Daddy

In honor of Father's day tomorrow, here are some pictures of my two favorite men in the whole world!!!!!!!! Happy early Father's day Chad!!!!! What a wonderful example you are to Chase!!!! I guess Chase maybe gets that tan skin from his Daddy. Chad looks pretty tan in this photo as well.

I couldn't resist. Chad loves it when Chase naps with him in the recliner. And I just love it when Chase actually naps. :)

Guess what????????????

Drum roll please..................if you guessed that Chad and I are expecting again then you are CORRECT!!!!!!! I've been hesitant to post anything about our pregnancy this time, for many reasons, but it's time. I am 15 weeks along now and we are also proud to announce that we are having our third BOY!!!!! Yep....that's a perk of seeing a high risk OB doctor....we have had 5 ultrasounds already. And Dr. Wheeler, at the Fort Wayne Perinatal Center , was able to tell us on Thursday that we are having another boy!!!! We assumed that we would have another ultrasound at our visit this week but never did I imagine that he would be able to tell us the gender. It appears that we will be having an ultrasound at each of our visits this time around...which is pretty fun actually.


We found out around Easter that I was pregant and to say that we were SHOCKED would be an understatement. Chad and I knew that eventually we would try for another baby but in the couple months before Easter had decided that it would be best to wait a while. Well I guess God had a different plan in mind for us, and actually I am very grateful for it. We never wanted another pregnancy to be our timing, only HIS, and that's exactly what happened. Funny how that works huh?

At first, and some days still, I wanted to just hibernate for 9months and tell no one our news. Not because I don't feel blessed or incredibly lucky to be carrying another miracle, but because of our history of course. For me it would just have been easier to hide out and keep our secret tucked away in my head. Well apparently my belly didn't forget how to strecth out even earlier this time, and I wasn't able to "hide it" any longer. I was starting to show so it was time. And I knew that lots of people would add us to their prayer list, and they have!!! It's amazing how many people have told us that we are in their prayers. AMAZING!!!

So, here we are, 15 weeks along and so far everything has gone very smoothly. We feel very comfortable in the care of Dr. Wheeler, who came highly recommended by the way, and keep getting good news at each appointment. Dr. W is actually with Women's Health Advantage in FW, which is who I see anyway, but he takes on women who are high risk. We knew that we would see him next time around and have not been disappointed. Truthfully, so far I don't ask many questions to him right now, all I need to know so far is that everything looks great. And Chase gets a sucker at each visit (two this week actually) so I think he's been pleased so far too.

My actual due date is somewhere around December 7 or 11, but Dr. W told us that I will not go that long. I assume as we get closer to that time, Dr. W will keep us informed on when will be the perfect time for our little boy to join us. Let's hope I can keep my sanity until then!

So for your viewing pleasure, here is a picture of our next BOY, who will in fact have a name that starts with a "C" just like everyone else in his family. But for now we haven't totally decided for sure on what it will be so we'll keep you guessing. We have it narrowed down to 2. And don't ask me to explain this picture to anyone, I can't tell where anything is, I just took Dr. W's word for it when he said "Well we are looking between the legs(then he pointed) and there is the offender!"

Tim McGraw/Lady A concert

Oh yes folks.....I got to go see Tim McGraw/Lady Antebellum in concert this past Thursday night. It was AWESOME!!!!! Chad and I have seen Tim many times but it was very cool that Lady A opened for him this time. And oh man is that Tim McGraw H-O-T or what?!?!?!?!? Where was Chad you ask? Well it's a sore subject with him......he was supposed to have a basketball tourney that day at Purdue so when we got the tickets he didn't think he would be able to go, but then the games were cancelled! He was pretty bummed that he had to stay back. However, the same tour will be in Cleveland in August so we might try to go again!!! Cheri and Cara....loving the music!!!

Betty and her friend, Lana, also loving the concert

Lady A

Lady A

And here's the hot man himself.....TIM MCGRAW!!!!! My camera isn't the best and we weren't super close so I don't have the best pictures......but I WAS THERE!!!! So fun!!!!

Ok...funny story. This man, who was a couple seats over from us, was wearing EAR PLUGS! Excuse me sir, you are at a CONCERT!!!! Why in the world would you wear ear plugs? And I think he left early too! Crazy!

So here's Betty and Cheri calling him a "loser". I apologize if he had something wrong that he actually needed the plugs, I'll feel bad if that was true.

More Tim

I hope we do in fact get to go again in August!!! He puts on one AWESOME show! Now getting out of the Verizon center in Indy after the concert is NOT something I enjoy however. It takes FOREVER!

Splash Pad and no longer scared

Chase has over come his fear of the splash pad. The last couple of years he wasn't even close to running in the water, especially if there were other kids. Last weekend we went and I just figured he'd look at it and want to leave. I was wrong! He had a blast!!!!!!!! Other kids? He didn't care at all! So we went back this week and I remembered my camera! If you live in this area, I highly recommend you check it out, and it's FREE! I don't love that it's just a huge cement pad, I wish they would have chosen something else for the kids to run around on, but otherwise it's great! I had Chase wear his water shoes this time and I think that worked better. We were the first ones there so here's Chase checking it out.

more running.....he didn't stop!

Can I get some friends please?

Being silly!!!

Having a snack in the HOT sun. Aren't you jealous of his tan? Seriously! I want it too! BTW...those water shoes.....$5 at Dollar General.

ONE

Last we made a cake for Colten's "one year birthday". I was late in getting it done but it was something I wanted to do. I hope someday that Chase will look back at these photos and understand that his little brother still had a very special birthday!!! And Chase LOVES cake, well lets be honest, so do I!!!! Happy ONE year, angel! Chad, Chase holding Colten's bear, and Cara

Chase holding up #1

putting sprinkles on the cake

Friends

Here is a picture of Chase and Pauline, our neighbor. She is so awesome to Chase. If she is outside, he's running over to see her. Recently Chase "helped" her mulch her yard. She loaded the mulch into his gator and he drove it around to the back of her house where she was working. It worked out great for them both!!!! In this picture, I believe they are having lemonade and grapes. One day we went outside and Chase said "I need to go see my Pauline". So cute!!!!!

Helping Daddy

Two days in a row blogging for me....that's a record I think! Chad and Chase put together a shelf for me today and I snapped some pictures. It probably took twice the time because Chase was "helping" but it was so cute to watch. Chase actually did pretty well helping Chad. He kept saying "we are building a house" and then he'd correct himself and say shelf. He could fit nicely in the openings before the sides/back was put on. Enjoy!

using the screwdriver

excuse my shoes in this picture

almost done

The finished product. We don't have an office in our house and everything(mostly junk I guess) that I would normally put in a desk needed a home. I had a file cabinet that I was using but didn't want that in our living room so sold it at a garage sale and bought this shelf. I LOVE the cabinet that our computer is in, so now it has a friend.

By the way, the shelf/bins are from Target. It would work great for toys in a child's room too! Maybe I'll have to get another one????

He's almost 4 folks!

This little(not so little anymore) man of ours is quickly approaching his 4th birthday!!!!! He is an absolute joy to us (I can say that right now because he's napping!), no really, I thank the Lord everyday that He chose me to be Chase's mommy. It's the best/most challenging job I've ever had! What a miracle he is!!!! I can't believe everything he's learned in the last year. Some fun facts about Chase right now.

**He LOVES puzzles. He's mastered the 24 piece ones so we need to look for some bigger ones

**He still HATES to have his finger/toe nails clipped! Oh I can't tell you how much of a struggle this is in our house. He wants his feet covered at all times! He is getting better about going barefoot now that the weather is warm but always wants socks on when napping/bedtime.

**He is quite the gentleman! When we get ready to go somewhere, he wants to open our doors for us. It's so cute and something I think he needs to learn anyway so why not start at age 4?!?!? He also compliments us a lot. "I like your shirt mommy. I like your hair mommy." He usually wants to wear the same color of shirt that we are wearing too. Most of the time I just let him pick out whatever he wants to wear(because he doesn't like what I pick anyway), unless we are going to church or somewhere nice that I would prefer he match.

**He LOVES chicken nuggets. This kid can take em down! And he always asks for them if given the choice. He can eat a 10 piece from McDonald's! Not sure I should actually admit that or be proud of it. He is getting better about trying new foods but if given a choice he'd pick nuggets!

**Is wearing 3T clothes. I think he weighs around 32-34lbs but has the skinniest little waist there is, so he is now in 3T clothes. He's never been very big or grown fast so I think this is just how he will be. We'll see how he checks out at his 4 year visit.

**He LOVES to play outside and ride his gator. He has also learned to ride his tricycle this year. If our neighbor is outside he's at her house. I hope to get some pictures of them soon. It's SO cute to see them together. Her name is Pauline, she's retired, and has the most beautiful yard/flowers I've ever seen so she's out a lot. He's talked her into buying some m&m's so he can have some at her house. They also snack on popcorn, pretzels and have lemonade to drink. He just waltzes right over and goes in her house if the screen door is open. She has a riding lawn mower that he likes to sit on also.

**Is about to give up nap time....I think. Mommy and Daddy aren't quite ready for this because we enjoy some peace and quiet for 2 hours in the middle of the day, but not sure naps are going to be the norm for much longer. When at daycare, he rarely takes a nap so is usually ready for bed around 7:30-7:45 so that works out fine. But if we are home or it's the weekend he usually still takes one. If he doesn't fall asleep he at least has to play in his room, I would say quietly, but I'm not sure he knows the meaning of that word. :)

**He doesn't miss a thing! My grandma Kessie would be proud of this first story.

We try not to let Chase say "butt", we prefer "bottom". One day we were in the car and Chad was on the phone to a friend and he said something about "kick your butt" (or something like that) and Chase right away says "Mommy...Daddy telled (said) butt". We CRACKED up!!!!!! I think it's harder for us not to say it than it is Chase.

Also in the car on the way to get ice cream. Chase wanted a shake instead of a cone so we took him to Arbys(they have $1 shakes). We get up to the window to pay and Chase says "I want chicken nuggets". (Mind you we had just been out to eat in FW and were just getting dessert but he must think if you are in a drive-thru then you get chicken nuggets.) Chad says "We are just getting ice cream, no chicken". Chase threw a little fit about it and said it again. Chad says jokingly "Fine. I'm going to eat your shake then!". Chase says "We don't eat shakes daddy! We eat food."

**He went to pre-school! CCHS Advanced child development classes put on a FREE pre-school once a trimester and Chase went in April/May. It's just twice a week for one month. Some of Chad's students wanted him to send Chase and I had heard about it so we tried it. It was wonderful!!!!! Chase had such a great time. He got to go to school with Chad in the morning and Chad just walked him down to class when school started. Chase loved being in Chad's room and drawing on the board! They even had a graduation that Chad got to sneak down to and watch (I had to work). We plan to send him again next year.
I just took this picture today. My mom found him this outfit recently and I think it looks so cute on him. He didn't even fight me to wear it to church and put on his sandals(no socks) like an allstar! Isn't he handsome? WE LOVE YOU CHASER MAN!

Where did May go?

I guess I skipped over the month of May with blogging and picture taking. When I sat down to update our blog today I realized I had hardly any pictures from May. That is really NOT like me at all. We had a busy month but I guess I just forgot my camera. Here are a few pics from our recent zoo trip and a recap of a couple of big dates for May.

May 9th(mothers day) marked 1 year since we said goodbye to our angel, Colten. Chad and I were actually able to get away for that weekend. It was a bittersweet Mother's day for me. I am so proud to be the mommy of my two boys! We think of Colten everyday and miss him always. We know he is happy.

May 31st---Chad and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary!!!! Where does the time go? 7 years of marriage and 12 of being a couple. Crazy! We actually started dating in the month of May (in 1998), got engaged in May (2002) and then got married in May (2003). Memorial day was our actual anniversary this year so we had a date day. We went shopping and out to eat. And I meant to snap a picture of us but that didn't happen. Maybe soon!




Beautiful peacock

Chase on the train

Chase playing the drums

My favorite!

And the zebras!

After leaving the zoo Chase couldn't stop talking about two things. The train(picture above), and the horse pooping. In the farm part of the zoo as we passed the horse it was pooping! Chase kind of freaked out (big horse....big poo!) and still talks about it. The FW Zoo is wonderful! We hope to go back soon and hopefully take more pictures!