Yes...We're Still Alive!

It really has been forever since my last post. A lot has happened since my last post...let's start with the most important thing...PARKER! In the week before we moved, Parks decided that he could

• drink from a big-person water bottle
• CRAWL
• eat all sorts of big people food
• sit inside his exersaucer
• stop playing with baby toys
• and lots of other great stuff!

We were really hoping that our little man would wait to crawl until we were living at my parent's house in the Tri-Cities...but that was a little too much for Mommy and Daddy to ask for. He kept trying to make his escape out the door while we were packing up the truck!

Packing was a huge undertaking...we had so much stuff crammed into our little apartment. The hardest part was trying to figure out what went to my parent's place, and what went to storage! We got it all figured out and were all packed up by Trav's Graduation from Eastern.

We were really blessed with how many family members were able to make the trip for Trav's Graduation. It was amazing. It was pretty hot at the ceremony...but cold the night before! It even hailed at our BBQ. We had a ton of fun with the families and were stressed from all the packing at the same time. Parker handled everything pretty well.

{parker and grandma jammi at trav's bbq}

{the great nan and papa...trav's grandparents}

{parks' first trip down the slide...he wasn't so sure about it, but he loved the swing}


{there's trav with the orange arrow}

After Graduation on Saturday, we took the day to go out to dinner with family and friends then my parents watched Parker and Trav and I went out for one last time in Cheney. I can't believe that I lived there for so long. It was 6 years that I lived in Cheney...that is about 2 years too long! Now we are back in the Tri-Cities and it has been wonderful. It is nice for Parker to be around more people and other kiddos.

It is hilarious to watch him and Drayson together. And Parks is absolutely in love with big cousin Caleb! Parker and Drays are the same size now and we always get tons of smiles from strangers when we take both of the little boys out in public! I am working at my parent's car repair shop for 4 hours a day which still lets me spend a ton of time with Parks and Trav when he gets home from his internship. The internship is going really well, and Travis is really enjoying it. He is getting to experience so many things and it has been great for him.

{ahhh...cousins}

We have been so busy ever since moving back here...and I feel like I never get a chance to blog anymore. Welcome to real life!!! I know!!! I was in a little Cheney Bubble as my sister likes to say, and it is hard to get re-adjusted. We are working on it! It seems like if I am not at work I am watching kiddos or running errands. It is crazy to watch the two little guys together...and Parker thinks that he can do all sorts of things after watching Drayson do them. Just in the last couple days he learned how to cruise up stairs and stand on his own by letting go to whatever he has pulled himself up on. He is getting to be such a big guy!

We just got back from our yearly trip with my family to our cabin in Mazama, WA. I didn't take as many pictures as I would like, but I did get some...and check out my sister's blog soon and she should have more pictures from the trip. We went on a hike and took Parks in our new hiking pack! He loved it and even fell asleep in it on the way back down the trail! We had a blast but it was an experience taking a little baby up there. Especially one who just wanted to be let down to crawl and was forced to be held!

{parkers 1st cabin bath...my sister and i took baths up there in the same red tub...pretty funny how it all comes full circle}

Hopefully I will have some free time again soon to post another blog!

{i couldn't resist this picture of parks in the swing at nonni and papa kev-o's house, he thinks it is so much fun!}

a full night's sleep is NOT overrated

No particular reason for this photo...except for the fact that I love his super-cute plaid overalls! For some reason I love these...and yet have a hatred for denim overalls...still not sure why!

If you have not figured it out from the title...Parker is sleeping through the night again and it is LOVELY! I am thrilled to wake up before him...although it is a little frustrating to be the only one awake (except for Deacon of course). The other morning I woke up and peeked into Parker's crib and this is what I saw:

We are still not quite sure how he got his arm out of his jammies...there were no buttons undone...it is just one of those things that makes you scratch your head. Look at the talent on our little guy...& while he's sleeping...I wonder what he'll do while he's awake???

Once he was awake for the day...we started our chores. I had already put a couple loads of laundry in and the hamper was still in the living room. I helped him stand up and he grabbed right on. He was standing there for what seemed like forever! He was so smiley and giggly standing there by himself.




Then it was bath time. He loves getting a bath and I usually end up soaked by the end of it!




For Trav's Graduation, he decided that he wanted a Wii. His friend Rhyan was selling his so it worked out really well. My parents were still trying to figure out what to get him anyway...so thanks Mom & Dad...it is really fun! The game came with some extra games and one of them is called Guitar Hero. We don't play it...but it came with a guitar for the game and Parker thinks it's pretty fun!

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