Who knew!

Apparently my son likes to be swaddled! We swaddled him when he was younger but got out of the habit just because we didn't see any real need for it. That and the fact that swaddling with a blanket is difficult to get tight!

Let me back up a little... lately Adam and I have been trying to break Chase of this 1 am bedtime that he seems to have adopted. We are also trying to move him into his own room. In addition to those 2 things, we are trying to break him of the habit of nursing to sleep, instead learning to self sooth. These 3 things combined have made for some tough times the past few days.

Yesterday I went with Danielle to a doctors appointment and while I was waiting read a chapter about sleeping and one about swaddling from "The Happiest Baby on the Block". I became convinced that the crib problem was due to Chase's Moro reflex which is removed when you swaddle him. I also thought instead of the blanket, I could try the new fangled swaddling blankets (they think of everything for babies!) that has velcro and instructions! Danielle gave me one she got from her baby shower to try out and I am happy to report that I laid Chase down at 10:30 when he was semi-awake... he stirred for a bit... started fussing... I let him go and he settled down and has been sleeping since at least 11:15... it's now 2:30! That is over 3 hours in his crib and he self soothed! I couldn't be more happy!!!

I am now of the opinion that this nap has gone on a little to long but I sure did enjoy the break! Now to go rouse my sleeping baby!

As it turns out...

I cannot resist the cheesy poofs.

Momma's day out!

Chase and daddy got a boys afternoon together while I went to Danielle's baby shower! Chase and I were separated for a whole 3 hours! Truth be told... it really wasn't bad at all. I love Chase dearly but having time away is really nice... especially when it's to help a friend celebrate her baby!

The shower was totally awesome... Laura did such a great job planning and executing it! Danielle looked fantastic and everyone really enjoyed themselves. The present opening was really fun... instead of having Danielle open all the gifts while we just stared her down, we went around the room and each person opened a gift (not the one they brought). It was a great way to keep everyone involved... they introduced themselves, told how they knew Danielle and then ooooo'd and ahhhh'd over the gift. I labeled myself the unofficial photographer for the event and ended up with over 150 pictures! I am nothing if not thorough!

Here are just a couple pictures!


The happy couple, soon to be 3!


The party thrower, aka, Aunt Laura!


Proof that I was there! Thanks Karen!


Some of the ladies from our original bible study... Tiny and Danielle are pregnant and Kristen and I just had our babies... Sylvia, you are SO next!

(s)pit falls of parenthood

If you have a queasy stomach you may want to turn away... if you have kids then this is no big deal ;~) Enjoy!

3 Things

I got this from Kathi ;~) Let me know if you do it so I can check it out!

3 things that scare me:
Crime drama shows
Leaving Chase somewhere
Dogs not on their leash

3 things I love:
God
Adam
Chase

3 things I hate:
Cleaning the bathroom
The fact that people aren't nice to one another anymore
The way Marylanders drive

3 things I don't understand:
How a parent can walk away from their child (right on Kathi!)
How my husband can know just about everything about anything
How someone can mistreat an animal

3 things on my desk:
I don't have a desk so I will substitute coffee table
My husbands feet
Remote control
Ceramic fish with all my daily jewelry

3 things I'm doing right now:
Typing
Being a 'bed' to my 3 month old
Thinking I should turn the TV off... neither Adam or I are watching it!

3 things I want to do before I die:
Live some more
Spend as much time as I can with Adam, Chase and Riley
Tell them how much I love them

3 things I can do well:
Scrapbook (at least I think so)
Make cupcakes
Love my husband and son

3 things I can't do:
Fix my own car
Speak in sign language
Hit a grandslam

3 things I should listen to:
God (amen Kathi!)
More music and less TV
My intuition

3 things I shouldn't listen to:
Negative people
The TV
The voice that tells me to berate myself

3 things I watched as a kid:
Growing Pains
Care Bears cartoons
Fraggle Rock

Let me know if you do this so I can check it out!

Pictures!

3 months old and already partying


chillaxin'


Chase and Rosco hangin'


Future DEA agent...


and Rosco is his partner!

Catch 22

I am at a crossroad here... if Chase sleeps in his bouncy chair next to my bed then I get around 7 hours of sleep at night... if I put him in his crib then I get 2-4 hours with no guarantee of multiple sleep sessions! I really want to see Chase sleeping in his own room but after 6 nights of 'iffy at best' sleep, I relented and he slept in our room last night ;~)

Anyone have any thoughts... should I stick out the lack of sleep to push him into sleeping in his own room or get the sleep and try again in a week or so?

3.6 Miles for a Picture

It was so gorgeous today that Adam, Chase, Riley and I decided to go on a walk. I guess Adam and I decided and Chase and Riley were just along for the ride. Anywho...

Ever since we had Chase we have noticed a particular sign and we have wanted to get a picture of Chase sitting on it. So on our walk we thought now was as good a time as any... we didn't know it was 1.8 miles from our home when we started. It was all worth it though...

Last Day

Today is my official last day at Ad.com. My maternity leave was up 6 weeks after I had Chase but technically you are employed through the last day of your FMLA. Today is my last day! I am officially a stay at home mom which has been my desire ever since I can remember knowing what a career was.

So far it's been great! I feel more free than I have ever felt and most of all, I love that wherever I am, I can look over and see Chase. I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. I am so thankful that the Lord has provided in such a way that Adam and I can make this a reality. I am also thankful to the Lord for giving me a husband that wants this as much as I do. I feel so blessed.

Don't get me wrong, I plan on having Jessi time. I don't want my only identity to be "Chase's Mom". I have noticed some sign language courses in the community college schedule and I really want to check into getting some sort of degree or certificate. I am also going to start attending a bible study on Tuesday mornings with some other women from the church. I also have plans for a mommy and me swim class (as soon as I locate one) for Chase and I so that I can get him swimming as soon as possible. I think our days will become quite full and fun! Not to mention the scrapbooking! I can't wait to get back into that. I can't even begin to imagine how far behind I am ;~)

Anyway, for today I am content with saying goodbye to my old job and hello to my new career.

Lesson Learned

I am not allowed to watch crime show dramas anymore. Adam went to bed early because he is feeling sick but I stayed up with little man and watched a couple TV shows... including Law and Order SVU. Yep, not a good idea. I know that it is made up and everything I am seeing is make up (the artists should get an award for the realism) but it doesn't make a difference. The subject matter still gets into my head and causes me fear. When I am nervous walking with my baby from the living room to the bedroom, something needs to change (for those of you that know my apartment, you know that is an incredibly short walk and shouldn't even have enough time to cause fear ;~)

I know this about myself when it comes to movies... I don't go see anything that I deem scary and I am the judge and jury when it comes to what is scary, no matter the peer pressure. For some reason, I didn't apply this logic to TV and started watching the Law and Orders and the Without a Traces... no more though. I can't have my head filled with fear. I am sticking to Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Today's Service

This mornings service was from Matthew 6: 25-34 and it really made an impact on me so I thought I would share some of the points given...

1. Life is more than food. Life is more than clothing. (v.25)
2. You are more valuable than the birds. (v. 26)
3. Anxiety accomplishes nothing. (v. 27)
4. Anxiety is worldly. (v. 31)
5. Your heavenly father knows what you need. (v. 32)
6. God will supply all that you need. (v. 33)
7. God does not overload any day with trouble. (v. 34)

I wish I could capture the passion this sermon was given with... it was very moving.

As was a friends testimony at the end of the service. Sylvia got up in front of the congregation to share her story. It starts with a diagnosis of stage 4 Hodgkin's disease 3 weeks after her college graduation. She tells of her struggles and all the people in her corner to help her through it. Then she tells how she beat the cancer and how wonderful that was. Then last Christmas she lost her father, mother and younger brother in one horrific car accident. She spoke how it felt to have half her family taken away in one instant. She also spoke about how she dreaded each milestone she crossed without her family... and how once she got to that day, it wasn't great but it wasn't worth the worry and the anxiety she gave it. She spoke about approaching Christmas day and how she was not going to worry. When the day came it was worse than she imagined. She laid crying Why God? After some tears she sat up and prayed and Christ comforted her. It was still a hard day but she made it through... Christ did not give her more than she could bear. She really did an amazing job and I cried for her at the end... tears of pride, not pity. Christ doesn't promise us an easy life if we follow Him. What He does promise is comfort and love.

My little Mac baby

We went to The Company Store yesterday and got some Mac swag! We are an Mac lovin' family!

It starts without a plan

We had ideas of what we should do today. Dad and Stacie were back at work so Adam and I were on our own. We decided to head back down to Fisherman's Wharf and we would just go wherever the wind took us... apparently the wind didn't feel like taking us anywhere. We floundered around the wharf for a little while... saw some break-dancing and window shopped. We stopped to feed Chase (I am getting excellent at doing this in public, discreetly of course!)... then about 10 steps later we had to change him... and I mean pants and all!

Then food for Adam and I... about an hour later we still didn't know where to eat. Finally we settled on Knuckles which was your basic bar food... nothing special but it was good. We decide to head home (it's about 5ish at this point). We hop on the #10 MUNI bus which will drop us a few blocks from dads place. It is an almost empty bus and we have a stroller all set up. As we get going we quickly realize that this is not going to be as easy as we thought. People are packing into this bus... and when I say packing, I mean crowd surfing would have been a breeze... no chance of falling through. Luckily, we are sitting but we decide that in order to get out of the bus we will have to breakdown the stroller and each carry a portion of it out. As we decide this, Chase starts screaming. We have one VERY hungry baby with a bus full of VERY exhausted working people who I am sure, do not want to listen to Chase scream for the next 20 blocks. As quick as I could, I tucked him into my jacket and proceeded to feed him. Just like that, silence from Chase! I am sure everyone on the bus was glad that I am a nursing mom ;~) I know I was!

So as I am feeding, we take the diaper bag off the stroller, pull off the carseat and work on collapsing the main part of the stroller which was impeded by a blanket in the bottom basket. We are doing all this in a 1 ft. by 2 ft space. Finally we have a collapsed stroller, a carseat, a sleeping baby in the carseat (thank the Lord!) and a huge diaper bag. Oh and the entire time we are doing this, Adam is tracking our movement on his Garmin so we know when we should get off the bus so that we are the closest to dad's place. At 3rd and Townsend we make our way out of the bus just loudly saying that we need to get through and that we are sorry. We fall off the bus (I think I hit about 80 people on the way out) and we are finally free. Some guy walks by and said "You guys are brave"... nope just stupid.

Lesson learned, do NOT travel on public transportation during commuting hours... and especially when you have a stroller.

On the way home we stop to get Huggies Natural Fit #2 diapers because the Huggies Snug and Dry #2's that we picked up at the beginning of the week are neither snug NOR dry. We got the Snug and Dry because they didn't have the Natural Fit at Safeway and we figured they would preform similarly... not quite. So we stop at Walgreens and lo and behold, no Huggies Natural Fit #2's.... they have Natural Fit Newborn, Natural Fit #3's, 4's and 5's... #2 are the only ones they don't have! Am I getting across the insanity and frustration of this! We decide #3's will have to fit because we cannot continue like this. I think San Francisco has something against the Natural Fit #2. I am writing to Arnold.

In all honesty, it's been a great trip so far and we have had a wonderful time... even the bus ride home today! It's definitely a story worthy to be told as a family legend.

Tomorrow we head to Cupertino to see Apple headquarters (aka Adam's mecca) and then to Google to see dad (aka Adam's other mecca).