Welcome Chase Albert Fleming

Born: Sunday July 26, 2009 (on his due date)
Time: 11:04pm
Weight: 8lbs 10oz
Height: 19 3/4 inches




I started feeling painful contractions around 6pm Sunday night. They were 2-4 minutes apart. We waited a little while to see if they would subside...had dinner, showered, packed up the car. The contractions continued. We called my parents over to watch Bryson and around 8pm we checked into the hospital. Contractions continued at 2 minutes apart and getting very intense. I was at a 3 or 4. An hour later they checked me again and I was at a 4 or 5. I walked around the room and sat on my birthing ball, then my water broke. They called the doctor and started getting me set up. With each contraction I could feel Chase descending and I knew it would be quick. I finally told the nurse, "he's coming". She checked me again and I was at a 10 and ready to go. The doctor still wasn't there yet. The contractions were one after the other while they were putting in my epidural. It was agony. I just prayed the medicine would kick in on time. The doctor finally showed up and within 4 or 5 pushes Chase was born. Yes..the epidural kicked in, thank goodness! It was a beautiful birth. They put him immediately on my chest and Brett cut the cord. I wiped him down, sang to him, and we welcomed him to the world.



The only time I cried was when Bryson walked into our room and met his little brother, I still tear up just thinking about it. He gave Chase his first toy from McDonalds, a panda bear beanie baby. He was so sweet.





We're so happy to welcome you to our family, sweet baby Chase.

Happy 2nd Birthday Bryson

Yesterday was Bryson's official 2nd Birthday. While we were hoping to celebrate it from a hospital bed, or with a new baby in our arms, that didn't happen. So we enjoyed riding the Folsom Valley Railway and a fun lunch at Red Robins. It was a great day!



I was hoping being squished on that tiny train seat would set off some contractions.



Bryson loves the "Little Red Caboose". He has me read it to him all the time.



Mmm, vanilla milkshake.



Opening a few presents we had saved.




Loves his "cars"!



Brett and I sang happy birthday to him that morning and after we finished, he blew out his pretend birthday candles. It had us laughing. He is so cute and brings us such joy each and every day.

Some things he can now do:

-Count to ten. Now we're working on up to twenty.

-Knows and identifies most letters and numbers everywhere we go. Now we're trying to learn the alphabet song.

-Blows bubbles in the water.

-Swims confidently in the pool and kicks himself where he needs to go (wearing floaties of course).

-Uses real utensils (most of the time).

-No longer needs a bottle to soothe himself.

-Can speak in small sentences. "Momma play?", "Puffs please", "daddy home?", "Aww Bunny"....

-Does well in church nursery (a lot of kids still have separation anxiety). Plays and does what they ask for the 2 hours he's in there.

-Throws away his own trash.

-Does what mommy and daddy asks..."hand me that toy", or "pick up your blanket and put it here".

-Cleans up his toys when asked.

-Brushes his teeth (after I've done the initial cleaning).

-Gets his own water out of the fridge door dispenser (not always a good thing).

-Loves setting up and taking apart his choo choo tracks.

-Knows where we're going when we visit Papa and Nana's house or Nana and T's house. He really pays attention to the road. I didn't do that until I was 16.

We still can't get him to say his own name, but he says everyone else's names. He also won't say "milk" or "blanket". He signs those. Old habits die hard.

Bryson's 2nd Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Bryson's 2nd birthday on Friday (a week early, because who knows what's going to happen next weekend) with our wonderful family. They were so great fitting in a quick party at the last minute. We wanted to do it before Brett's entire family left for Winchester Bay Oregon the next day. Brett and I were so sad to miss the trip this year, but I wasn't about to deliver in the sand. We started the evening with my family...then drove over to finish our celebrating with Brett's family. Everyone was so accommodating, even though they were trying to finish packing for the trip.

Here's my quickly made cake. Notice the plethora of chocolate chips around the edge. I love chocolate!!



Homemade birthday hat (I know...looks like a dunce cap, sorry Bryson).



Presents consisted of Lot's of "choo choo's". Bryson loves trains!



He did so good blowing out the candles. I didn't really have to tell him what to do...he has cousins to set the example.



Nice touch with the chocolate chips mom!



So many toys...so little time.



Afterwards Bryson enjoyed a nice leisurely shopping trip with his cousin Lacie. They're so cute!



Happy early Birthday Bry Bry. Hopefully by the time your real birthday is here, we'll have a little brother for you to celebrate with. Love you!

39 Weeks

One more week until my due date. I really thought this baby would come sooner...but I was wrong. I'm sure Chase will be bigger than Bryson was, I feel like I'm working on a 9 pounder. Yesterday was the first time I really felt I shouldn't have worn my stiletto heels to church. My feet and hips were killing me. Not able to wear heels a week before my due date??? Not bad :) I'm enjoying exercising in the pool and really benefit from the alleviation of the weight while in the water. I love the anticipation of not knowing when Chase will be here. It's fun to think, "is today the day?".

I'm ready when you are big guy.



Bryson can't wait to meet the elusive "Chase".



Everyone says they can't tell I'm pregnant from looking at the front. I still have a waist! It really looks like I've hid a basketball in my shirt.

Lamaze Group - 2nd Birthday's

My old Lamaze group (from when I had Bryson) celebrated our babies 2nd Birthday's at Kemp Park the other day. We really enjoy getting together, though it's been harder and harder to do the busier we get. It's such a great group of friends.

Here's all the kiddos eating their birthday cupcakes.



All the mom's. All of us are pregnant again except for one...I'm sure we'll hear news from her soon.



Our water babies.




Jaime and Dominic. Jaime's expecting baby Olivia in August.



Me and Bry Bry.



Kristen and Owen. Kristen welcomed baby Abby in May, she was the first.



Susan and Gabriel. Susan is about a month along.



Karen and Chase. Karen's a couple months along. Yes, she was okay with me taking Chase's name.



Ariel and Alexandra. No pressure Ariel...but we're waiting on some good news!



Happy 2nd Birthday Babies!!

Pinkapple Boutique Workshop

I had a wonderful time last night with my sister-in-laws, my mother-in-law and my mom. We made an appointment with "Pinkapple Boutique" (see my blog list) and had a craft workshop. We had so much fun making holiday crafts and household decor. Pinkapple has so many fun ideas and everything is so easy to make. I'm so grateful that the days of painting your own sayings are gone...thank goodness for vinyl lettering! Thank you husbands for watching (most of) the kids, it was a fun girls night. Also thank you Joy and Mimi for putting on such a great workshop. My family was really impressed with you, and so am I!

Happy 4th Of July

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. We spent every day in the pool, which I loved. We celebrated Brett's mom's birthday as well as baby Troy's 1st birthday on the 3rd. Then we celebrated the 4th at the Barbours (dear friends of ours that go to all the "sand trips" as well). We lit off tons of fireworks in their culdsac after enjoying an amazing barbecue. This was the first year Bryson has been able to enjoy the fireworks. He loved playing with the sparklers and throwing the pop-it's on the ground. He was transfixed on the fireworks and really seemed to enjoy it.

Oh Tomato...How Do I Love Thee?

We found this huge "cherry tomato" hiding in the green. Bryson was so excited he went to show daddy (who almost gagged because he hates tomato's with a passion). We rinsed it off, took off the clothes and let him go at it. This boy is a tomato junkie!




My mom always told me there's nothing better than a garden tomato, warmed by the sun. I can't say I feel the same way. Yes I tried it, yes it did taste better than store bought tomato's, and yes...I still gagged. Now surround it in a big greasy cheese burger or make it into Ketchup and I'm a happy camper.