Parker turns ONE!

On Thursday, September 17th Parker turned ONE! Can you believe it?

I made cupcakes and took them to daycare with him and all his little friends were able to enjoy them and of course, Parker came home with frosting all over his shirt! We celebrated that evening with Uncle Kurty, Uncle Cliffy and his girlfriend Jenny. We had a yummy dinner and then enjoyed more cupcakes! Surprisingly, Parker slept through the night and was quite tired earlier than usual. We were a little concerned that he would not go to sleep or wake up in the middle of the night because of all the cupcakes he had eaten but we think it may have had a reverse effect...hmmmm...we may have to remember that! Parker received so many gifts from friends and family...THANK YOU!

When making the cupcakes the night before I was chatting with my mom. She was reminiscing about doing things like that for us when we were little and how you will never forget those times. The next morning I was quite emotional. I kept thinking back at what we were doing at that very moment one year before...going to the hospital, being nervous, scared and excited all at once and how we just couldn't wait to meet our little man. The year has gone by so fast and we wouldn't change ANYTHING! Parker is such a good little boy and we can't wait to see what the future has in store for all of us.

On the 18th he had his one year appointment. He received 5 shots, weighed in at 25lbs on the dot and measured at 30-1/4 inches. The doctor gave us a clean bill of health and made a comment about how he must be going to a great daycare that is sure to keep things clean since she hadn't seen him as much as most kids who are in daycare. He has only been sick a couple of times and most kids in daycare are constantly sick. One of his 5 shots was the flu shot and we will go back in about a month for another flu shot and the H1N1 shot as well.

Below are some pictures from his big day!

Almost a year...

It's hard to believe that about a year ago we were planning for Parker's arrival. We were running around trying to think of any last minute things we would need to make our lives easier when he came into this world. Thank goodness Grandma Carol was here a few days before to help remind us of anything we had forgotten!

Parker is such a big big boy now! He is already walking...and getting better and better everyday. He likes to hold on to your hand while he walks at your side. He likes to crawl under our rolling island in the kitchen and hangs out under it. He also likes to be pushed around in it like a ride...it's very cute! He babbles quite a bit and has several words he says that we still haven't figured out what they mean. He can say, mamma, dadda, ball and dog. He can through a ball now...at first he was throwing it backwards but he is getting the hang of it. He also throws with his left hand...we might have a future pitcher!

He recently got to meet his 'Aunt Santi' who came down for a visit for the weekend. Santi treated Momma to a (much needed) nice day at the spa while Daddy and Uncle Kurty had 'Parker Duty' - as we call it! Santi is a nurse and she finishing school so we hadn't been able to see her for quite some time. Parker loves his Aunt Santi!

Parker also spent some time with Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Darryl while Michael and I went camping for the weekend with my best friend and Parker's Godparents, Christie and James...something we haven't done in about a year and a half since life has been so busy! It was a nice little break and when we got back Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Darryl had taught Parker how to clap! He loves to clap now. He was such a good little boy for them and Grandma Cindy even gave us a tip on how to change lil'P's diaper without him getting fussy (Parker has NEVER liked having his diaper changed).

At daycare Parker has been moved to the toddler room now for a couple of months. In the toddler room they do a lot of art and projects almost everyday. After a couple of weeks (after the art has hung in the classroom) we get to bring his work home. We have been hanging it on the wall for him to look at. The first time we brought everything home and hung it up, we took him into his room and showed him...or should I say, he showed us. He started pointing at all the paper all over the walls. Now every time you take him in his room, he has to point, grunt and smile at all of his wonderful projects that he is so proud of!

Parker is also enjoying going around the house and closing all the doors. He is sure to 'peak' first, closes the door and then bangs on it. It is quite entertaining and he giggles the whole time!

He's getting so big!

Parker was helping Uncle Kurty and Daddy in the garage this past weekend. They were building a workbench and Parker had to participate.

We take Parker for a walk around the neighborhood almost everyday and sometimes the sun just gets to him so we had to buy him so shades...too cute!

It's hard to believe that he is almost a year old...almost a month from now. It was odd setting up his 1 year appointment with the Pediatrician this afternoon. It seems like yesterday we were scheduling his arrival!

As you can see from the pictures he has a lot of hair and it's curly. We think he must get that from his Uncle Cliffy! We're holding off cutting his hair until he turns one...we'll see if we can make it for another month!

Parker is wearing 18 month clothes..he's such a big boy and has already had to graduate to a big boy carseat in our cars. He loves it! I'll post a picture of that soon~

Our BIG Catch-Up Blog

It has been way too long since we've posted anything to the blog. Just as everyone has been...we've been busy! Parker has been growing and growing! On the 17th of this month he turned 10 months old! Time is flying by so very fast and I find myself thinking back to all of those people who said 'before you know it, your children are 18 and moving out of the house'. Well...thank goodness we have a long way to go with that...but it was just yesterday that we couldn't wait for Parker to smile, coo, hold his own bottle or say Mama and/or Dada! Now he does all those and so much more. Time really is flying by...way too fast!


Parker's first Spaghetti-O's experience...or should I say Mom and Dad's first Spaghetti-O's experience! What a mess! ...but he LOVED it!








Parker got to meet his cousins Mason and Bethany. He also met his Uncle John and Aunt Donna.










Parker LOVES watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the weekends. We put Mickey Mouse and Jeffrey the Toys 'R Us giraffe in front of him. He ended up knocking down Jeffrey and grabbed Mickey!










We introduced Parker to sidewalk chalk even though it says on the box "for age's 3+"...


Uncle Kurty had to show Parker how to use the chalk rather than grabbing all of the colors at once! Surprisingly...Parker has only tried to eat the chalk once and he doesn't quite 'draw', he taps the chalk on the ground!



Parker finally got to meet his friend Connor! Connor is the son of Melissa and Cory Davis. Melissa and I went to high school together and just hadn't had a chance to get together with our lives changing so much after our kiddos arrived. Connor is exactly 1 month younger than Parker.





Grandma Cindy helps Parker get ready for a trip to the beach!









Parker and his daddy sat in the water and enjoyed the small waves that came in. Parker loved the sand...he would try to eat it so we had to keep a pacifier in his mouth!







We even played with trucks on the beach!








Grandpa Darryl enjoyed spending time with Parker too. Michael and I were able to have our first real 'date night' since Parker was born and Grandpa Darryl & Grandma Cindy took care of Lil P.

Parker now tries to hold his bottle with one hand...he thinks he's a big boy!

Hodge Podge

Parker recently got to see his Godmother Christie!

Future baseball player?

Parker is now eating solid foods more and more. He likes, apples, cantaloupe, broccoli, carrots, green beans, bananas, bread, beans, and a lot more! It sure is getting messy around here at dinner time!

Playing in his playpen now that he is all over the place and getting into things!

Playing with Dakota the kitty cat~

Parker has now moved on to the big boy bathtub - no more kitchen sink baths!

Our little cutie with one of his favorite toy trucks from Uncle Kurty!

A little story...

We had been working with Parker on standing but he had not quite accomplished the 'pulling up' phase. Parker had been crawling around but never very fast and it has always been very awkward looking...one leg in the normal crawling position and the other leg would be bent up like he was trying to stand.

Then Parker's buddy Cooper came for a visit (our friends Leslie and David are little Cooper's parents and he is only 3 weeks younger than Parker). Cooper is already pulling up and crawling around so fast, you blink and he's across the room! I think Parker took note's because just a few days later he started crawling all over the place...chasing Sunset (the dog) and following us from room to room. He has started using furniture to pull himself up now just like Cooper.

He loves the mirror in our room. He lifted himself up using the mirror and then wouldn't stop giggling!

Busy Busy Bees

It's been close to a month since we've posted anything. We've been super busy as usual and I guess a little tired too! Parker has learned so many new things and we recently took him to California to meet my side of the family. He met his great Aunt, his Great Great Aunt and Uncle, distant cousins and his Great Grandpa! Below are some pictures from our trip (and more will be added later - not all of the greatest pictures were taken on our camera!).

He's trying to stand on his own!

We have recently been noticing Parker trying to move one of his legs around to the front of him when he is in 'crawling' position. We have been rolling a ball on the ground to him and we make it so it does not quite reach him. He wants the ball really really badly so he tries to reach for it, falls on his face, gets his hands up underneath him, lifts up the front of his body and then manages to at least get one leg straight underneath him. It really appears that he is trying to stand up. Tonight we did our same routine and was able to get both legs straight underneath him! We were able catch a couple of pictures tonight of him trying to stand.

Parker is still a rolley-polley...but now instead of rolling around all over the place, he has been getting himself back into the sitting position.

Mother's Day was great! It was a day for me to reflect on being a mother and appreciate this beautiful baby boy that came into our lives! (I just got done getting some exercise by mowing the lawn so don't look at me...pay attention to the cute little boy in his diaper!)

Parker also had his first ear infection...well...an ear infection in both ears! He began running a temperature last week and we just kept an eye on it and then he started losing his appetite...which anyone who knows Parker knows that something HAS to be wrong if the boy is not eating!

Then we received a call from daycare that we needed to come pick him up because he had too high of a fever. When I got him home, I took his temperature again and it was off the charts...104.3! I got a little scared and waited nervously for Michael to get home. We then contemplated whether or not to take Parker to the ER or wait patiently for the Nurse at the Pediatricians office to call us back and let us know what we should do. It took what seemed like forever for the Nurse to call back, but she did quite quickly. She said that if Parker was smiling and playing and eating a little, then we could probably wait until the morning but that she would certainly schedule an after hours appt. if we wanted. She gave advice on what to do with Parker and what to look for if the situation became an emergency. Needless to say, we did make it through to the morning...with little sleep I might add...and Michael whisked Parker off to the doctor. It turned out that he had 2 ear infections and one was much worse than the other. The odd thing was that he never started tugging on his ears until after the doctor visit. We had antibiotics (still finishing that up) and ear drops to help numb the pain. He is doing much better now and no fever...thank goodness! We are just happy that this is his first ear infection. We have always heard they are so common in infants and many get them all of the time especially in the first few months.

We can't believe he'll be 8 months this Sunday!

Catching up

April has been such a busy month and we are finally able to sit down and catch our breath and let everyone know what's been going on with our big boy!

He is about 7 1/2 months old...gosh time flys. He continues to sleep through the night. Usually about 10 hours with just a few cat naps throughout the day at daycare. He enjoys being outside and watching the lawn get mowed or mommy blowing bubbles with Dakota, the crazy cat, chasing them. He really likes the sound of birds chirping and he likes to play with Sunset and his little red doggy that Grandma Carol made for him.

Parker likes to play 'airplane ride' with his Uncle Kurt.

Parker has been learning to give kisses (and yes, he is always dirty!)

He is rolling over and over and over now. He is very quick about it too. One minute he's right in front of you and the next he is half way across the room! We haven't quite accomplished crawling (just scooting). We have a feeling he will be walking before he's crawling (you'll see later)!

On Easter, Parker got to die an egg of his own. What he really wanted to do was put the egg and the egg holder in his mouth!

Parker has been eating all by himself now...We give him puffs (Cheerios), carrots, green beans, potatoes and bananas. Boy is it a mess! That's of course on top of his formula, cereal and Gerber food...he eats a lot! He has 6 teeth now...3 on top and 3 on the bottom. He sucks on his bottom lip most of the time and then when he gets in his hyper moods he grinds his teeth (not a pleasant sound) but we're assuming it must feel good to him.

Parker has been 'talking' a lot! Sometimes we think we hear 'mama' or 'dada' but it may be us eager to hear those words. He babbles and sings and talks to his toys.

As mentioned before, he may bypass the crawling and go straight to walking. He is very strong on his legs and can stand pretty much on his own. He likes to look down at his feet though so he easily gets distracted.

Parker is going to meet his Great Grandpa and Great Great Aunt and Uncle along with other relatives in a few short weeks. We are certain he will be the entertainment for the weekend and bring smiles to everyone's face.