Sweet Baby Chase

This video is simple and sweet.  It's my sweet baby Chase doing a little bit of nothing at all, but I adore it.  I don't know if it's because this is my last baby or because I'm more relaxed after having done this once already, but I am so enjoying every minute of the baby stage with Chase.  I am mesmerized by him.  Sometimes I just sit and stare at him.  Other times I scoop him up and smother him with kisses.  (I have to do this with Chase because Charlie is too busy to let me smother him with kisses.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this simple little video.  It's just a moment in the life of sweet baby Chase.

The Flamingo

Some families have family game night.  Other families have family movie night.  The Arning family has family dance night, which in our household, is practically every night.  Charlie loves the song "The Hampster Dance" and every night we play his favorite song over and over again while we all dance in the kitchen.  Even Chase dances in his jumperoo!

In this video, you'll see Charlie dancing and Dad joining him mid-song.  So why is this blog entry and video called The Flamingo?  Well, let's just call it an Arning family dance move.  Check it out!

Psst... Make sure the volume is turned up on your computer.

Charlie and Dad Skype

Skype is a wonderful invention.  How it's free, I have no idea!  Anyway, when Mike travels, we often try to Skype with him so that Dad and Charlie can spend some time together.  Charlie's still not quite sure what he's doing, but he enjoys singing the ABC song with his Dad.  Enjoy!

Chase-zilla!

My sweet baby Chase is absolutely, positively MASSIVE.  I swear he looks more like a 10-month old than a 6-month old.  I'm amazed.  In a typical day, Chase will eat at least an entire serving of food at mealtimes and snacks and then he'll drink an 8-ounce bottle of milk shortly thereafter.  And some days, he eats two servings of food!  For example, take a look a these photos I'm posting.  This is a typical evening meal - a full serving of sweet potatoes AND a full container of yogurt.  Did I mention he's only 6-months old!  I've never seen anything like.

Earlier this week, I spent $385 at the grocery store and left with two carts.  I had to have help out of the grocery store.  I forgot to mention that I had just been to the grocery store one week prior.  This is a weekly trip for me - $350 and usually just one heaping cart of food.  My boys are already eating me out of house and home.  I can't fathom what it's going to be like when they're in high school.  I might have to take out a second mortgage on my home to pay the grocery bills!

Anyway, enjoy these photos of my big boy, Chase.  He's naked under that bib.  Why?  Well, let's just say that before dinner time, we had a blowout that ventured up his back and covered his clothes.  Oh joy!  No wonder he's eating so much after a blowout like that!

Customer in Training

I took Charlie and Chase to the grocery store yesterday.  I carried Chase in the Baby Bjorn, so Charlie helped me by pushing the grocery cart.  What a good sport!  He tried to pick up fig nuts (whatever they are) and Gatorade, but I talked him out of it.  The yogurt pretzels are mine.  I'm addicted.

I'm not sure who the random man is, but I think he looks a little scared.  What do you think?

Charlie Chew Toy

Chase is teething like crazy right now.  Anything he can get his hands on, he'll immediately put it right into his mouth (as is evident from the video camera incident).  Poor Charlie got a little too close one day and well, you probably know what happens next...

Battle in the Backyard

Here is another video from our crazy evening a couple of nights ago.  In this video, Mike and Charlie are battling it out.  Who do you think will win?  Hilarious!