Blake at 3 Years Old!



Oh man, where to begin with our Blaker Boy at 3?!!!  I'm not even sure!  He is such a mixture of things --- acting big yet still being my baby, loving to do things his sister wants to do - yet SUCH a boy, etc.

 

Blake absolutely loves to be outside and his favorite park thing to do is swing.  I REALLY hope he learns to pump early next year so I don't have to stand and push him over and over :)  He he!  That's my goal I guess!

Outside he also loves to help Aaron on the tractor, play with rocks, and ride bike. 

Blake often just follows Addy's lead.  If Addy wants to play house, dance, whatever --- Blake is right there to be her side kick.  He actually often wants to play these things on his own and asks Addy to join.  He really doesn't have much boy influence in his life -- his daycare was all girls and he has his big sis.  His cousins Drew and Hunter that are near us are just at that age where he can't quite keep up yet - but give him a year and he'll be right there with them.  Those 2 are all boy - tractors, dirt, and hunting, so he'll have some boy influence before we know it!

That being said - I love that he is all about playing dolls, house, and "dance class".  I think it is good for him to be his own person, whatever that ends up being!  Plus, this kid can shake his booty like no other... (and says "Shake your booty" while he does his little dance) -- I'm glad he is a goof like that! 

Yeah, he's wearing Addy's old dance shoes in this pic :)

Blake isn't potty trained yet - but we are a few weeks away from going cold turkey.  We had actually started to do some training in August and he was doing fairly well.  However, we ended up leaving daycare sort've last minute so the kids were not at a consistent place each day of the week...so the consistency in training wasn't there.  So I had decided we would give it a rest until I was home with him on my leave.

We've been talking about it, and he says that he is ready to give all of his diapers to Chase.  We've also told him that he can do swimming lessons when he goes in the toilet all of the time...so we will see how it goes! 

I was actually really luck with Addy, so I really don't know what I'm doing with potty training!  Addy decided about a month before I was planning on training her that she was done with the diaper thing, so she just sort've taught herself. 

Any tips --- feel free to send them my way.  Especially boy training tips!



Messy Faced Kid!

 Blake is really a sweet, fun kid almost all of the time.  That being said - when he gets mad --- he gets mad.  He definitely has a temper.  I try to ignore him when he does this, it is hard at times.  Aaron is willing to admit - it's a bit of an Anderson temper (he might be a bit proud of that, actually!). 

I think this kid is going to keep me on my toes through the years, that is for sure!

Mad about something at the pumpkin patch...pictures of my kids mad make me smile...does that make me a weird mom?!!!

Group Hug!

 He may have some spice, but like I have always said since day one --- he is MY CUDDLER!  And, I will hold on to this for as long as I can.  He still uses the phrase "I want to hold you" when he wants me to hold him.  I should correct him to say "hold me"...but I just can't!  I will hold on to him wanting to hold me for as long as I can! 


Cuddling with my babe

Speaking of words and speech -- he is really talking up a storm.  Definitely increasing his vocabulary and the lenght of his sentences by leaps and bounds within the last few months/year.  We have full conversations and for the most part, you can tell what he is saying.  He does mix some letters up, like sometimes for the 'd' and 't' sounds when they are at the beginning of a word, he actually says 'g'.  For example - Hot Dog is "Hot Gog".

I have also recently noticed that sometimes his 'm' is a 'b'.  Like the other day when him and Addy were playing house, he was referring to Addy as "Barissa" when she was playing me (Marissa!). 

I am debating starting him in the night time preschool class that they have here in town starting in January - just once/month for 3 and 4 year olds.  We'll see - it might be hectic with me starting back at work then, but he would love it!

I can't wait to see what this next year brings for Blake --- being a big brother, school, new daycare, etc...so much change and all good!

I love him!

A Bug Birthday Bash!









We had Blake's birthday party the Sunday after his birthday, just a few days after Chase and I got home from the hospital.  Given the fact that I knew we would be cutting it close before Chase was even born, we decided to go simple: pizzas, apple and caramel, etc so I didn't stress out too much.  I had everything purchased in advance so I didn't have to do much to prep. 

 

I had even made the cakes and frozen them a few weeks earlier so all I had to do was decorate...but then when I ended up being so far over and just returning home on Friday afternoon with the party Sunday, I ended up ordering a cake instead of decorating it.

 

It worked out fine because on Blake's actual birthday - I frosted the bottom tier of the cake to enjoy on his actual day!

 

Singing Happy Birthday to Blake on his actual birthday (love all the expressions, you can tell Addy and Grandpa Tim are singing their hearts out!)

  

Blake decided he wanted bugs and rocks for his birthday!  This kid is such a mixture of boy and sweetness, I can't even explain it!  Along with the foods mentioned above I got some gummy worms and gummy bugs and made a "dirt dessert (Oreos, pudding and cool whip) to go with the theme :)

Dirt Dessert with a side of bugs and worms!

Blake had a great time at his party and was really excited about opening his presents. 

This kid's smile....ugh!  Always with his entire face :)  I love it!

Present time!

He got some wonderful gifts from family and friends -- books, games, a work bench, a movie, Octonaut toys, and more.  We got him a bike, which we actually gave him a few weeks early.  He was always riding Addy's bike so we figured it was time to upgrade from his trike :) 

After presents it was cake time!!!!

How amazing is this cake?  I could never top it...but was happy that it turned out so good since I didn't decorate it this year.  I wanted it to be special since there was so much going on around his birthday...it turned out awesome and DELICIOUS!

Trying to put up 3 fingers :)

Singing time!

 Blake's birthday party was a success -- we also did pumpkin carving in the afternoon with everyone that was here...pics in another post to come!  I was really wanting Blake to feel special this year, since the baby was coming so close to his birthday.  I think that he felt special.  He seemed to have a wonderful time.  He absolutely loves playing with his cousins and was excited to have everyone at his house.

He may not be my youngest baby anymore...but he sure is still MY baby.  Look at that face...seriously how do you not just melt at this kid?!

Chase's BIRTH Day

After MUCH anticipation...the day of Chase's birth finally came!  He was born  on Wednesday, 10/23/13.  Sunday night into Monday, I actually thought labor was starting.  Aaron and I were up until about 2 in the morning timing contractions - they were coming 3-6 minutes apart, however they were not strong so I wasn't sure if I should go in or not.  Needless to say, they stopped and we ended up getting to sleep. 

 

I had an appointment Monday morning where they checked the fluid levels and such.  I was dilated to 4 at the appointment.  We went home from the appointment, and once again contractions started.  I was sure we were heading in that day, which was the afternoon of 10/21.  Blake's b-day is 10/22, which is something I always wanted to avoid, but I had come to "peace" with that if they shared a birthday, just ready to meet this baby!  It was really weird because they completely stopped again around 6 p.m.  Frustrating!

 

Nothing happened on Blake's birthday, which I am thankful for as we got to spend the day with him, some one on one time with both Aaron and I before the baby came (while Addy was at preschool).

 

I was scheduled for an induction on 10/23 so we headed in to report at 7 a.m.  After getting settled in, and getting me hooked up to IV's, some fluids and pennicillin in me, etc, we finally got things going around 11:00 a.m. with Pitocin.  I was still dilated to only 4. 

 

Around 1:00 I was between 4-5 cm.  They decided that I should get the epidural since I knew I would want one, then they would break my water.  My history with the other 2 is that as soon as my water is broken, the labor starts moving along...so I was all for that plan!

 

I got the epidural around 1:30 and at 2:20 my water was broken.  I was still in a lot of pain as my contractions got stronger because my epidural wasn't working on one side, so they came in and adjusted some things and then life was a bit better!! 

 

At 3:00 I was at 6 cm. and the doctor told me that protocol would say that she doesn't come back for another 2 hours to check again, but knowing my history, I was to call if I needed anything.  3:45 I told Aaron that I really felt like things were moving along but I didn't want to call anyone in too early - and at 3:55 I couldn't stand the pressure and such any longer so we called in the nurse.

 

At exactly 4:00 they announced that I was fully dilated and the baby was +2 so I could push.  However, I had to wait for the doctors to be ready...to hold off was the worst ever!

 

When I was finally able to push, it was only a few minutes and Chase Robert Anderson arrived at 4:08 p.m.!!!!

 

The name Chase has actually been on our list since we were pregnant with Addalyn.  If she had been a boy, it was between the names Blake and Chase...same with baby #2, in which we obviously went with Blake.  Chase still kept rising to the top this time around as well so we knew that would be the name if we were blessed with another boy.  It is PURE coincidence that our kids names go in the order of A, B, C -- we get that question a lot.  They just happen to be in that order :) 

 

Robert is after my grandpa Bob --- my mom's dad, who has definitlely been present these last few months as I see feathers EVERYWHERE - which as I've mentioned before, is something that he said he was send from heaven when he passed on.

First pics of Chase Robert Anderson!

They immediately put Chase to my chest and he was laying face down.  All of the doctors were around me, and I asked if anyone saw if it was a boy or girl.  They all said no --- so I quickly rolled him over to check and Aaron was able to share with the team of doctors and nurses that it was a boy.  Lots of cheers and smiles all around....it is So So So fun being surprised! :)

Our big boy!  9 lb, 11 oz (2 pounds larger at birth that his sister and brother!)

I was SHOCKED when I heard what Chase's weight was...my pregnancy was the same as both Addy and Blake, and I actually gained less weight this time around, so to see that he was 9 pounds, 11 ounces shocked me.  It shocked most of the care team as well!  I can't even begin to explain the way some of them reacted to the weight.

And throughout the stay - people that came in the room to check on either me or Chase, would always take a glance and him and say "he must be a big boy" and then read the information on his basinette and be shocked.  Sort've funny -- I don't feel like he is so big when I hold him or anything, but we did go right into size 1 diapers instead of newborns :)

Getting his feet stamped!

First pic with mom and dad

That evening we got to have visitors right away - my sister Angela who works at the clinic got off work at 5 and came right over before heading home.  Addy, Blake, and grandma Jean arrived around 6.  Addy was SUPER excited and very very curious of all of the items in the room, what they are used for....and she still wants to know how the baby comes out of my tummy.  So far the "doctors help mama" has worked...but she still asks "HOW do they help?"  We just avoid that answer for now :)

 Blake was a little more unsure of what to think.  Not necessarily about his new little brother, but he was not sure about mom being in the bed and such.  He didn't want to come near me or anything, but that was okay.  He would look at Chase and give him kisses and touch him, so that is what I was more concerned with than me :)

World's Best Bro!

Daddy and his 3 Babes

The hospital stay went well.  We had a good amount of visitors and an uneventful stay, which is always nice.  Here are some pics for the rest of our stay!

 



Visit on night #2 (she had to wear her "Amazing Big Sister" shirt again!)

Proud Bro!

Love this one of Aaron and Chase

The outfit that Aaron picked for Chase to go home in...and the puppy that Addy and Blake picked out.  Aaron has bought a new "go home" outfit for each birth and brought it to the hospital washed and ready to be worn home :)

Heading Home!

All in all, Mr. Chase was well worth the wait of 10 days overdue...and I was very happy that my boys get their own "day".  Their birthdays are just a day apart, but at least as they get older, we can try and make their day their own! 

We got home on Friday, 10/25.  Life so far has been good --- I will do another post with life at home :)

Chase Robert

Chase Robert Anderson arrived at 4:08 p.m. on Wednesday October 23rd. He is a big guy! 9 pounds 11 ounces and 22 1/4 inches long.

Everyone is doing great and we get to go home today!  More details on his arrival will come soon :-)

This Week's Excitement

Since I have been off this week, I have been spending lots of quality time with Addy and Blake.  Even though I am anxious for the baby to come, I must say I have really enjoyed having some time with just the 2 of them before the baby comes.

Of course I have time with them on the weekends, since Saturday Aaron is still working.  But it is different, since I am not trying to get house chores done and such with the limited time before the weekend ends or the nights when we have to do baths quickly or something --- it has made it that much more enjoyable!

We had some crazy things come up these past few months, one that made us have to leave our daycare sooner than expected which has added stress and made me just want to hold my babies close --- so it is feels so good to just be home with them for a bit.  Even if it means I used a week of vacation that could've been during used as part of my leave :)  Can't put a price on precious time with your little ones...

Here's a bunch  of pics from our week!


We played at the mall....



We had lunch there also and then picked out some winter hats for the upcoming season!

Since I didn't feel like heading home that day, we stopped at my parents house, and my sister's kiddos were there.  So, we made Halloween brownies with them (this is Drew with Blake and Addy)

The next day we went for a walk...and it was cold enough to put our new hats and mittens to use.  Thank goodness we had purchased those!



On our way home we went to the park by our house :)

I took a picture of our house (I'm not sure if I ever shared a pic from the outside of our house, so figured I'd share, LOL!)

Addy got an American Girl catalogue in the mail ----- THANKS to whatever list we got on for that!  She's looked through it by herself and made me do it with her a zillion times and wants THREE dolls :)  He He!

We cuddled on the couch together and took silly pics of ourselves!  Oh yeah, this day we also colored for almost the entire morning!



Today we headed back to the Pumpkin Patch/Orchard that we had gone too earlier this year

We did it with both of my sisters and their kids, and my mom too :)

Blake loves his grandma Bonnie!  She was the only one able to pull him :)  (TOTALLY fine by me!)



After the orchard we had pizzas at our house and then baked Halloween sugar cookies!  Here's the kiddos eating some of the goods!

It has been a great week at home.  I've never actually had a vacation where I am just hanging out, so I am treasuring this time in that way.  But, I am ready for this baby.  Full moon tomorrow night, slight storm in the area tonight/tomorrow ----- SOMETHING has to be in my favor soon!

 

I do have some contractions, ones at night that wake me up, but still not often enough to get me excited.  I soooo hope tonight is the night...or tomorrow!

My sis took a pic of the baby and me at the orchard.  How Tall This Fall??!!!  --- OVERDUE!

40 + .... AGAIN!

Well --- once again I am overdue!  I guess I figured it would happen, given my track record but I REALLY hoped I wouldn't be this time around.  I still am hoping to go in on my own sometime this week (tomorrow would be great!).  Totally out of my control so I will just hold tight!

I had an appointment yesterday and it was somewhat dissapointing.  I am only a little more than 1 cm. dilated.  GRR!  Mayo has always had a 10 day rule for being induced, but for Addy my doc scheduled the induction for 7 days, and I was to be induced for Blake on my 8th day over (but went in on my own the night before). 

My doc was going to schedule an induction for next Monday (8 days over), because we had discussed how I was hoping to avoid 10/22 which is next Tuesday since that is Blake's birthday...

However, when she called to get that on the books, the person taking the call wouldn't do it.  Apparently there is a new STATE law that won't let them schedule until 10 days over unless medically necessary, so I had to get on the books for 10/23.  Boo to that.  I just hope/pray that I go in on my own before!

In the meantime, I am done with work until the baby comes.  It was a hard decision since I was due on a Sunday.  I was due during the week with the other 2 so I worked through that Friday...but I really didn't want to be at work an entire other week, and it is easier to just be done with coverage and such with my job than to not know each day if I will be back or not.

So, I am home, spending some time with this crazy kid!

And this sweet girl that can't wait to be a big sister again!

Today the kids did go to daycare --- but they are done now until the baby comes.  I might send them the week after the baby comes (depending on when that is and how things are going) on Addy's school days to keep some consistency -- but it would only be for the one week.

While they were gone today I hand-mopped my floors, dusted the house (including the panel doors and base boards), cleaned our shower, and made a meal that I can freeze for later.  I officially don't know what else I could create on my to-do list!  I guess I have to figure out how to just relax...

But I have to admit I'm not very good at "just" relaxing!  Ask Aaron --- drives him crazy!  I hope that relaxing will help things along, since apparently keeping busy doesn't do me any good :) 

Me and my 3 babes...hopefully soon #3 will be on the outside with these 2 crazies! 40 weeks, 2 days pregnant for this mama!

Until next time...

...which I hope is an introduction to our 3rd little one!

The Shelf

I have gotten comments on how low I have been carrying for most of my pregnancy.  And, as the month of my due date has come, I get a lot of people telling me how much I have "dropped"!  It cracks me up though, because it seems to be the same people that tell me I've dropped, and I wonder how much more I can "drop" in their eyes!

While I may be carrying low and perhaps I have dropped...I'm more convinced that it is due to carrying my little man around vs. the way my body is naturally carrying my baby around.  Blake has a nice little shelf that he has gotten to sit on for the last few months.

Hopefully he is helping out the progress of getting that baby low and ready to be born...I guess we will see in the next week or so if I actually go before my due date for the first time! :)

Pictures are blurry because Blaker was moving and wiggling, but you get the idea :)

My sweet boy...oh how much I love those big hugs he gives me!!!

39 weeks and counting...and now I OFFICIALLY have my pre-baby To Do list complete.  Aaron will read this and think "yeah right, and then I come home tonight and she'll be cleaning or whatever and have another list of things to do on the counter"...which, he is probably right, LOL!

However, all the things that I had on my original list to do before the baby comes (such as wash the neutral baby clothes, get diapers, pack for the hospital stay, set out shirts for Blake and Addy's hospital visit, pedicure, etc...) --- well those have been checked off the list.  I'm sure I'll make lists until I don't have the chance to make them anymore...it's in my nature.

......Maybe I should put "carry Blake around" on the list...so that he can help speed up the process as he puts more pressure on my "shelf"!.....