Catching Up!

Well, it has been For-ev-er since I blogged about anything.  I guess it's not because there is nothing to blog about, I just can't seem to find the time.  I don't have much of a theme to my blogging, well, except for my pride and joy, Chase!!  He's growing so fast.  I try to write down the new things he is doing, but that gets so hard, too.

                                        Spring Recital at Daycare in the Bye-Bye Buggy                                          

                                             In the hall for the Tornado Warning during the recital

He'll be 15 months old on Sunday.  Just a few of the wonderful things he is up to these days:  

* Signs "please" and "more"

* Blows the sweetest kisses

*Can say: bubbles, thank you, dog, duck, quack,quack, and Dad's favorite "Touchdown" (well I think that is what he says with the football, it's pretty close)

*Eats with a spoon, but very,very messy

*Favorite food is still bananas, but a close second is mac and cheese

*Loves playing outside and in the dirt (all boy)

                                                                 At Old Post Park

                                                                Eating with his Spoon

                                                                    Enjoying a Ride

                                                     Let's see what this baby can do!!

Chase still has trouble with his ears even though he has tubes.  We've had to put drops in a lot in the past few weeks after he runs a fever, but it seems to clear up.  However, today he had drainage and his right ear looks yucky.  We'll have to take him to the pediatrician tomorrow.  Looks like he is in store for some suctioning.  Sounds like fun :(  On the bright side, he's not running a fever yet.

Other highlights of the past few months:

Our new niece Ryleigh was born on April 1st.  I had the chance to take some pictures when she was about a week and a half old.  She did so well; she's a beautiful baby.  I did get peed on, though.  But it's just cute when a little newborn does it.

I also jogged my first 5K on May 8th.  I have walked many 5Ks before, but this is the first I jogged the whole time.  I'm pretty slow, since I never really ran much in my entire life, but a friend helped me A LOT along the way.  Without her encouragement, I would have never made it.  I had a sinus infection the week before and didn't get to run any, so it seemed especially hard, but we FINISHED.  We plan on continuing to do more 5Ks and who knows how far we'll eventually go.  We also went to a wedding for a coworker that day.  Chase was sick and I could hardly move, but it was nice to see them tie the knot.

 

Mother's Day 2010: Motherhood keeps getting better and better.  I'm so proud of our little boy.  He is sweet, lovable, and fun.  His laugh just melts the heart.  I don't know what occupied my time before he came along, but now my time is just sweeter spent with him and my husband. 

We've been visiting a new church, Fellowship Bible Church, a non-demoninational here in Russellville.  My running buddy invited me, and we've felt very welcome.  My husband and I already know several people in the church.  It has been so hard to find somewhere to belong, especially when I am not from here and I'm Catholic and Robert is Protestant.  Chase has also done well in the nursery there.
 
I would also like to lift up some prayers this week: for my Uncle Bob who underwent surgery for colon cancer today, that he has a speedy recovery and that the Cancer is GONE! I pray that Chase gets better soon and can have a happy and healthy summer.  I pray that some special friends also get some healing power from God to help their recovery.  

Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for his mercy endures forever.
Psalms 106:1

Yellow

Chase is starting to get better and that means we'll start feeling better soon, too, I hope.  He's still on his antibiotics, but had a great day.  We've had a busy weekend. First, Daisy, our female lab, acted funny starting on Wednesday.  She worsened and finally got her to the vet on Friday.  She ended up with exploratory surgery and they found an infection at her uterine stump.  She had been spayed 11 days prior, and this was a complication.  She was at the vet all weekend on IV fluids and antibiotics, but got to come home today.  She's feeling much better, back to her rowdy self. 

I needed to take some pics for my photography class and Chase was my subject of course.  He's been so sick and the weather hasn't been great (except when I'm working), so we've had a hard time to fit it in.  After we knew Daisy was doing better, we headed to Wye Mountain on Saturday.  We met Mimi and G-aunt Linda there.  It was 7 acres of daffodils.  Here are a few pics:

I took about 250 pics, so to narrow it down was pretty hard.  He'll be ready to take some Easter pics next weekend!  We then got to see the Barrett Family for Hamburger night, the Saturday tradition. Chase just loves being around family.

Just another day in paradise

We have had a great couple of days, despite Chase running a low temp since Friday afternoon.  Friday, Robert and I had the chance to go out on a lunch date.  We don't get many of those anymore due to his schedule.  He starts outage on Sunday, working 72 hours per week.  It'll be mostly Chase and I on our own for the next 5 or 6 weeks.  It hasn't started yet, but I'm already ready for it to be over.  That afternoon was so nice, and we knew the weather was supposed to be bad the rest of the weekend, so we got out the bike trailer Robert gave me for Christmas.  I had to go buy a helmet, but they all were for ages 3+.  I was hoping it would still fit, being Chase has my big head, but it kept falling forward.  I guess I'll have to buy one online.  We went for a ride around our neighborhood, and Chase loved it.  He was asleep by the time we got home.

Saturday, I went out for a walk/jog at the trails with a friend.  We started training for a 5K in May.  I haven't jogged in years.  I haven't even worked out much since Chase was born.  Hopefully it will go smoothly without any injuries, especially no more stress fractures.  Chase still ran a fever all day, but he had a good time playing at home.  He loved having Daisy in the house to point at and say "Dax" (even though that's the wrong name), but he wouldn't get too close.  Chase's new thing is to blow kissess; he's been doing kisses for a while, but now he puts his hand to his mouth to "blow" them towards us.  He's just too darn cute for words.  

I've started a photography class at Tech.  I've got to get out and take some good photos, whenever I have time.  Hopefully next weekend will be nice.  I think this weekend is a bust with the cold weather and rain.  Chase is my subject, of course.  But I'm not sure what to do, I need to take some outside in some pretty scenery.  Guess we will have to see.

P.s. My bracket just got busted.....who seeds these teams anyway?

Ouch! Make that a Quadruple Ouch!

Another trip to the doctor's office today, but not because Chase was sick.  He was due for his 12 month well-baby visit and immunizations.  I think he has lost a little weight since he started walking all over the place. He weighed 22 lbs 1 oz and was 30 1/4 inches long, both in the 50th percentile.  Maybe I'll lose a little more now that I'm chasing him all over the place.  His ears are still clear, but we have to get some new ear plugs. Even Dr. P couldn't get them in right.  Then, dun, dun, dun, came in not one, but two nurses.  It took two of us to hold him down and then another nurse to give him the shots.  He had the first two in both legs and then I let go of him, thinking we were all done. But no, she had two more, one for each arm.  I thought two was bad, but four? That's just ridiculous.  But after it was done, Chase is such a trooper with shots.  He quickly got back to normal, running around the waiting room and flirting with all the ladies.  

Chase got sent home from Day Care yesterday for being too fussy and not acting like his normal self.  I noticed it that morning, he just wouldn't let you put him down for a second.  I realized what was going on later.  We had gone out to the baseball field to watch his cousin practice, and Chase walked around constantly for about an hour and a half, even going up and down bleachers.  I think he woke up so sore Monday, he didn't know what was going on.  Good ole DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, for those not-PTs).  After a couple of rounds of tylenol, he was as good as new.  Thanks so much to my mother in law for watching him Monday afternoon.

  

Big Boys at the Ball Park

No girls allowed in my room (except for Mommy maybe)

My uncle is fighting colon cancer. He's got a few more weeks of chemo/radiation and then surgery. Please keep him in your prayers.  He has an online journal to keep up with his progress at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/robertbarrett.  Even a blogger friend has sponsored a new campaign for "Team Robert" and getting t-shirts to go towards his medical bills.  You can find that info at http://notsosoccermom.com/?p=913.  She's a pretty experienced mommy blogger.  

                   Uncle Bob and I at my wedding

In other news: We have had some progress on our house plans, and should be working towards the final drafts soon.  Not sure when we'll start building, since Robert is in R.O. class and it is pretty demanding and stressful for the next 12 months. 

Later, taters,

Chrissy

Happy Birthday, Chase!

Chase turned One Year Old today, February 23rd, 2010. It's so hard to believe it has been a year already. He's come from a newborn, 7 lb 6 oz baby to a walking, talking toddler!  It's amazing the milestones he's achieved at this point.  He's now an efficient walker (except in big chunky boots) and his favorite words are Ma-ma (of course!), Da-da, Uh-oh, bye-bye, and ball which he started saying today.  He is learning some sign language like Please,  and he loves to dance to the Disney Channel.   His favorite toys are his little v-tech balls, big green ball, and football. He also loves plastic gladware.    He's got 8 teeth, four on bottom and four on top.  Chase loves to be "chased" by mommy and runs to daddy, laughing all the way.  He has had tubes in his ears for two weeks and seems to be doing well. He got a cold last week but it didn't turn into another infection, thank goodness!  Doc said his ears were clear. He got his first sucker which he wasn't happy when mommy took it away before he could make a big mess in the car.  We had his first birthday party on Sunday.  Many of our friends had the stomach bug over the weekend and couldn't come, but we had plenty of family and friends to help celebrate the big day! 

Waking Up from my Nap .... Surprise Birthday Party!

 

Playing some football to ease up to everyone

 

The Cake

Happy Birthday to Chase!!

 

 Making a little Mess

 

Yeah, Mickey came to my Party!!

 

And Violet, too!

 

  

 

Having some fun outside after everyone left

Chase also had a party at day care today. I took a disposable camera for them to take pictures with the cupcakes I brought.  They do such a great job taking care of him.  He has been hitting others though, so we need to work on that.  He's the youngest in the class, but he's learning to take care of himself so he doesn't get pushed around.  

Happy Birthday Chase and Many More!

We Love You, Mommy and Daddy

Chase got his tubes

The past week has been pretty busy.  We had a snowy weekend beginning on Friday, the 29th. Robert and I both went to work a few hours. Daycare was closed so Chase got to go to work with Momma, too.  He did pretty good, being entertained by the office staff.  That afternoon we went out in the snow. We put some boots on his little feet, but he was mad because he couldn't walk in big boots yet.  He didn't too much like the cold either.  Tried to get a few pics but we weren't out long.

 

I've had Enough!!

Friday, February 5th, Chase got ear tubes.  We were in Clarksville at 6am. It was very early for all of us.  Robert, my mom, and I were all there for Chase.  It wasn't too bad though. They gave him some medicine that made him silly and drowsy, and the whole procedure was about 15 minutes.  The doctors and nurses were great.  We went back as he was waking up and he was fussy for a little while since he didn't know what was going on, but he quickly snapped out of it and back to his ole self.  He took two good naps on Friday, and slept all night long without waking up!  YEAH!!!  We've been waiting on that for a long time. 

Like my new gown? 

 

This medicine is some good stuff :) I think there are two of you, Mimi!

Well, this coming week is sure to be busy.... Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, and planning for Chase's Birthday Party.  Got to get busy. Bye for now.

Chrissy

State of the Bradford Union

As the President's State of the Union Address is on, I thought I would finally write my first blog post. I never watch those speeches, always empty promises. Our union at our house is headed in the Right direction. It is led by Chase, a happy little 11-month old toddler (he's officially not a baby anymore!) Chaser has started some pretty cute things this week, always learning. First, on Sunday, he started winking his right eye. Daycare says he's also been winking at all the ladies there. Already starting to be a little flirt. He also showed us his first sign language response. I have to admit I haven't been practicing much with him at home on signing like day care wanted us to. But when we got home a few minutes early on Tuesday, we played a little and then he started signing "i'm hungry" by patting his tummy. I told Robert that he was signing, and then Robert asked him if he was hungry and then he started patting his tummy. I know they have been teaching him that at school, I just didn't expect him to do it so early.


Chase will be getting ear tubes next week. I was hoping he wouldn't have to have them, but he has been so miserable since November with one ear infection after another. I know he'll feel a lot better afterwards, and we'll even have a happier baby. He's still pretty happy, until about 6:50 pm and we know it's time for bed. He's been having some rough nights sleeping, but did better last night. I wish we had the 12 hour sleep nights back; hopefully they will return after he gets his tubes.

Chase is growing so fast. He's walking all over the place, now choosing to walk over crawling most of the time.  He can even stand himself up from the floor without holding onto anything else now.  He's had a lot of firsts in the first month of 2010, including his first haircut. He definitely needed it, but it made him look so much older.  I can't believe he's going to be 1 year old next month!