Friday, March 6, 2009

Catching up...

Well, it has been a while since I posted, so I have a few things to catch you guys up on. I guess the big news is that Parker is OFFICIALLY done with the pacifier!! HOORAY!! The day after Anthony's Birthday we decided that it was time to just do it. We had been talking to him about it for a while, and Parker told us that he wanted to give his paci to the baby birds when he got rid of it (hey- whatever works, right?) So- we made a real big deal about it and went and bought a baloon to tie the paci to, to relase up into the sky to the baby birds. We also bribed him with leftover cake from Anthony's birthday and some new superman PJ's!! So, we had a fairwell paci party, and off the paci went. (except anthony actually snuck the paci off as we were letting go of the balloon, but parker didn't notice!) The first two nights were pretty awful trying to get him to go to sleep. It was hard to hear him cry for his paci, but we knew we had to stick to it. AND- on night 3- he was over it!! He went right to sleep, and he literally has not asked for the paci since. We are both SO amazed at how well it went. Now when he sees birds in the sky, he just says "Look- there's the baby bird that got my paci! Hi baby birds!!" Needless to say, we are SO glad to be done with those stinky things :)

Parker will be turning 3 at the end of this month, and I honestly can not believe it. I know everyone says that the years go by so fast, but it really is true. I think back to what he was like on his 2nd Birthday, and it is amazing how much he has changed in one year. He is talking to us in grown up conversations, and I honestly dont think there is a word that he wouldn't say or repeat (which we have to be careful about!). He makes us laugh every single day with something he says or does. He loves singing songs, and often does it very loudly in public places :) He is very into anything boyish- cars, planes, trains, firetrucks, etc. He also LOVES to color, he loves wearing silly hats, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is his show of choice right now. Oh- and he FINALLY went on the potty for the 1st time, so we are now working on the whole potty training thing.

As you all know, I have not been feeling well for the past 6 weeks. I have seen more doctors and had more tests done than I ever have in my life. I joke to Anthony that this is all because I am turning 30 in a month :) Anthony has been an absolute lifesaver during all of this. He has had to do SO much with Parker since I was unable to do a lot of things I take for granted everyday. He has never complained for a second, even though I know it was hard to take care of me and Parker (and most of the household duties). I feel so blessed and lucky to have such an amazing husband. Physical Therapy is going great for my back and neck, so I am very happy about that. I am able to do more now with Parker than I was a few weeks ago, so I am so thankful for that. I was also able to go to Louisville and Cincinnati one weekend with some of my best friends from college, to celebrate a bunch of us that just turned/are turning 30 and attend a baby shower! I did not decide until the day before if I was going to feel up to going, but I am SO glad that I went. It was an awesome weekend and it was really good to get away and take my mind off everything and spend time with some of my best girl friends. We had a great time! As far as my health, we are hopeful and optimistic that they get to the bottom of everything else that is going on with me soon, so that I can get back to my old self completely! Thank you to everyone who has been thinking about me lately!

So, here are some recent pictures of what we have been up to! (As well as a funny story attached to the last picture) Hope everyone is doing wonderful!



SWINGING AT THE PARK


WITH DADDY AT THE PARK


SUPERMAN!!! (THE NIGHT THE BABY BIRDS GOT THE PACI!)


FIRE CHIEF PARKER WITH HIS DOG :)


WITH THE GIRLS!!


WE WENT TO DISNEY LIVE TO SEE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE, HANDY MANNY, TIGGER AND POOH AND LITTLE EINSTEINS....AND PARKER OF COURSE HAD TO HAVE THE SILLY HAT :)WE HAD A GREAT TIME!




WE FINALLY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW LAST WEEKEND, SO WE HAD TO MAKE FROSTY THE "MINI" SNOWMAN. PARKER HAS BEEN ASKING ALL WINTER TO MAKE FROSTY, AND HE FINALLY GOT HIS WISH. THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH GOOD SNOW TO MAKE A BIG ONE, BUT HE DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE!!





LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST. PARKER WOKE UP ONE DAY LAST WEEK SAYING "MOMMY, I AWAKE. COME GET ME NOW." VERY TYPICAL MORNING. I WAS IN HIS ROOM WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF HIM SAYING THIS, AND BELOW IS WHAT I FOUND WHEN I WALKED IN....


THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS, THAT IS DIAPER RASH CREAM YOU SEE EVERYWHERE. I GUESS HE WOKE UP AND DECIDED TO BUST INTO THE BOTTLE OF DESITIN FOR FUN. WHEN I FIRST WALKED IN I THOUGHT IT WAS PAINT AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE HE HAD GOTTEN IT. THEN, I SAW THE EVIDENCE (THE SMUSHED DESITIN ON HIS CHAIR). NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS NOT A HAPPY MOMMY. ESPECIALLY SINCE ANTHONY WAS OUT OF TOWN AND I NEEDED TO GET BOTH OF US OUT THE DOOR FOR HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL AND ME TO GO TO WORK. HOWEVER, I DID THINK TO GRAB MY CAMERA SO THAT ANTHONY COULD SEE THE EVENT, AND I FIGURED IT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD LAUGH ABOUT LATER. SO, I PUT PARKER IN THE BATH THAT MORNING AND I ASKED HIM "PARKER- WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" HIS REPLY WAS "CAUSE, I WOKE UP AND NEEDED MEDICINE ON MY BOOTY!" I COULD NOT HELP BUT LAUGH AT THAT POINT! KIDS :)

Friday, January 23, 2009

A weekend in the mountains...





As a celebration for my mom and her Birthday, my dad took the family to Gatlinburg for a long weekend. We had an awesome Chalet in the mountains, and it was a great weekend. We did several fun activities, but we also spent a lot of time just relaxing in the Chalet by the fire since it was FREEZING the weekend we were there! It was so nice to get away and spend time with Anthony, Parker, Blair, Nick, Mom, Dad, Mere, Grandaddy and Laurie! Parker's favorite activity of the weekend was the aquarium, and he loved the sharks and the turtles. Here are some pictures from our fun mountain weekend!

Walking around Gatlinburg



Looking at the fish at the Aquarium


He touched some strange crab thing, that I wouldn't even touch :)


Then we swam with the turtles and the sharks. Just kidding of course!


The bear in the chalet that parker had to sit on all the time


Dad, Nick and Parker in their funny hats


PICTURES OF THE FAMILY


Monday, December 29, 2008

Santa Claus came to town...


I guess Parker was a pretty good boy overall this year, because Santa was very good to him. It's a good thing that Santa can overlook all of those terrible two moments :) Parker fought going to sleep for a while on Christmas Eve, which I don't know if it was because he was "excited" or just having one of those nights. Either way, it made for a later bedtime than normal. So, when Christmas morning rolled around we ended up having to wake him up at 8:30. He was NOT very happy with us at all until he realized that Santa had come and he saw all of his presents! He woke up pretty quickly after that, and was excited to go check it all out! One of the best moments was when he opened a present that Santa had put in a cardboard box and wrapped. He took the wrapping paper off, saw the box, and said "A NEW BOX!!!" I realized right then that Santa could have brought him a bunch of empty cardboard boxes, and he would have been a happy little boy! It was great to see how excited he got about some of his presents though, and it makes Santa's day to see him so happy!He has been on toy overload since Christmas, just going from one thing to the next playing. Now the hard part is getting him to understand that Christmas is over, the tree and lights are coming down, and that Santa is back at the North Pole until next year. Try explaining that to a 2 1/2 year old!

I hope everyone had a WONDERFUL Christmas, and I hope you have a very Happy New Year!!

Right after we woke him up...can you tell how happy he was with us?

At the top of the steps, and yes there is a smile behind that paci :)

He was actually a little upset that Santa ate his cookies and drank the chocolate milk. He said "Santa ate my cookies. Get my cookies back Santa."

With his Thomas the Train tent, which is what he kept telling Santa that he wanted for Christmas!

He LOVES soccer balls for some reason. Am I going to be a soccer mom?

Opening some of his presents...





Playing with mommy and daddy Christmas night

Oh, the places we went....

We had 7 different Christmas get togethers this year before, during and after Christmas. It seems to get harder and harder every year to coordinate everyone's schedules, and sometimes I wish we could be 2 places at once. We did as much as humanly possible this past week, which made for a busy...but very fun week! It always goes by WAY too fast though! Parker had a ball at all of the get togethers, and quickly discovered that he loves tearing into presents to see what is inside. Not only did he open his own presents, but he assisted other people in opening theirs....sometimes without letting them know :) Sometimes I think it was more exciting for him to unwrap the presents than to actually see what was inside! I absolutely love Christmas, and although it is always busy and crazy...it is also a great reminder of how important family is, and how much I cherish each and every person. So, here are some of the pictures from a few of our get togethers!


PRE-CHRISTMAS-CHRISTMAS WITH THE YARBROUGH FAMILY

Me and Blair

Parker opening his presents from Aunt B

Wearing his cute new outfit from Aunt B



PRE-CHRISTMAS-CHRISTMAS WITH THE COLLINS FAMILY

With cousin Ethan

Opening his electronic racetrack from Giggie and Poppy

With cousin Hannah




MAKING CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR SANTA



CHRISTMAS EVE- CHURCH SERVICE AND CRAB LEG DINNER TRADITION




PUTTING HIS COOKIES AND CHOCOLATE MILK OUT FOR SANTA (HE INSISTED THAT SANTA NEEDED CHOCOLATE MILK)


CHRISTMAS DAY AT MY MOM AND DAD'S

RIDING HIS SMART CYCLE FROM GRAMMY AND PAWPAW

OPENING WOODY FROM TOY STORY...A VERY FUNNY CHRISTMAS MOMENT :)

ASSISTING MERE IN OPENING HER PRESENTS


AFTER CHRISTMAS-CHRISTMAS WITH THE COLLINS FAMILY

Helping Giggie and Poppy open presents

Trying to take a peak at what Mayoree was opening