We Have An Announcement

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!

Phew. I feel so much better to get that off my chest. We have been keeping it a secret for seven weeks and it has been EXTREMELY difficult for me.

 I knew with this second pregnancy I wanted to be able to keep the secret a bit longer than we did with Creighton. Just a few days after finding out I was expecting Creighton, I started getting very sick. One of my sister's in law confronted me about being pregnant and I couldn't deny it. I was so sad she had already figured it out and I didn't want anyone else to as well, so we broke down and told everyone without much planning. I had wanted to announce Creighton in a big way, but didn't get the opportunity. So with this pregnancy I wanted to be able to keep it just between Cason and I for a while and think of a clever way to tell our families.

Several months ago we learned that Cason's dad, Elder Robert E. Chambers, area seventy and religion professor at BYU-I, would be giving a devotional at BYU-Idaho on June 26th and we were invited to attend a luncheon beforehand and sit on the stage during the devotional. I had an idea to arrange for the one reading his biography just prior to the devotional to announce the arrival of our new addition! I talked to Cason about it and he was so excited about the idea. I put him in charge of making the arrangements.

We learned that BYU-Idaho President, Kim Clark, would be reading Robert's biography and we contacted his secretary with the details. She LOVED the idea and spoke with President Clark. He too was thrilled with the idea and was totally on board. But I had totally overestimated my abilties to keep this secret. By the end of May I was dying to tell somebody. Everytime anyone said, "So... what's new?" I wanted to scream, "I'M HAVING A BABY!!"

Well, my mom and Dennis were going to watch Creighton for us the day of the devotional since we could not take Creighton with us. I made Creighton a special "big brother" t-shirt so he could announce his news to his Grandma and Grandpa. When we arrived in the morning to drop off Creighton I sent him into the house and of course my mom didn't miss a beat. As soon as she saw him she said, "You're not a big brother! ARE YOU?" They were so excited and kept telling us over and over how thrilled they were. Inbetween my mom saying, "You're just now telling me!?" Grandma Wilde is already making plans for baby blankets...

To Rexburg we traveled next and I kept telling Cason, "I feel sick about this. I am so nervous. My stomach is in knots." We arrived to have a special luncheon prior to the devotional. All of Cason's siblings and spouses were there and his grandparents as well. We also had lunch with President Clark and a President Hobbs and President Broadhead. The lunch was great, super fancy, and filled with good conversation. The conversation would often switch to grandchildren, with the other men in the room telling Robert and Robin how lucky they were to have their children and grandchildren so close. I kept looking at President Clark wondering if he was going to give me a wink or something. But he did not. HE IS A GOOD SECRET KEEPER.

Well, we took our places on stage directly behind Robert and Robin and waited... My heart was pounding out of my chest I was so nervous. I didn't know at all how the announcement would turn out. It was BETTER than I ever could have imagined.

President Clark was conducting the devotional and was reading off of a monitor. I started getting upset that Robert and Robin would read ahead and know of the surprise before he even said it. Well, as he introduced Elder Robert E. Chambers as having 5 children with 4 grandchildren and a 5th on the way... Robert looked fidgety in his chair and Robin was looking at him really confused... Then he announced the 5th grandchild was to Cason and Katie Jo and due January 2013...

Oh, it was priceless. The entire audience started laughing. Probably mostly to Robert and Robin's reaction because it was PURE surprise! We learned later that Robert HAD read ahead and was going to correct President Clark about the error. That was why he looked like he would hop out of his chair. Robert was also grateful for the musical number just after his biography and prior to his talk so he had time to regroup his thoughts. It was rather mean of us to spring such a surprise on him at such a nerve-wracking time! We can't wait to watch the devotional on DVD- or even on TV! and get to see the whole family's reactions on stage. Priceless.

After the devotional so many wanted to congratulate us and know how we arranged the whole thing. We thank everybody for their well-wishes and those who were involved. Seems as though there were many good secret keepers, like the event coordinator and her assistant who made sure everything ran smoothly and was announced properly. They even let us know that they planned our seating directly behind Cason's parents on purpose.

It was definitely a great announcement. But just a heads up for the future... We will NOT be going to such great lengths to announce any other children, NOR will we be keeping it a secret for seven weeks. It's almost more than I can bear.

We are so excited to welcome this new little one into our home! This pregnancy has been so much better then Creighton's. I have only thrown up a handful of times and haven't experienced the exhaustion I did with Creighton. Unfortunately with him I was living on the couch with a bowl almost all day. I still experienced digust with the smell of my fridge and was completely grossed out by the bathroom. Cason did clean the fridge for me (as I stayed far away) but unfortunately the bathroom was not cleaned for several weeks, thinking about it made me sick. In fact the pregnancy seemed pretty easy and was so different from the first, that when I visited with my Dr. for the first time last week I expressed that I was feeling worried something wasn't right... She replied, "It must mean you are having a girl!" We had a quick ultrasound and found that so far all is well. Now that I am 12.5 weeks and heading out of the first trimeser I am feeling really great and only experiencing a few symptoms that don't interfere with my daily routine.

How wonderful it was to be able to see my little baby. Baby was very active and not shy at all, waving lots and showing off swimming skills. It almost brought me to tears. I already feel so much love for this new addition growing inside of me. Cason was so sad he could not be there.

We figured Creighton would know best if baby was a boy or a girl since he was with them most recently (in heaven). So while showing him the ultrasound pictures we said, "Creighton- is this a baby sister or a baby brother?" "Baby sister!!" he replied. In fact several times a day we ask him if he wants a brother or a sister because the reply is so adorable. And he always says sister. But Cason and I, like most other expectant parents say, would be thrilled with either.

We are so happy to finally be able to share this news. We can't wait to add another to the Chambers family!

Creighton's Daddy

We love Father's Day because we love any reason to shower our Daddy with love, gifts and good food to show our appreciation for all he does for us!

Truly, Creighton's best pal is his daddy. When Cason is at work Creighton asks me numerous times throughout the day, "Daddy soon?" (Daddy coming home soon?) And any time I open the side door he runs into the kitchen thinking it is Daddy coming home from work. His daddy is so good to him. On the days I work, Cason takes him to the park! Then they like to go out for lunch... His daddy has introduced him to delicious foods like chicken nuggets and french fries and taught him the art of "saucing". Meaning that ALL foods must be coated in sauce to be delicious. He never gave up until Creighton learned to properly dunk his fries in the little fry sauce cup. Daddy also helps Creighton feel important by always asking for his help with tasks around the house. Just this morning Cason was fixing a pipe under the bathroom sink and Creighton was standing, nearly on top of Cason, ready with his plastic screws and bolts (from his own work station) to give to Daddy just in case he needed them. He even helps daddy mow the lawn!!

We are very lucky to have Cason as the head of our home. Everything he does is for Creighton and I. In fact in just a few days his work schedule will change so that we can have more quality time together as a family! Cason will be starting graveyard shift. I know- it sounds yucky. But we have been considering this change for quite a while and we are comforted about our decision to switch his shift. No sympathy is necessary.

Since Cason and I have been married he has worked swing shift. It has been hard not to spend evenings together. We only get mornings together as a family and 2 evenings a week. But mornings usually aren't spent together with me at work and Cason going to school. Cason often feels like he doesn't get enough family time with his work schedule. He especially misses bedtime with Creighton. So after a lot of contemplation and prayer we decided this shift change would be best for our family. It will be a hard adjustment for him at first- sleeping in the mornings, but he is willing to do it.

With this change I am sure there will be a downside (or several) but the upsides are shining through!He will still be able to attend school, he is taking late afternoon and evening classes, and will be able to study while at work. He will now be able to serve better in the bishopric, by being available weeknights. And  Creighton and I are going to be thrilled to have Daddy home at night! The two of us regularly get bored with each other.

In just a few days Cason and I will be celebrating our 4 year anniversary. I can't believe it's only 4! So much has happened in four years that it seems like it should have taken longer to get to where we are now.

I am so blessed to be married to someone so wonderful. He truly has so many admirable qualities and is better than me in so many ways. Instead of giving a list, I'll just tell you about one. I use to think that Cason let people "walk all over him". It would make me so angry. I would tell him, "stick up for yourself" or say "you should have told them off". But Cason's view of other people is how God sees us. He is the most kind person I have ever known. He is truly Christlike and understands how to treat other people. He doesn't like to tell people no and would do just about anything he could for someone. He would never talk bad about another person. He easily forgives and forgets. He doesn't point out when others are wrong-even when it involves what someone thinks of him. He understands very well that the Lord knows the intentions of his heart and that satisifies him. He seeks to build others up instead of tearing them down. He does not desire to boast of his own achievements, but those of others. He is always looking for ways to serve others. He teaches me so many things and I know I can become a better person by being his wife.

We are glad to celebrate Cason on Father's Day- but once a year is just not enough! He deserves to be celebrated every day for all he does for our family. We love him and appreciate his sacrifices that make our home a joyous place to be and our life one that I wouldn't change for anything.

Pillow Forts

Creighton has been building a lot of pillow forts lately. He takes the pillows all around the house counting, seven...eight! seven...eight! seven...eight! They are good for hiding under. Creighton LOVES to hide. He says a lot, "Hide! Hide! Hide!" and then reminds me, "Sssshhh!!"

 Pillow forts are also great for relaxing. Creighton loves to curl up with a good book. After we have read one book 3 or 4 times in a day I am tired of that book and usually start telling him no, to reading it again. So he will take the book and flip through the pages and read to himself. One of his favorite books is Hop on Pop. He loves to say, "Hop, Pop, Hop, Pop". He is always so concerned about what is happening to characters in books and likes to add his own commentary. When the mouse is carrying the house, he says, "HEAVY!" And when Will climbs up the hill Creighton says, "TALL! HIGH!" When Pat is going to sit on a cactus he says, "OUCHY!"

It is wonderful that he is starting to talk more. He often says, "I am so happy!" Cason was taking Creighton to nursery today and as they were headed downstairs, where nursery is held, Creighton started jumping and saying, "I'm happy! I'm happy!" He is really loving nursery. He has a fabulous time there. Probably because it is his only interaction with other kids his age. We need to find him some friends and have more play dates. He loves to play!

Like, he loves to play that this pillow fort is a cave and he is trying to escape! 

 The best way to get out of the cave is to use your hammer! They fix everything!

I think I have a little Bobby Flay on my hands. He loves to play that he is a chef. His specialty everyday: SOUP. I am getting tired of eating soup. The only thing that ever changes is the vessel it is delivered in. Sometimes it is the underside of a lego, or a measuring cup, or a plastic lobster, or a plastic shovel. Really, the possibilites for soup bowls are endless.

Books, books, books! We can never have enough books and a gal in my ward was giving away a LOT of books just a few days ago so we picked through the tote and found a "few". Creighton loves reading all of the new books. And mommy is grateful for some new material because several of Creighton's books are being permanently engrained in my brain, never to be forgotten. Unfortunately.

 Currently we are in the phase of: eating. It goes back and forth, but right now Creighton is eating! Hooray! His favorite food as of late is TOAST! When mommy gives it to him it has peanut butter and honey on it. But daddy gives him buttered toast so it doesn't make such a mess. But either way he is happy. Sometimes though he forgets to stop playing and eat, even when food is brought to him! It is hard work working on the railroad! He works so hard in fact that he is still taking 3+ hour naps every day. And he still goes to bed at a decent time. He is like his momma and needs lots of rest!

 Cason and I often look at each other and say things such as, "Did you teach him that?" "How does he know that?" "Did he really just say that?" He is learning so much so fast and it continues to amaze us. He is so grown up!! No more a baby!! He is wonderful and I'm glad he's mine!

Our Family Pictures

I love pictures. Pictures of EVERYTHING. Sometimes I can be that crazy mom who stalks her child in whatever they are doing just so I can take a picture for "remembering." However, we have not had a family picture taken since the Christmas after Creighton was born. I have been waiting for the "perfect" time for the family picture. You know... when I have lost weight, when Creighton will cooperate more, when the weather is nice for outdoor pictures... Just a few of my excuses for not taking family pictures, but always having good intentions of taking them soon.

Thank goodness for mother-in-laws who schedule family pictures and tell you when and where and what to wear. I am so happy that she did it for me. The pictures actually turned out great and I am so pleased to make prints and hang them in the living room. We did take pictures of ALL of us, but here are just the ones of our little family.

No Lions, No Tigers, but BEARS-Oh My!

Yesterday we enjoyed spending our Saturday at Yellowstone BEAR WORLD!

We drove through the park and saw animals, fed the fish and ducks, went to the petting zoo, explored the gift shop and rode some rides! I should say that most of these things were ATTEMPTED. Of course, the gift shop truly was "explored" in Creighton-fashion and all things were touched at least twice and put back in what Creighton believed to be a better location. Creighton couldn't see the animals well and was more interested in eating his candy than looking at bears. He didn't want to feed fish or ducks, there was so much room to run!! He certainly didn't want to pet any animals like: a pot belly pig, goat, chickens, peacock, or deer. Again, so much room to explore and run!! He did however, LOVE the rides! 

We didn't know what to expect as we headed up to Bear World and were surprised to find little-kid amusement rides! Creighton loved the "choo-choo" and liked to sit up front and ring the bell. There was a mini-roller coaster he got to ride with his daddy, that was fun.

Creighton got to drive a bouncy car, I think that one was his favorite, but it was a little too bouncy for his daddy. And the biggest surprise of all, he liked the ride that took him WAY up in the air! He was laughing and giggling the whole time.

He was so sad when each ride was over and had a hard time understanding he needed to get off. But most of the rides he got to do a few times. We are going to Lagoon with Cason's family later this summer and I am glad to know Creighton will have a BLAST!

Cason's parents just live a few minutes from Bear World so they met us there for some bear fun!

 The baby bears were so cute, I wanted to take one home with me!!

This is Creighton's "growliest" bear face he could muster! Oooh-scary!!

Speaking of bears... remember Mr. Bear, Creighton's favorite stuffed animal? He appears in a lot of pictures I take of Creighton because he likes to tote him around the house; usually swinging him by his hat. Creighton calls Mr. Bear "baby" and likes to wrap him up in a blanket and insists I rock him to sleep while he shows him pictures in a book. Mr. Bear is always sleeping and asks us to "Ssshhh..."

It's nice to see him sometimes being so soft and gentle. Because there are many times I would not consider him soft and gentle. But... he is a little boy after all.

Being his mom is wonderful and I wouldn't change it for anything! But it sure is a demanding full-time job with lots of overtime. It requires so many skills that I don't have and am slowly trying to learn.

Lately, Creighton has been throwing A LOT of tantrums. I guess this is what people refer to as the "Terrible Twos".  Me: "Creighton, please put that back." Him: "NO!!!" Then he throws himself onto the floor, flails around like a fish out of water and screams and cries. He also throws things. A lot. I am hoping that this passes soon.

It is especially frustrating on Sunday. When he decides it is time to go, it is TIME TO GO and he will do everything in his power so that I know. On Sundays we sit by ourselves since Cason sits on the stand. When stake conference comes around I am happy to have Cason sit with us and I let him deal with him. But a few weeks ago Cason wasn't able to go, so I was not looking forward to wrestling with Creighton during a 2 hour stake conference. I even let Creighton bring Mr. Bear, hoping that would keep him happy. No such luck.

These tantrums and naughty behavior sometimes make me into a frustrated and impatient mommy. I often feel like our day is full of him not listening or obeying, him getting mad at me, him crying... But at the end of the day when I reflect I realize it wasn't even 10% of our day. So during those "hard" times I remind myself it is just a small moment in time. Because always a few minutes later he is running to me, "Hugs?" And gives me a big squeeze and then says, "Kiss?" and gives me a big smooch! Or he wants me to read him a book, or he wants to do a puzzle, or he wants to go outside and play...

I seem to take his behavior so personally. But I am learning, it really doesn't have anything to do with me, it is just him and his age and him learning to listen and obey and understand why I say "no" or "not yet". I am learning how to deal with his unwelcome behavior as I continue to pray for guidance to be a better mommy.

A few nights ago he decided to play "dress-up" and grabbed a vest and his hat from his closet to add to his pajama top. He must of thought it made good "working" attire. That night I brought into the living room some very large boxes and he crawled in and out of them with his tools and tool box "fixing" things. He likes to walk around the house with a tool, hammer or saw usually, and say, "fixing...fixing...fixing..."

He also likes to be "making" and loves to play in the kitchen and make soup! Most food Creighton makes is soup. He also loves to help mommy make real food. His favorite food to make is pancakes!

Creighton loves pancakes. A few weeks back there was a day where I couldn't get him to eat ANYTHING and when it was bedtime he was really fussy and wouldn't sleep. Clearly, because he was hungry. So I gave in, took him to the kitchen, and let him pick out whatever he wanted to eat. He grabbed the syrup from the fridge. Errr... I knew it. But I filled the pancakes with some leftover scrambled egg and sausage mixture for some protein. And he loved it :) Cason was like, "You really did that?" Hey-desperate times call for desperate measures. Moms with picky eaters or non-eaters totally understand.

Creighton has also FINALLY started saying Mommy. Cason must have been working with Creighton to say it for an early Mother's Day gift! Now Creighton likes to walk around the house pointing at everything that is mine and say, "Mommy's!" Creighton loves to talk about families and in all books he points out the mommy and daddy. (Pretty much any woman is a mom and any man is a dad) He has a Book of Mormon ABC Book and everytime we get to N is for Nephi he screams, "DADDY!"

Creighton and his dad made sure I had a wonderful Mother's Day with gifts, a good dinner, and plenty of love! I am so happy to be a mom! 

The Weather

The last week has been just beautiful here in Pocatello. It has been so warm and sunny. Perfect weather for being outside for gardening, yard work, and of course playing. We even have a bit of color on our faces and arms! Though the weather has been enjoyable, Sunday I was melting. The "heat" came on so quickly. So Cason brought up our air conditioning unit from the basement. Sadly, we do not have AC.

 It has made things much more enjoyable in our house. We are grateful for the nice weather, the yard is turning green and some flowers are blooming! We even attempted a photo shoot in the front yard one sunny day.

 Grama Wilde decided to bring up the outside toys from the basement and let Creighton practice driving in her living room. He loves the tractor and yellow car. Sadly, he is still a few inches too short, but by the end of the summer he'll do great!

 Creighton's Grama is so nice. She told him that he could TAKE HOME the tractor! Yay!! He was so excited! (The tractor was his mommy's... it is 22 years old :) However, he is not allowed to bring home the yellow car. (That one is Aunt Whitney's...)

The past week we have been pretending like it's June. And wouldn't you know... last night it was cloudy, windy, and rainy. And this morning in the paper I read that it is supposed to snow all weekend. Currently I am wrapped up in a blanket. It's cold in here!