Chase serves his friends

A few weeks ago, Chase really wanted his stuffed animals to eat snack with him. He took them all outside to his table and chairs, got bowls and everyone got some Veggie Straws.





The next day he moved the meal inside on the couch. Chase always makes us laugh and we love thinking about what he'll try and do next.

George's Baptism

We enjoyed seeing George's baptism at Clay and Julie's church. Afterward, we had fun eating lunch at Clay and Julie's with family and friend.

Clay oversees Chase and George discussing the baptism and the toys in the nursery

Chase, Clay, George, Julie, Katie, Nana, Aunt Gina, Mama Zo, Pops, Drew and Hank

Mama Zo and Pops with George, Hank and Chase

Superman

Peg-P brought Chase a Superman costume over one Saturday. When he saw it he immediately wanted to put it on. Peg-P wanted him to just try on the cape and wait until after his nap to put on the whole costume. Peg-P lost and Superman won as you can see below.

Chase goes hunting

The week between Christmas and New Year's, Chase and I went hunting with Gran in Choctaw County. We only spent one night at the camp, but it was fun for Chase to run around. We never saw a deer, but we all had a great time.

Chase in the shooting house

Chase and Gran before Chase went to bed

Playing by the creek

Gran and Chase

Fun around the house

Chase and Hank during bathtime

This is the book Mama Zo and Pops used to read to Daddy and U-dub, "We're very good friends, my brother and I"

Chase watching Elmo

Chase and Hank playing with Chase's barn and animals

More tummy time for Hank - he's not really into it though

Mama reading to her boys

Daddy and Hank relaxing in bed

Hank

Charleston

Katie, Chase and Hank came with me to Charleston for my residency interview . We left on a Thursday (Jan 5) and came back on Saturday. During my interview Katie took Chase and Hank down to the market where Chase first saw the horses. The only way she could get him back to the hotel for a nap was to tell him that Daddy would take him back to see the horses when he woke up. We all went on a carriage ride that afternoon. It was nice and Chase did pretty well for almost the entire ride. We had 4 packs of fruit chews which helped us make it the rest of the way.

Hank's own restaurant

After the ride we ate at 82 Queen, a nice Charleston place. We were nervous to be at a nice place with Chase and Hank, so it helped that we ate at 4:45. We had a good time. Katie got her shrimp and grits and Chase and Hank got through it just fine.

After dinner we drove to Sullivan's Island to see the beach (even though it was dark).

Chase thought the beach was one huge sandbox and didn't want to leave. We basically walked off and left him thinking he would follow us - he didn't.

Playing around back at the hotel

Christmas Fun

Chase's party at school

Alex and Chase petting sheep

Chase and Daddy with the little horse

Daddy feeding Chase his cookie that he decorated

Hunter, Alex, Daddy and Chase

Miss Ni-Ni helped Chase put his stickers on his picture

At Gran and Peg-P's - Every year Katie makes Christmas goodies with her Dad. This year Chase, Hank and Alex joined them. Chase and Alex weren't much help but they did have a lot of fun!

Alex wanted Peg-P and Hank to play too

Other outings...

Zoolight Safari

Chase and Hank

Chase and Alex at lunch with Peg-P and Gran

Our house with Christmas decorations and our blue bow on the mailbox

Chase, Hank and Alex posing for Christmas card pictures

The official Santa picture - This was after the Christmas party when Chase was a little traumatized by Santa (see below). The real Santa took time to read Chase a book about the North Pole until Chase was comfortable enough to sit in his lap. Chase got some good one-on-one time with Santa (about 20 minutes), and we were lucky we went in the middle of the day and that no one else was in line.

Christmas Party - Every year our friends get together for a Christmas celebration, always highlighted by a game of Dirty Santa. Santa usually stops by and takes pictures with any children (large or small) who are present.

"Santa" who looks like U-dub with Chase. Chase would not stop crying until Santa pulled down his beard to reveal his real identity.


Clay, George and Chase - Chase is getting ready when George gets big enough to run and play

Happy Birthday Mama Zo - Mama Zo's birthday falls during the Christmas season. We had fun celebrating her with many of our family members.

Chase helping Mama Zo blow out the candles

Hank and Nana

George, Chase and Hank

Uncle Bill & Hank

Chase playing with Mama Zo

Christmas at Nana's - We had fun celebrating Christmas with the Zbinden's at Nana's house. We missed Rand and his family as well as Sage, Jessica and their new baby, Willow Sage. We had a great time, as always.

The second-cousins have started performing a rendition of the Christmas story. Tyler is Mary and Hank is currently Baby Jesus.

Chase stole the show as the "Little Drummer Boy"

In the second act, Hank played the role of an angel (he was such a natural)

The entire cast: Karsyn, Kalton, Hank, Koley, Tyler, George, Chase (and Mama Zo in the background)
Nana (dressed as Mrs. Claus) played some Christmas carols on the piano. Chase decided to join her. This was definitely his favorite part of the entire day.

After Nana's all the Cochrans and Stanleys met at Dawson for the Candlelight Service. It is fun to all be in church together. Afterward, everyone came to our house, and Chase and Hank love having Gran, Peg-P, Pops and Mama Zo at home all at the same time.

Peg-P and Hank

Wes with his nephews (George, Chase and Hank)

Daddy and Chase made a Ginger-bread house this year. It was actually a kit that Mama won in our dirty Santa game at the Christmas party

Chase feeding Hank a bottle

Chase and Daddy working

The finished product

Chase was not very happy when Mama told him that he could not eat it yet

Hank gets some tummy time - and a spotlight in the camera

Ruby joined Hank for some tummy time too

Christmas Eve - This year we celebrated Christmas with Granny, Grandaddy, Aunt Debra, Uncle Terry, David, Kimberly, and Aaron at Mama Zo and Pops' house. Wes, Clay, Julie and George were there too. We enjoyed our time together and heard some special, funny stories about Granny and Grandaddy and previous Christmases.

Uncle Terry and Hank

Pops with Hank

Wes and Hank

Chase playing with Mama Zo

A little later the Aunt Gina, Uncle Bill, Morgan and Taylor came by. Morgan got to feed Hank a bottle.

Christmas Eve at the Stanley's - After leaving the Cochran's we met the Stanley's at church for Christmas Eve communion. It is an entire family service, so Chase loved getting to sit with Alex in church. After the service we went to the Stanley's to eat dinner and open a few gifts. Chase, Hank and Alex got in their pj's at Peg-P and Gran's, making it a little easier once we got home. It was a lot of fun

Peg-P and Hank

Anna and Hank

Chase sharing his new barn with Alex

Hank

Chase & Alex

Christmas Eve back at home

Daddy, Hank and Chase all looking for Santa flying in the sky

Daddy reading Chase and Hank the Christmas story from the Bible and "T'was the night before Christmas"

Knowing Christmas day would be very busy, Katie and I opened our gifts on Christmas eve after Chase and Hank had gone to bed. I have always wanted to open our gifts on Christmas day, so was a little hesitant about changing things. It was nice, though, to take our time and relax a little while we opened gifts.

Christmas Morning - Santa Claus Came!!

Daddy with Chase and Hank getting ready to see what Santa brought

Chase and his new car

Chase checking out his new "laptop"

Hank - he got gifts too and he was very excited (in case you couldn't tell)

Chase (in his new Duke t-shirt) checking out the book that Daddy gave him this year. One of our traditions is books. Every year Mama and Daddy give Chase and Hank each a new book for Christmas.

Chase trying on his new jacket and hat

Gran and Peg-P came to see what Santa brought before we all went to church. We thought the service was going to be about 30 minutes and informal because there was no child care. The service was good, but not quite as short or informal as we had anticipated. Chase got restless a couple of times but we made it through, and really thought it was neat to celebrate Jesus' birthday in church on Christmas Sunday.
Christmas Day at the Cochran's - After Santa and Church, we went to the Cochran's house in Springville to open gifts and eat Christmas dinner. We had a great time giving and receiving gifts. Chase took a nap during lunch; he didn't miss out because he still got to eat some cake.

The kids and grandchildren lining up on the stairs

Mama Zo with Hank

Hank and George with one of Wes's new boots

Wes with Hank and George

Christmas Day at the Stanley's - After spending lunch at the Cochran's, we went to the Stanley's to eat Christmas dinner and to finish opening gifts.

Chase testing out his new "headlight"

Alex and Chase with their headlights

Chase and Alex playing with Chase's new easel

We got together with the Duke family at Hunter and Anna's house on Jan. 2 to celebrate Christmas. Aunt Kay, Uncle Billy, Lauren, Jen, Karl, Jack, Annie Elizabeth, William and his girlfriend Susannah all came from their vacation in North Carolina. Gran and Peg-P, and of course Hunter, Anna and Alex were all there. We had a traditional New Year's meal and a great time together.

Chase thanking Aunt Kay for his gift.

Lauren with all the kids (Chase, Alex, Hank, Jack & Annie Elizabeth)

Chase and Daddy waiting to open gifts

The boys playing the piano

Anna and Chase taking over Alex's bed.

During all the chaos, Katie caught Alex, lying alone at the bottom of the steps, in a soliloquy on the meaning of Christmas and life in general. Chase sure does have fun with Alex, and we all love him very much.