Tagged!

Beth from Fragile What!? tagged me for this "First Born." How appropriate to be talking about Chelsey!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? yes
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? no
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? excited, and then wow, what have I done!
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? absolutely not
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 18
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I was in the A.F. at the time in California; it was soon after returning from home from Christmas break......1 day late and I went to their clinic for the blood test
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? The people that were around me
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? kind of, but John definitely did not, so I decided I wouldn't
9. DUE DATE? September 17
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? only once very early in the pregnancy....I ate some jelly beans very early in the morning and they came right back up
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? food
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? hot weather
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD’S SEX? girl
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I don't remember
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT YOUR PREGNANCY? 50 lbs
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? A surprise (I don't like surprises.....my husband just shaved his goatee without telling me first.....not happy) (he hasn't had it very long and I wasn't a fan of it at first, but now I am------too late)
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? No
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Connecticut
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? contractions started exactly at mid-night, about 5 minutes after I had fallen asleep....we got to the hospital around 9:30 a.m., and she was born at 12:23 p.m.
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? John
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? John, doctor, and a couple of nurses
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? 100% all natural
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? no
25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7lbs 14 oz
26. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? September 21, 1989
27. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Chelsey ........we picked her name out a couple of weeks before she was born.....we were watching On Golden Pond, and John really wanted to use the name Chelsey----I agreed because I was tired of playing the name game. Before that, it was Jessica (Joshua for a boy). It took me a few months to get used to her name.

The Graduate and The 2 Year Old

A "For Sale" sign went in our yard on Thursday, Evan's birthday was on Friday, and Chelsey graduated on Saturday! We had family visiting to see Chelsey during this momentous time of her life. The past couple of weeks, I haven't had much sleep. On Sunday, my throat started to feel sore, and it's now turned into a nasty cold. Imagine that. At least it held off until everything was over so that I was able to enjoy it all. I say enjoy, which I did, but of course I stressed a lot too. I put out the welcome mat for this virus!

My Baby!

My big girl! (but still my baby...sorry Chel!)

Passing by while heading to her seat below

Matt and Kyle, taking it all in, hoping and praying that they never have to do this! :)

The graduates


Standing with the Graduate (John forgot to smile :)




"Please stop taking my picture"

Yay Chelsey!


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The Birthday Boy



Yum!

His favorite new toy. He especially likes to bring the ball to someone so that they can take a shot!

I'm 2!


Enough procrastinating. There are cabinets and closets calling my name...

Awards and Words

This past week, John, Chelsey, and I were invited to a dinner at the high school for the "Top Ten Banquet." This is an awards night where the top ten in the class are recognized, as well as the top student in each department and the class officers. Chelsey received her award for the top student in music. Yay for Chelsey! She was in band from 6th grade through 11th grade (she plays the flute), and then for her senior year, she decided to take choir instead. That switch was a great idea; she has an awesome voice! She also can play the piano. We got a letter in the mail yesterday inviting us to the Senior Honor Night program where she will be receiving another award! I'm not sure how this night is different from the other one. We'll have to wait and see :)

Chelsey and John

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Last night, Evan and I were looking through the photos on my camera. There were several of him in his crib playing "crib soccer." This is a game that John started with him several months ago. John would say, "One, two, three, kick!" and kick the ball in. Evan would then laugh, get the ball, and throw it back out after John would slowly say, "Throw the ball." For a couple of weeks, Evan was saying, "Dough duh ball," but we haven't heard that in a couple of months, and it's probably been a few weeks since the game has been played. Well last night, John joined us while we were looking at the pictures. Evan, with an extreme look of concentration, looked at John and slowly said, "Drough duh ball." It was so cute! He said it a few times, and even though it was close to bedtime (and this game winds him up a bit), we just had to play crib soccer! He didn't say it while we were playing, but he was having a good laugh. I'm guessing it will be a while before we hear it again ): The only consistent words he has are "ball," "uice," and "mommmmm," and even those aren't daily. Sometimes, he'll say something that makes one think, 'Did he just say that?' It's kind of random.

The Diaper Dilema

From a very young age (I don't know, 6 months or younger), Evan learned that if he put his fingers near the tape on his diaper and wiggled them around, he could get his diaper undone. A few months ago, he perfected the technique.

It doesn't matter if he has a onesie on; he just reaches his hands through the bottom of them, peels back the tape, and slides the diaper though the leg opening. It happens during the day, and at bedtime. It's a guarantee that I'll have to put the diaper back on him at least once after I put him to bed. He's usually awake for at least 45 minutes after he goes to bed---just playing....and taking off his diaper. So, while he is still awake, I go and put it back on. Chances are, it will be back off soon after I leave the room. Sometimes, it's not a problem--he stays dry. But of course other times, we have to do a complete change of sheets and blankets.

He has one pair of overalls that he wears during the day that he can't get his hands down to maneuver the diaper (he wears them frequently). I'm going to have to look harder for pajamas that are difficult to get into. I don't like the one piece ones with the feet on the bottom. I used them for my older three, but chose not to for Evan because several years ago, John bought some for me. My feet felt so trapped in them, and most of those are polyester, and personally, I don't like to sleep in sweaty polyester. So, I've decided, neither does Evan! Many stores have the two piece summer pj's out now; those would be like an open invitation for him to take off his diaper. We need short sleeve, long pants, one piece, that don't cover the feet. Not an easy find. I've considered duct tape for the diaper, but I'm afraid his fingers would get stuck in the icky, sticky tape.

He has gone on the potty twice, but I just don't think he's ready to be potty trained. He'll be 2 on the 23rd of this month. I'll continue to put him on the potty occasionally, but it's definitely not something I'm going to push.