Our Big Helper

Trenton has adjusted well by now to having a little brother. He loves Chase, and anytime Chase is within his reach, he runs to him saying, "Cha-ase!" I sometimes use pillows to hide Chase on the bed while I get ready in the mornings, which buys me a few minutes until Chase makes a noise and Trenton goes running to climb the bed, singing his endearing little "Cha-ase!" as he runs to find his brother.

He gives Chase hugs by putting his head next to Chase's. He loves to help me burp Chase by (vigorously) patting Chase's back. He also likes to feed Chase bottles, but he refuses my help and isn't quite steady enough (or patient enough!) to keep the bottle in Chase's mouth. :)

He excitedly runs Chase's diapers to the trash can and bashes in the praise he gets from Mom after doing so.

He still whops Chase on the head occasionally, but just when Chase is getting all the attention and he wants some. Chase is definitely going to be a tough little brother.




Thanks for being Mama's big helper, Trenton!

My First Broken Bone

It turns out I broke my knee cap back in October. Who knew?? Guess I should have gotten it checked out after all! Oh well, it spared me three weeks in a cast, although now I'm looking at some physical therapy.

Hmmm... This could make losing my baby weight a little tricky...

Dating

While Ryan's mom was in town, she was determined to get Ryan and I out on some dates, kid free. We went on three dates in five days—We felt like teenagers again!

Ryan took Thursday off and planned the perfect date for us—shopping at H&M in San Francisco and sailing on the Bay. It was ridiculously relaxing. Everyone who lives in the area should do it at least once.






Getting away from the house and kids reminded me how happy I really am with how our lives are going. The day-to-day can be hard (sometimes really hard), but I have so little to complain about.

Happy One Month, Chase!

I have so many fun things to talk about this week—more on my sister's visit, our fun with Julia (my mother-in-law) in town, and Trenton's new and exciting toy—but for now, I can't skip recognizing Chase's one month birthday.

Happy birthday, my darling boy! I already can't imagine my life without you. We love you so much!

The Babbs Come to California

We were delighted to have my sister Mary and her family visit us from Arizona this weekend. I was so happy to show my sister our life here. Trenton was in heaven waking up in the morning with three extra kiddos in his room! More details to come, but for now, I'm busy getting spoiled by my mother-in-law! She's in town for the week. Be back soon!

So Loveable

Mischief

He resisted his nap today with a fury. He found a creative use for his riding toy. (See photo 1) And he apparently learned a new skill—opening the baby powder bottle. (See photos 2 and 3) As much as he drives me crazy, he makes me laugh about a hundred times a day. And when he enthusiastically waves to me after I lay him down in his crib for bed, it's a little bit easier to forget what a long day it was. Phew.

Such a clever way to access his favorite place in the house.

Caught in the act!

This is his "I am so busted" face. He started saying uh-oh as soon as I noticed him. Love this boy.

Beach Day

Yesterday, when Ryan got off work (hopefully one of his last Saturdays working), we decided to introduce Chase to the ocean. As you can tell, he didn't miss a moment of excitement. :)

Trenton has never had more fun at the beach. He's the perfect age for it. He stole sand toys from other kids; watched dogs, horses, and seagulls; and covered our blanket in sand (because why wouldn't it be?). Just don't get him too close to those waves, and he is in paradise. So were we.

Two Weeks!

Yesterday was our bundle of joy's two-week birthday. Chase is an angel baby. I hope I'm not speaking too soon, since newborns can change so much from one week to the next, but so far, this baby is just what I needed. He naps well, and when he is awake and has a full belly, he just peacefully sits and takes in the world. Even our nights are going surprisingly well! (It probably helps that I knew what to expect this time around...)

I'm treasuring every moment where he stares into my eyes. I'm savoring that precious newborn smell and those adorable sounds he makes when he eats. I love this boy! (Both boys, of course!)
Trenton is the one giving me a run for my money. My heart goes out to him because he is really struggling with staying home so much, and he gets very frustrated when I nurse the baby, despite my best efforts to entertain him. For now, we're just doing the best we can, and we want to thank our friends who have come over to keep Trenton company or have even picked him up for outings. We can't tell you how much it means to us!