Merry First Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas....

Tamales and beans at Aunt Julie's house

Chase's VERY FIRST Christmas Day!

Dad can now make sure he runs on time with his new Garmin

And Rigley got a new bow...(and bones, her favorite!)

Chase sporting his new sweater...

and his new velvet Christmas outfit (everyone should have a velvet Christmas outfit!)

Nana came for Christmas!

Chase's first Christmas was perfect...in our eyes anyway. It was just another day in the life for him, with the exception of a lot more pictures being taken on one day. We had a great time with family - we were able to spend Christmas Eve with Grandpa Rudy and Aunt Julie, Christmas morning with Nana Linda and Christmas day with Grandpa Tom & Grandma Elizabeth. We sure made the rounds but it was so much fun to be able to celebrate our very favorite gift, Chase. While we look forward to the years where he can really participate in the fun, we were able to have plenty of Christmas cheer just having him with us. It came and went so quickly, I am sure this is just the beginning of how fast time will fly from here on out!

Yesterday Chase had his first round of shots. The shots themselves were not so bad.....but......the next 12 hours were HORRIBLE. Poor Chase was SCREAMING. This is not a kid who cries. He may fuss a bit, but crying just really isn't his thing. Well, not yesterday. Poor guy...it took a lot of consoling, rocking and baby Tylenol before we were able to get him to eat and sleep a bit. Today he woke up like nothing ever happened and he was happy as can be. Rough going, but at least we know he won't be getting Hep B anytime soon :).

He is gaining weight and growing in length right on pace, but he has apparently inherited yet another of Mike's traits - a small head! I had to laugh when the doctor was telling us, wondering just how many characteristics will be Mike's and not mine. If I hadn't delivered him I would be wondering if he really is mine at all!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve tomorrow night - be safe!

XOXO

Chase is so excited for Christmas - here he is waiting patiently to open one from Pete & Katy! (don't worry, he hasn't opened it yet)

hey...where did my present go?!

why am I obsessed with the funny pictures of him...?

Can I just say that I have one great kid? I totally get that he is my kid and I am supposed to think he is great, but every day I look at him, I see changes and it is so much fun to see him grow. He is getting SO very strong...I tried to take video today of him during tummy time (but I had an issue with user malfunction :)) - he totally is doing baby push ups and already doing a half roll onto his left side. He cannot push himself all the way over but he totally gets that there is a world to explore and he is already trying to do so. I think that he is having a bit of the baby boredom blues because he is too young to really undertand that he can play with his toys but he is realizing that it is pretty boring sitting in someone's lap at all times. Thus, he is trying to push up and roll a bit...it is really amazing. I will try again tomorrow to catch him and post the video.

CONGRATULATIONS to Shanelle and Adam Sanzi (well, Shanelle is soon to be Sanzi) on their engagement tonight! I am so excited for them both - and for the destination wedding!!!! We love you guys!

We are getting very excited for Christmas around here - and will be very busy making the rounds this holiday season! I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and love to all!

Snow...a progression...

1 o'clock... 2 o'clock... 3 o'clock...

4 o'clock...

5 o'clock ...and a pretty sweet snow family...

I hope that people reading my blog understand that snow in Las Vegas is a rare thing.

Snow sticking to the ground in Las Vegas is an even rarer thing.

Thus, my childlike obsession of posting pictures of snow to my blog.

At least this time they are of my own house.

Snow?!

I am totally stealing this picture of her pool from my friend Erin because although we had snow in Southern Highands, it did not stick quite like it did in Summerlin and I needed proof that it seriously snowed in Las Vegas! It made for a very cozy day and almost made me feel like I was living in Portland again - it was awesome! Chase loved it too and was occupied by the snowfall outside for quite some time (even though he had to admire it from inside I was afraid to take him outside all day for fear of a cold!).

In other happenings...we got out for our first night alone (and with friends) since having Chase for my work Christmas party and the Annual Pulliam Toys for Tots Party on Saturday. It was a strange feeling to leave Chase for the first time...but not quite as strange as putting on a dress for the first time in months. Oh, and heels too - that's right, I really worked it. I don't think Mike recognized me! We had a blast as usual and hopefully raised a lot of toys for those in need. This year more than any has made me so thankful for everything that we have.

Also, a big congrats to Dave & Erin Merrill for the news that they are pregnant with their first!

Mike teaches Chase some of the finer points in life...

Do you think Chase will hate me for this one?A beautiful Las Vegas sunset... Chase and Rigley love the lights!

I Caught Him!

Check out Chase's morning smiles....

So this is going to get my baby to sleep?

Just thought I would give you all another look at the "lifesaving" and "sleep making" baby hammock that was supposed to cure Chase of all his problems...before I put it on Craigslist! Let this be a lesson to us all, MARKETING is a subject in college that warrants an entire degree for a reason - it gets dummies like me to buy products I don't need!!!

So...anyone interested in purchasing this little lifesaver from me? I will make you a great deal!

Things That Happened This Week....

Tummy time turned nap time....

Awake for Stephine & Erin! Trying to get a smile shot...

Breakfast with Grandpa

Bath time - he loves it!

Swing time is finally getting to be a little more fun.

Bella wants to know why Chase won't play!

This is the overpriced contraption designed to help him sleep...let's hope so or I'll just have another item for my future baby garage sale!

Life in the world of Chase has definitely had a breakthrough this week....HIS FIRST SMILE!!!! I so wish I could get it on camera, but it is a little hard to catch. We now have official smiles in both the morning and evening - times when he is most awake. His first smile came about without true recognition. On Thursday when we were having our morning talk and kiss time (an every morning ritual for us, I like to discuss our very important day ahead with him and ask him how many kisses he would like on that particular morning, and then I make up a number that I think he would like and smother him)...on about kiss number 8, I got a smirk out of him...a real live smirk that felt like more than a gassy little smile. There was something else to it, and it was an amazing feeling. But, I still could not be 100% SURE that it was a smile and not just the usual gas....those gassy smiles can be tricky!!! Anyway, on Saturday, Mike was trying to recreate the moment and...like magic...that sweet little smirky smile came out. Mike had the best way of recognizing that it was indeed a smile and not just gas - he said that you can "see it in his eyes." SO true - Chase's eyes really do light up when he is smiling and it just melts my heart (and of course Mike's too :)). Grandpa and Granny got to see the smiles last night too - he was happy as a clam and let us know it! It is such an amazing thing to know that the little guy is finally recognizing that there is a world around him and he can show his emotions through smiling!!!!

Other things that came about this week:

1. Chase got his first nail clipping (without tears or bleeding!)

2. He can now fit into some of his 3-6 month clothes, a good thing since his tiny little body is already too long for most of his 0-3 month clothes

3. He has already developed a liking for music in the car (Coldplay is his FAV!)

4. Dr. Carrie diagnosed Chase with reflux, same thing that us adults take ant-acids for, but much more painful in little ones.

5. He is still having a hell of a time sleeping on his back...new contraption for sleeping is pictured above, my fingers are crossed that it works).

Thanksgiving & Such

Baby's 1st Thanksgiving....and mommy's first beer - hurray for pump and dump!

Grandma Iris

First time meeting Lauren's new b/f - Chase liked him!

Kisses for Chase

The frog's are coming!

Can you lay off the flash?!

Sweet Baby - LOVE this shot!

Who knew being stuffed in a box could be such fun!

Six months ago you could not have paid me to take a "posed" Christmas picture!

I LOVE DECEMBER!!!!! The temperature has finally dropped in Las Vegas, the Christmas tree is up, we have the best Christmas present ever (Chase, of course) and life is good! This week was a busy week with Thanksgiving and Chase's first photo shoot. It was a lot of fun as we were able to finally get Chase out of the house (and mommy too!). One quick note about the "holiday" photos - I walked into the photo shop with the intention of doing naked baby newborn pics ONLY. I was SO not into the Christmas pictures...but, as you can see above , I had a change of heart. Babies can do that to you - I sure did end up taking not only Christmas pics of Chase, but one of the whole family too! Oh, well, my too cool for Christmas photos plan has been changed! I STILL LOVE DECEMBER!

O