Sunday, July 28, 2013

Our 4th Anniversary

We've been married for 4 years! It's been the best 4 years of my life. I'm so blessed to have found this incredible man who is so patient and loving. I'm so grateful to him for working so hard so that I can stay home with Chandler. This guy works 40 hours a week at the resort and doing an internship at a CPA firm, is in school getting his master's degree, is the ward mission leader (which is a busy calling in South Carolina), and helps me manage the park. Even with all of this on his plate, he is unfailingly optimistic, attentive, and plain incredible. Seeing him as such a great dad has only made me love him more!

On the day of our actual anniversary Josh had class until late. So I surprised him with a steak dinner (his favorite!) when he got home. 


Our sweet little third-wheel joined us.


The next night, Mom and Dad were kind enough to watch Chandler so we could go out on a date with just the two of us. It's always hard leaving my boy behind...




We ended up at Carabbas, like we do for most special occasions. We love that place! And....I forgot to get a picture there. But we snapped a few before dinner!



Happy Anniversary, Josh! I love you more than life itself!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Summer Fun


Here are a few pictures of the fun things that we have done this summer...

Back in May, Mom and I went to Charleston to visit Jordan and Kaitlyn. First, we walked along the battery:


Right after this picture was taken I noticed Chandler had a huge poopy explosion that got everywhere. And we couldn't find a bathroom and had to set up camp in a public park to get the job done. Good times.

At least he's cute.


Then we got some gelato to eat while swinging on the pier and walked along the famous Rainbow Row. (Also, I wish I could have this fountain in my back yard.)



A few weeks later we went and celebrated our friend Ashley's birthday on her family's houseboat!




And we've hit the beach with a few friends.



And Josh, Chandler, and I went to Myrtle Beach's 75th birthday party.


For the event, they decided to break Guiness's World Record for the largest cupcake tower! The tower ended up being 21 feet tall and was filled with 7,000 cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake, which is featured on the TLC TV series "DC Cupcake."





The stars of the series, Catherine and Sophie, were there to sign autographs and take pictures. The line was long, but they had live music and handed out little pinwheels that Chandler quickly became obsessed with. He couldn't decide if he wanted to watch it or eat it.


When we made it to the front, they were so nice! Sophie asked how old Chandler was and when I told her 5 months, she said "I have a 5 month old, too!" and we complimented each other on how good the other looked and then became best friends /(except for the best friends part...). Anyway, her husband and mother had the baby and we chatted with them for a little while. As it turns out, her baby was born the day before Chandler!


After the cupcake tower was completed, they handed out free cupcakes. And the way they did it was ridiculous. They just opened the flood gates and people went pouring in like a stampede and lost all inhibition. This lady next to me was trying to sacrifice her poor 12 year old daughter instead of herself by shoving her into me and the poor girl is saying "Mom, stop pushing me!" but I guess the mom just reaaaally wanted cupcakes, because she didn't stop. On top of that, there was a pretty strong wind that made me lose control of my cupcake box and hit some poor girl in the head. I felt so bad, but she was nice about it. Anyway, here are my battle-worn cupcakes.


But they were still delicious.


Monday, July 22, 2013

Independence Day 2013

We had a fantastic 4th of July this year! 

Nonnie found Chandler the perfect outfit for the occasion:





Is there anything cuter than a baby boy in overalls with no shirt? I submit that there is not.

We spent the first half of the day at a fabulous party at the Richard's house with great food, great company, an inflatable water slide for the kids, and the hot dog eating contest on in the background. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures, but we had a fantastic time.

Next, we headed over to my parents to have pool party with some other friends!

The table was loaded with incredible food. 



I contributed Star-Spangled Jell-O:



And I was slightly obsessed with it.

All that food, and that was just the snacks! Dad also grilled up delicious burgers:


Everybody had a great time in the pool and talking. 



When it got dark, we headed to the front yard to shoot off fireworks. 


We even sent of the floating lanterns like they do in Tangled!


And of course, sparklers!




And what did Chandler think of all this?


He slept through the whole thing. I can't believe the fireworks booming all over the neighborhood didn't wake him up!

This year is going to be tough to beat!

Monday, July 15, 2013

A Very Chandler Update

4 Month Percentiles:
Height: 14 lbs 7 oz - 50%
Weight: 25.75 in - 75%
Head: 16.75 - 60%

Chandler is getting so big so fast! His percentiles from height and weight have completely reversed since the last appointment! We are so grateful that he is growing healthy and strong.

Chandler is coming up on five months! We have been enjoying:

At 3.5 months, he rolled over for the first time! For days, he would flip over almost immediately after being put down. But since those few days, he has refused to do it. He is strong and can push himself way up high on his hands, but he just doesn't want to roll any more. Recently, though, he has started trying to go up on his knees. (As I was putting these pictures in, he rolled for the first time in weeks!)



Nap time has become a battle. He does fantastic at night...he pretty much would have slept through the night since he was 6 weeks except that our doctor said I should wake him up and feed him. Since about 2 months though, we've been letting him sleep all the way through and he does fantastic. But he struggles at nap time. I tried the "cry it out" method, but he would just cry hysterically and never fall asleep. Since then, we have gotten into a reading and lullaby routine that has seemed to help, but we've still got a ways to go. He can't fall asleep on his own if I just lay him down.



We have been enjoying little giggles for awhile (he's very ticklish) but at a little after 4 months we got to hear his first all-out hysterical laugh (and pretty much my most favorite sound ever). We were at Lowe's and he was sitting in his carseat in the cart waiting to check out. I would pretend I wasn't paying attention to him and then all of the sudden turn to him, pull the cart quickly up to me, lean in, and say "HI!" It absolutely cracked him up, which cracked me and Josh up. So fun.


He still is a little small for it, but he loves his jumper. Mostly because he can chew on the side.


Chandler is a little babbler. He's talking and cooing all the time. His new thing is to do this really high pitched squeal over and over. As I type that, I realize it might not seem like it would be cute, but it is. I promise. I love hearing him talk away in the backseat of the car while we're driving. And most parents can't take their kids to movies because their crying is too disruptive, but that's not the problem for us...it's the babbling. He went to a movie not long ago and I had to hold him off to the side the entire time because he wouldn't stop attempting to have a conversation with Leonardo DiCaprio. I found it adorable but the other people in the theater, not so much.



Speaking of driving, his hatred of red lights is tapering off a little bit...but not completely. When he's not in a good mood, he still doesn't appreciate the stopping. 


Still loves his pacie. And I do mean LOVES.



Since his weight and height are just a little disproportionate, the doctor had us go ahead and start him on baby food after his 4 month appointment. We kicked things off with rice cereal and he is a big fan. One day he would even cry in between bites because we couldn't shovel it in fast enough (I'm ashamed to say, he gets that from his mom...) Since then, we gave him squash followed by green beans. So far he has liked it all. The diapers have been an adjustment for me, though. I have a huge gag reflex. 



Chandler loves to be held. He does pretty well at self-entertaining for awhile, but as he gets close to his nap or bedtime, he wants to be held. As a matter of fact, when I started writing this he was playing next to me but is currently sitting contentedly in my lap. That might make typing more difficult, but his little head is more accessible for kisses, so it's a good trade off. 








He is still our little pool baby. Now that the fantastic summertime weather is here, we have been able to swim in my parent's pool more. It combines 3 of the things Chandler loves: water, being outside, and being held. 


When Chandler was first born, every one who saw him would say he looked just like me. Now everyone says he looks like Josh- and it's true. He is his daddy's boy! He still has my dimples, though, so I'm in there somewhere.


He's great at tracking, holding toys and transferring them from hand to hand (and to his mouth, of course). 



He loves music, whether it's the music I play while in the car or cleaning the house, the hymns sung at church, or the little mobile above his bed. He rarely falls asleep without a lullaby. For a long time he would smile and get really excited when we sang the ABC's, but now we get more response out of "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam."

He's the cutest thing I've ever seen and has the kissiest cheeks ever.


Here he is the day he turned 3 months:




And the day he turned 4 months:





Someone make time slow down!