In Italy

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving week and I will catch up on our trip when we get back next week!

Family Pictures...

were taken this morning and hopefully Christmas cards will be ordered soon! I love sending out and getting cards! I don't think I am going to make my cards this year or write a letter though - life is different with a newborn! Here are a couple of my favorite pictures besides the ones that will be on the cards.

4 Months & 4 years

We just had Chase's 4 month appointment this morning. Here are his stats...

Height: 25 1/2 inches

Weight: 12 lbs 15 oz

Head Circumference: 41.5 cm

I don't have the percentiles on hand but if you look at his 2 month appointment he has only gained 1 ounce. So we are going to start cereal tonight and will go back in 2 weeks for a weight check. Brad was with me for the appointment and he was so funny about the shots - he was expecting a baby needle and was in shock when they brought out the big needle and stuck him. He said "Chase got harpooned!" Chase of course screamed when he got it but settled down pretty quickly.

Here are a few more pictures from the photo shoot with Shanna that I really liked along with my monthly pictures that I take.

Happy 4th Birthday to Wagner! He has made the transition well from first kid to family dog!


And finally quote of the day: We were on base for the appointment and some planes were taking off and Brad goes "I forgot how cool we look doing that!" Whenever he looks up at the planes I can just picture him as a 5 year old boy doing the same thing. It is so neat to see him doing something he loves and has always wanted to do.

Quiz Night

So one thing that is popular here in the pubs and villages is a Quiz night. We wanted to check it out so last night we went to it at our Village Hall. We know the guy organizing it so he promised there would be a few American questions for us! We didn't know too many of the questions the only ones I knew for sure were "If you employ a spike, what game are you playing?" and "What is the surname for the Little House on the Prairie Family?" Brad knew a few more than me including all the faces on Mt. Rushmore (I know I should know that!) and the state that the bridge was put that was bought from here. There was also a question about which American show was based in Cook County Hospital. I thought it would be ER but we guessed something else. I figured Steven would be mad at me for getting that wrong! One question asked about a football club in London. We wanted to yell out that it was a trick question since there were only soccer teams in London not football but figured that wouldn't be appropriate! They also had a movie title category that Brad did pretty well at. Our table finished tied for 9th out of 12. I don't think anyone will be asking us to be on their team next time!

We stopped mid-way when the fish and chips mobile van showed up.


Brad got to catch up with a friend who came back from Uni for the weekend.

Unfortunately Chase didn't do too well at the babysitters. He has been in a crying mood lately and that continued for her. She said she almost called me when he cried for 1/2 hour and couldn't be consoled. I told her that was nothing compared to the 3 hours he cried on Friday night from 10:30pm to 1:30am! I think he is also getting attached to me - he screams if I leave the room and stops if I walk back in. It is getting very annoying! We will see how he does in the nursery this morning at church. His 4 month appointment is this week so his 4 month pictures (of course he is smiling and looks happy as can be) and stats will be coming up...

Chase Pictures

Check out my friend Shanna's blog for some cute pictures of Chase. I think 3 months is a hard age to get pictures of because he is not sitting up yet but doesn't just lay there like a newborn either - but she did a great job! I am so excited for her to take pictures of him as he grows!

Random Thoughts

Couple of random Chase thoughts are going through my mind so I thought I would write them down - more for my sake so I will remember. Talking to other moms I realize how quickly you can forget some of the milestones and little things. First of all I love mornings. Even though I am so tired I just get to hang out with my boys (Chase & Wagner). Chase is almost always in a good mood so we just play on the floor. I love how C & W are becoming good buds too!

This picture was taken after a night of getting up several times with him and a couple of hours of crying (dad even had to put in ear plugs so he could sleep) but that smile kinda makes you forget!

I love his little legs. Even though he was born in the summer I never just got to have him in a diaper or onsie since it is so cold here. All his pjs were getting washed the other day so he was in a layette and it always bunches up so I got to play with his little chubby legs.

Hubby asked me the other day if he poops anymore. I think that is a sign he is working too much and not changing enough diapers!

I hate clipping fingernails. I have already clipped the tip of his finger and that was terrible. I felt like the worst mom ever! He is so squirmy and I am so worried I will do it again. So his fingernails can get pretty long!

He has rolled over. We kinda quit doing tummy time for a while since I figured he was getting a good neck workout in the bumbo. But I put him on his tummy yesterday morning and I looked down to see him on his back. I tried to get him to do it again - dangling toys and stuff but he wouldn't. Since I didn't actually see it I didn't want to say for sure. But this morning when I first put him on his stomach he was moving a lot and I saw him do it! Yeah Chase. Of course I tried to get him to do it again but no luck. I think he only does it first thing before he gets too tired!

He's getting close!

I love introducing Chase to new things. Wednesday was Guy Fawkes day here so I went over to my neighbors for some fireworks. It was too wet for a bonfire. He loved looking at the different lights and didn't cry at all with the noise. Here we are with a sparkler. There are more fireworks on Saturday night that dad gets to take him to so we will see how he does.

Halloween

The guys had off yesterday so we took off to London with our friends. We walked through Hyde Park, went to Harrods and the Science Musuem. It was a quick trip but the sun was out and it was a good time.

His Bond look.

Yummy Gelato.

We went in the kids part of the musuem with Chase. Here are the crazy mirrors!

Exploring his world! Yes - he had to wear his Halloween shirt again. He was a great traveler! He didn't like the cold when we were waiting for dad to pick us up at the tube station but other than that he did great!

Last weekend was the kids Halloween party so we dressed Chase up for that. Here is my attempt at being creative with the cupcakes I made for the cupcake walk. My friend came over to help make them - I was pretty proud of them.

Chase with his friend Reilly - isn't her outfit great!

The cutest little lion! He did pretty good with his outfit - the hair started bothering him after a little while though.