HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Chase loved his first Halloween costume!

Summer was confused

With my new pumpkin. This time mommy kept it away from the squirrels

Dinner with Friends

Chase and Evey in Annapolis

We are having problems with our laptop- like someone spilled beer on it! It wasn't me:0 Some of the keys don't work and I don't feel like going downstairs to the office so these posts will be just pics.

Morning Smiles

Please reserve judgment regarding my baby voice and singing! Chase is super "chatty" after he eats and we have a morning routine where we take video for Daddy. What's even more hilarious is when we let Chase watch and listen to this video, he squeals and gets excited when he hears himself!!

From 2010-10-26 katiephone

Stupid Squirrels

I had every intention of taking pictures with Chase and the pumpkins we got a few weeks ago, but as you can see some furry friends decided to stake their claim. We gave up trying to shoo them away, and now we try to get pictures of them climbing inside to dig out the seeds. They've been munching on the pumpkins since the day after we brought them home!

Hat Time

Trying to keep Chase from getting too much sun during his first trip to Federal Hill. Burying his head in daddy's chest works well also.

In this picture we were trying hard to get him to smile or laugh, he ends up getting distracted by the flash and wasn't generally thrilled with mommy's after bath choice for head wear.

Soap box Derby

Chase slept through most of the races

Summer was pretty interested

Go Girls!!

So it was not only the first soap box derby for Chase, but it was also a first for Jas and I this past weekend! In preparation for next year's Baltimore Grand Prix our community association thought it would be great to have local businesses sponsor a soap box derby down Harford Rd. We rushed to get there for the start which was supposed to be at 10am, but didn't miss anything since nothing really got started until about 11am. We took Summer for the adventure, and all considering she was well behaved. She doesn't mind people and kids petting her, but she has never gotten along with other dogs. There unfortunately were lots of people with dogs!

Family Pictures

We just got the link for the album of photos from our visit to VA! Linda captured some wonderful shots, and we can't wait for you all to see them. She even managed to catch the pics of him giving me a little shower-this happened twice during his "au natural" shots:)

You can view Chase's first portraits and some sweet family shots here: Family Photos

Look how big he is!!

So Far, So Good

We started weaning Chase's medication 6 days ago and he has not had any symptoms warranting a call to the pulmonologist! We've had a busy few days-driving to VA to get baby/family portraits from our wedding photographer(she is awesome!!), an actual date night where MomMom and PopPop H. babysat, and brunch with MomMom and PopPop K. and Aunt Zandy in Federal Hill taking advantage of the tail end of the warm weather to eat outside. Its been a long few days and everyone is exhausted so I'll post pics tomorrow:)

Belated news, but last weekend my brother got married in Wales! Congratulations Tim and Fay! Unfortunately we were unable to attend, but the rest of my family got to spend ten days travelling in London and Wales, and we got to see some of the pictures this weekend. Chase thanks all of his new extended family for the wonderful gifts-he even got his first passport booklet for his first trip abroad:)

Holy Pumpkin!

We decided to drive up to Valley View to get Chase some pumpkins today. We forgot about the GIANT pumpkin they have every year. He was sound asleep but I was itching to get him out of the stroller for a comparison. This year's giant pumpkin weighs in at a whopping 1540 lbs. I forgot the camera since we were out running errands, but daddy was able to snap some shots with his phone.
Unfortunately you weren't allowed up on the platform. It would have been great if we could have gotten a shot of him sitting on top. 9lbs vs. 1540lbs. They also had a contest to "Guess the number of seeds?" We didn't make a guess, but I did look in the book. Lots of them when in the tens and hundreds of thousands of course, but I thought it was really cute that a little girl guessed 24 seeds:)

Here I am measuring Chase next to an enormously long zucchini that measured 8+ft!

Our little scarecrow

A little bored with the whole thing

We got an assortment of pumpkins and gourds, and I'll snap some pics of Chase with them this week. They had a ridiculous collection of different pumpkins and gourds, some of which we'd never seen before, and some that garnered inappropriate comments from daddy of course!

Tiny, tiny

Chase did great today for his cardiology appointment! He was a trooper during the echocardiogram, and squirming and fussing was kept to a minimum all considering. Last time he had an echo the tech was all business, and I couldn't really tell what we were looking at. The tech today showed us exactly what the PDA looked like, and he also told us it was super tiny! After numerous pics were taken we met with the cardiologist so she could listen to him. Although the duct is not completely closed it is so small that he doesn't need treatment! As he gets older, and if its still an issue they might recommend closing it using a catheter, but for now he isn't having any issues. So we just have to go back for a follow-up in one year. Cross one set of routine appointments off our list!

Now that he has the "all clear" from the cardiologist, we have to contact the pulmonologist again to discuss the weaning of meds. Too many specialists! Hopefully we can talk about the medication over the phone and won't have to wait until our appointment next month:) Maybe only a few last hurdles to get this process rolling. No medication will definitely be wonderful!

After Chase's appointment we swung by the NICU to visit the staff. It was old like times when they buzzed us in without even asking who we were there to see! Even though only a few our regular nurses were there, it was nice to see how happy they were with his progress. FYI, today he weighed a little over 9lbs!

Wish Us Luck

Tomorrow is finally the appointment with the cardiologist! We're excited and a little nervous to see what she has to say. We're also interested to see how Chase does during the echocardiogram, its been quite a while since he's had one, and he was less than thrilled being hooked up to everything last time. The pediatrician felt that his murmur sounded better a little over a week ago, so maybe he finally is outgrowing the issue. Fingers crossed for weaning meds:)

After our appointment we're also going to stop down to the NICU to visit all of our old friends. We can't wait for everyone to see how much Chase has grown in the 1 1/2 months since discharge!!

More Fun:)

"Does your mommy take pictures of you all the time too?"

"Get it over with lady!"

Sorry for the gap in posts! Chase has developed a case of colic, and he is keeping us occupied with singing, dancing, and walking to get him through his fussiness. I hope Chase doesn't take after the two of us-I'm pretty sure we're both tone deaf, and we have absolutely no rhythm:) He didn't care though...today thankfully was much better than yesterday!!

On Friday afternoon Chase and I went to visit our friend Caden and his mommy Sara, and I tried to explain to Chase that baby boys are able to take naps on their backs. Caden was a great role model, and although Chase didn't doze he did cooperate for a few pics. That night, we treated ourselves and took advantage of the continued beautiful weather and sat outside at Hamilton to try their new fall menu. Then on Saturday morning we went to breakfast at Clementine. The boys talked cell phones and football, and the ladies talked pregnancy. Our friends just found out they are having a girl!!!

Okay, its time to take a break from eating out, cheese grits and salted caramel cupcakes with candied bacon on top are fabulous, but they take their toll.

Lunch with Friends

Braiden and Chase

Coordinating camouflage outfits! We didn't plan it, but they were too cute:)

Chase has his Brooklyn Bridge onesie on from "Aunt" Kristin and "Uncle" Shawn

The boys were supposed to be born three weeks apart:)

Braiden came 10 days late, and you know how many months early Chase was!

One of my coworkers was pregnant during the same window of time as I was-she however made it to her due date and beyond! Korrie and I have been trying to get together for a few weeks but something always came up, so today finally we were able to get the boys together and share some new mommy stories:) We tried to snap some pics before lunch but Chase was pretty upset that I woke him up. Luckily he was much more cooperative later in the day! It was great to get out, can't wait for our next lunch date:)

4 months old!

I thought a reference point would be helpful for everyone to see how much Chase has grown over the past few months. The micro preemie diaper was maybe less than two inches wide, set up next to my old school slide phone. The newborn diapers that he wears now can go up to 10 lbs, and he was upgraded to them before he left the hospital.

Why are you taking more pictures?

The bib says it all!

My first set of overalls from Grandpa and Grandma in NM! Mommy was checking to see if I pooped:)

On Monday Chase turned 4 months old! Although he's still wearing mostly newborn clothes we have been able to move up to some 0-3month stuff:)

One-handed

As a parent there are many, many things you learn to do with only one hand. I have determined however, that there are a few things that are nearly impossible to eat without the use of both hands. One of my first days home alone with Chase I had a hankering for a bagel with chicken salad, lettuce and tomato. It was quite disastrous! So messy sandwiches are out for lunch options:) Crabs, ribs, tacos, and string cheese all fall under the category of two hands required also. Fish tacos, one of our weekly staples generally mean we take turns eating, or pass him back and forth if he is unwilling to sit quietly in one of the various pieces of baby equipment. Don't even get me started on eating cereal while holding a baby:)

Jas almost always volunteers to let me eat first if the little man is not cooperating. Chase can be absolutely passed out, but as soon as we sit down to eat he stirs. Will any of these issues stop me from cooking sometimes elaborate meals? Absolutely not! We had friends over for dinner on Friday, and they brought with them the main course for me to prepare. I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to make fresh caught salmon from Alaska that hadn't made it to our fridge by way of supermarket or even the fish market. I made a new dish, and it turned out great. It didn't hurt that we had two sets of extra hands to help with Chase as well!!:)