Ahhh...It's the GOOD LIFE!

{check out our little guy's faux-hawk...he is too stinkin' cute}

{baseball already...he must be a guion boy! chewing on one of daddy's old baseballs is a new favorite hobby}

{getting in some quality time with the puppy...and by quality time i mean parks pulling deacon's ears and deacon licking parks repeatedly until i yell at him to knock it off}


All our child really needs: his stuffie, blanket, nose sucker, and some banana puffs! (Not really folks...but try telling him that!) Can you tell how happy he is when it's feeding time! Maybe that's why he's got such chunky thighs! Some of his new favorite table foods are: raspberry fig newtons, blueberry nutri-grain bars, and baby-cheetos (gerber things that look and smell like cheetos).

{this morning he rolled all over the living room wrapped up in his blanket and his stuffie like a burrito}

Lately we have been getting a glimpse back to the way our child used to sleep...by that I mean sleeping all the way through the night. Maybe our poor kiddo is actually getting used to the pain of teething and giving in to a full-night's sleep! It has been heavenly!

{this was parker after his bath last night...his favorite thing to do now is to play on the floor, he could keep himself entertained forever...or for about an hour...but that's like forever in baby-time!}

Parker is trying to pull himself up on everything...and by everything I mean mostly Trav and I, his feeding seat, his jumper, his exersaucer, the couch...and anything else that comes into his path. He is also getting onto his knees from a sitting position and rocking back and forth all on his own...yikes...his days of being practically stuck (other than rolling all over of course) are almost coming to a close! Sometimes he skips getting on his knees and just pushes up onto his tip-toes and gets his booty way up in the air. He is so big now and we just can't believe how quickly he is growing up!


A couple days ago I took this picture of the 3 boys (Trav-Parks-Deacon) all laying on the living room floor lounging...it was a pretty funny sight!


This video really shows our kiddo's love of food. He just gets so excited and chatty! His favorite sounds right now are ma-ma and ya-ya-ya.



Our time in Cheney is coming to a close with only 18 days until Trav graduates from Eastern! We are really excited but also a little nervous about the next several months. Travis has an exciting intership this summer...and as for me...it's back to work I go...kicking and screaming all the way! I love being a teacher, but there is nothing like being a stay-at-home mommy. I am glad that I will have my mom and sister to watch Parks while I am at work though, it will be tons of fun for all of them and I can't wait for Parker, Caleb, and Drayson to get super close!

OMG...my son is 7 months old!

Today I woke up in shock that my son is already 7 months old. He is doing so many new things all the time and it always amazes me. Parker tries to pull himself up on anything around him. He has also started scooting around on his bum to get closer to things he wants! It is hilarious to look at him one second, turn away, and look back to see him about a foot away from where he was before. This morning he kept trying to get up on his knees and has started rocking back and forth once he finally gets onto them. For those of you with small kiddos...you know that means that crawling is just around the corner. Lord help us!

To My "Not So Little" Man,

Parker James I cannot believe that you are 7 months old today. You are such a blessing to your Daddy and I and we love you so much. You are growing up so quickly and all I want is for you to slow down. The things that seem to be so exhausting now are going to be the things that I will miss so much...

• the times when only Mommy will do
• when you are so tired, but don't want to be left alone in your crib for a nap and I have to go check on you every couple minutes
• you whining in your Jumperoo or Exersaucer when I am out of your sights for more than a couple seconds (you don't do that to Daddy!)
• when you just want to rub your face all over mine for what feels like forever (and kind of hurts when you head-butt me) because you are sleepy

All these things are going to be just a memory that bring a smile to my face once the time comes that you don't "need me" anymore. I know that children always need their mothers...but the time will come before I know it and you won't think that you do. As tiring as it can be sometimes...those little things make me feel so loved and needed...and the fact that sometimes you just want Mommy makes me smile too. (Even if they usually coincide with your fussy or sick days!)

There are so many things that I love about you Parker James and I know that every day for the rest of your life I will probably be able to think of more things to add to the list!

• I love that you think your Daddy is so funny and interesting.
• I love that you always roll over when I change your diaper.
• I love that you splash me when you take a bath.
• I love that you try to eat the faucet when you get a bath.
• I love that you try to eat Deacon's ears and Daddy's sandals.
• I love that you scream and squeal in delight when a water bottle is near.
• I love that you love fried rice (you are 1/8 Japanese after all).
• I love that you are mine.
• I love that you look so much like your Daddy...everyone tells me all the time.
• I love that you get compliments on what a good baby you are when we go places.
• I love that you give me your big cheeser grin all the time!
• I love you just for being you!

xoxox,
Mommy

Our Weekend Full of Friends, Rugby & Bruises

{here is my starting picture...such a "cheeser-face"}

This past weekend was tons of fun. On Friday Daddy and Parker did laundry...well mostly Daddy...but Parker helped!

{Check out his Sour-Puss face...the sun was in his eyes and he hates that!}

He has started putting his turtle bath toy in his mouth and holding it there while he plays with other toys, it is so funny!

Ashley and Luke also came into town for the Rugby Alumni Game against Eastern's current Rugby team...it was so great to see them. I can't believe how many pictures I have from this weekend and none of us with them at all. I guess we were just having too much fun to think about taking pictures! Parker loves them both so much and had a blast swimming in the pool at their hotel! I can't believe how much he enjoyed playing in the water and being pulled around in his floatie by Trav!


{We went out to dinner with Ashley and Luke that night...Parker was sporting some light denim jeans and a polo...it totally reminds me of Trav and his brothers!--It is pretty obvious that Daddy dressed him!}

The Alumni Game was on Saturday and fun to watch. I think that the "old guys" really got a taste of how out of shape they all were! It was too bad that the "young guys" ended up winning. Travis came away from the game with a nice parting gift in the form of a grass burn on his face! Yikes does it look painful!


{"old guys" in white and "young guys" in yellow}

{Trav and the rest of the "old guys" team}

{Trav and our good friend Matt}

{Matt and Parker...such a good buddy}




{Trav's face is so scratched up...and he is so sore today--I guess it's time to start working out again!}

Ahhh..."Scuba Steve"

Travis and I headed to the Tri-Cities on Monday night because he had a meeting with Benton County Sheriff Taylor (for his Summer Internship) on Tuesday. It was a nice, but very quick, visit. I always love getting to see family, and I especially love getting the cousins together. We have nicknamed my nephew Caleb "Scuba Steve" because he loves to swim, always seems to find a reason to wear goggles, and my mom just got him a goggle and flipper set. It is hilarious! Caleb...or Scuba Steve is so great with both the little boys and I just couldn't resist snapping a picture of him playing with cousin Parker. Such a good big brother and cousin.



While playing in the kitchen with fridge magnets, Drayson handed one to Parker. That is his new thing. He loves to share...pretty good for a 10 month old! It was adorable. Parker was totally fascinated by the magnet and played with it on the floor for at least 30 minutes! That is an extremely long time for a 6 (almost 7) month old!





I was even able to get an okay picture of Nonni with the little guys. So hard to get them both entertained and looking in the same direction.

Mother's Day

Here is my beginning picture that I said I would try to start with! The orange ball you see in the background is Deacon's. Parks would love nothing more than to have it in his mouth. He rolls and scoots to try to get it all the time. The other day he even got up on all 4's and rocked a little. We are hoping he doesn't start crawling quite yet!

-------------------------------------------------

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! Travis, Parker and I went on a walk out on a trail in Cheney. It was beautiful weather outside and it was perfect for a walk. It was nice to get outdoors for a while (other than our encounter with the swarm of moths that seemed to follow us for a long while)! Parker did great until the very end of the walk. We figured he would fall asleep at some point in the walk, but he was so interested in looking around at everything and watching Deacon play in the water that he stayed awake the whole time.

My day even started off well...other than a severe lack of sleep lately (our kiddo has been sick and is waking up several times a night ...it is getting pretty exhausting!). I woke up to roses in the living room, a very thoughtful card from my hubby, and a tanning package (I am white as a ghost and in dire need of a tan before summer gets here and I burn like crazy). I even got to go get a pedicure and update my cell phone for a new one!!! I am so excited. All in all it was a great day!


I just love his little hat...he is so cute!

Every time I peeked in on him he would laugh...it was hilarious.

Travis even pushed the stroller for a bit...something he said he would NEVER do! I am sure he will be thrilled that I posted this incriminating photo (sense the sarcasm)!
---------------------------------------------------------

Today we headed to the Pediatrician's office to have Parks checked out because of this cough and stuffy nose that have been hanging around. He did great at the doctor and was complimented repeatedly about how handsome he is. The doctor gave us some Singulair to try out for a week.
Our big guys now weighs 19lbs. 3oz.!!!

While we were in the waiting room he was sitting in his own chair like such a big boy. Everyone in the waiting room and all the nurses that saw were laughing and just thought it was so cute. I wish I would have had my camera with me to take a picture. Trav set him down on the floor for a little bit, and within seconds he was trying to pull himself up on Trav's leg. With a little help from Daddy he was standing up...then saw Mommy's coffee and turned, stepped, and grabbed onto my leg to try to get it. We were amazed that he knew to do all of that. He has just started trying to pull himself up on things in the last couple days. Yikes!

mommy gets a girl's weekend

{ashley--me--jessica}

This past weekend I was lucky enough to get a weekend away. This was my first time leaving Parker overnight and boy was it tough...but I had such a blast. I was able to head to Seattle for a briday shower with my best friend Ashley and our friend Jessica. Nothing like 3 married ladies getting a night out on the town. Even the car ride was a blast! So thanks ladies for a wonderful weekend. I really enjoyed myself.

The weekend even started off with a laugh. Jessica and I headed to Yakima from the Tri-Cities to meet up with Ashley. Ashley had said that she would drive to Seattle from there. Not even a couple minutes into the drive we start hearing this whistling noise...not just a quiet one, a pretty loud one. Jessica and I both looked at Ashley and she explained to us that it had been doing it for a while and her husband Luke said it is something with the antenna. Ashley...the McGiver that she is (hahaha)...decides some gum might help to cover up the problem. We spent the weekend trying to remember to take it off before we got back home! If only it would have solved the problem!!!

{jess--me--matt}
On Saturday we went to our friend Demisa's bridal shower in Monroe, did some marathon shopping, then headed into Seattle to have a drink with our friend Matt. It was such a blast. We even ended up staying until "last call" and didn't get back to our hotel until about 4 a.m. I don't think I have stayed up that late since my early college/Gamma Phi Beta days!!! Needless to say, it was such a fun weekend. By Sunday I was so ready to get back to my little guy. Parker stayed at my parent's house and had a blast with Nonni, Papa Kev-O, and his cousins.

Here are some pictures of Parker from the weekend. He is just so cute...I don't think I could have done a blog post without some pictures of my little man.

{my mom, sister, nephews, parker and i went shopping...this pic with his belly hangin' out cracks me up}

{parks and drays...they were so cute together}

{parker figured how to move around my parent's house in the walker...and how to open up doors he isn't supposed to...already into stuff}

{i couldn't resist this picture...he had just gotten a bath and was lovin' hanging out in his birthday suit...i really don't know where he gets the bubble-butt from...hmmm!}

Today we went to Men's Warehouse so that Travis could look at some suits for job interviews. Parker was such a riot and had a blast just sitting on the floor by a huge mirror and watching his daddy try on suit jackets. Here he is sitting so nicely in a chair...he was such a ham for the camera.

{notice my lip gloss in his little hand...he was playing with it and chewing on it for so long...it really makes the expensive clinique lip gloss worth it!}