Tis the Season to Be Smiley

Like everyone at this time of year, I have so many things on my "to-do" list and never enough time to get them all done. I had tried back in early November to have some family pictures taken but it just didn't work out. It was really warm outside and we were all bundled up in our winter clothes. I drug everyone out to Falls Mill for the scenery which added a 25 minute drive. Chase was fussy because by the time I got all 3 kids up, fed, dressed, and out to the boondocks, he was ready to take a nap - not have his picture taken. Plus I was trying to have Jeremy and me in the pictures which meant the MIL was trying to use my camera. All in all - not a good experience.

So I had put it off because I was avoiding the effort. I had already decided to take Jeremy and me out of the picture so I could take them. On Saturday morning, Chase was taking a nap and I realized he would be up around 10 and Wyatt didn't have to leave for basketball practice until 10:40. So I seized the moment and got Morgan and Wyatt ready. Then when Chase woke up, I changed his clothes and herded the kids into the backyard. It wasn't the scenic background I had wanted but we just went with it and I think they turned out great. It was cold outside which actually helped because they weren't uncomfortable in their sweaters. Chase was just happy to be out in the fresh air.

So here are some of my favorites and I will post the one I chose for the Christmas card on FB later on after they are all sent out.

It's Cold Outside...

Just wanted to share a glimpse of what Chase and I are spending our days doing. I have a feeling this will progress to him toddling away from me and eventually him running away from me. But for now, I love watching that little booty scoot away from me as fast as his little legs can carry him. And I could listen to those squeals of delight all day too! What can I say? Chase was the appropriate name for him.

10 Months Old and the Iron Bowl

UPDATE 11/28 - I just realized that I wrote October on the 10 months paper instead of November! DUH - guess I was thinking the 10th month? Oh well, I will know what I meant.


This month Baby Chase's special day fell on the day of the Iron Bowl. As Wyatt liked to say, we were "having guests" so we were extra busy that morning but still managed to get the customary pictures taken.



(Also, poor Sophie (the toy giraffe) was dropped in the store parking lot and was driven over several times so we had to let her go. I hope to replace her soon but haven't gotten a chance just yet.)

So Baby Chase, here is what is going on with you these days.

You weigh about 21 pounds and are about 28.5 inches in length. You are only in about the 35th percentile on weight and 50th percentile on length. Which is so hard for me to grasp because you seem like a chubby baby to me but apparently most babies your age have you beat!

You wear size 12 months in most clothes and 18 months in blue jeans and pajamas.

You wear a size 4 diaper.

You are still a champion sleeper...and still LOVE those two fingers on your right hand.




You are on a breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine. We usually try to give you what we are eating for dinner. You have had meatloaf, chicken, spaghetti, lots of veggies, cheese, grapes, bananas, and you LOVE some Cheerios.

You still have just 2 teeth but we can see where the top ones are very close to breaking through.

We have had to set up two gates to block off your access to the foyer. You managed to get up one stair and that is all it took for me to know it was time to make those off limits.




You have learned how to pull yourself up! You really don't "surf the furniture" yet but prefer just to stand in place.

You also love to clap your hands with a big grin on your face. You love playing with all of Wyatt's toys especially his race cars and Batman cave.




And you are jibber-jabbering all the time. You are so trying to tell us things and we just talk right back to you. You say da-da the most and it won't be long before you connect that word to only Jeremy.

Bath time is even easier these days as your big brother has taken to joining you instead of taking a shower. He is super modest though so when I got the camera out, he had to have a cloth to cover himself up!




Phoebe is a constant companion during our days at home. I should mention that she turned 13 years old this past week!




This year we had our friends Leslie and Mark over to watch the Iron Bowl again. We also invited my brother Aaron, my SIL Erica, and their kids Carter, Jack, and YouYou.

Here is Wyatt, Jack, Morgan, and YouYou posing in the baby jail.




Carter was the only Alabama fan to join us and everyone else was for Auburn. Needless to say we were happy during the first half and they were happy during the second half and at the end of the game. We are proud to show that Alabama and Auburn fans can watch the game together and still speak to each other when it is over.




It was a fun day but a long one which went even longer when the adults ventured out to experience a little of Elora's culture at the Boar's Nest. My friend Leslie took pictures so hopefully I can share some of them soon. My favorite is the one of me outside the front door pointing at the sign that says "No Handguns Allowed." Really? You have to tell people that? Only in Elora.

Disney - Day 4 - Final Recap

For the final day, we decided to go back to the Magic Kingdom and see the rest of the park that we weren't able to see the first day.

On the Jungle Cruise




Jeremy and Wy on the Snow White ride. See the cell phone in Wy's hand? That was his "safety light" that he used in every dark ride after the Dinosaur trauma. The Snow White ride is about as tame as you can get but the first thing he asked when we got in the dark was "Is something going to jump out at us?" TRAUMATIZED.




Carter and Wy in line at the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad






Wy and YouMei on the train that goes around the park




Papa and Wy on the Carousel




We had reservations at Crystal Palace for a late lunch. The Winnie the Pooh characters visited each table while you ate which meant not having to wait in line for a picture.










Our last picture before leaving the park. They had great Halloween decorations all over the park.




There was a caricature booth set up in our hotel lobby. Morgan got hers done one of the first nights we were there. I really wanted Wyatt to have his done as well. The kids were swimming so I put him on the waiting list and kept going back and forth to check. It was finally his turn and he was SO TIRED or as I like to say "give out." But he sat there like a good little boy while the artist drew. It turned out so cute don't you think?




I have such wonderful memories of our family trip to Disney. Thank you so much Mom and Dad for taking us and for being so generous. We definitely want to go back in a few years and take Chase. So start saving your coins if you want to go with us!

Disney - Day 3 - Epcot

OK, I am determined to finish up this Disney saga ASAP. Stay with me - only a day and half to go!

Epcot was somewhat rushed but fun. Lots of cool rides and simulations.

We were able to get front row seats for the Chinese Acrobats. These girls are as flexible as a spaghetti noodle. Look closely at the picture - amazing, huh? This is when YouYou told her Mama that she wanted to be a Chinese girl when she grew up. :)




We had a Grand Gathering dinner reservation that Minnie and Goofy crashed.




After dinner was over, we went to a reserved area out by the lake for dessert and to watch the fireworks. The dessert tables were ridiculous!




It really was truly magical and definitely a night to remember.




And like every other day at Disney, it was magical yet exhausting! :)

Disney - Day 3 - Animal Kingdom

Day 3 was a LONG but fun day. We ended up visiting 2 parks in one day so I am going to cover just the highlights from each park.

The four of us got to Animal Kingdom right when it opened and we headed straight for the Dinosaur area. The first ride we wanted to go on was the infamous Dinosaur Ride. Infamous because my nephews had ridden it when they were younger and were traumatized by it. Aaron and Erica have a picture on their refrigerator of them on the ride and they are both covering their boys eyes who were obviously scared to death.




So I tried to tell Wyatt it was scary but he was determined to ride it. And I thought because he knew it was scary going into it, that he would be fine.

NOT. SO. MUCH.

It was really dark, loud, the ride jerks you around, and these life like dinosaurs are coming at you every where you look. I tried to talk him through the first few little encounters but then I saw he was crying and TERRIFIED.

So I put my hands over his eyes, held him tight, and screamed the rest of the way through it myself. It was a fun scary to me but not to him.

You could not even see Wyatt in our picture because I was basically covering him so we didn't get it.

Then the rest of the family arrived at the park and we decided to ride it again. Jeremy volunteered to sit out with the boys and YouYou who really wanted to ride it but she wasn't tall enough. :(

So front row is Aaron, David Aaron (6), my Mom, and my Dad aka the BRAVE ONES.

Second row is Erica, Emma (8), Morgan (11), and myself aka the SISSYS.

Check out our group picture.
(Click to enlarge)




The funniest thing to me is to look at Emma and Morgan and then look at David Aaron. It is like he isn't even on the same ride as we are.

Next on the agenda for the brave "kids" was a new roller coaster called Mt. Everest. The rest of us took the kids to a play area that was like a huge fort. They were able to dig for dinosaur bones and I think these boys would have been happy to stay there all day.




Then of course we had to stop for our healthy morning snacks.




We continued on to the Animal Safari where you ride in an open safari bus through what basically looks like Africa. I won't bore you with all the animal pictures but it was fun to see so many different types of animals and all so close up.




We met a few characters in the park and then had to rush over to Epcot because we had our Grand Gathering event to attend that night.







Wyatt's favorite Disney character is Donald Duck. I could tell he was so surprised that he was actually getting to meet the "real Donald Duck!"

Happy Halloween!

Here are my little trick or treaters...




Wy and Morgan coordinated...




...while Chase wore Wyatt's hand me down. I loved this costume and am so glad I got to recycle it for Chase.




We went Trunk or Treating on Saturday night after stopping by to visit Ditda and Poppy.