Monday, March 22, 2010

1,2...3!!!

She's 3!
Sitting in front of her packages. This kid will grow up thinking birthday presents come in the mail. We love you families. Thank you, thank you.
We went for a haircut.
She was a princess all weekend...and really all year, right?
She loved her cake.
A princess get together.
I made her that little shirt with my new screen printing technique. Gotta say, I love it.
Daddy bought her a princess towel. I have to say, I have embraced the princesses. This last month I have found myself really wanting a lot of princess garb. It makes her so happy.
Opening many many presents. Thank you, thank you.
We went and saw dad at work, wore a princess crown and earrings around town, napped, went to the park, went to Steak and Shake (her request. we had the same waiter we always have and he actually commented that he remembers us...nice. That's too many visits to Steak and Shake I think) We had "crusted rice" for dinner and lots and lots of cake and KitKat bars.
I love her leg hugs. You know the ones. Those tight ones where they hold on and make you feel like you are the single most important person in their little life because you are and you just want it to stay that way forever. I love those leg hugs. We love you Miss Blue.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Starksy is getting older.

We still love our little dog. He's just getting older and with that grumpier and lazier. Chloe loves playing with him. He can still keep up running with me and Brad. He stinks more. But...same old cuddly, center of attention, Starsky.
Chloe has been really into carrying these animals all over the house. Downstairs with her in the morning, back upstairs for nap, back down after nap, back up for bedtime. Once she told me to carry her animals because she couldn't. She said, "I only have 2 hands, mom, you do it."
After church last week, she came home and threw herself on the ground in a defeated way and said, with her head in her hands, "this drives me crazy".
She'll ask Brad and me, "what are you guys laughing at?"
When Ezra isn't awake in the morning she goes up about every 5 minutes to "check on him". She told the doctor the other day that we only call Ezra "handsome boy".
She's a character...soon to be three next week. More on that later.
We went to Chicago last weekend and met some friends. We stopped at REI and a couple days later found that we came home with an item we didn't buy. Just so you know, you can call REI and they will gladly take your credit card number of the phone and make a purchase. So now we own a new beanie hat. Christmas for someone next year, I guess!
What else...well, I am loving Spring.

Friday, February 26, 2010

We 4 celebrated 30 in Chicago

I got up early to open my presents because Brad wasn't going to be home till late so we wouldn't really get to celebrate my birthday till the weekend. I didn't cry or even complain because I know this has been a long rotation for Brad and I just grinned and bared it and mentally willed myself to be happy that we would celebrate the big day 3 days later.
But Brad is a sly guy! He had me open my first present which was awesome and then I opened this big folder full of little envelopes. Anytime he gives me a folder full of envelopes it's something good. This time it was better than good. The first card was a poem telling me that basically I had the whole day to have an adventure with the kids and ...him. He took the day off. I cried when I read it. I'll admit it...I cried. I was sooooooo happy to just have time with him. I've hit that stage. Quality time over gifts is way, way more precious to me. (but don't get me wrong, I love the gift part, too:)) So, the other envelopes had ideas of things we could do for the day in Chicago (activities and restaurants) I showered quick, got the kids ready and we were out the door by 9 for a fun filled day in Chicago. Seriously, who gets to spend their birthday in such a beautiful city?
We ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. A really fun place for families. we sat by the big fish tank.
This picture is great for 3 reasons: 1. This is Chloe's picture taking attitude these day. 2. Ezra and 3. Me posing. I've never been one to shy away from pictures. oh and there is probably a 4th reason to love this picture, the crazy guy who's lap we're sitting in.
We shopped for a bit at this huge mall. These pink shoes were a must. She alternates now between these and her silver ones my sister bought her for Christmas.
The first place I ever had one of these taken was in the Woolworth's in Cottonwood Mall when I was about 10.
We loved having Our Brad with us.
Little EZ. Happy boy.
Did I mention we spent the first part of the day at the children's museum on Navy Pier? we saved 3 bucks on parking but turned around and spent that on warmed sugar-coated almonds. Love those.
It was the best best best day. I love all of you for remembering little ole me, too. Thanks. Am I really 30??

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

HIJACKED BLOG...BIRTHDAY POST :)

HAPPY "30th" BIRTHDAY
MELANIE ALICE NELSON CHAMBERS

(From your awesome, funny, smart, loving sister Emily)

Top "30" Reasons I am glad YOU are my SISTER:

1) You are a good listener.
2) You are always nice to EVERYONE.
3) You put your husband and kids first.
4) You are smart.
5) You are a good friend.
6) You are a good blogger :)
7) You are funny.
8) You let me call you "BLUE" when you were little.
9) You love to play games.
10) You love to ski.
11) You have the same love for exercise that I do.
12) You love to vacation...and have been on some fun ones with me.
13) You are patient.
14) You love the gospel.
15) You served a mission for our church.
16) You are adventurous and not afraid to try new things.
17) You love to cook and bake.
18) You make friends easily.
19) You love our parents.
20) You love dogs...especially Starsky.
21) You have a great smile.
22) You graduated from college.
23) You laugh at my jokes.
24) You are a morning person like me.
25) You love both of your families...Nelson's and Chambers'
26) You are a great mother and wife.
27) You play with Chloe and Ezra.
28) You have people over for dinner.
29) You are diabetic and never have I heard you complain about it.
30) You are MY sister and we are the bestest of friends.

I hope you have a FABULOUS birthday today. Thanks for always being a good example to me and everyone around you. You are the BEST.
I LOVE YOU :)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Some more..

Another project to keep my busy was this little "redo" Easter dress. My sister sent me this cute gently loved Easter dress. I love more vibrant colors so I set to work. Thanks to the inspiration of "redoing" clothes from many of my friends out there.

This is the new dress. I just took those pink rosebuds off. Add some bright pink thread to the center of the light pink flowers (this took WAY longer than I thought it would) and then added the bold pink ribbons in the center. I love it and it makes me happy that Chloe will have something "new" for Easter.
I heart running. I seriously prefer to run when it's colder. I'm the opposite of most people, I know. So, I have had some great mornings and evenings to get out and get this body back in shape. The shoes and the leash go hand in hand. Starksy loves a good run, too.
Brad would say he hearts his trainer. We set the bikes up as often as we can and ride in the living room while the other watches our shows.

Monday, February 8, 2010

It happened to us...could you be next?

That's an xray of one almost 3 month old, baby EZ. And that is a penny!!!
Here's the story:
On Saturday night, B-rad and I were doing dishes when we heard some giggling from the other room. We went in to "spy" on the cute happenings when we heard C start to say, EZ is spitting up. So we grabbed him and I simultaneously noticed she had her hand cupped around a fistful of coins. I calmy (and very gently, I might add) said, "chloe, this is very important, did you put some of that money in the baby's mouth". She responded by telling us that she had put the money in his mouth. I asked her again and she told me the same answer. She's a smart and very talkative girl so we trusted that she was accurately explaining what had happened.
At his point, EZ was just smiling and appeared fine.
Off to the ER. I have to add that this Saturday was the first day Brad had been home since the ill-fated surgery rotation started. Each night he comes home at 9, doesn't get to eat with us, doesn't get to see Chloe or EZ. So this was "our family night". We were supposed to be going for icecream and a movie rental but instead our car drove to the local ER.
Fortunately, we were admitted quickly because we had an infant with "a foreign body" in him.
At 8 we got the xray back and learned that he would have to have the "coin" removed (at this point there were bets going on to which coin it actually was). The ENT came and told us the situation. He could do the "removal surgery" but afterward the hospital didn't have anyone who could care for our little man. It's a pretty serious thing to give an infant anesthetic because their brain deosn't deal with it well. There was also a concern that he would cry and eventually cause the penny to move into a different position or block his airway which would be really bad. So, We would need to go to a pediatric specialty hospital. The nearest one was 45 minutes away in Peoria, Illionois.
So they rolled Ezra one way and we went the other. We sat and waited. We ate a butterfinger.
Shortly, the doc (bless his heart...he was such a sweet sweet man) came out and told us everything was fine. They removed the coin with some skinny forecep type things. He presented us with the coin. We have the penny in the keepsake cup on our counter now. Ezra will keep that souvenir forever, I'd imagine.
I went to feed him in recovery while Brad talked "doctor" with the anesthesiologist and the ENT. At this point they presented the "student" with the keepsake xrays. Not sure you're supposed to get that treatment but we did. They also told the "student" he would be permitted to ride on the lifeflight to Peoria.
So, I was driving at midnight on the dark streets of Illinois, headed to see my son in a strange place and hospital while my cute husband got to ride above in the helicopter. Brad takes care of me so this was very uncharacteristic of him that he would go and "leave" his poor wife to fend for herself and try and stay awake on the narrow roads...(I digress). It really was pretty cool they let him go and I am glad that he was with Ezra in the event that something did go wrong.
Our crappy night officially started at 2am. We had to try and get some sleep in the hospital room. Ezra was fine. He just needed to be monitored for the next 12 hours. They only had one "bed" in the room and Brad was told he's have to sit in a chair. Luckily, the ended up bringing him a rocking chair. The guy slept like a baby. At 5am, I said to myself, he's gonna be an awesome doctor because he can obviously sleep anywhere and function fine. As for me, I couldn't get comfortable and the constant beeping was like a screwdriver being jabbed under my toenails every 3 seconds. I don't do well with any noises at night!
At 11 am the next day we were discharged with a doctors note of : "no med, no procedures, no followup." We literally just slept there. On the drive home I had Brad teach me CPR and today I roleplayed with Chloe and Ezra. Do you know how to do CPR?
Ezra is doing fine. He actually slept all night last night...ALL NIGHT.
This afternoon, while Chloe was supposed to be sleeping, she called out to me that her nose was bleeding. Last week she pulled that stunt and I went in to find a smiling girl who just wanted more hugs and kisses. So today I didn't go in to the tales of a "bloody nose". I checked on her about 30 minutes later and found her covered in blood. Nice Mel. She did have a bloody nose. She was covered in blood. Her favorite toy and pillow and blanket were covered in blood. I laughed and thought to myself that these are the joys of being a parent!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Mr. EZ

February 4th. it's been fun to think of new projects I am going to make this month and projects that I want to finish this month and actually did (see February 1st).
I couldn't be prouder of these 2 "accomplishments" in our family.
Here she is in all her cuteness.
Love these two with a million hearts.
And this guy... I will post again about him on his official 3 month date, but I hope these make you smile (Emily!)