Christmas Eve Eve

We have had a busy month since the last post! What fun seeing family and visiting friends. We took a trip up to Erie for Thanksgiving. What fun! We actually got a family picture. (Only one kid didn't look at the camera - guess who!) Here's another one that probably captures the spirit of the visit more!
Reese had lots of fun with her cousins Brody and Madison. They enjoyed playing and laughing and watching their shows with Grandma and Grandpa.

After our visit in Erie, we made the trek back to Ohio and the next day we visited the other grandparents. First we went to Grandma & Grandpa Abbotts'. Reese got to meet her newest cousin, Elijah. After lunch, we loaded up the car and traveled across town to Grandpa & Grandma Chilcotes'. It was fun visiting all her grandparents, but after a long week, Reese (and her parents) were ready to head home.

Reese has really begun to develop her vocabulary these past few weeks. She can ask for her "shows" by name - "Melmo" (Elmo) and "Ayee-ahh" (Olivia) She also loves her favorite breakfast - Fol-fohs (waffles). She loves when her friends Nanna and Seesee (Anna and Casey) and also Lilah (which sounds surprisingly like "Lilah!"). She also recognizes Mammaw and Pappaw - all three sets - from the pictures on the fridge. A few other common words we hear a lot are "down," "shoes," "please," "Lucy," "no," and "sippie" although you may need us to translate! We still hare having a tough time getting her to say her own name. Note to future parents - when you point to pictures of your child, refer to them in 3rd person, not 2nd person. Reese thinks her name is "Itzyou!"

It's so fun to see her little personality really develop. She is a big joker and does amazingly goofy things to make us laugh. She also likes to dress up in Mommy's jewelry and gets excited about new clothes. She always loves showing off her PJs at the end of the night, strolling down the hallway with a big grin that says "Am I really this cute?" She recently tried on Daddy's shoes all by herself. Walking in them was another story.

One fun thing for Nicole and I, and our friends - We restarted our tradition of watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy during the holiday season. But with 1 year-olds running around we've had to do it in 6 installments! It's fun, though. Dinner and hanging out from 7-9 - then kids go to bed and grab your seat! We've gotten through Fellowship, Towers, and the first half of Return. Now have to wait until 2010 to finish! What anguish! Good thing we know what happens.

We've gotten to see other fun movies this Christmas season. With so many cable channels running so many movies, we've definitely got our pick. Christmas in Connecticut, Elf, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life just to name a few. We'll be joining many others tomorrow night and tune in to see A Christmas Story after the Christmas Eve services. Is that tomorrow already? WCC has three services - 4:30, 6:00, and 7:30. Nicole and Reese will be going to the 2nd one, but I'll be there all night. Afterward, we will continue the tradition of Chinese food with Ralphie.

Can't wait for Christmas morning! We've had so much fun buying presents for Reese and for each other. We've definitely spent more than we should of, but it's tough to stop when there are so many great things to buy! She doesn't know that she's going to have so much fun getting new toys! Nicole and I are excited to share some small gifts with each other too. Then it's off to Sidney, Erie, and friends houses again!

And most of all, we've had fun sharing the real story of Christmas. We know Reese doesn't really know what Christmas is all about yet, but we've been reading from her baby picture Bible. It's fun to see her start recognizing names and stories. She has a tiny little Christmas book she wants us to read all the time. She points to the nativity ornament and asks in her always inquisitive way, "Whats that?" "Jesus," we say, and she says "Sheesheesh!" Love it. That's what it's all about! A little "bay-beee."

We're back!

OK, so it's been a few months since we've posted anything! SORRY!

We've been busy to say the least. Reese's 1st birthday was great fun. She had lots of friends and family in town to help her celebrate.

























We went camping for Grandma Arlene's birthday. It was fun playing with my aunts, uncles, and cousins! AND sleeping in a tent!










We took our annual trips to the Sweetcorn Festival and Freeman Farms.

















We also took a fun trip to the Columbus Zoo. (I've been there a lot! Even on Halloween!)


Can't wait for Thanksgiving! We're going to get to see my cousins Brody and Madison and Grandma and Grandpa Truitt!

We promise to share more again soon. Bye bye!

Round Lake Pics

Hey everybody,

Just thought we'd share a few pictures with you from Round Lake. Reese did amazingly well all week long at camp. It was so much fun watching her experiencing everything from smelling her first flower, to swimming in a lake, to eating corn dogs and cotton candy! She loved the music, the outdoors, and the kids! We are pretty sure every camper knew Reese's name, even if they didn't know ours! In a microcosm, now we have a small idea what it's like having a child celebrity! Those camper paparazzi were everywhere! Not sure how those pics turned out, but here are a few we (and some of our friends) took.

If you're wondering, we did not have to sleep on bunk beds. We were lucky enough to get a small room where we slept on our queen-sized air mattress. Reese slept in her pack-n-play. The room was in the big conference center, which is used as a girls dorm during our week. So I got to trek down their hill and up the boys hill each day to take a shower. It was worth it though! Reese got most of her naps in, either sleeping in our room or zonking out in the stroller. We got her to sleep each night by taking her on walks away from the commotion of 191 5th & 6th graders!

So it was a bit of extra work (and extra packing) on our part. But it was definitely worth it! Reese is going to grow up a camp-kid for sure!


If you couldn't see the pictures because you're reading this on Facebook, check out www.thechilis.blogspot.com.

Summer Time!

It's mid-July already, and I can't believe how quickly this summer is flying by. Everyday is bringing a new adventure as Reese is learning more and more everyday. We have had first words ("Hi" and "Dada"), first steps and lots and lots of first experiences. Reese has swam in a lake, camped in a tent, smelled flowers, oohed and ahhhed over her first fireworks, walked in a parade, and even stayed at big kid's camp for a whole week. Needless to say, we have been very, very busy.

Reese has kept up in true Chilcote style, and we are having a blast watching it all through her little eyes. Now, we are approaching her first birthday (SIGH!), and I am both excited and sad at the same time. Excited because everyday Reese is revealing more and more of her adventurous, loving spirit to us. I love watching her become. Make sense? She is giving more affection and communicating her needs and desires. Her little baby sense of humor makes John and I laugh all the time as we ask each other "Did she just do that?!" She is also little miss adventure. It seems like there is nothing she won't try. She can climb up steps, off of the couch, and is close - oh so close - to running (not walking - running). Yeah...it's been interesting.

I've never said the word "No" so much in my entire life. She almost understands it. She at least understand that it means "stop," even if she goes right back to doing what she was doing. We've actually begun using other words (thanks to the advice of a wise friend) like "DANGER!" and "yucky" instead of no. So far "Danger" just makes Reese laugh. She thinks it's hilarious no matter how sternly we say it! Try it, you will laugh too!

Okay, now for the sad part. I know it's been said to me probably a million times, but I chose to try and ignore it. I tried to hold tightly to each day and just enjoy whatever it was. I pushed away the voices that kept coming back - "It goes so fast!" But alas, they were right. Our baby, our little baby girl will be one in just a couple weeks. It HAS gone so fast.

The verse in scripture that says our lives are like vapors has never rang more true in my heart. The Father of Creation knew it first. This little mother is mourning over time, but is swiftly reminded that growth is good. God promises it, and we pray it for our little bean sprout. So for now, I steal my sleeping baby from her crib and rock and kiss her while she will still fit in my arms. It's enough.

Mother's Day & Hiking

Mother's Day was Sunday. Happy belated Mother's Day to all of you Moms out there! Reese sent her mom flowers on Friday and then got a new outfit (that Daddy picked out) to wear for church. She woke mommy up at 7:00 on Sunday all dressed and ready to go. Here are a few pictures after we got back from lunch.

I don't want to boast about what I got Nicole for her first Mother's Day. But let me just say, the 1st Mother's Day is quite stressful on the Dad! There's lots of pressure. And for future new dads out there, the entire day is Mother's Day. It doesn't end when the presents are all unwrapped! Better have a full agenda, even if it's letting her relax. I was glad that Nicole had a great day! She says she already knows what she's doing for Father's Day. Hmm...


Monday we took our first official trip down to Hocking Hills with Reese. It was an incredible day. Rain had gone through the area about an hour before we got there, but it was sunny and dry when we arrived at Old Man's Cave. The colors were so green and the water was running strong. It was about 65 degrees or so, which made it quite nice to hike up and down stairs and rocks into the gorge below.
Here we are out of the car and packed up, ready for the trail. We've practiced the pack a few times around the house, so Reese was already a pro. We'll see how Daddy does hiking a mile or so with the added weight.

Reese loved it from the first step. She was looking around, grabbing at trees, patting Daddy's shoulder. Nicole and I are excited that she's already showing signs of a being an outdoors girl!

Speaking of Nicole, she did make the trip! But since I was carrying Reese, she was carrying the camera. (I was also carrying all of the water bottles, diapers, and whatever else we needed, or would need, in the pack. It's a pretty cool pack, actually.) But she did manage to get into a few pictures. And we took Reese out for a bit of a break down by the Lower Falls. What an adventure!



Our friends Mark, Lorien, and Casey also came down. How interesting, Casey has a hiking pack of is own to cruise around in! He and Reese had some of their own conversations as they rode along in style. We were ready for rain, just in case, but thankfully it never came. Every once and a while we'd hear some fun squeals and giggles in the back, but mostly they were content to look around and enjoy the ride.


It's always fun to go hiking with friends! Hear that? We're just FRIENDS!

We loaded the kids up and jumped back on the trail. There were some cool tunnels to venture through, as well as a few opportunities to get off the trail just a bit and be adventurous. Nicole did some bouldering and Reese and I walked down by the river's edge. It was a great leisurely stroll. Not too many people were out, seeing that it was a Monday. The whole trail was about a mile and a half. It took us an hour and a half to hike with a few photo stops along the way. So after a trek up the trail to the Upper falls, we finally got back to our cars. Mark and I took our packs off so we could rest. Reese and Casey didn't seem too winded.



So it was a fun time had by all. Our next outdoor adventure is to go camping with folks from our Small Group. We'll have about 20 people there including 6 under 4 years old! We have a fun little tent for Reese to sleep in. We're going to start giving her naps in it now so she'll get used to it. It has a little air mattress and sleeping bag and fits inside our tent. We're even going to do a test run in our backyard sometime soon. But that's enough adventure for now. See you later!