Christmas Blessings

Gabe's 1st Thanksgiving

Gabe's 1st Christmas

Picking out a Christmas tree

Worn out from Christmas fun

Posing by our tree after getting home from church on Christmas Eve

Before the STC Christmas Party

Merry Christmas Eve! Can you believe Christmas is here? This has by far been the fastest year of my life! This time last year I was pregnant on Christmas and here we are a year later with Gabriel just turning 8 months old on the first day of winter, Dec. 21st. Chase is definitely an independent 3 year old this year, whereas this time last year he was still somewhat of a baby himself. Both boys have had an exciting past month meeting new milestones and gearing up for the holidays as this is Gabe’s 1st Christmas and Chase’s 4th.


I’m especially excited for Chase this year as this is the first time he really understands Christmas. We have tried to stress the true meaning of Christmas (Jesus is the reason for the season), but I have to admit it’s been fun using Santa as bribery for him to behave. Both boys got to see Santa in early December. This was the first year Chase didn’t cry or have a puzzled look on his face. In fact, he actually ran up to Santa’s lap with excitement and told him all about wanting Spiderman and a fire truck for Christmas. Gabe didn’t cry either, which was relieving after waiting in line for about an hour to see Santa at Bass Pro Shop. “Santa” called our house about a week before Christmas to remind Chase to be good since Chase has been a little on the testy side that week (thanks, Papa Breeden!). We’ve been watching Christmas movies, wrapping presents, and baking cookies all month, so I’d say we’re ready for the big day. Last but not least, Chase has been pretty good these past few days thanks to “Santa’s” gentle reminder.

Gabriel’s bottom front two teeth finally broke through; the first one surfacing the week of Thanksgiving and the second one just a couple weeks ago. I’m sure there are more right behind the first two since he’s been a Christmas goat gnawing on every thing in sight and drooling profusely. Between the teething and suffering from a cold, Gabe has had a few fussy nights and days, but he’s pushing through. He’s also crawling now; well, it’s more of a military crawl, but he’s on the move for sure! He still has a hearty appetite when it comes to his stage 2 baby foods and formula and he even tried mashed potatoes over Thanksgiving. For Christmas, he’ll be ecstatic to get a hold of wrapping paper and most likely try to eat that too.

As for Tim and I, we’ve been busy wrapping up the work year and juggling the kids, family, and friends. Thankfully, I get a week off from work along with Chase being out of school until January 2nd to catch somewhat of a break (although there is never really a true break with Chase and Gabe around—don’t take that derogatively). Chase concluded the year with a Christmas program at Faith Outreach Education Center where he got to sing several Christmas songs with his class. His teachers enjoy having him in school and had good remarks to share about him (sigh of relief for parents to hear). Tim and I were able to break free one night to go to his Christmas party for STC. We went to the Christmas Eve service at church with Tim’s parents and sat with “Pam Pam” (my mom) and Grandma Anderson while we were there. It was a service to lift our spirits after having a somewhat of a rough day with the kids being fussy. Christmas Day will be spent with my family, and the 26th with Tim’s; with that said, we’ll have had three days of Christmas fun by the time it’s all said and done! Unfortunately, Tim doesn’t get as much time off from work for the holidays as I do, but we’re going to try to make the most of the days off we have together. And, for that matter, we’re going to try to make the best of every circumstance and every day that God gives us as we conclude another year and enjoy another Christmas together. May Jesus be the true reason behind your Christmas season and carry you into the New Year with His abounding love and grace.

Thankful for More Fall Memories

Posing Pumpkin

Cutest Spiderman Ever!

Chase's fake smile and Gabe distracted

Chase and Daddy getting ready to go trick or treating.  They came back with a wagon full of candy.

Chase in his "awesome" Spiderman costume (he's been using the word "awesome" a lot lately)

...kind of looks like an artist in this picture with the tilted hat

The Orioles didn't make it to the World Series this year, but they still have the cutest fan!

Here we are halfway through November! Fall is definitely here with vibrant colored leaves, cooler temperatures, and shorter days. We ended October with a “spooktacular” Halloween. Chase went trick-or-treating as Spiderman with Tim while I stayed home with my little pumpkin and handed out candy to the 50 or 60 trick-or-treaters we had in our neighborhood. Funny story from Tim and Chase trick-or-treating: Chase goes up to a house; rings the door bell, and Tim prompts him, “What do you say, Chase?” Instead of saying “trick or treat,” he says, “I have to go potty.” Since they were already halfway around the block, the neighbor was nice enough to let him use the bathroom. So, Tim had to peel Chase’s Spiderman costume off of him so he could take care of business. Funny thing is that this scenario happened several times while they were trick-or-treating. I guess the excitement of Halloween made Chase have to use the bathroom frequently, so he left his own “treats” behind. Thank God we live in a safe neighborhood where we have good neighbors!


Gabe is only a few days shy of turning 7 months old. He is about 18 pounds now and in the 97th percentile for height. He had several immunizations in October; thankfully, he took them like a champ with little crying. He’s sitting up now and almost crawling. Chase is Gabe’s favorite comedian and his eyes stayed glued to his big brother’s every action. Gabe is ticklish and there’s nothing better in the world than hearing that sweet little laugh. He’s definitely a thumb-sucker, and Chase will take his thumb out of his mouth and tell him, “no,” as if he shouldn’t be sucking his thumb. Keep in mind, this time last year we were finally getting Chase away from his pacifier habit, so I find it especially funny to see him act as though his baby brother is committing a crime in sucking his thumb.

Gabe is still sleeping from about 7 until 5:30 on most nights. Of course, I try to make that 5:30 stretch out as long as possible on the weekends. Chase sleeps from about 7:30 to 6, and he had a few nights where he woke up frightened saying that monsters were in his bed. Perhaps all of the Halloween hype got to him. We’ve also had bouts of horrible colds in our family which have caused interrupted nights of sleep with coughing. Chase and Gabe have had runny noses, sore throats, and the occasional fever. Chase had a check-up today with Dr. Baust; even though it was supposed to just be a check-up, it turned into a sick visit with a fever of 101.7. Fortunately, he tested negative for strep and the flu and the doctor confirmed it’s just a nasty cold/virus. He goes back the week after Thanksgiving for a flu shot. In spite of him not feeling well, he was still deemed healthy otherwise with him weighing in at 34 pounds putting him in the 50th percentile for weight and measuring about 3 feet tall putting him in the 75th percentile for height. He had a “finger prick” that indicated a normal count for white blood cells even though he has a cold. All in all, both boys are healthy with the exception of the common colds.

Still no teeth, but it shouldn’t be too much longer for Gabe with the amount of drooling and gnawing going on. Up to this point, he’s tried a variety of Stage 1 and 2 fruits and vegetables. Breastfeeding officially came to its end this month—Gabe got his last few ounces on November 1st and I reluctantly retired after my body just wasn’t producing enough milk to make it worthwhile even after pumping and taking supplements (trust me, I tried just about EVERYTHING to keep it going). However, I can proudly say I breastfed both of my sons for 6 months each, for a total of a full year of nursing in my lifetime, which isn’t bad for a mom who works full time. And, on another positive note, the transition to formula was a gradual and fairly easy process with both boys.

We made it through all of the busy October weekends and enjoyed spending time with family. We also made it through Hurricane Sandy which barely touched us (can’t say the same for those north of us, unfortunately). Last but not least, we made it through Election Day and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m sadly disappointed in our nation—not just because the candidate I voted for didn’t win, but because we continue to compromise our Christian beliefs and veer away from the principles on which this country was initially founded. My hope lies in knowing that Jesus Christ is The King of Kings and the one and only true ruler of this world. Even when things seem so out of control in our own country, I praise the Lord that He’s still in control and has a master plan.

On to happier thoughts, now we have the joy of the holidays rapidly approaching. Thanksgiving will be at our house for the first time ever with my side of the family this year. Instead of posting the cliché thankful posts on Facebook daily (not that I’m criticizing those who do), I’ll just sum up the entire month by saying I’m beyond blessed to have my beautiful family that I talk about in this blog and those who care enough to read of the Breeden adventures. I’m thankful for our jobs. I’m thankful to live in a country where I can exercise so many freedoms, especially the freedom to openly worship Jesus Christ; I can’t thank enough those who currently serve, those who have served, and those who have died protecting the freedoms of our country. Most of all, I’m thankful I have Christ as my Savior; without Him, I am nothing; but with Him all things are possible (Phil. 4:13). Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

2012 Early Fall Memories

Our Two Little Pumpkins: Chase 3 1/2 years old; Gabe 6 months old

Chase loving Daddy

Love this little guy!

Precious beyond words!

Gabe is enjoying looking at the floor!

One Blessed Family

Again, we're blessed!

My head is spinning just as the fall leaves are in the wind as I try to recap the past month. Gabe will be 6 months old this weekend; that’s right, he's already half a year old with my whole heart wrapped around his little finger. Chase continues to do well in the big brother mode with the occasional spell of jealousy still popping out every now and then. Both boys and Tim have battled colds the past few weeks, but all in all, everyone is holding down the Breeden fort.


I had an enjoyable end to September by taking a few days off from work, which entailed trimming off 3 inches of my hair (that was a big deal to me even though most couldn’t tell I had done it afterwards), shampooing my downstairs carpet (which has already been soiled since then), meeting up with a good friend for a walk and lunch, and spending one on one time with Chase by taking him to see Disney on Ice with his school. Tim and I were off on Columbus Day and went to the gun range with my dad to pop off a few rounds followed by lunch at the Olive Garden with just the two of us while my grandmother and mom watched the boys. Funny how we spend our alone time shooting guns; aren’t we such a romantic couple? We also picked out tile for renovating our master bathroom. Thanks to Trident Home Repairs, we’re already enjoying new Dura ceramic flooring downstairs. So, needless to say, the past few weeks have been super busy with home improvements, work, juggling the boys, etc.

Gabriel is weighing in at over 17 pounds, eating stage 1 baby food now, and transitioning into size 3 diapers and 9 month clothing. I’m enjoying my remaining days of nursing him since I know my milk supply continues to decrease and will probably be at its end soon. I can honestly say I gave it my best effort between pumping like crazy, taking herbal supplements, drinking mother’s tea, and nursing him as much as possible when I’m not at work, so there’s not much more that I can do other than accept the fact that it’s just coming to an end. Goodbye D cups—it was nice knowing you. Although I’ll miss being in a bigger bra size, I’m happy to be down a few pounds less than I was before I got pregnant. Back to Gabe, when not chowing down on breast milk, formula, or baby food, he’s a very active baby. If you lay him on the floor, he’ll roll across the room; and, he’s never in the same position I initially have him in when I place him in his crib at nights. He’s sleeping through most nights, 7:30-5. On the other hand, Chase isn’t napping anymore which makes him one tired boy after a long morning of school and playing hard at my grandma’s house all afternoon. We’ve had many ornery days with him when he gets extremely tired and testy.

As we’re halfway through October now, we’ve already celebrated Jaycee’s 2nd birthday and we have three more birthday parties to carry us through the month: Bella’s and Emily’s this weekend followed by Kenden’s the next. Then, we have Halloween to anticipate. Chase is super excited to dress up as Spiderman this year. We picked out 5 pumpkins this year—I highly doubt we’ll carve all 5, but they still make nice decorations not carved for after Halloween. Last but not least, we got portraits done at Sear’s—something I wanted to do for a long time! More pictures to come for Halloween and the remaining fall festivities!

Last Days of Summer

Breeden Boys Vegging Out (for any Super Safety Moms: yes, I know there was a recall on the Bumbo seat, and it was only placed on the couch long enough to get this picture)

Think we have a thumb sucker on our hands!

Look, Mom, I'm in the hamper!

4 1/2 months old and cheesing!

Our balcony view of the beach from the condo we stayed in over Labor Day weekend

As summer is winding down to its official end and fall is well on its way, I can reflect on the past month and a half since the last blog update and honestly say we made the most of summer considering our circumstances. Needless to say, life with a 3 year old and 4 month old isn't always glitz and glam, which means I didn't spend many weekends relaxing at the beach or pool. However, I still got to get out and enjoy all that summer has to offer, and that alone is a feat all in itself with Chase and Gabe involved. I guess my point here is that everything you do in life with kids is a huge responsibility and takes a lot of effort. Relaxation time for the adults is replaced with chasing after little ones, changing diapers, incorporating naps and feedings, etc. BUT (and I use all caps for emphasis here), it’s a huge blessing to experience this kind of hectic life; and, even though it makes me a little batty at times, I wouldn’t trade it for the world (at least not on most days, ha, ha).


We got to squeeze in two trips to OBX in August; one with the kids and one without. I’m sure you can guess which one was more relaxing. The not-so-relaxing trip was still lots of fun over Labor Day weekend as Chase got to spend hours on the Kill Devil Hills beach, play in the pool, and be best pals with his cousin Kenden. Although we all had colds (yes, Gabe got his first cold) Labor Day weekend, we still made the most of our last summer hurrah down at the beach.

Chase started K3 at Faith Outreach Education Center the last week in August. He is already well on his way to learning numbers, letters, shapes, colors, Bible stories, and praise songs. He’s had positive remarks from his teacher so far, and we’re so proud of him! He’s also become such a good big brother to Gabriel. He asked me just the other day if I had another baby brother growing—reason being is because he thinks Gabriel came from a freckle on my belly and he saw a freckle on my leg and thought it was another baby brother growing (tell me that isn’t funny).

Gabe had his 4 month check-up on August 24th, which entailed another round of immunizations (not fun). Good news is that he’s a healthy baby, right in the average range for weight and height. He weighed in at 15 pounds, 4 oz last month and has undoubtedly put on several more ounces (maybe even pounds) since then. I’m still nursing him, but I introduced formula and rice cereal to him the past month to better help fulfill his hearty appetite. He’s completely rolling over from his back to stomach now and vice versa. I’m also positive he’s in the early teething phases since he’s drooling like crazy and gnawing on everything in sight. We’ve had a few sleepless nights over the past month due to the cold he had and most likely due to teething as well, but we’re working our way back to a better sleeping pattern from about 8-5 on most nights. At almost 5 months old, Gabe’s favorite thing to do is…well, just to be held. He’s not big on swinging, playing on his playmat, jumping in his Sassy, or doing much of anything for spans longer than 5 minutes. I think we have him just a tad on the spoiled side, but we’ll only have one chance to spoil him at this stage in life.

As for Tim and I, we reached our 11th anniversary on August 25th. We were able to spend one night down in OBX as Tim’s parents watched the boys for us. We enjoyed our one night getaway, but knew we couldn’t stay too long due to the demands of work, obligations at home, and me still nursing Gabriel (it gets a little cumbersome having to pump every few hours when you’re on vacation). Tim still does all he can to help out with Chase even if it means just taking him to the park for a few hours in the afternoon so that I can focus my energy on solely on Gabe. However, I still try to have one-on-one Mommy-time with Chase by putting him to bed on some nights—his favorite thing is for me to do shadow puppets right before he goes to bed. He loves the “hockadile” (crocodile) shadow puppet. We’re excited to “chomp” our way into another month and share more adventures as we all grow.

Jolly July

All American Baby

Love this picture of both boys smiling (courtesy of Tim's camera phone)

Whenever I try to get a picture with both boys and me, this is how it turns out.

Gabriel was enjoying his playmat until his brother joined in...and Chase with his mischievous grin.

Chase's first time "holding" Gabriel....Gabe was a little uneasy about the whole experience of "big brother" holding him.

July is quite the birthday month in our home. I just turned 31 years old on July 20th. We headed out to one of our favorite restaurants, Captain Chuckamuck’s, for my birthday with my parents. Chase loves going there just to stand on the pier and throw rocks in the water.  Tim turns 33 on the 25th (tomorrow). And, last but not least, Gabriel just hit his 3 month old birthday on the 21st. The best way I can describe my life right now would be Kenny Chesney’s song, “Don’t Blink;” time is going by entirely too fast. However, getting older isn’t necessarily a bad thing even though our society puts such a negative connotation on the aging process. Not that I was ever a shallow person when it came to physical attributes, but I used to think I wasn’t looking my best if my hair wasn’t kept platinum blond; if I didn’t have the perfect tan; if I didn’t weigh around 120 pounds (although I have to admit I was thrilled to get back in the 120’s this month since I had been in the 130’s post-Gabriel); etc. And, Tim can certainly attest to the fact that I was insecure if there was another attractive woman within viewing distance. The platinum hair is long gone as is the golden tan—I’m embracing a healthier, more natural look; but more importantly, I’m comfortable with the woman God has molded me to be at age 31. Sure, I still have the occasional insecure moment (all women do—if they say they don’t, they’re lying!); and, I still like to pamper myself every now and then; but, I’m trying to be more focused on what matters more in life from a godly perspective. All things beautiful from a worldly view will eventually pass; “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever.” –Isaiah 40:8. This whole blog has been about what’s really important to me: God and family. Sadly enough, I don’t always express this point enough around my family when I get so wrapped up in the daily stresses of life. With that said, I’m trying to do better at appreciating the inner beauty God has instilled in me and to allow that glow to radiate to others regardless of what challenges I may be facing. I’m praying I can make the most of my 30’s as my family grows.


The month of July has been a busy one. We kicked it off by celebrating Independence Day with fireworks in downtown Smithfield on July 3rd; Tim let off some of our own fireworks in our backyard on the 4th; Chase was apprehensive at first, but he ended up loving the fireworks. We’ve had several visits to the Smithfield Swim Club pool that we became members of this summer. Chase is still far from being a swimmer, but Tim is diligently working with him. Tim also had a part in coaching the Smithfield Swim Club’s Dolphins at the tail end of their swim season. Tim has always been a phenomenal swimmer and it’s exciting to see him coach little ones, especially when it will be our own two boys getting involved in these kinds of activities in just a few years.
Chase has been a little testy at times, but he’s full of personality and always coming up with things to crack us up. It’s always funny how Chase is high energy and into every toy in the house, but when it comes time to clean up his toys we usually get a response like, “I (I’m) too tired to clean up toys.” On my birthday morning I asked him if he wanted to sing “Happy Birthday” to me and he said he was too tired then as well. Just the other night I was reading him a few stories from his children’s Bible before bedtime. He was still wound up even after me reading him stories and he wouldn’t stop talking. I kept telling him it was time to be quiet and go to sleep. His response: “Jesus wants me to talk.” What a stinker!

Gabriel’s little personality is also starting to show. This past month has been a huge milestone with him smiling more and fussing less. He still battles gas and acid reflux, but the Zantac seems to be helping. Dr. Baust was very happy with the progress he’s made between month 2 and 3. He seems to be a much happier baby after feedings and he weighed in at a whopping (drum roll, please) 13 pounds, 14 oz on Monday—that’s just a few ounces shy of a 2 pound weight gain in just a month’s time. I’m so thankful to see my little man growing! That little gummy smile surrounded by dimples can melt anyone’s heart! He’s cooing and discovering all his voice can do right now—music to a mother’s ears. He’s also making good eye contact and recognizing faces. He’s (thankfully) getting in a good sleep routine: we wrap up the evening with a bath around 7 (he still loves bath-time). I nurse him to sleep around 8 and put him in his crib (yes, he’s in his crib now!). He wakes up for a nighttime feeding somewhere around 2 or 3 on most nights. I nurse him back to sleep and then we wake up for good around 6 on the weekdays. Well, I’m actually up at 5 to get myself ready for the day, but I wake Gabe and Chase up around 6. Weekends are a treat when I don’t have to wake up at 5!

Chase has done great as a potty trained little boy. We still keep pull-ups on him over night to prevent me from changing sheets frequently (even though he’s made it without accidents in the middle of the night before), but he’s done well in big boy underwear during the day. Gabriel, on the other hand, has graduated to size 2 diapers and is busting out of some of his 3-month clothing. It won’t be long until I’ll be digging out his 6 month outfits. His appetite has increased to taking in 4-5 oz with each feeding, whereas before he was only drinking around 3-4 oz at a time. My grandmother is enjoying watching Gabriel during the day; her face lights up every morning when I drop him off on the way to work. Chase is still going to the summer preschool activities once or twice a week. He’ll start K3 at the end of August.

Tim and I will also reach our 11th anniversary at the end of August. We actually had a rare date night this month as Tim’s parents came to our house for a few hours to watch the boys so that we could grab dinner at Japan Samurai and walk the mall together. It was a much needed date night and we hope to have more of those between now and the next blog posting. Happy 33rd Birthday to Tim! None of the content of this blog would be possible without him. If you’re reading this, Tim, I love you! (This is a true test to see if you actually read the blog, ha, ha!)

Life with Gabriel at 9 Weeks Old

A pile of feet! My feet, Chase's feet, and Gabe's little foot on top...Chase's feet are almost as big as mine!

Chase laying next to Gabe on the couch with the morning sun beaming through the window on his face

Still trying to capture the perfect smile on camera...getting closer.  You can see a dimple in this one!

Gabe loves bathtime (more so than Chase did at this age).

All snuggled up in a towel after a bath

Little foot in my hand

Here I am typing up another blog update, which means I'm still alive after returning to work a couple weeks ago.  So far, life back at work is good, but it's super busy.  My boss has my group on overtime right now, but I'm struggling just to meet 40 hours a week with Gabriel's doctor visits and just dealing with life in general with a 3 year-old and newborn.  My perspective is that I'm beyond thankful to have a job and I enjoy what I do at the shipyard, but, family still comes first and my babies won't be babies for long.  With that said, I'm doing all I can to keep up with work and still spend as much time as possible with my boys.  I feel as though we've all settled into a pretty good routine so far with me being back at work.  My weekdays begin with me getting up at 5 to pump breastmilk and get myself ready for work before Gabe and Chase wake up.  Tim gets Chase ready in the mornings while I get Gabe ready, and I bring the boys over to my grandmother's house in the mornings around 7 and make it to work by 7:30.  Sounds hectic, but in all honesty, it hasn't been near as chaotic as I anticipated. 

I get off from work at 4 and Tim picks up the boys from my grandmother's house on his way home from work.  Then, I soak up every moment I can with Chase and Gabe in the evenings, which usually involves me wearing Gabe in the Snugli carrier (same thing as the Baby Bjorn carrier I used with Chase) while I'm cooking dinner, packing lunches for the next day, or doing other odds and ends around the house.  If I didn't wear the Snugli carrier, I wouldn't get anything done--it keeps Gabe content and I can even nurse him while he's in there.  Speaking of nursing, Gabe and I are still going strong and he's survived solely on breastmilk.  I pump twice at work to keep the supply going.  Unfortunately, even with being an exclusively breastfed baby, Gabe still has digestive issues.  Much like Chase, he's a gassy baby and it sets in after every feeding.  The gas drops and gripe water help some, but they don't completely alleviate the discomfort and fussing.  At Gabe's 2-month check-up yesterday, Dr. Baust thought he might also have reflux on top of the gas, so we're trying out infant Zantac to see if it will help--I pray it will, because it's a pitiful sight to see a baby in discomfort. 

On a positive note, Gabriel is consolable as long as he's held and walked around (again, I'm thankful for the Snugli carrier).  And, on an even more positive note, he's otherwise healthy and growing, currently weighing in at 12 pounds, 4 oz, and in the 95th percentile for height at 24.25 inches.  He's such a strong baby too.  He's been lifting his head up on his own since birth (no exageration).  He's also been rolling on his stomach since he was just a couple weeks old, but he's still not strong enough to roll all the way over. He goes back to Dr. Baust at 3 months for another check-up to determine if the Zantac is helping with the fussiness after feedings.  Dr. Baust also wants to check his vision better since he didn't get a good enough glimpse at his eyes during the last appointment since Gabriel was so fussy.  To top off the last appointment, Gabe also had a shot, so he was not a happy camper.  Poor baby!  He slept well by the time he got home from that appointment.  As far as his sleep schedule goes, he's sleeping longer stretches at nights.  I usually go to bed around 9 or 10 and place Gabe in the bassinette in my room.  On average, he's been waking up around 3 in the morning for a feeding and then he goes back to sleep until time for me to get him ready to bring to my grandmother's house.  As soon as we can eliminate the 3 AM  feeding, I'll put him in his crib.  For now, it's nice to have him in my bedroom so I can quietly feed him without waking everyone else up and it also allows me to lay down with him while nursing so that I'm still getting a decent amount of rest.

As for my other baby (yes, Chase is still my baby too), he's become quite the doting big brother.  He snuggles up to Gabe all of the time and asks me if he can hold him, but I don't think Chase can handle carrying something a third of his own weight.  Nonetheless, he seems to be doing well around Gabe and I don't see any jealousy coming from him like I did during those first few days.  On a comical note, Chase noticed I have a freckle on my belly and he thinks that's where Gabe came from so he pointed to a freckle on his leg and said that he had a baby brother growing on his leg too. HA, HA! He comes up with crazy stuff and keeps me rolling!  Tim is still his best buddy when it comes to cutting grass, going to the park, and "helping" daddy with things, such as washing the car. Chase is now potty trained (excluding the occasional accident, which is to be expected), so our little guy is growing up so fast.

Chase has had a fun summer so far in going to the bounce-house, park, beach, and playing with the water hose.  My grandmother has a kiddie pool at her house too.  Much to my surprise, my mom took on watching two other little boys this summer, so it turns out Chase has extra playmates.  He's also meeting new friends at school.  He's been going to Faith Outreach Education Center once or twice a week to go on fun, summer field trips with the school and get acclimated to the school.  K3 begins in late August and he'll be attending Monday-Friday from 8-12.  Meanwhile, my mom and grandmother will be watching Gabe, although up to this point, my grandmother has watched Gabe more than my mom has since my mom has been preoccupied with the other two little boys.  Bella comes over my grandmother's house a few times a week too, so Chase has no shortage of playmates and my grandmother has her work cut out for her.  I really don't know how she does it at 86 years old, but I'm so, so thankful for all she does for my boys.  Whenever I type these blog updates, it reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for in general.  God is good!

  

6 Weeks Postpartum

My Patriotic Baby at 5 Weeks Old on Memorial Day

Chase being sweet to his baby "broller" 

 Kristen Clay's sweet daughter Addyson May (3 months old) and Gabe (1 month old)

 Chase leaning up against the tent during his first backyard camping experience with Tim over Memorial Day weekend.  This was solely Tim's idea and I thought it was sweet for them to have this bonding experience together. Gabe and I enjoyed sleeping in the cool house while they enjoyed the hot, sticky weather outside : )

Love the pouty face in this picture

Here we are at 6 weeks postpartum.  I saw Dr. Kathy O'Connell yesterday for a check-up.  My body is back to "normal," although I think every pregnancy leaves its marks on a woman one way or another.  I'm still 4 pounds shy of my pre-pregnancy weight, but overall, I'm healthy and on the right track. I've been cleared to return to work beginning Monday, June 4th....but, I decided 6 weeks wasn't long enough so I'm taking off one more week.  The feeling of dread of returning to work has already set in for me mentally.  Fortunately, my dear mother and grandmother will be sharing the duties of watching both boys while Tim and I work, which gives me peace of mind.  I know I've said this before, but I can't stress enough just how thankful I am to have family to be the utmost childcare providers for my boys.  God has been so good in meeting my needs as far as childcare goes. 

Gabriel is sleeping for longer stretches on some nights, and I'm praying we're headed towards a consistent sleeping pattern now that I'm down to just one last week off from work.  It's not going to be easy getting a 3-year old, newborn, and myself ready in the morning before going to work an 8-hour day on 5-6 hours of broken sleep.  Getting ready for work will involve nursing and pumping; and, there will be more pumping to be done while at work.  Breastfeeding is still going well, and I hope to continue to do it for a few more months if my body will allow it.  I was able to make it through 6 months with Chase before my milk supply dried up so I'm hoping to do the same with Gabe.  Gabe hasn't had any formula up to this point and he won't even take a pacifier.  There are pros and cons to the pacifier situation: obviously, the biggest pro is that I won't have to worry about weening him off of a pacifier if he never takes it; however, the con is that when Gabe gets fussy he wants to nurse constantly instead of taking a pacifier.  Unfortunately, Gabe's fussiness has increased over the past few weeks.  He reminds me a lot of Chase as a baby with the gassy/colic spells.  Once he works through the gas, he's content again.  I try to watch what I eat and use all of the over the counter "remedies" such as gas drops and gripe water, but none seem to help but so much.  Thankfully, this is just a short lived period of time for babies and Gabe is consolable when he gets fussy; walks in the stroller and car rides seem to do the trick better than anything else.

As mentioned in my last posting, Gabriel is well over 10 pounds now and he's already outgrown newborn diapers and clothes. We've moved on to 3 month clothing and size 1 diapers.  Chase, on the other hand, only needs diapers at nights now.  I've worked with him diligently (and so have Tim and my grandmother) to get him potty trained and I'm proud to say that he's getting the hang of it and doing quite well....which leads me to my next point.  Now that he's potty trained for the most part, he can begin K3 preschool in the fall.  I registered him at Faith Outreach Education Center (FOEC) earlier this week and I'm so excited for him to start attending a Christian program that will not only teach him the normal K3 fundamentals, but introduce him to more Christian principals. Chase will also attend some of the fun summer activities FOEC has going on June through August.  This will be great for him as well as my mom and grandma as it will give them a break from having both boys at the same time all summer.  So again, I'm super excited for this opportunity and praying Chase will fit in well at FOEC.

The main goal for the next week is for me to soak up every last moment I can with Chase and Gabe before I return to work on June 11th.  I have no idea when I'll have the chance to update the blog again after returning to work, but I'm sure Tim and I will both post intermittently on Facebook.  Until then, enjoy kicking off your summer!

Happy 1 Month Birthday, Gabriel!

Emily and Ruthie with Gabriel on Mother's Day

 All of the cousins (except Chase since we couldn't get him to sit still) from the Sneed side of the family

 An unintentional smile (but we love it anyways!)

 Looking so serious as Nana holds him

 Gabe and I on Mother's Day (I so wanted Chase in this picture, but he refused to cooperate)

 Looking so peaceful and snugly

 Chase with no pants on (part of potty training) and 19-month old cousin Jaycee Turner

Wide awake after a bath

 Auntie Amber holding Gabe for the first time

Wow, time surely does fly! Gabriel is 4 weeks old today!!!  This past month has been a blur to me.  I've been in a continuous cycle of nursing, changing diapers, and sleeping when I can.  On average, Gabe nurses every 3-4 hours; sometimes we can make it for 5-hour stretches, but I'd say the norm is to get a solid 3-4 hours of sleep at a time in between feedings at nights. Surprisingly, I'm not a walking zombie as one would think, but I will say motherhood is more tiring this time around since I have Chase to entertain on top of the demands of a newborn.  My grandmother has been watching Chase some days, but I've had Chase here with me at home the vast majority of the time I've been off from work.  My mornings start around 6:30 (7 if I'm lucky) with Chase waking Gabriel and I up and asking me to go downstairs and get him some milk (keep in mind Chase just turned 3 and is still too young to fend for himself).  Our mornings are usually filled with Nick Jr. or watching the movie Cars one or two times while I nurse Gabe.  If I can get Gabe back in a sound sleep, Chase and I will sometimes play outside for an hour or two on a nice day before heading back inside for lunch and an afternoon nap. The afternoon nap is for Chase; I rarely get one since Chase is usually going down for a nap when Gabe is waking up.  My most exhausting time of the day is usually by the time Chase wakes up from his nap and Tim comes home from work.  Fortunately, Tim has been a huge help in taking Chase to the park and entertaining him for a few hours in the afternoon while I can get some quiet time with Gabe; sometimes I can sneak in a power nap.  The rest of the evening/night usually consists of cooking dinner (unless we do take out) and getting the boys ready for bed (Tim helps out with this process, thank God). I try to turn in for the night upstairs around 9 PM or whenever Gabriel falls back asleep after having a good amount of awake time.  Tim and I have been sleeping in separate rooms since Gabe has been born in order for Tim to get a good night's sleep so he can function at work.  It's been kind of lonely not having him in the same bed, but I know this is a short-lived experience when you look at the big picture.

Gabriel is definitely growing from his frequent feedings.  We see Dr. Baust on Tuesday for a check-up and a round of immunizations (no fun).  The 2-week check-up had Gabe weighing in at a whopping 8 pounds, 13 ounces.  He was also measured at 22" in length, which leads me to believe he was too curled up at birth to get an accurate measurement then.  I'd say overall Gabe has been a good baby.  The first two weeks were super easy with hardly any fussing.  The last two weeks I've noticed increased fussiness due to gas, but as soon as he gets the gas out of his system he's content again.  I remember Chase being the same way as a baby, but I still feel Gabriel is more laid back.  We've only used a pacifier on him once and the rest of the time he's been consolable and content.  Although he's been exclusively breastfed, he's had a bottle of pumped milk a few times just so we can get him used to taking a bottle before I return to work.  He took the bottle like a pro! 

Speaking of returning to work, I'm still not mentally ready to do that.  I'll most likely add an extra week of my vacation on to the remaining two weeks of maternity leave to give myself three more weeks of being a stay-at-home mom.  The first few months of a newborn's life goes by in a blink and I want to savor every moment I possibly can.  Plus, I've enjoyed getting things accomplished during my time off, such as shopping, working in the yard, and organizing odds and ends around the house.  I've also made headway with potty training Chase.  It's still a work in progress, but we're getting closer.  Our goal is to have it mastered this summer so that Chase can start preschool in the fall.  I'll type more on Chase attending preschool in the next blog posting since it's still not finalized which preschool he'll attend, but we have a good idea after I've done a lot of research.

Mother's Day was extra special this year.  Unfortunately, we didn't go to church due to mere exhaustion, but we did join my family at my grandmother's house for a cookout.  Both sets of of my grandparents were there as was the rest of the Sneed family.  Tim had a beautiful flower bouquet for me for Mother's Day.  Having a wonderful husband and being a mom to two precious boys has been more blessings than I ever imagined!