Camping

A couple of weekends ago, Matt, Chase and I had our first camping adventure.  We've been talking about going for a while so when we saw the gorgeous weather forcast, we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to head to Jordan Lake.

Matt spent many weekends camping with his high school friends so he was excited to have to opportunity to channel his inner 'survivor man' and I was looking forward to seeing him in action.  I was also looking forward to seeing how much Chase enjoyed setting up the tent, building a campfire and making s'mores.

As soon as we got to our camp site and started unloading all the stuff, Chase started running around, squealing excitedly with a big smile on his face.  I think it was safe to say he was having a good time.

Don't get me wrong, in no way did we 'rough' it.  We brought an air mattress, we strategically placed ourselves about 100 yards from the bathrooms and (I'm a little embarrassed to admit) we even brought the portable DVD player. 

I knew bedtime might be a little challenging since sleeping on an air mattress, in a tent, in the woods is a little out of Chase's normal routine.  So we brought it just in case.

We probably could have survived without Nemo but you just never know.

I think it's safe to say it was a successful first camping trip for us.  Definitely want to go again at some point.

we'll just have to see.  :)

You hear me??

2 and a half is proving to be such a funny age.  The things Chase says is so funny.  It's amazing all the things he hears (yikes!) and repeats back at random times.  He's still completely obsessed with all electronic devices.  The most recent obsession: our GPS.  He calls it a 'BTS' for some reason.  The other day he was begging Matt for it and Matt said no because he was driving and therefore using it.  Chase said, "One more minute!  You hear me??"  Then he laughed.  :)

He's also starting exclaiming things from the backseat while I'm driving.  He'll look ahead at the road and exclaim, "Come ON!  It's traffic ERRRYWHERE!" while waving his hands in the air.

Exhibit A of the electrical obsession: the camera bag (he's searching for the cord).

Definitely making me watch what I say around him these days.  I'm a little bit nervous about what will come out of his mouth next.

All the ladies...

Matt and I have been known to be a little ghetto.  Back in the day Matt had a "system" in his jeep that he would use to blast rap in high school (maybe even after that), and we've also been known to go to Player's in Chapel Hill to dance (yep.  just the 2 of us.  no special occasion was necessary).

So when Chase started playing with his little keyboard and microphone, Matt took the microphone and said "All the ladies in the house say yeeeaaaaahhhh." bringing back our ghetto days.

Here's Chase's version of that.

Work pooter

We've officially entered into the world of pretend play.  Chase loves to pretend that he's going to work.

 

He has different work bags, work stuff (that's literally what he calls it.  work stuff.), an office, and most importantly:  his work 'pooter'.  

Our netbook laptop sucks (which is one of the reasons I'm so behind on my blog postings) so Matt started letting Chase play with it.  

And it's now his work pooter.  And let me tell you, he's pretty attached to it.  So attached, in fact, that yesterday morning he woke up crying hysterically.  When I ran into his room (thinking that he was hurt or sick), he was sobbing and kept saying "My work pooter.  My work pooter..." over and over again.  Even though it was still dark outside, the only thing that would calm him down was for me to go into 'his office' (otherwise known as our bonus room) to get the pooter and bring it to him.

I'm guessing he had a nightmare that someone was trying to take it from him?

Where's Chase??

I recently went in to check on Chase before Matt and I went to bed because I couldn't see him on the video monitor.  When I tip-toed into his room I got a little nervous because at first I didn't see him.

 Then I looked closer and this is where he was.  Hugging/being smothered by his cow pillow. I know that the risk of SIDS doesn't exist for 2-year-olds and all but I thought I should maybe move Mr. Cow off of his face.  :)

Leaving

It's not always (or ever) easy to leave Chase.  Particularly if he's upset, asking for me and/or clinging to me.  Luckily he doesn't do that very much anymore (sniff, sniff).  Which is a good thing.  However, if there is a morning when I drop him off at Leslie's where he's particularly clingy, we encourage him to go to the window and wave to me.  It always works like a charm.  And (ignore the annoying glare) but look at this sweet sight:

It is absolutely the cutest thing to see Chase and Samantha's big grins in the kitchen window as I'm driving away in the mornings.

 

It makes going to work a little more bearable.

 

Knowing how happy he is makes leaving that much easier.

conversation with a 2-year-old

I absolutely love the cute, 2-year-old way that Chase talks right now.  I love the way he exclaims, "I have GUN!" when he's happy and having fun.  Lately he's been saying really sweet things that make me melt...But then there's the naive meaning behind some things that are just plain "gunny".  :)

Here's an example of a conversation I had with him last week when we were on the way to the airport to pick up Matt from a work trip:

Mama, you're pretty.
Aww.  Thank you, buddy. (I swear, I have the. sweetest. child. on. earth.)
He then thought for a second, looked out the window, sighed, then looked back at me.
Dada is pretty.
I laughed a little- while trying to keep a straight face- and said: Yes, he is.  Dada is pretty, too.
 And I'm pretty, too.

Ok.  Yes he's sweet but I'm not so sure he thinks I'm 'pretty' in the way that I thought he meant.

At any rate, it was 'gunny'.

Labor Day weekend

We didn't do a whole lot last weekend for Labor Day weekend.  We celebrated Abby's birthday (and the announcement that she's having a boy), we celebrated Bebe's birthday, we went to Marbles Museum, and we went to the pool.  It was a pretty nice weekend.

 

Chase did well in the pool and enjoyed hanging out mostly by the steps, where he felt the most comfortable and where he had the most control.

 

He especially enjoyed putting the chlorinated pool water in his mouth and either spraying it out of his mouth (while giggling) or swallowing it.  

Gross.

I'm not doing anything, Mama...

I kept telling him to stop it.

 

Which didn't exactly work.

 

This little charmer gets more and more fun with each age and stage so far.  People told me that would happen but now I know.  :)

Friends

Chase and I went over to my good friend, Laurie's house a couple weeks ago to play.  Anna Grace is just a few months older than Chase and Daniel just turned 1.  It was a fun time.

  

As is the case with most kids, I had a hard time getting them all to look at the camera at the same time.  

 

Anna Grace was ready in most of the pictures but Daniel and Chase were more concerned with playing.  :)

Yard work

Always the big helper, Chase was excited to pull out his lawn mower last weekend when it was time to cut the grass.