Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Visitors!

This Labor Day weekend Ashlee and Scott came to visit and met Chase for the first time. Scott had to leave early and was apparently camera shy because all the pictures we got are of Ashlee and Chase.

As most of you know, Ashlee is an alcohol researcher. So naturally she took Chase to the bar...They played together...

She gave him kisses...

..and Chase "kissed" her back!


Chase practiced standing, which he is getting very good at...

...and really enjoys!

Ashlee entertained Chase in his Bumbo chair.... ...but Chase showed her that he could do it on his own.
(and peaked at the TV when he thought we weren't watching!)
Of course we dressed Chase up.


After all of his fun, Chase was exhausted!

Thank you so much for coming to visit us, Ashlee & Scott! We had a fabulous time with you and cannot wait to see you again soon.

Love,
Chase (& his parents)

Friday, September 3, 2010

1 year ago today...

...our lives changed forever.

That morning, while Stephen took a shower, I took a pregnancy test. I put it aside while I proceeded to get ready for my daily run. I purposely put it on the back of the toilet so I wouldn't be tempted to look before the 3 minutes was up and actually forgot it was there. When Stephen turned off the shower, I picked it up, turned to him and exclaimed "Oh my god, it's positive!" and he gave me a huge wet hug.

Even though I went on my run, we both went to work as usual, and it would be weeks before we told even our familites, that day will forever stand out in my mind as the day I changed. I became a mom. I immediately began to wonder how what I did and ate would affect our child (having been our for sushi the night before). I began to worry. Most importantly, the moment I realized that I was going to have a baby, I loved him-- all 64 cells of him that existed at that moment. I was so excited to meet the little baby that would be our child- would it be a boy or a girl? What would his personality be like? Who would he look like?

A year later, we have a beautiful, happy, amazing little boy who brings me more joy than I ever imagined. I have never loved someone the way I love him. Stephen and I are parents- our first thought is of Chase and his well-being and our lives revolve around him. So many things that were a given in our life have changed - I don't exercise every morning, and sometimes it takes Chase and I two hours to get out the door and to work, and we don't go out to dinner often, and sometimes we turn back on our trips out because Chase isn't happy, and we can't stay late at work, and we definitely never sleep in.

But even though our life today is so much different than it was, some things are the have not changed since that morning in 2009. I'm still thinking about how my actions (and food) will affect Chase. We still wonder what his personality will be like. (We know he looks a combination of us). I still worry...a lot. But I hear that never goes away.


Even though it marked the beginning of 8 months of waiting for a baby who eventually arrived on May 12, September 3 is an important date. I was forever changed that day when I became a mom.

So happy Mom-iversary.

To me :-)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Because Mommy doesn't get to see him all day...

I understand the plight of our blog readers who only get to see Chase through blog pictures. So here are some more!