Chase is 5!!!

Five... when I stop and think about it, I cannot for the life of me figure out how five whole years have passed since we had our first son.  Five seems so grown up to me... two and three still seem like toddlers to me, four is preschool but five... five is a big kid!  I can't believe I have a big kid. 

Five years ago I had finally had my baby and I was loving every second of looking at his sweet face and snuggling him.  I had dreams about being a mommy since I was a little girl and I finally was a mom.  I loved him so much immediately and what a great baby he was.  I love looking at the pictures from that morning when my parents, Charles' parents and his sister got to see Chase for the first time.  I love my mother-in-law's expression... you can see the love in her eyes and can almost feel her excitement simply by just looking at the picture.  I loved every minute of him being a newborn and enjoyed every stage he has gone through since... minus the behavior stages that he (and every child) go through!

He really was an easy baby.  Once we got over how much pain he put me in every time I fed him, he was a pro at eating, a pro at sleeping and was just so content.  He started sleeping through the night for us very early, which I was very appreciative of.  Just getting a full night's sleep, without interruption, made me feel so human again!

The next pictures from his first to his second birthday are really interesting to me.  Chase was only six months old when we found out we were expecting again and what a shock.  I cried when the test turned positive almost immediately... I cried, not because I was sad I was having another baby, I cried because I was sad at how quickly Chase would have to grow up.  I was a little sad about the fact that he wouldn't be my baby for as long as I would have liked.. but He had bigger plans and now I wouldn't change them for anything!!  At the time, I felt like Chase was so grown up when Jacob was born.  I knew I basically had two babies but it didn't feel that way.  Looking at pictures though I'm shocked at how young Chase really was when Jacob was born.  I can't get over that I had two that close in age but it never really felt overwhelming at all... and I attribute all of that to the Lord.  He knew what He was doing and He didn't give us more than we could handle!

The next few years Chase loved his role as big brother.  He took care of Jacob, he taught him how to play with their toys and they were best friends.  It wasn't until Luke was born though that I saw just how much he loves to nurture and care for little ones.  I saw so much of myself in Chase when Luke came along... he loved his baby so much and you could see it in his eyes and see it in the way he touched Luke so gently. 

Chase is so grown up now... he is so responsible and really seems to want to listen and do right.  We have our moments, just like everyone, but I have seen so much change in him in just the last two months.  He is so caring and loving, sensitive, smart and eager to learn, loves going to church and Cubbies and is learning more and more with each year about God's word and how much He loves him.  He has such a sweet personality and I love seeing him grow more and more each day!

This day of celebrating our oldest has been so special.  We celebrated with family at Chuck E Cheese on Saturday (post coming next) so today was really relaxed.  I made him a special breakfast, Charles took him out to lunch just the two of them and then we had two of his best buddies and his cousin, Emma, over for a small birthday get together.  He has been looking forward to this for weeks!!  And what fun they have had... they played outside, ate pizza, cupcakes & ice cream, watched Cars 2 and had some popcorn.  Thankful for such great little buddies for him.  I will post about his birthday soon! 

Chase, 

Mommy and Daddy love you more than we could ever express.  You will understand it one day when you are a daddy and what an amazing daddy you will make... you have a great example to follow!  Keep being your sweet self, continue to ask Jesus to help you be the example that you need to be. We have been so proud of you this year as you've started preschool and done so amazing.  You're learning so much and we know that next year, when you start kindergarten, you are going to do so great.  Thank you for being such an amazing big brother to Jacob and to Luke.  What a blessing you are to us and we can't imagine what our lives would be like without you.  We love you so much!!