Bob's Hamburg

Today, Frank and I had the good fortune of dropping off the kids with my parents for a few hours, so we could finish our Christmas shopping. (That's right folks, we're done! We started and finished early this year.) Anyway, we decided to start our day with lunch. My parents and grandfather have been telling us about this place in Akron that has been around "forever". Supposedly, they have the best hamburger around. Now, I've found any hamburger hard to compete with our local Swensons or a California In and Out Burger, but I have to say, this one is a close contender, if not my new favorite. We ventured to Bob's Hamburg on East Ave. in Akron today. It's just this cozy little dive with a counter seating 8 people and no more than 5 booths. Needless to say, we were a bit skeptical, but I've always enjoyed visiting little mom and pop places like this, knowing they surely have so much history. Well, we were very pleasantly surprised and had an incredible burger and tasty homemade onion rings...yum! The staff was a trip as well, since they all were over 60 and basically everyone did everything...serve, cook, cash register...kind of chaotic if you ask me, but also kind of charming in a way. Anyway, we had a lovely visit at Bob's Hamburg today and would recommend to all you Akronites to stop by sometime, but try to make it a weekend lunch outing because they close at 2 p.m.

No Fun Being Sick!

I haven't blogged in awhile and for good reason. About 3 weeks ago, the boys came down with colds, pretty severe that I had to take them to the doctor, only to find out that it is viral, and will have to simply run its course. I also came down with the same virus, so poor Frank was the only one healthy for about a week. Then, of course, he got it as well, just as the kids were starting to feel better. Luckily, we were all healthy enough to enjoy Thanksgiving, but just a couple days later, the virus came back in full force for me and the kids again. I am coughing my head off, Jacob's got a head cold, and Evan has an ear infection. It's made for a difficult time in the Choate household lately. I promise as we start feeling better that I will post more pics and updates! Until then, we would appreciate your wishes for good nights rests!

On to the next phase!

I mentioned before that Jacob can climb out of his crib now. For the past month or so, he's been doing this on a regular basis. He'll go to sleep on his own without a fight, but when he wakes up in the morning and from his naps, he gets himself down and comes downstairs. At first it was funny to be lying in our bed in the morning, open my eyes in the morning and see a cute little face staring at me, but since he has become so independent in this way, he has decided to wake up much earlier. We let this go on for a few weeks, then got tired of the 6am appearances in our bedroom, and we put up a baby gate in his room, so even if he wakes up, he'll just have to play by himself until we say it's ok to come out. Since Jacob's room is so large, we have our spare bed in there for when guests come to visit; however, Jacob loves to lie in that bed any chance he gets. The last few mornings, when I've gone to get him up, he's laying in that big bed all by himself. So I think we might skip the toddler bed and get a rail for the big bed, so he can be a big boy all the time.

My little Evan is becoming much more mobile as well. Evan has been a tummy sleeper since the beginning. That is his preferred method for sleeping, so despite the Pediatrician's advice, I'm going to go with what works for us! Now, we have come to a new challenge. Evan can roll over from tummy to back. He seems to do this while he's sleeping, then wakes up on his back, and starts crying. This means that lately, we have been going into his room several times in the middle of the night to turn him back over. Just when I thought those days were over! I'm working with him to roll back to front, and he's almost got it, so hopefully in a couple of weeks, this won't be an issue anymore.

Between these two developments, we're not getting much rest these days. It's always something with these boys!

Regressing?

Allow me to preface this story by saying that Jacob can climb in and out of his crib now, and does so, on a regular basis. We're almost to the toddler bed stage, but I'm putting it off as long as possible...more on that later.

This morning I went to blow dry my hair for 5 minutes in the bathroom. Usually, when I need to do somethingsfor myself, I put Evan in his bouncy chair to watch his Baby Einstein video and Jacob usually plays in either his room or Evan's room (there are toys in both locations). Today, he started out in his own room, but when I turned the blow dryer off, I heard music coming from Evan's room.

I went in to find Jacob lying in Evan's crib, covers pulled up, watching Evan's musical aquarium, with Evan's pacifier in his mouth. I think somebody wants to be the baby again :-) I tried to sneak up on him, but he saw me and said "I'm in Evan's crib!" Then we both started giggling.

I'm noticing more and more signs of jealousy with Jacob. He has even said to Frank on occassion "Put Evan down, Daddy". He also seems to be acting out more, trying to get attention, even if it's negative. We're trying to be more careful to give him some one on one time these days. Ahh, the joys!

Two Adorable Pumpkins!

Jacob and his pile of candy!

I love it when they hold hands!

Jacob enjoying his first piece of candy

Evan, just waiting to start trick or treating!

Adventures in Baby Cereal

Evan recently started eating baby cereal. He doesn't quite have the spoon feeding down yet, but we're working on it. Just like always, Evan wants what he wants. He tries to hold the spoon when we feed him and when it is not in his mouth, he must shove either his hands or his entire bib into his mouth. He also tries to hold his own bottle and if you move it even slightly, his death grip pulls it right back. He is so sweet, though. His smiles are so big and he does this thing where if you are talking to him and making him smile, he turns his like away like he's shy. It's so funny.

Jacob, my little monkey, is trying to adjust to fall weather and not playing outside so much. We have enjoyed some afternoons playing in the leaves, but lately, it's just been too cold to wrap up both the boys and stay out for very long. Recently, Jacob has started calling us by our first names. It was cute and funny at first (which is why he still does it), but now we have to remind him repeatedly that we are Mommy and Daddy, not Fank and Chirsteen. I guess you have to expect that when that is what he hears us call each other!

I've been working part time the last few months on a project for the company I'd previously worked for. It allows me to have some afternoons in the office and do the remainder of the work from home. I have to say that I love my boys more than life itself, but it is a nice break to have in the middle of the week. My mom babysits them, which is wonderful and Frank helps out a lot when I have to work at home. I also think it makes me a better mom to have some time away, re-group and re-establish my patience level.

Franks has started preparing for another Coding test that he'll take next month. This will give him additional certification in his field, which is always a good thing for upward mobility. He is enjoying his job much more these days now that he has settled in to new responsibilities and discarding the old ones.

Until next time...

Goodbye Summer!

I realize that I haven't posted in quite awhile, so here's the latest from the Choate household. The last few weeks have been very busy with visits from relatives, birthdays and trips to Indiana.

My big boy, Jacob, turned 2 last week. I can't believe how big he is getting. He has officially reached toddlerhood, and I can see changes in him every day. He says everything now, as has become my little echo. He received lots of nice clothes and some new toys for his birthday. He enjoyed spending time with his Grandma Jan while she visited from St. Louis. We also had a little birthday celebration for him.

Evan is getting bigger and bigger every day. He is such a good baby, and has recently started rolling over. Evan has his own little strong personality. He rarely cries, but when he is mad, he really lets you know. Evan wants to do what he wants, when he wants to, including when you hold him. If you're not doing it right, he'd rather be put down. He is so strong that we joke that "Evan doesn't bend, he folds". But when he is content, he gives all kinds of smiles and jabbers a ton!

Boys are fun! I'm enjoying watching them grow together.

Aunt Carol

About 8 years ago, my Aunt Carol (mom's sister) was diagnosed with breast cancer, resulting in a mastectomy, chemo, radiation and reconstructive surgery. She had been cancer free until just this past winter when doctors discovered cancer in her chest cavity (unsure if it is in the lung or the other breast). She was also told she had a spot on her brain. She underwent another round of radiation on her brain and chemo for the rest of the cancer. She had a very difficult time with the chemo, feeling sick all of the time and generally being miserable for about 3 months. After completion of the treatment, she doubted she could handle anymore rounds of chemotherapy. She has looked into holistic methods of treatment, and is currently on a program suggested to her by an herbalogist. She is feeling better than ever, eating all of the proper healthy foods, getting plenty of exercise, rest, prayer and positive thinking. Recent tests have revealed the cancer is still present in other parts of her body and further treatment may not be an option. This has been a great challenge for our family to handle. Carol is married and has a 13 year old daughter. We don't know what God has in store for Carol. We believe HE still heals people from cancer, even when medical treatments are not an option. We have read and talked with several people who have beat cancer through holistic means. Carol is continuing her holistic treatments and is seeking further opinions. We know that she is a believer in Christ and knowing her eternal destiny is the comfort we are clinging to at this time. What would we do if we didn't have any hope in Christ? So, to all of my family and friends who read my blog, please say a prayer for Carol, Joe and Heather, and for the rest of the family who is continually trying to lift them up.

Boy Crazy

Just wanted to share some pics and stories about the boys I am crazy about. My Jacob is approaching his 2nd birthday in just a few weeks. I love hanging out with him. He is full of personality and says new things every day. My favorite thing lately is that every morning when I am changing his diaper, he says "hug mommy", and gives the best, tightest hug every. I eat that up!

Evan is becoming his own little person. He is smiling lots now, sleeping through the night, and is usually a very content baby. When he is tired though, it seems that only Mama will do, which is ok with me for now :-). Both boys love their daddy and the play time they get with him. I'm so happy with my little family God has given me...even Toby the dog.

August Update

Well, things have been as busy as always lately. I can't believe we're into August already. I feel like I've blinked and the summer is almost gone. We've had a jam packed one, that's for sure. Last week, I took Evan for his 2 month check-up. He received his first set of vaccinations, he basically came home, took a bottle and slept for the next 24 hours. He is now back to himself. He weighs 12lb, 11 oz and is 24in long. Good size little boy and very healthy.

I can't believe my Jacob is pushing 2 years old. He makes me laugh every day. He basically says everything now, and he is improving his p's and q's, so that makes me happy. We're in the process of planning a little celebration for his birthday coming up in September, and his Grandma Choate will be in town to celebrate with us.

On Monday, Frank and I enjoyed a night away from the kids (and each other). He went with some friends to the Radiohead concert, and I went out with the girls for dinner and girl talk. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and the boys enjoyed a night at Grandma's house.

Yesterday, I officially became unemployed, after I submitted my resignation letter to my boss. Things went very well, everyone was very supportive and we all parted on very good terms. Just this morning, I interviewed for a part time position that I think will suit me and fit our needs at least for the next several months, so I am hoping this works out.

I took the boys to get their pictures taken today. Whew! That was a challenge. Evan did splendidly, although we didn't get a very good smile from him. Jacob, on the other hand, basically acted like a normal toddler, and refused to do most things asked of him. Miraculously, We did get a few shots of both boys that came out somewhat nice. After all this activity, I am ready for a good night's rest.

Impecable Timing

This is probably going to be a long post, as I usually get carried away with details when telling these kind of stories.

I've always noticed in my life than when I've been waiting for something to happen or waiting for an answer from God, he always shows up just in time. I don't think he's ever been early, but he's always right on time. Many of you know I've been wrestling with my decision to quit my full time job to stay home with the kids. I've been extremely scared to make that decision for fear it will be the wrong one. Financially, it will be a major stretch, and I'm one of these people that looks at my bank account every day and is very meticulous about money spent, BUT I also like to have fun and have become accustomed to a certain lifestyle (not a frivolous one, but one that likes to enjoy things in life that cost money). This decision has also been riding on my mother's job situation as I depend on her to care for my children while I'm working. Wouldn't you know it, both of us received our answers yesterday within about 5 hours of each other. My mother was offered a position she was hoping to get, that gives her a little flexibility to help me if I need it. I'm also looking at a part time opportunity that I spoke with someone in depth about yesterday that seems pretty positive. Just as I was settling into my thoughts about making my final move at my current position, the phone rang, it was my boss. I knew this was the perfect timing of God, as I knew exactly what I needed to tell this man and give him the honest truth about my feelings and plans. The conversation was very pleasant, and he even gave me some encouragement to go ahead and stay home with my kids. He also shared that some changes were being made, and my set-up of working from home was probably not going to fly anymore. So there's my final answer from God - I'm leaving my position, as for me, I cannot justify (emotionally or financially) working full time and take my children to daycare or a sitter. A huge weight was lifted after that phone call, and I reflected on my day as being one of those perfect timing circumstances that God has his hand in. I had honest answers for my boss right at the time he called. If he had called in the morning, I don't know what I would have been able to say.

On another note to give an update on the boys - Jacob is my little parrot, repeating just about everything I say. He makes me laugh every day, and he's starting to be mommy's helper with Evan sometimes (when he feels like it). Evan is also doing great! Evan has slept through the night 5 out of the last 8 nights, and some nights, he's slept for 10 hours straight. I feel so blessed to have two children who are sleeping good now, cause that means I get to sleep good!

Well, I'm off as I hear one of my children crying in their bed. Today, my husband and I travel to PA to attend my college friend's wedding. We are leaving both boys with their grandparents - Woohoo! I'm excited to spend at least 24 hours alone with my hubby, and I know my boys are in great hands.

Peace Out!

Busy, Busy

Ok, I am actually blogging while both boys are sleeping, which is something I should probably be doing as well, but I don't know when else this will happen. It's been a whirlwind of a month for us. I can't believe Evan is already 6 weeks old. I took him last week for his 1month check and he is doing great. He weighs 11lbs 3oz and he is as healthy as can be, so we're very thankful for that. His big brother Jacob is also doing well. He has really built up his vocabulary this past month. He basically repeats everything we say-good and bad, we have to be really careful :-). Last weekend, we went on a mini vacation to my brother's house in Indiana. The boys and I enjoyed ourselves so much, we decided to stay a few extra days as this may be our only vacation this year. We miss Daddy, but we're still enjoying ourselves. Here's a pic of

Jacob's new "funny face".

Lately...

I haven't been able to post a whole lot, for obvious reasons. I'm quickly learning that being a mother of two is a whole different ball game. I'm prettymuch exhausted all of the time, as my body is adjusting to only getting an average of 5 hours of sleep per night. My objective this week is to get Evan to take an afternoon nap while Jacob takes his, so I can at least have an hour to lay down. It is a lot of fun with two boys, and I keep reminding myself to enjoy these moments, even the hard ones, because I know they won't last forever.

We've had a lot of busyness lately with relatives in from out of town and lots of family stuff. We've really enjoyed that, especially Jacob with cousins to play with. Next week, we will travel to Portage, IN for my nephew Nicholas' 7th birthday, so we're looking forward to skipping town for a few days. When I get some more time, I'll do more posts and include some recent pics.

Lastly, I can't let this post go by without mentioning that today is my 4th wedding anniversary.
Today, I have been married to my wonderful husband, Franklin, for 48 months. There is still no other person that I'd rather journey through life with. He is a wonderful father, and I am so proud of him. Tonight, Grandma and Papa are babysitting both boys, so we can have a date. I can't wait!!! I love you, baby!

Evan Lucas Choate

Well, I finally got a few minutes to sit down and blog a bit. I'm sure most of you know this by now, but Evan Lucas arrived last Tuesday, 5/27 at 3:18 p.m. He was 8lbs, 4oz, 20 inches and very healthy. The delivery went very well. It was an induction, so I was a little skeptical of how smoothly things would go, but I had little discomfort and the labor was only about 5 hours from start to finish. The last few days have been busy adjusting to life with two little boys, while getting very little sleep. Luckily, Evan is a very peaceful baby, who hardly ever cries and does a lot of sleeping. He has his days and nights a little mixed up at this point, so we're working to adjust that as well. Jacob loves his baby brother. He's always wanting to kiss him and see what he's doing. His life has prettymuch gone on as normal, and he's getting lots of extra attention from Daddy and his grandparents. I've posted some pics below. I'll blog more later when I'm not so exhausted :-)

Patience

I don't know about the rest of you, but patience is not one of my strong points, and it never has been. Ever since I can remember, circumstances have caused me to be anxious, worrisome and often times downright irritable, because of my lack of patience. And so many of those times, I knew the Lord was trying to teach me about the wonderful virtue of patience, but yet time and time again, I resist the lesson. Soooo, he continues to keep teaching me, and each time I have a choice. It's amazing when you think about how many chances he gives us (me) to learn this lesson. It just demonstrates HIS incredible patience with us filthy sinners who need him so badly.

Once again, I find myself struggling to be patient, but in the midst of it, I have to decide that I'm not going to let this get to me. I know in my brain that the Lord's timing is perfect, even though my emotions (and anatomy) sometimes try to convince me otherwise. I am waiting for a huge life change to happen at any moment, but in the meantime, I am going to try my best to relax, put the life change out of my mind, and spend some very important quality time with my little boy as this will be the last time it will just be Mommy and Jacob. Maybe that's why I've experienced this discomfort, causing me to stop working earlier than planned. Maybe that's why my mother has suddenly been given a large block of free time, so she can help me do some things around my home that I'm not physically able to do anymore as well as when the baby comes. It's amazing how so much has lined up just perfectly (it can't be a coincidence). The timing of it all is impecable. So, now we just continue to wait...

Labor Rumors

Hey all, just want to set the record straight as I think some rumors of my being in labor have circulated lately. As of 4:45 p.m. on Friday, 5/16, I am not in active labor. I've been having a lot of contractions for the last couple of days, but they haven't picked up in intensity nor are they very close together, so I am in the early stages, but this could last for days. My doctor has asked me to come back in the office on Monday (which will put me at 38 weeks), to see where things are at, and if necessary, they can intercede and speed things up a bit for me. At this point, I'd like this to happen as naturally as possible; however, I am kind of a baby when it comes to pain tolerance, so I might opt for their help if I'm desperate enough. This weekend, I plan to keep busy and active, and hopefully my body will kick into gear on its own. I really appreciate all your prayers and support. We'll definitely spread the word when something big happens :-)

Oh when will this baby come?

I had my 37 1/2 week check-up today. Baby is good and Mommy is progressing nicely/normally. Contractions have picked up which makes sleeping much more difficult. The doctor says "it could be any day now or you could go another week". I love how they are so carefuly not to tell you anything with any certainty :-) (not that they really have any). My husband refuses to believe that I will hit my due date, but I hate to think that and get my hopes up too much.

Tonight, Jacob is going to spend the night at his Grandma/Papa's house, so as to give his mommy a little break. I think Mommy and Daddy are going to try and have a mini date, as it could be our last chance for awhile.

On a good note, we found out late last week that Frank will not have to serve jury duty beginning next week, but they have actually postponed his service until September. To quote my husband if you want to avoid jury duty altogether, he says "don't ever tell them you'll be happy to serve at later date, because they will take you up on it". That's ok though, September wouldn't be an inconvenience and it is after all his duty as a citizen.

That's about it for today. Check ya'll later.

Midweek Tidbits

Just a quick update on things today. Not a whole lot has happened lately. Frank and I moved Jacob to his new big boy bedroom over the weekend. He seems to love it. Much more room to play and run around, plus it can house more of his toys than the nursery. I am so proud of how he is handling everything. I thought for sure we would have a period of adjustment when it came to sleeping, but he has done wonderfully, no crying or midnight freakouts! We brought all of his familiar items, so I'm sure that is helping...plus he wakes up to seeing himself in the mirror directly across from the crib, and I think he likes putting on a show for himself :-)

Yesterday, I went to the doctor for my 36 week checkup. I'm now on the home stretch and Baby Choate could make his appearance any day now. Things are moving along nicely, with both myself and the baby.

Toddlers and Minivans

Jacob has officially dove into the "terrible two's", even though he is not even 20 months old. He mostly throws his tantrums for me and gives me all the headaches. I've always heard that kids are the worst for their own parents. Why is that? We're the ones that love them the most in this world. Anyhow, being almost 9 months pregnant doesn't help in dealing with a toddler. Jacob doesn't understand that he can't crawl and lay on top of mommy, because it hurts really bad, so that of course makes him upset. He also has his own way of talking back to us, which we are trying really hard to nip sooner rather than later. He's also been waking up in the middle of the night screaming lately. At times, we've had to tend to him, other times, he goes back to sleep on his own, but needless to say, I'm being re-introduced to the world of sleepless nights and the new baby is not even here yet. I do have to say, however, his new "long, slobbery kisses" right on the mouth sure melt my heart and make it hard to stay mad at him. He can be just as sweet as he can sour.

On an exciting note, we broke down last Friday afternoon and got the ever dreaded minivan that all families are destined to at some point in time! The salesman came out to introduce himself as we were peeking in the windows and his first words to us were "you two look too young to be buying a minivan". What can I say? We're about to have child number 2 and if we're going to have a big, non fuel-efficient vehicle, gosh darnit, I want to have plenty of room inside for all the crap we're going to have to haul around. Anyhow, we're really happy with the new vehicle! It should serve us greatly over the next several years. On a side note: It's an 06 Chevy Uplander (supposedly the crossover, so it has kind of an SUV feel to it, which of course, makes us feel better as twenty-somethings.)

Some Heavy Stuff

Today, I need to post about some heaviness on my heart. Over the last couple of months, a common theme keeps coming up in my mind and in my prayers and weighing heavily on my heart. Now, most of you know that I'm not much of a "preacher" on my blog, and I don't really intend to preach, but I do need to express my thoughts and concerns on this subject. Unfortunately, the subject has to do with infidelity and failed marriages among seemingly "strong christian people". It is easy to fall into the line of thinking that Christians should be more guarded or protected when it comes to this kind of sin, but the truth is that none of us are immune.

About 6 years ago, close family friends experienced this with their oldest son, a 30 year old youth pastor, who just shortly after his wife became pregnant, began an affair with one of his youth. She also became pregnant. He left his wife, and now, has two children with this other girl. We got to witness firsthand how this kind of sin affects everyone involved with these people. His family was attacked, and his parents and two sisters persevered, keeping their faith solid, praying continuously that their son/brother would repent, and return to his wife, who by the way, has demonstrated an unbelievable amount of grace through this whole ordeal.

Even now, six years later, the ramifications of this sin still affects this family, including his 5 year old son, who doesn't get to have his daddy come home to him every night, but he goes to another house with his other kids. This hurt still lingers.

About a month ago or so, our pastor blogged and asked for prayer for a fellow pastor in California who stepped down from his position, and left his wife and two daughters for another woman in the church. I've been thinking about and praying for this situation as well, as it really weighed on me.

Over the last several months, we have been praying for a close friend of my sister-in-law who is battling breast cancer. She and her husband have 2 daughters, and her husband has been sending out emails faithfully, updating everyone on her progress and treatments. From reading these updates, you would think there is not a more devoted husband out there. Last night, my sister-in-law found out that this husband has been cheating on his wife for a year and has now left her, with two daughters, still battling breast cancer.

I can't help but ask this question in my mind, "what is going on with these marriages?" It is so scary to think that we could fall prey to this deceit by Satan. The common thread between each of these situations is they were all strong Christian men of the faith, and now there is no one that has been able to talk any sense into any of them. They have somehow justified these actions in their minds, and it is unfathomable to me how they could be going through life, not feeling overwhelming conviction for their actions.

My heart goes out to these wives and children who are the closest victims of this sin. I know this doesn't just happen with men, women are guilty of it too.

If we learn nothing else from this, let us make sure we are protecting our marriages in every way possible-prayer, arming our hearts and minds with scripture, maintaining strong lines of communication. Proverbs 6: 20-35, Hebrews 13:4

If you think about it, pray for these men - Jeff, Dave and David, and also for these wives and their children - Kathy, Laura and Robyn. I can't imagine the pain and suffering they are experiencing.

A Quick Update and Some New Pics

Here are some new pictures of Jacob that I've been asked about by several of you. I finally took some time, downloaded about 60, reformatted them, and now they are posted for your enjoyment. I do have to explain the one with Jacob curled up on our rocker footrest. He has been doing this lately in the evenings while watching TV, when he starts to get tired. It's almost like he's discovered his own way to rock himself to sleep :-). Not much else happening here. We've been enjoying the spring weather the last couple of weeks, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Choate. Nothing much more to report.

A Sigh of Relief

These past couple of weeks have been exceptionally difficult concerning my pregnancy. I've had lots more contractions and severe pressure, enough to warrant an extra trip to the doctor yesterday. Much to my relief and surprise, the doctor says I'm ok and the baby is ok, but just to avoid anymore pre-term labor symptoms, I need to cut back my work hours. I wanted to hug her when she told me that, but then my feelings mixed as I was afraid going to part time would affect my insurance eligibility. After spending most of the evening agonizing over what would happen the next day when I told this to my employer (this is what I do), I went into work this morning, laid everything out for my boss and the HR department and they basically said "ok". They are doing exactly what the doctor recommended and letting me keep my benefits. Praise Jesus! The paycut is going to be a little bit of a challenge, but my (and my child's) health and sanity are my first concerns right now. I'm looking forward to working half the hours and taking daily afternoon naps :-)

On the Jacob note, today he spent the morning playing with his buddies, Jackson and Eli. Just like Jacob, he didn't care when I left, and barely noticed when I came to pick him up. I'm so glad he has little friends his age to play with. Also, for some reason, he likes Miss Stephanie's cooking much better than Mommy's, as he eats her out of house and home whenever he is there, while I constantly fight with him to eat at home. Go figure! Little boys are so unpredictable.

Retraction

Although it is a bit disappointing, I am writing to retract my post on modeling in a fashion show next week. After coming down with a cold and dealing with other late pregnancy discomforts and exahustion, I decided not to participate in the show. My decision also was based on some conversations I had with the show coordinator, which made me hesitant to go forward with it. One thing being that I would have to go to a specific store, find 3 outfits that meet their criteria for the show, buy them MYSELF, then turn around and essentially offer free advertising for the retailer. I DON'T THINK SO! Now I understand why they have had a hard time getting volunteers for this. Maybe if I was hard up for maternity clothes and not scheduled to deliver in 7 weeks, I would feel differently, but there is no way I'm spending my money on more maternity clothes that I won't even wear in another couple of months. Anyway, at least it will keep my Saturday free next week, which I really treasure these days. Peace out!

My Modeling Debut

Hey All, Yesterday was one of those really weird work days, you know, the days when you are really swamped, but the weirdest stuff keeps happening that just disrupts everything you've laid out in your planner. Well, one of those things was a phone call from my husband who, as you know works at the OBGYN office. Well, being the OBGYN means they are involved in all of the community "baby" events, one being a Baby Fair happening at The Fairways of North Canton Country Club on 4/19. (Andrea, if you're not busy, you might check this out. If nothing else, you can get free samples of stuff). So, the nurse supervisor decided to nominate me to be a maternity model for the Baby Fair Fashion Show. Frank called and told me this at about 12:30 p.m., by 1:30 p.m. I received a call from the coordinator of the show confirming that I would participate and wanting to schedule a fitting. Now, hopefully they won't take one look at me and change their minds, but as it stands, I'll be modelling maternity clothes from Motherhood and some other store I haven't heard of, in two fashion shows on 4/19. This will be the closest thing I'll ever do to a real catwalk, so I figured I'd live a little and strut my baby belly. If you're free next Saturday morning, come check it out.

The Precious Bundle in my Belly

Today, I was pleasantly surprised to get a call from my husband telling me to come down to the Obgyn office to get a 3D ultrasound for free! Of course, I jumped at the chance (How often does that stuff happen?) They squeezed me in as the last appointment of the day, and they said my pictures turned out the best of any scans they had done during the day. Wow! Technology is amazing. I already know that my second son has my mouth, my husband's nose and bears a very striking resemblance to his older brother Jacob, and he's not even due to arrive for several more weeks. During most of the scan, his little hands covered his face, and he was sleeping, but he did some moving around and we got some cool shots of the face and profile. What a really cool way to end my work day! I thought I'd share this with you all.

A Day to Myself

We had a really nice weather weekend and spent much of it outdoors, which is now Jacob's favorite place to be In fact, he prettymuch throws a tantrum every time he has to come back inside. I can just anticipate how it will be this summer, when I'll have a infant to take care of and Jacob wanting to play outside constantly. Geesh!

Today, I took a sick day. I started feeling nauseous and very tired on Sunday afternoon and it continued into the evening. I ended up sleeping only a few hours Sunday night, struggling to keep my stomach calm and find some comfort with my growing belly. Once 6:30 a.m. rolled around, I decided to bite the bullet and call off (something I very rarely do, because I always make myself feel so guilty for doing so), since my husband talked me into it. My parents kept Jacob last night as they usually do on Sundays, since my mom babysits on Mondays, so I didn't have a little boy to take care of, and Frank was off to work by 7:30, so it was just me. Wow, I've forgotten how different life is without a little one and when you have a lot of alone time on your hands. I was able to catch up on some rest, do some long overdue reading and even take a bubble bath, before my mom returned my son. I feel much more rejuvenated this evening. My husband teases me because I feel so guilty about calling off work. I know it is just my own brain and no one is faulting me for it, especially being pregnant, but I finally came to realize that sometimes you just need a day off. It can do wonders for your energy level when you just don't do anything for a solid block of time...especially when you are pregnant. That's about it for now. Hope you all have a relaxing week!

Just A Quick Update on The Choates

Lately, we have been really busy with family in town and a whirlwind of activity that goes along with that. I was able to take a couple days of vacation time, which was really nice, although not so relaxing cause we were on the go pretty consisitently.

Frank started his new position this week, so he's stressing about that a little, which is to be expected with anything new and challenging. We're very happy about this change, but like anything else, it will take a period of adjustment.

I've been feeling a lot more sluggish lately, with my growing belly and decreasing energy levels. I had a weird feeling my blood pressure might be elevated, and sure enough, when I saw the doctor today, he confirmed it. It's not too high that they are concerned right now. It just needs to be monitored, so it doesn't skyrocket or anything. This happened towards the end of my pregnancy with Jacob, but he wasn't affected and it never reached a level where I needed hospitalization or anything, so hopefully this is just one of those things that will pass without causing any concern for myself or the baby. My strategy at this point is to just slow myself down a bit more, so I don't get too worked up about things.

We're hoping to get the 3rd bedroom painted this weekend, so we can move Jacob in and get him adjusted before the baby arrives...only 8 weeks until he's due!

A Growing Little Boy

Yesterday, I took Jacob for his 18 month check-up. The doctor was very pleased, as he said Jacob is doing very well physically and developmentally. He appears to be a very healthy child, and he is right on track with his development. He says 15-20 words, which is above the average for his age group, and he is beginning to put certain words together. He weighs 22.0 pounds and is 32 1/2 inches tall. His height is right at the 50th percentile. His weight is a little low, but no one is concerned with that as he does continuously put on weight. As we like to say, "he's just a skinny little boy", plus I think he's inherited his daddy's high metabolism.

This week, Jacob has been enjoying playing with his aunt, uncles, and cousin who are in from out of town. He's had a very busy week, with few naps in between, but he's loving all the extra attention and play time. I'm planning to download some new pictures here soon, so stay tuned...

Allow me to expose you...

to the mind of my husband. Yes, that's right. Franklin Choate, taking advantage of this relaxing Saturday afternoon, decided to create his own blog. For those of you who know my husband well, I am sure you will be looking forward to his posts and getting insight into his unique mind. To quote Ryan from NBC's The Office "Even for the internet...it's pretty shocking". See for yourself... http://franklinchoate.blogspot.com/
Peace to you all this Easter weekend.

Congrats to Frank!

This afternoon, my husband was offered a promotion at work into a management position! As of April 1, he will be the Billing Manager at Atrium OBGYN. I'm so proud of him for all of his hard work to get to this point. He has come a long way since we met less than 6 short years ago. We have been waiting several weeks (well months actually) to find out if this would happen and now we have our answer, so we are thanking God for his caring for us and rewarding Frank for his efforts. He is facing some challenges ahead with this job, including additional schooling/training that may take him away from us periodically for business travels, but he is very excited and motivated to get started. Congratulations Baby! I love you!

Encouragement

Last night, at our Life Group, we did an "activity" where we each shared something we appreciate about every other person in our Group. There are only 6 of us in our Life Group, so it was nice to have this done in a small group atmosphere. I also have to say that it was very encouraging. I've felt very uplifted since we left last night, and it is so interesting to hear the good things that others perceive about you. For me, I heard others share qualities that I don't always consider myself to be, so to hear it from others who have gotten to know me was very refreshing. I don't know why we often feel silly saying uplifting things to each other, because it always makes you and the person you are uplifting feel good. It is definitely something I would recommend for any close knit group to do. Thanks for all the encouragement, guys!

Once Upon a Blizzard

I've enjoyed reading the several posts today about our record breaking blizzard we had all weekend. I was so glad we had gone to Sam's Club a couple days before and bought everything under the sun in bulk. We were stocked up pretty good as far as food and supplies. On Friday, I was at home anyway working, so as normal, I didn't leave the house. It took Frank about 1 1/2 hours to get home from work (from North Canton) on Friday, so once he was in, we shut ourselves away. We also received a much appreciated phone call Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. that Frank did not have to go in to work that day. We enjoyed a couple of movies, did some much needed cleaning and organizing on Saturday and basically sat around and played with Jacob. All I kept reading on Facebook and Blogger is how Catalyst was going to be open on Sunday and how "real men come to church in the snow". Much to our surprise, our gracious pastor decided to cancel once a travel ban was issued in Summit County. on Saturday afternoon, Frank decided to tackle the shoveling, all on his own, of course, and made it about 90 minutes before needing a break. Just in time, two high school kids came to our door with a snow blower. So we shoved out the cash, made them some hot chocolate, and watched them work on our driveway and sidewalks for about 30 minutes. I have to say, they did a pretty good job, and it was well worth the money spent :-) By Sunday, we were very excited to do something, so we hung out at my parents in the evening, had pizza and played games. I have to say, even though it put a wrench in our plans this weekend, I am very thankful for being "stuck" inside and forced to have a relaxing couple of days. It was much needed, and now I am not feeling so tired on this Monday.

Decisions, Decisions

Frank and I are facing some big decisions in the next several months concerning our future, jobs, finances and schooling. This is one of those big ones that you mull over and get stomach aches about and put off until you have no time left to waste. I have a hard time with these, not putting my emotions ahead of logic, and thinking about what is in our best interest for all of us...all 4 of us now, and I admit, I'm a horrible worrier. I feel like praying about it makes me feel better and less worried; however, at the end of the day, I know God gave me a brain and he expects me to use it. I just wonder how much of my personal desires should play into those decisions. Sometimes, I think perhaps I rely too much on the advice of others, especially certain people in my life whose approval I seek moreso than others. It is also interesting to think back on decisions I've made, and even though in hind sight it seems like it wasn't the best choice, God has always taken care of me. He is amazing that way, so why does it still seem so hard to trust him when we get placed in these decision making situations over and over again? Sorry for such a heavy post, and I know I'm kind of rambling, but if anyone has any advice on making these huge, sometimes life changing decisions, I'd appreciate it.

Just wanted to post some pictures of Jacob for those out of towners who have been asking about them...sorry it has taken so long.

The Baby Belly

Lately, we've been trying to communicate to Jacob that there is another baby on the way that will be adding to our family. You always wonder at this age how much they understand. He really surprises me sometimes when I ask him to do something and he does exactly what I say, even though he couldn't repeat it to me. I've shown him my belly, and eluded that there is a baby in that belly. He sometimes now likes to help himself to see the baby belly, lifts up my shirt and says "hi". I then tell him to talk to the baby in my mommy's belly and he usually puts his face on my belly (as if he is kissing the baby). Then, he will cover my belly back up with my shirt and say "bye bye". I'm still not sure if he really gets it, but it is so fun to watch his reactions when we talk about it. I look forward to the day the brothers can meet face to face.

A Snowy Week and Working at Home

Yesterday, I found myself having a very "hormonal" moment after reading some blogs of my friends, showing pictures of their kids playing in the snow. At first, I felt a little sad because on the days I'm at home with Jacob, I'm working, so we're prettymuch housebound. Then, the more I thought about my situation, I realized that I need to remind myself more often of my priorities...my precious little boy comes first. So I resolved to take him outside to play in the snow on Wednesday. I was totally geared up when I realized that I didn't even have snow boots for my almost 18 month old son. Needless to say, I'm pregnant, so I had a good cry about what a "terrible mother" I am for not having boots and decided I was going out that night to buy him some boots. Well, I did just that...and tomorrow, I'm taking at least a 30 minute break from my work to take him outside to play. I am so looking forward to it.

On another note, I really feel compelled to express how difficult it is to work from home and care for a child at the same time. A lot of people have told me how lucky I am and how they wish their situations allowed them to do that as well...and I just want to say...while I so appreciate being home with my son, I am constantly torn between what I should be doing at each given moment. When you are at work, your mind is on your work, when you are at home, your mind is on your home life (at least that is how it usually is). Working from home is much more difficult than many people realize, and while I know it is good for Jacob to have me there with him, and I love being with him, I also feel that I'm asking him to pay an unfair price when I can't give him the attention that he needs when he needs it, because that is what mommies there for. Just some thoughts I wanted to get off my chest...now I must get back to work :-)

Allow Me to Welcome Myself to the Blog World

Wow, my very own blog. I really didn't think I'd ever have one of these. Honestly, I've always kind of thought blogs were a little presumptuous as if I should assume that someone actually cares what I have to say when they don't even ask me...kind of like those "brag" letters you get from family and friends at Christmas time, telling how wonderful their lives are and all the great things that happened to them throughout the year. Have you ever noticed that if someone has a really crappy year, they don't send out a letter? Wow, I probably just offended several of the few that might be reading this who faithfully send out holiday letters.
Anyway, I've started reading several friends' blogs lately, and I've really found there to be some good stuff on there to chew on and some really encouraging things as well, so I guess I've had a change of heart and, I feel compelled to join the ranks and see if there is anything I might be able to offer back. Stay tuned...