On the Road Again

Well, this family can definitely wait to get on the road again.  Although we had a wonderful time visiting our family in Atlanta and South Carolina, the drive with 2 kiddos is not one we want to repeat anytime soon.  They were actually very good kids, but 13 hours in a car is a lot!  

We visited Jared's brother in Atlanta.  Jan and Mark are so wonderful and hospitable.  We had a great time watching all the kids play.  Parker became quite fond of Gracie's tea set and didn't want to leave.  We visited the humungous Georgia Aquarium while we were there.  It was a sight to see!

Then, we drove on to South Carolina to see my aunt and uncle.  Jim and Carlita just bought a new house in Aiken, SC which is a horse lovers dream.  There were horse farms galore.  Parker was not afraid of those horses at all.  He walked around like he owned the farm.

We enjoyed our first Steeplechase while in Aiken.  We just happened to be there during their bi-annual Steeplechase week.  It was certainly a first for Parker.  Jared's horse was the only one who won a race.  He won a whopping $4 :)

Growing Like a Weed

Avery went for her 8 week checkup this week.  She is 9 weeks old today!  

Stats:

Height: 22 1/4 inches, 25-50% 

Weight: 10 lbs, 25-50%

Head: 15 inches, 25-50%

She is my petite little one, unlike her 95% brother :)

We also decided to go with an alternative immunization schedule, so she only had 2 shots today.  It was much less traumatic than with Parker.  I feel bad for not asking for the sae thing with Parker, but you learn on your first, I guess.

Family Fun Day

Mama's sweet boy!  We enjoyed a day at the Dallas Arboretum with our friends.  Parker loved running around with the pumpkins and playing outside. 

He loves his baby sister!  He talks to her in a baby voice and calls her whatever mama calls her that day... ranging from "Pretty Princess" to "High Maintenance Honey" depending on her mood.
I look at these pictures and think how pleased I am that Parker seems happy and adjusted. I am constantly worrying lately about whether he feels loved enough.  I can't give him 100% attention anymore with breast-feeding and Avery's needs throughout the day but overall, I think he still knows he's Mama's boy!

Of course Dada will argue that he is Dada's boy, especially now.  It feels like we divide and conquer at times... he gets Parker and I get Avery.  I am a bit jealous that I can't get Parker alone more.

Taking in his surroundings.
Handsome Boy!!

I will leave you with three of the funniest things Parker has said this week...

1.  After his prayers instead of saying "Amen", he says "All Da Men".  Guess he thinks God only listens to All Da Men :)

2.  After sneezing, if I don't say "Bless you" right away, he says " Bless You Me, Mama!"  

3.  While cooking dinner this week, Parker was sitting in his highchair eating when I hear "Mama, I'm a F*%! Head."  I immediately turn around ready to scold him for saying such an awful word.... when I see him smiling with a fork on top of his head.  "I'm a fork head, Mama!"  I cracked up and gave him the biggest kiss.  

Mommy Madness

I am soooo enjoying the freedom of being a stay at home mommy!  I know I have to return to work part-time in another month... but I will cherish my days off with the kids.  There are so many great activities to do with Parker at his age.  All these activities have the potential to really wear me out if Parker has a tantrum, but when he's in a good mood it makes the day fly by for both of us.  I go a little stir crazy if I have an entire day at home with nothing planned for him to do... guess that's the old teacher in me coming out.  

On Mondays there is the Arboretum's Mommy Mondays with crafts, face painting, pumpkin patch, music and tons of fun for the kids.  This week we went with my friend Julie

and her adorable kids Mollie and Gabe.  Mollie and Parker were dancing fools.  

If Parker and Mollie were to get married they would have the clumsiest children on the planet with the curliest hair... don't ya think Julie?

Tuesday is school day for Parker... which translates to sleep for Mommy and playing dress up with Avery when I get bored.

Wednesday we go to the library for Toddler Time with stories, singing songs, and crafts.  

Thursdays I can go stroller skating with Avery while Parker is at school.  See previous post for pics of that fun.

Fridays are just fun days to have play dates with friends, like this week when we had two in one day.  I had lunch with Heather and Michelle and their kiddos.  Michelle and Heather have been my friends since the 4th grade and now all of our kids are around the same age and can play together.  Then, my roommate from college came over with her son Ethan to play and meet Avery.  She has another boy on the way, so it was good practice for Ethan to be around a baby!

I could really get used to this lifestyle.  Now, if only I were rich and could afford to do more :)

A Week in Review

Avery is 4 weeks old now... time sure does fly!  I am a little sad because that means I only have one more month of maternity leave before having to leave her a few days a week. She enjoys her tummy time more than Parker did, thank goodness.  I'm sure a 50% noggin helps.  

Parker decided that he likes school this week, which is a blessing, except when that means that he screams and cries when it is time to leave.  After open house on Tuesday he decided that he wanted to stay with Ms. Martha and not come home with us.  It was pretty pitiful.  He toddled right into the room on Thursday without a single tear shed.  This was a pleasant change from the guilt trips of last week where he cried... Don't leave me momma!  After I dropped him off at school, Avery and I enjoyed a trip down memory lane (for me anyway).  We went to the Thunderbird skating rink where I had gone for many birthday parties as a child and went stroller skating with some of my mommy friends from work.  It was a blast and a serious butt workout that I needed.  

Then, on Friday we went to a birthday party for one of Parker's friends from school.  Thought this was a good idea... Parker was excited.  Then we arrived and had our first full blown terrible two year old meltdown!  He cried and cried "Don't leave me Momma!"  He did not listen to me explaining that I was staying to play, he just bawled his eyes out, which made me want to do the same.  All the parents were so sweet but I know they secretly thought... "Thank God that's not me!"  I was mortified.  He played well for about 10 minutes and then we had to leave because it was so awful.  

I think Parker just wants to be the baby sometimes that crawls into my lap and gets cuddled.  He acts like he enjoys being a big brother, but I think it is hard to process sometimes for him that he has to share Mommy.  

Please pray for more sleep and less tantrums next week!

Pretty Princess

I may be biased... but I think she is the prettiest little girl ever born.  Too sweet in her tutu from Aunt Cathy!

Our first family picture... Parker was not feeling very cooperative.

Avery is growing quite well!  She has returned to her birth weight and is in the 25% in weight (7

lbs 9 oz), 50%  in height (20 cm) and 50% in head circumference.

Parker is really starting to enjoy her.  He calls her a pretty princess and rubs her head or pats her back.  He also likes helping mommy a lot... I have to get creative thinking of ways he can help since he wants to do everything!

We have been going a lot.  We took Parker to the library one day, to get ice cream another day, to school. to the Octoberfest in Addison, and walking around the neighborhood to help mommy get back in shape.  We went to my parents house for my sister's birthday where Avery got to meet her great-grandmother for the first time.  

Hijacking

Hi All, 

It's Jared and I'm going to hijack Heather's blog tonight so please indulge me as I put down a few words to say what a special two weeks I've had with my family. Normally I don't stray too far away from work and the problems that arise but for the past week and a half I have been 100% disconnected. I've not checked email or voicemail and in the process have been able to spend some serious quality time with Heather, Parker, and Avery (although I'm a little disappointed in Avery's level of playfulness at this point!)

I had a tough time watching my little man go to school for the first time today. It seems like a month ago he was just getting here and now he's growing up quickly. I look at his face and see the innocence in his eyes and I don't want him to hurt or to be sad, and I will do anything I can to prevent that. But today I was helpless. I had to look through a 4 inch wide piece of glass and see my best buddy taking giant breaths after having a big cry because he was having tough time trying to process why he was there, what was going on, and where did mom and dad go. I wanted to open the door and give him a hug to let him know everything was going to be ok, but like I said I was helpless. I was helpless because I had to let go a little bit today. I had to put just a little bit of trust in others with my most precious gift from God and in the process learned that I need that little man probably more than he needs me. 

 

So after 5 hours of worrying about Parker with several updates from "Nana" that he was doing just fine without me, we got to go home and resume our normal goofiness as evidenced by the wearing of the pants on the head above. Parker did great today and I'm so proud of him....hopefully Dad will do better on Thursday.

So in closing I would like to take just a few more words to tell Heather, Parker and Avery how much I love them and how I never saw it coming that I would become a big cry baby when it comes to them!