What Will Preley Wear Today?

So I love having a girl! I already play dress up with her everyday, even though we never go anywhere! Of course, she's too small to fit into about 90-95% of the clothes she has, so I really haven't even begun to tap into the crazy amount of clothes in her closet. Just wait til she hits the eight pound mark and I can start fitting her into 0-3 month stuff! ha ha Patrick thinks the last one of her in the "baby legs" is so silly looking, but they crack me up! Good times :o)

Texas "Snow" Day

This morning Tucker and I were sitting on the couch and we looked out the window and noticed it was snowing! I couldn't believe it--it was really coming down! Tucker wanted to go outside, and my first reaction was no way, but thankfully I remembered to look at the world through the eyes of a child, and I gave in. So as any good Texas-mom would do, I bundled him up in his winter best, and set off into the backyard for a snow-filled adventure. What? You can't see it in the picture? By the time we got outside it was dwindling down, and Tucker didn't even want to go out past the patio. Texas snow day, indeed!

First Bath

I've been meaning to post these pics for a few weeks now. I love that Presley fits in this bucket at bath time! I know one day I'll look back and think, how was she ever so small? I actually already think that now. When I'm holding her on my lap I think, how were you inside my body just three short weeks ago? Isn't God just amazing?

Anyway, we've been giving little Presley "swaddle baths" like they did at the hospital, and she really seems to enjoy them. Tucker feels like a big boy in his Daddy's-little-helper role. He stands perched and ready to hand Daddy the baby wash or wash cloth or towel. He loves the little noises Presley makes and he just stares intently at her.

What joy fills our hearts and home these days!

Precious Big Brother

My heart swells with pride as I watch my Tucker Bear with his baby sister. He has not shown one sign of jealousy, only love and admiration for his little sister. He is gentle and loving and kind and patient with her--what a blessing he is to her. I am praying that their special bond will last with them throughout their lives.

The other night I brought Presley into Tucker's room for bedtime stories and prayers, and Tucker wanted to kiss her on the head. Then he whispered, "Baby Presley, I will "pet you" and play with you forever." What could be cuter than that!

Welcome to the World Presley Dallas Chamberlain!

We are so proud to introduce you to our precious girl, our sweet Presley. She came into the world on Friday, March 6th at 12:51 pm weighing 7lbs even, and stretching out at 19 inches. She is doing wonderfully well--she is a great eater and sleeper. She only wakes up about 2 times at night, and she's already gained back all her birth weight, plus three ounces! She's also already grown an inch. It's going too fast!

Tucker is absolutley in love with his little sister, and he is relishing his new big brother role. He loves to "pet" her and help out as much as possible. I adore watching him with her, and experiencing this new addition through his eyes.

I've also fallen in love all over again with my husband. I forgot how much Patrick adores his babies. Tucker and I tease him about being a baby hog, which he totally is, and it just melts my heart. I am so blessed!

Presley's Room is Finally Done!

Hooray! Presley's room is finally done...and not a moment too soon! Special thanks to Keelie for painting her room, painting her name on the wall and making the chair covers for the glider and ottomon; thanks to Nana for making her curtains; and thanks to Stacy and Jed for "painting" the changing table. We're finally set to welcome her home in less than a week...

Presley's First Movie

Every appointment we've had for Presley to "have her picture taken" she's been extremely uncooperative. The first time we tried to 4D snap her, her umbilical cord was right over her face. Another time, she had her hands over her face. At other times she just won't look the right way. So we haven't been able to get any pictures of her thus far, until finally last week she cooperated. This little video is pretty good, but at this week's appointment she was really photogenic! Of course, that would be the appointment where Mommy forgot to bring along our disc, so none of it was recorded for us! Oh well :o)

So this was about a week-and-a-half ago.

Here's our star...

Presley's Shower

On Super Bowl Sunday my precious friends Stacy and Kim through me a shower for Baby Presley. (You can imagine how many husbands were disturbed by this! Of course we were done well before the game started!) It was adorable--very pink!! Thanks to all who came out to celebrate!

(As soon as I can figure out this SmileBox thing I'll upload my photos!)

My Little Bear is Growing Up...

Our little Tucker is not so little anymore! On January 28th he turned four--I can't believe it! It has all gone so quickly. As I think about Presley coming, it's hard to imagine when Tucker was so small and helpless.

We had two special days for Tucker's birthday. On his actual birthday, Patrick and I both stayed home from work, as is our tradition. Tucker and I made a special birthday cake together, which he decorated in his favorite color, pink--sorry Patrick!--and of course we let him have it for breakfast! Then we went to The Wiggles Place with his BFF Haley. After that he spent some time with his favorite Nana. Then on Saturday we had his big shin-dig at Peter Piper Pizza and he had a great time with great friends.

I'm such a proud Mama when it comes to my little guy. At four-years-old, he is friendly, compassionate, tender-hearted, mischeivious, outgoing, and fearless. (Well, except for buffalos!) When I think about how God took a little bit of Patrick and a little bit of me and made us this perfect little guy, I get choked up. Tucker is the embodiment to me of God's love for us. He's just so generous and giving, even when we aren't worthy.

Happy 4th Birthday, Tucker Bear!

An Update on Presley Dallas

Well, we went to the doctor on Tuesday and found out some interesting news...Presley's coming TWO WEEKS early! Wait, let me catch my breath...okay.

I guess because of the Heparin injections I take everyday it's best that she "evacuates" my womb as soon as she's able! My doctor said that the longer she stays in after that point the more at risk I am for stillbirth. Wait, did he just say that? Why yes he did! So even though I really don't want to have another C-section, I'm going to do whatever is best for my daughter at that point, and if that means another section, then so be it!

Something about saying your baby is coming in six weeks as opposed to eight weeks makes me feel a great sense of panic. We have SO much left to do. If you scroll down and see the pictures of Presley's room I posted almost a month ago, it might interest you to know that I haven't done one single thing to it since then! My little list of all the things I still need to do (the walls, the border, the changing table, the glider...) um, yeah, all those things still need to be done. :o) What is it about the second child that makes you completely neglect them from the get-go?

Anyway, we're getting a jump on our appointments, already being bumped from twice a month to once a week, and on Tuesday I'm having a biophysical profile to make sure all is well with our sweet girl. I'll keep ya posted :o)

So if you're checking out my little countdown there on the right of my screen, well you can go ahead and just add two weeks to the weekly count, and subtract 14 days from the days to go count! March 5th will be here before we know it. We're really in the home stretch now--is that a good thing? Keep us in your prayers!

Jonah and the Whale

Tucker's favorite bible story right now is Jonah and the Whale. Our nighttime routine always ends with two stories from the bible--one "free choice" and then the other HAS to be Jonah. After that we'll pray together. Well, Tucker usually wants us to do the praying, but last week he told me he wanted to pray the prayer that night. He closed his eyes and bowed his head and said, "God, I'll never try to hide from you, because if I do, the whale will get me. But I know I can't hide from you, so the whale won't get me. Amen"

Amen, Tucker!

Slow Movers...

I have to admit we are moving so slowly getting Presley's room together, but finally I have her bedding. I've had a really hard time finding anything I like in the stores right now, so this was perfect!

So now we still have to put the lighter color diamonds on the wall for the harlequin pattern, paint a green border at the tops of the walls, I need to make curtains, recover my glinder and ottomon, and paint the changing table white. But hey, we've still got what some 70+ days left?! I'm just going to assume we'll get it all done! Thankfully we have great friends pitching in, or I would be pulling my hair out right now!

Merry Christmas!

Have I told anyone lately that I adore my son? He absolutely cracks me up and is the light of my life!!

It's 5:15 pm right now on Christmas day, and my son has not had one bite to eat today. He's been up since 7, but is just having way too much fun playing with his new toys to stop and eat anything! Patrick and I have offered him all of his favorites, (including sweets and candy!) but to no avail!

Today has been so special. Patrick and I are just soaking in the last Christmas we'll ever have as a family of three. We're so excited for Presley to get here in March, but oddly enough it seems bittersweet that it won't just be Tucker Bear any more. My poor daughter! I'm sure that sounds terrible!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! May the joy of Jesus fill our hearts today and always!

Happy Birthday Patrick!

Today is Patrick's 38th birthday, and the 8th anniversary of the day we met. :o) I'm so blessed to have this amazing man by my side each and every day. He is a hard worker, a good provider, an incredibly involved daddy, and the biggest support system I've ever had! I just love this man!

Happy Birthday Schmoopie! (No your Schmoopie!)

The Magic of Christmas

I've always loved Christmastime. I've loved the hustle and bustle of last minute shoppers, Christmas music taking over the radio waves, bundling up in the car to drive endlessly looking at Christmas lights, seeing all the beautiful nativities spring up around us, Santa everywhere you go, listening to, reflecting on, and pondering the Christmas story.... But my new favorite and best thing about Christmas is experiencing it with my three-year-old son. Every moment this year has been so precious, so beautiful...I'm just so blessed!

Tucker is loving Christmas this year! He'll walk over to our tree randomly all throughout the day and say, "Mommy, isn't it beautiful?" Anytime he sees a house covered in lights he'll say, "Look Mommy! Christmas!" Which is always followed with "Are you happy?" (He knows I love it.) We talk about how the whole world is celebrating Jesus' "happy day" (not birthday, mind you!) Then he likes to spout off how Santa brings toys to celebrate Jesus "happy day" because "Jesus likes to share." And I swear he remembers that we bake Jesus a "happy cake" and sing to Him before we do gifts because he asked me if we were going to do it again. He likes to hear about how God loves us so much he just had to be with us here on earth. He's just mesmerized with the whole season. And I'm just enamored by him. His excitement has brought back all the magic and wonderment of Christmas to Patrick and me.

I have friends who's kids are older and the magic is slightly lost. I'm praying that somehow Tucker and I will be able to hold onto these feelings forever.

A Cowboy Room in the Making

We decided since Presley was getting a room make over, Tucker should too. Really, I just wanted to give him a little boys room. I loved his sports room, but I figured he could always have a sports room, and I wanted to do something that only little boys want. So I asked him if he would like a cowboy room, and want it he did! We still have a lot to do, but here's one wall that's almost done! Obviously we haven't hung anything on the walls yet, and I'm also going to hang rope where the colors meet the white border in the middle, but it's getting there! And that's one proud cowboy!

Painting Presley's Room

Tucker loves to be a little helper, so he jumped right in to help Poppy get Presley's room painted. As much as Patrick would hate that I'm telling the world this, Tucker's favorite color is actually pink, and as he was painting he said, "Mommy, I don't want the cowboy room. I want the pink room!" Patrick spent the rest of the night explaining that "pink was a girl color."

The Fruits of the Spirit...Revealed...

On Fridays, Tucker goes to what we call "big school" with his babysitter and all of her family. In his class each week this semester he's been learning about the fruits of the spirit. He's getting quite good at remembering all of them, and this week he just make me laugh out loud as he explained one of these gifts...

He was sitting in the backseat of the car finishing off his fruit snacks and I asked "Tucker, which fruit of the spirit did you learn about this week?"
"Self-control," he confidently replied.
"And what does that mean?" I questioned, to which he matter-of-factly replied, "NO more fruit snacks!"

Best Friends

Tucker and I headed over to our dear friends The Roseberry's house on Wednesday night for a play date. Since Patrick and Jed were both working late, Stacy and I enjoyed a great evening with the kids--they played so well together! (As they do most of the time!)

As it seems to be tradition for us, we always end up throwing the kids in the bath tub at the end of the night before saying good-bye, and I had to post these precious pictures of our precious kids! We love our Haley girl! (Hopefully I'll be able to figure out this picture posting stuff!)

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Patrick and I have realized lately how much we have to watch what we say, because little ears are listening! Mostly it's harmless stuff, like how Tucker says "Oh my stars" like we do, or how he likes to play with the button in the car for the windows and shout out "Everybody downstairs" like he hears his babysitter say into her intercom every day. :o) But last weekend just cracked us up...

My parents were over and Tucker and his Poppy were wrestling. Tucker was getting frustrated because Poppy's a tough competitor :o) and he was shouting at him to stop. Finally he stood up and said "Poppy stop! You have to be careful--I have a baby in my tummy!"

I guess he's heard that around our house a time or two lately!