old

It's hard to believe that my little man is already 3 months old (on 4/29). Time is flying and we are having so much fun with him! I might be biased, but I think Chase is the best baby ever. He has a very mild disposition. He is calm, content, patient and extremely cuddly. One could go days without hearing him cry. If he is fussy, it's usually because he's tired, but he is on a pretty regimented sleep schedule, so he really never has a chance to get to the overly tired state.

He also has a little temper at times when I make him stop eating to burp. This is because he is a PIGGY! At 3 months, he is nearly 14 pounds. He eats about 7 1/2 ounces, 5 times a day. We alternate between nursing and bottle feeding (mostly breastmilk, though my surgery had a small impact on my production so we are supplementing formula). He will rarely take a pacifier. (I think he figures if he's going to suck on something, it better have milk coming out of it!) He is in size 2 diapers and mostly wears 3-6 month and 6 month clothes.

Chaser (Addison's favorite nickname for him) is a great sleeper (still mostly sleeping in his car seat - darn reflux!). He began sleeping in his room at about 2 1/2 months. Since then, he's been sleeping 10-11 hours at night (from 8pm-6 or 7am), eats, and goes back down until 9 or so. He takes a 1.5-2 hour morning nap and a 3-4 hour afternoon nap, then a short cat nap in his swing while we eat dinner. Every day is pretty much the same. He is very predictable.

For me, the best part about this age is the cooing, babbling, smiling, and giggling. He has the sweetest little voice and loves to "tell you a story". He is becoming a social butterfly, just like his sister. I think I have 2 big-time extroverts on my hands! He lights up when anyone talks to him. I must say, if it's been a couple hours since he last saw me, as soon as he lays his eyes on me he gives me the biggest smile. I don't know how much my heart can take of it!

Chase loves ceiling fans, balloons and bathtime. I wish I could give him 5 baths a day because he is so darn cute in his little tub....smiling the entire time. He also adores his big sister so very much and she loves to entertain him. She is a big help. She retrieves bottles and diapers and bibs and burpcloths and plays with him during tummy time. She is constantly telling Chase that he is "precious" and "sooooo cute". She enjoys telling people about her little brother. "Look at my little brother. He's so precious!", she'll say.

Addison is typically very trustworthy around Chase, though I now know that I have to keep a more watchful eye on her. A couple of weeks ago, I left my bedroom for a brief period of time while Chase was laying in his car seat. A couple of minutes later, Addison came downstairs to tell me that she got Chase out of his car seat. I ran up to find him laying face down on the floor. Not crying, mind you - just contently laying there. I said, "Addison! What happened?" and she said "I dumped him." I guess she just tipped the car seat over and out he went. Thankfully he wasn't hurt and I think we both learned our lesson!

I could go on and on about my sweet boy. He is changing so much and I fall more in love (with both of my children) with each passing minute.

Enjoy the pictures from his 3 month photo shoot!

Last, but certainly not least....MY FAVORITE PICTURE!