Fidelity BBQ - 2014

August 28, 2014
Andrew's work throws a big BBQ every summer before school starts. It's always a huge hit with the littles, what with animals, bouncy houses, Cheetos, face-painting and this year's most exciting visitors, Elsa and Anna!

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^^ This is how Chelsea does a thumbs up ^^

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^^ Chelsea was pretty nervous about Elsa and Anna at first, but then they both gave her high 5's and sang "Do you Wanna Build a Snowman" and she was good ^^

Have a great rest of your week! We are loving the sunshine here in California and I can't wait to share all of our adventures with you in a couple of weeks! For little sneak peeks into our California vacation, be sure to follow me on Instagram @chevronandlacebysue

See you there!


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Pineview

August 25, 2014
Happy first day of school to many, many of you wonderful people! Hope it looks like a good year for you and that you're taking classes that you enjoy and will be successful at. I miss school sometimes, but I'll enjoy the absence of school while I can!

I got a little behind in sharing some of our adventures, so while I'm in California making new adventures, I'll share about the old! First off: Pineview.

We got together with two of our most favorite families and took a day trip up to the lake! I didn't get to swim because I had just had Alexa and I wasn't cleared for water yet, but the kids had a blast! It was fun to see how excited they all were, especially little miss Maddy! She was squealing in delight as she ran down to the water and back.

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It really was a perfect day, but next time we go, I better get to swim!


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Alexa - One Month Specs

August 22, 2014
Alexa truly is a ray of sunshine in our family. She is such a good, happy baby. She has slept well from day one of birth (seriously, she hasn't awakened more than twice in the middle of the night. ever) and she is so happy! Only 48 hours after her birth she was giving us smiles, and now, she pleases us with "smile shows" every morning! It's the best way to start the day!

Her cries are mostly quiet and she has started saying "Aaaaahh," which is different than her other sounds because her throat is open and clear when she says it. Chelsea likes to copy her and the cute sounds she makes.

Alexa has no problem with tummy time whatsoever. Last week when I was being oh-so-productive trying to get ready for our trip to California, I'd put her on her tummy while I sewed and she would lie there, so content. Can't say the same for Chelsea. She opted for watching Frozen and playing with toys instead (she behaved incredibly well during all of my sewing, too).

We don't quite know what color her eyes are yet. They look dark, just like Chelsea's did, but oftentimes, they look blue, although I seem to remember Chelsea's eyes doing the same thing.

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^^ Chelsea at one month / Alexa at one month ^^

So we'll see if her eyes decide to stay blue, or if they'll change to brown, just like Chelsea's (or maybe they'll turn out green like mine!)

She isn't much of a spit-up-er, nor does it seem like she has had NEARLY as many blow-outs as Chelsea had (Chelsea had a blow-out the MOMENT we stepped into the house from the hospital for the first time). Alexa did decide to delight us with a blow-out in the car on the way to California, though, and that made for a good time! Luckily, it wasn't too bad.

Alexa did have a little jaundice, but not enough to worry about, the doctor said. We're just trying to get her some nice sun exposure and some good feedings. Nursing the second time around is a whole lot easier, too. I remember it being almost unbearable with Chelsea, but I guess I've probably toughened up since Chelsea and learned how to take care of myself better.


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We simply couldn't love Alexa any more than we already do. She brings us so much happiness and joy. We love having her in our family and are so grateful she is here!

More pictures of Miss Alexa in this adorable pineapple ensemble to come!


Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Mesa, Arizona and surrounding cities including Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.
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August 2014 - Chelsea

August 19, 2014
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The times that I get to spend with Chelsea, just the two of us, have become few and far between, but she never fails to assert her personality!

  • loves to be a part of conversations, even if she doesn't really have anything in mind that she wants to say right at that moment - if that is the case, she will mumble for a couple of seconds, then end with "Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuz"
  • is getting to be more and more gentle with Alexa
  • loves Alexa SO much
  • loves taking pictures, especially with Alexa
  • sings to herself before falling asleep at night
  • prefers peanut butter and honey sandwiches to peanut butter and jelly
  • is both fascinated and terrified of spiders
  • learns new words and phrases after only hearing them once
  • learning how to play pretend
  • loves fireworks
  • runs really fast and loves it
  • likes to help Mommy sew
  • likes it when Mommy grabs her in a bear hug and sings "Stuck on you! Stuck like glue!"
  • likes to spit (we're working on that)
  • loves ketchup
  • likes to play ring-around-the-rosies
  • can;t quite pronounce Alexa's name, but "Aleska" will do
  • likes to watch "Sofia the First," "Doc McStuffins," and "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse"
  • will choose to watch the bee-doe movie ("Despicable Me") 9 times out of 10
  • likes to mimic the noises Alexa makes
  • likes to help Mommy
  • loves to color with markers and is very good about only coloring on paper

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It's amazing how quickly these little children learn and grow. As time goes by (far too quickly), I learn more and more about this little girl who has grown from the little baby that I held in my arms for hours at a time to the imaginative, independent, happy pre-schooler that she is. You're my daughter forever, kid, and I'm stuck on you! Stuck like glue!

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Alexa - One Month

August 18, 2014
One of my absolute favorite bloggers/artists/photographers has got to be Alexa Zurcher from He and I. She is so talented and has the cutest little family. I was lucky enough to be selected as one of her test trial-ers for one of her products: Monthly Stickers! And they couldn't have come at a better time!


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She also has monthly stickers a little less girly, so be sure to stop by her Etsy shop and blog pages. You'll be glad you did! Promise.

For Alexa's one-month specs, click here.
 
More months:
 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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Hard is Good

August 17, 2014
The hardest part about the transition from one child to two is learning how to juggle more than one. I've learned in this transition that if Alexa is crying, I am much quicker to impatience, which is not good news for a two-year-old. I've had to learn to either take care of Alexa first, or put her in her bassinet and let her cry for a minute or two while I take care of Chelsea (depending on situations and needs).

There was one day a week ago where things were just really, really hard. I called my mom and said, jokingly, but desperately, "I don't want to be a mom anymore!" Of course, Mom knew I was over-exaggerating to get my point across and helped me look at things with a better perspective and reminded me that I wasn't perfect, that I was new at this, and that things were going to get better. She also reminded me that Chelsea is undergoing a huge change as well and to try every day to be better at being patient with her.

I wouldn't say that things dramatically changed after that conversation with Mom, that I magically "got a handle" on everything, but things did get better. I remembered what Mom always taught us:
Hard is good


You better believe we rolled our eyes when she hung this saying up on the refrigerator. I even took a pencil to it and crossed out the word "good" to replace it with "bad." Mom got pretty mad at me for that. Years later, Dad made up his own: Hard is hard.

Either way, the more I have grown and experienced, the more I realize that Mom was right. Hard things stink, but if we view them with the proper perspective, they are good for us. Mom reminded me that patience is something that just about everyone has to work on, and just when you think you've got it semi-mastered, something else gets thrown in your face. It's a daily battle, but it's one that I'm determined to win... eventually.


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P.S. My sister, Carrie once said, "I want patience and I want it NOW!" Clearly, I have a very quotable family.
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Newborn Photos - Alexa

August 14, 2014
Can you believe another school year is starting? The summer has gone by way too fast. But the Stange's summer isn't over yet! Next week, we're looking forward to a nice vacation in San Diego, CA! As a result, I've been sewing like crazy! I have a couple of orders to fill, and a bunch of little projects that I want to get done before I go. Thank goodness I finally got Alexa's newborn photos finished! What do you think? Of course, I can't take all the credit. The subject did most of the work.

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If you're headed back to school this semester, make it a good one! If you're not, enjoy the sun while it still lasts!

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Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Mesa, Arizona and surrounding cities including Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.
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