Mason's Birth Announcement

Baby Chic Blue Birth Announcement

Find hundreds of cute baby birth announcements at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Merry Christmas

Love, The Chambers

My Two Boys

One Month Old

Mason is one month old!!  I can't believe it, it's already going by so fast.  Here is Mason's one month picture.  I'm going to take the same picture every month with his best friend Ollie the Octopus.

 

Mason now weighs 7 lbs and 7 ounces.  Sometimes it feels like he can't get enough to eat.  He eats every 3 hours and every once in awhile he will go 4 hours.  Most of the time it's like an alarm clock and he is up every 3 hours.  He is nursing and sometimes expressed breast milk so Papa can feed him too :).

He is starting to hold up his head during tummy time or when you are carrying him on your shoulder.  He also can turn his head from side to side to look while he is on your shoulder.  During tummy time, he just lifts his head and moves it to the other side.

He sleeps in his crib, which is on Mama's side of the bed about one foot away.  He loves this :).  He sleeps on his back in his favorite Sleep Sack.  He sleeps with his head turned to the side and his arms out to the side by his face.  He does not like to be swaddled anymore :(.  He does like to take cat naps on Papa's tummy.

Also, our little Mason can have quite the temper.  He shows off his cute temper when he doesn't get fed fast enough.  He kicks his legs and thrashes his arms about.  If he is in his bassinet, he can make is rock.  I think his temper is soooo cute :).  He is just like his Mama, impatient at times.

We love our little man so much :).  I am enjoying being a Mom and really don't want to go back to work in January.  I don't have a choice though, I have to go back.

I'll update more later on Mason's growth.  Our new family is so blessed :).

Somewhere Over the Rainbow....

Sorry that I have been MIA lately but so much has been going on.  Mason is here!!  He was born on November 2nd at 5:26 pm.  He weighed in at 5 lbs and his length was 17 1/2 inches.

I'll start at the beginning.  It all started at around 31 weeks.  I went in for my regular appointment and my doctor did the regular ultrasound.  He noticed that my placenta was starting to calcify but it was not affecting the blood flow or Mason's growth, so he said he would just keep an eye on it.  The next appointment at 32 weeks was about the same, it was still starting to calcify but it wasn't causing any problems.  Then that Sunday, my blood pressure was a little higher then normal.  I called the emergency number and the on call doctor told me to head to L&D.

I had Ryan grab my hospital bag and we head to the Woman's Hospital.  When I got there my blood pressure was normal but the on call doctor wanted me to stay at the hospital and do a 24 hour urine test because of my history with Preeclampsia.  I was told I was just under observation until my regular doctor could visit with me tomorrow morning.

That morning my doctor came to my room and told me that he wanted me to remain at the hospital for awhile to monitor the baby and my blood pressure.  My 24 hour test came back a little high, so it was determined that I would remain in the hospital.  This was so comforting.  They put Mason on the monitor three times a day and monitored my blood pressure every 4 hours.  Mason did not like the monitor at first.  He would kick and kick it and he seemed really agitated.  I had to rub my stomach and talk to him to comfort him.  Towards the end he did not mind the monitor any more.  A few times he even had hiccups and you could hear them over the monitor.  So cute!!

Then when I got to 33 and a half weeks I started having contractions.  They were coming 15 minutes apart and they were showing up on the monitor.  They ended up giving me a sleeping aid that relaxed my uterus and kept me from contracting.  The next morning my doctor did another ultrasound at the hospital and he decided to schedule my c-section for Thursday at 6 in the morning.  Then to my surprise the next morning he came in and said no lets do it today at 5 :).  I was super excited and super worried.

See when you lose a child, your innocence is lost.  You know what can go wrong and you understand that not all positive pregnancy tests end in a living baby.  I called all my family and the waiting began.

The L&D nurse came into my room around three o'clock and started getting me ready.  She knew I was nervous,  so she put Mason on the monitor to show me that he was doing just fine.

When they moved me to the delivery room my mind was just full of worry but at the same time it just felt right.  It did not feel like Tyler's birthday at all.  They started getting me ready and I got my epidural, the worst part in my mind.  Then my doctor got there and my mind was at ease.

The mood in the delivery room from Tyler's birthday to Mason's birthday was completely opposite.  When Tyler came it was so silent and somber and when Mason came the doctor and nurses were very excited and they had music playing.  The main difference was that when Mason arrived I heard his cry.  I just squeezed Ryan's hand.  That is the sound that I have been waiting to hear for over a year.  It was beautiful :).

Mason was doing great, he had some fluid in his lungs but they assured me that was quite normal.  They took him to the NICU to assess him and I was taken to recovery.

Later we found out that Mason was breathing on his own but since he was born at 33 weeks and 4 days they would be keeping him for 2 weeks to make sure everything was all right.  Let me tell you that Mason came home at exactly 2 weeks :).

He is perfect.  He loves being held on your chest and he loves when you sing to him.  I even rap to him and he smiles, so I must be a silly mama.  He hates hates being cold, so we had to get the diaper wipe warmer.  He loves that :).  He even loves baths.  Let me just say that he is a good baby, we are so blessed.

Mason has brought joy back into my life.  I can't get enough of him.  It does make me realize all that we missed with Tyler.  We never got to change a dirty diaper, feed him, or give him his first bath.  We didn't get to hear his cry or see him open his eyes.  He never grabbed a hold of my finger.  I wish that he was here to see his handsome little brother.

So, somewhere over the rainbow Ryan and I have found our joy again.  Mason is our world but we still miss his older brother.  We always will.  I am just so thankful that we have his little brother to love on here on earth.  We are so so blessed.

October

I don't even know where to start except to say that this month is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.  How are you supposed to grieve the loss of one son and prepare for the arrival of another son?  I guess a huge piece of me did not want this month to come.  I don't want to place more time between me and the last time I got to hold Tyler.  Although it does bring me one day closer to Heaven and being with him forever.

Don't get me wrong, I am very very thrilled for Mason's arrival.  We have his furniture all set up and we are waiting on his bedding.  We also just ordered his mattress, changing table pad, and travel system.  I am praying that he waits to come in early November, but I've learned that it's not my decision on when he comes.  I am glad to be in the 3rd trimester and so far all has been well.  It's just hard because I worry that this won't continue and that something will go wrong.  I guess that is what happens when you lose a baby.  I am thinking positive and I know in my heart that Mason will arrive here screaming and crying.  And trust me I will never complain about not getting any sleep or having to wake up for feedings.  I will be truly grateful for each and every moment.  That is what will make me a great mom.

So October 6th is Tyler's first birthday.  I can honestly say that I am not the person I was on October 6th, 2009.  I have forever been changed.  I am grateful for these changes because I am a much better person.  I don't take things for granted.  I know that there are far more important things in life to worry about.  I show more empathy for others and I do not complain about small things that do not matter in the big picture.  I will forever be Tyler's mommy and he will forever be my first born son.  I can't wait till I meet him at Heaven's gate.  I know that he will run into my arms.

So I start this next year looking forward to my second son and knowing that every second of every day I will honor my first son.  He will always be with me and I will never forget all that he has done for me.  My son has helped me grow into the person I am today.  It's hard to say that I would not change anything but I'm grateful for all that I have learned over this past year.

We miss you sweet Ty-man and although it is so hard to know that a year now separates us, it's also comforting to know that we are one year closer to being together again.  Please continue to look over your little brother, I can't wait to tell him all about his angel big brother in Heaven.

Back to School

Can you believe it's that time of year already?  It is so crazy to believe but I am glad to be in the same grade again this year ... First Grade.  Preparing is so hard but at least I'm in the same room, so that makes it a little easier.

I wanted to share my school finds for today ... and boy did I find some.

First we went to Wal Mart and boy do I hate Wal Mart but when it comes to school supply prices they can't be beat.  Here is what I got ...

24 pack of Crayola brand Crayons for ..... 25 cents a piece :).
Elmer's School Glue .................................... 25 cents
Yellow 2 Pocket Folders ............................. 15 cents a piece
Blue 1 Subject Wide Ruled Notebooks ..... 15 cents a piece

So, I got one of each for my 20 student.  Boy did I save a lot.

Then to my favorite place to shop Target.

And I got ...... the best thing in the world for a $1.

I don't even want to say how much I paid for mine last year ... let's just say I could have bought several of these :(.

And my second find from Target at $2.50 a piece is ....

Aren't they cute :).  These are chairs for my listening center, I'm going to add some pillows to sit on.  I really wanted bean bags but couldn't find any in my price range, so these will do just fine.  I already have bucket seats for my reading center but last year the kids in the listening center just sat on the floor.  I am super excited about this purchase.

Then my last stop was Goodwill.  We live in a really nice area, so they always have really nice barely used items.  I have bought books, tubs for my classroom, and now my last purchase and this is my favorite is ....

I have wanted to buy a Leap Pad for several years but they have been too pricey.  I bought this one at Goodwill for $7.99.  I am super excited to use this in a workstation.  I played it for over an hour and my favorite is the Social Studies game.  You have to see how many states you can find.  I am pretty good except I couldn't find Wyoming.  I know Sara, I am sorry :(.

Workstations are like centers for First Grade.  It's  pretty much where the kids work at their ability level.  So one kid might be working on letter blends and the other might be working on word families.  It's time consuming to plan out activities at workstations since most kids need different activities and the Leap Pad will be easy to plan for.  Now I just need to find more books.  During workstations I teach in small groups and that is where I do most of my instruction.  Now a days you don't really have much full group instruction.  It's all about teach at the level they are at, which is great.  It gives the low ones more support and the high ones aren't bored.

My other good find for the day was that I ordered a Breastfeeding cover up and it was FREE.  All I had to pay for was shipping.  I'll share a picture when I get it :).

Plus Ryan and I ate lunch at Luby's.  They had a deal where you got 2 combos with drinks for 20 dollars.  I got chicken with sweet potatoes and green beans.  Mason really liked the green beans.

I loved sharing my great finds for today...hopefully I can find more soon.

Getting Ready for Mason

I can't begin to tell you how blessed I have been during this pregnancy.  Pregnancy after a loss is so unpredictable and for lack of a better word "bittersweet".  Well...actually that is the best word to describe it.  I have been truly blessed though.  Although we have had a few scares, we have had more positive news and great appointments.

We have had our first scare at five weeks when I started bleeding due to a hemorrhage that occurred when Mason started to attach.  I had to stay home on bed rest for three weeks and the bleeding stopped around nine weeks.  Since then, we have had a few blood pressure issues and they did find protein in my urine but it has all been normal since.

Mason is a mover too, so that is so very comforting.  Yesterday my stomach was lopsided and you could feel either his back end or his head sticking out.  Most of the time he loves to stick his feet in my ribs, mostly on the right side but an hour ago he was sticking his feet in my left rib.

So the biggest blessing during this pregnancy is that I have been able to prepare for him.  When I first got pregnant the idea of buying stuff and making plans scared me.  How could I make plans and then get them all crushed again?  Slowly but surely I have found this to not be the case.  We have some clothes for him already washed and hanging up, his bassinet is already set up, and we are in the process of ordering his furniture. 

See the bassinet has been set up for awhile now.  After we couldn't bring Tyler home Ryan returned the furniture without me.  I couldn't bear to take it back, we had actually just gotten it the weekend before we lost Tyler.  His bassinet was already set up and I refused to take it apart.  Right now it has his lion, the first set of clothes he wore, and his blanket.  Soon it will have his baby brother in it.  Although to admit that does scare me, it also warms my heart and offers that hope and faith that Mason will come home.

This is the furniture we are planning on ordering.  It's from the Da Vinci Kalani Set.  We like the cherry color.

So please help me pray for continued blessings during this pregnancy and for Mason to arrive screaming and crying in November.

Beyond Words Designs

I am getting ready for Mason's arrival in November and I knew that I wanted to have something made with his name to hang above his crib.  I was introduced to this wonderful angel mommy named Stephanie, I know great name right!!  She started Beyond Words Designs to honor her sweet baby Amelia, to create healing through art.  She creates unique hand painted designs and I love love her work.

I am so excited to share her work because right now she is having an awesome promotion for Rainbow Babies.  Mason is our rainbow baby!!  She is offering 50% off her Fanciful Collection to parents who are expecting their rainbow baby.  Her work is beautiful you should check her out.

Here is Mason's bedding design, we are doing his room in an peaceful Ocean theme.

I can't wait to share Mason's artwork when it is finished.  It will be worth the wait!!  So exciting.

Kissable Product Review - From the eyes of Macy

So, Macy has been having a terrible problem with bad breath.  We love her to death but sometimes she wants to snuggle and it's hard because her breath is the worst you can imagine.

Yesterday, Ryan and I made a trip to Petco and decided that we needed to buy Macy her first toothbrush.  They had a variety of types ranging in ones that look like people toothbrushes, to ones that are made of all rubber, to ones that have three heads.

We decided on one that had three heads because we figured it would surround her teeth and be easier and faster.  Plus it came with the toothpaste that says it's all natural, so that made the sell for us.

So here is our journey to giving Macy a kissable smile :).

The first thing I did was let Macy explore and smell her new toothbrush.  I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible and she loves to smell everything new thing that comes into the house. 

Then for the best part of this product, the toothpaste.  I have to say that Macy is by far the pickiest dog I know.  She turns down treats if they don't meet up to her standard.  So, I was hoping that she would love the taste of the toothpaste...and guess what she did.  I put a pea sized sample and let her smell and taste it.  The box says that you do not have to rinse the paste off, so I thought it would be ok.

I had to be very very patient with Macy.  I did a little at a time and I have to admit at first, she did NOT want her teeth brushed.  She fought at first but after a few minutes she calmed down and let me and Ryan brush her teeth.

I also have to say that this is a very smart product.  The three brush heads make it way way easier.  You just have to brush along the top and it brushes both sides at the same time.  A HUGE time saver and a bonus when working with a stubborn dog like Macy.

So I would recommend the Kissable Toothbrush set for Dogs.  It does take a few minutes for any dog to get use to it but after that it works great!!

Stay tuned for more of Macy's journeys.

Blog Design

So, I told Ryan that I wanted to learn web design.  Not to do as a career but just for something new to learn.  After many tutorials, I created my new blog design.  Yes I created the background, header, signature, and divider all on my own!!  It took me awhile but I did it.

Now the next tutorials will be to create custom sidebar headers and post headers.  So, check back often to see what I'm learning.

mamaRoo Infant Seat Giveaway

Crazy Coupon Mommy and Sisterly Savings is sponsoring this awesome giveaway for a mamaRoo infant seat.

I have to admit this infant seat is pretty cool ... it has 5 different motion settings.  I know that Mason would really enjoy it.

So you should check out the giveaway.  They also have some other giveaways on their site.

Macy and Mason's Video

So, I am attending an online training class for school about using different new technologies in the classroom.  A lot of the technologies aren't new to me but this one is.  I had so much fun!!

The one for today was creating a Digital Story, so I created one for Macy and Mason.  I am really proud of my work and it kind of reminds me of "Reading Rainbow".  I did try to do a voice over instead of the text but my microphone picked up so much static that it sounded awful.

Once we get a better microphone, I'll fix it so that Mason can listen to it and hear his mama's voice :).

Hope you enjoyed my digital story!!

Wordless Wednesday

Mason, Our New Hope

Yesterday morning I woke up with butterflies in my stomach. Although I was very excited I was also having feelings of anxiety and nervousness. I took a shower and tried to regain a sense of calm. It did not really help but I remember that I kept telling myself everything will be ok and we will be having a happy healthy baby boy.

Ryan's parents came into town to go with us and they brought donuts and juice so that our little one would be moving around during the ultrasound. The ride to the doctor's office took forever and my nerves did not seem to settle. A lot of angel mommies say that pregnancy after a loss is bittersweet and actually that is the best word to describe it.

When we got to the doctor's office they called us back to the room about 3 minutes after arriving. I was so glad that I wouldn't be waiting long. When I got to the room the nurse informed me that the doctor was called to the hospital next door but he would be back shortly. It was long enough for me to take a nap and calm my nerves.

As soon as the doctor put the Doppler on my stomach and I heard the heartbeat I knew it was all ok. He told us right away that it was a boy!! Just like the tech had said at the 12 week appointment. Our little Mason was just as active as his brother. I feel his movements all the time now and of course his kicks. Just like his brother and his daddy, Mason has big feet and long big legs. Mason has his daddy's big hands and he waved at us during the ultrasound :).

The doctor said that everything looked great and that the placenta was very well implanted which helps put our minds at ease about another abruption. He is measuring on track and is in all a very healthy baby boy. Great news.

I've been going to the doctor every 2 weeks, but this new doctor doesn't want to see me for a month. So my next appointment is at 23 weeks on August 19th. Good thing we have a heartbeat monitor at home.

So now we just have to pray that I don't develop preeclampsia any time soon. We would love to have this baby at 36 weeks and not any earlier.















 Here is one of the ultrasound pictures of our little Mason.

Being Optimistic

We have three more days till our doctor's appointment with our new doctor. Not that I am counting or anything, but Thursday couldn't get her soon enough. I read another angel mommies blog today and it seems like lately we have been on the same page. I wish I could be like all the other expecting mommies but I have to realize that I am not and I never will be. Instead I am sitting here thinking about all the things that could go wrong on Thursday. I just wish things could be easier.

Ryan has started his new job and tomorrow is his first non-training day. He will be delivering pizzas and hopefully brining home big tips. He also has an interview on Wednesday for a full time job and it would be so nice if he were able to land this job.

So I am waiting patiently for Thursday and just praying that all is well with this little one.

Our Rainbow

Ok, so I have not been the best at updating this blog but I have so many friends that update their blogs constantly and it has inspired me.

Well, life without Tyler has been up and down. Since school got out it has been nice to relax and not have as much stress. I picked up crocheting but I am still in the beginner stage. I will post some projects in the near future. My goal is to knit a blanket for Mason.

That is right we are expecting our rainbow baby. This baby started out as Baby M. Ryan and I always knew that if we had a little girl her name would be Morgan, after Ryan's grandmother. And I have always loved the name Mason, so we stuck with that. At 12 weeks, they were able to tell it was a boy .... so Mason it is. I always had the feeling that I would have boys, so no surprise to me.

This week marks the start of my 18th week and next week at the specialists appointment we will be able to tell for sure if it really is a boy. Mason has been a great joy to me. I knew I would worry but I was surprised at how quickly I embraced this new little one. The other night I felt his first kicks and it was such a joy. It was three swift kicks in a row, it was almost like he figured out he could kick. It was wonderful. I woke up Ryan and had him feel but he was so asleep that he doesn't remember :). We also had a wonderful family let us borrow their heart beat doppler monitor and that has been a blessing. We love listening to Mason's heart beat and to be honest we do every day.

The first picture is at 7 weeks and the second picture of the little guy is at 12 weeks, so he is much much bigger now. Next week I will be able to share his 19th week picture and it will be so amazing to see the difference.

Ryan just started his new part time job delivering pizza. He is excited to be back in the work force and I couldn't be happier for him. He is only working ten hours a week, so hopefully a more permanent job will come along and quick.

Well that is all for now, I promise I will have more to share soon.

I Will Praise You In This Storm

So tomorrow is a big day in the Chambers' household, it's my first day back on the job. I can honestly say that I've been dreading this day for over 9 months. It was going to be the day when I was going to drop Tyler off for his first day of daycare. In the back on my mind I was wondering if I would cry and then call at every second that I could. Instead I'm going back to work on my own, I've already had to say goodbye to Tyler.

I guess I'm mostly dreading the questions. The what ifs and what happened and will it happen again. Both Ryan and I are super blessed with a supportive family and friends but work is a whole new ballgame for me. For the past three months, I haven't really gone anywhere with Ryan and I've mostly stayed at home. It's much easier to deal with things at home. I do know that I have to go back to work and deal with things. I'm just trusting in the Lord that He will give me the strength that I need to accomplish what I need to do at work.

The other thing that is sort of depressing me is the fact that Ryan's new work schedule has him working mostly nights and weekends. It's going to be like we are ships passing in the night. I know that this is the first job that Ryan has thoroughly enjoyed and it seems like this will be a great start for him. I just keep praying that God will open some doors for him at his new job, and that he will finally find a position that will be more steady and will let us set down some roots as a family.

I do know that it's hard being this far away from Tyler. We haven't gone to visit his grave for awhile and I've been relying on my mom to visit him often. We just got him a pinwheel for his grave and the time before that we got him some solar powered lights. Now he has night lights. It makes me feel good to decorate his new space.

So tomorrow I'm asking for prayers. Prayers for strength and peace and for most importantly guidance. That I will know what to say when people ask me the hard questions and for the hardest things when people ignore me altogether.


I am wearing my necklace tomorrow, so I can carry a piece of Tyler near my heart. It has his footprints engraved on the front along with his name and birthstone. On the back it says 10/06/2009 Always in my <3. It's beautiful!!

It's been a very stormy ride here lately for our family but it has brought us so much closer and it also brought us a beautiful son who we will always have with us.

Hello 2010!!

We are so excited to see what this new year has in store for our family. Here are a few things that we celebrated in 2009.

Ryan and I celebrated our first year wedding anniversary on June 28, 2009. We were very blessed to share our first wedding anniversary with our sweet baby boy in mommy's tummy. We found out on July 3rd that it was a boy, so on this day Tyler was still just Baby Chambers.


On July 3rd, we found out that we were having a BOY!! Here is a picture from that ultrasound. We ran out to Babies R Us to register for our sweet baby boy Tyler.



Over the summer, we weren't able to take a big trip due to Ryan saving up his vacation time for when Tyler arrived. Ryan and I took a trip to the Houston Zoo. Tyler seemed to love the zoo too, he kicked the whole day. Here is a photo from our trip to the zoo.


Our last major event of 2009 was the birth of our first son Tyler Evan on October 6th at 9:57 a.m. Here is our first family picture. We were so blessed to be able to hold our sweet baby boy and love on him. We can't wait till we are reunited again in Heaven.


As you can see 2009 was a growing year for our new family. Ryan and I have grown so much closer and our love of the Lord has grown. We have suffered many trials but these have only made us stronger.

We love our baby boy with all of our hearts and although we wish he could be with us we are able to rest in the knowing that he is being taken care of in Heaven.

We can't wait to see how God is going to grow our family in 2010. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends.