Random Pix That Don't Fit In Another Post...

A new thing we discovered Parker can do... hold his own sippy cup... and he can also hold his own bottle now... Mommy = Useless now...

We babysat Kayley a few weekends ago and took them to their neighborhood Fall Festival that day.  Kay and Park both got their very own pumpkin! 

Meet Farmer Parker.... :)  I love this outfit... and he would wear it every day if it would stay clean! :)

Who needs Edward Cullen....

when you have this look-alike at arms length!

6 Month Doctor Visit

Not really sure what to think - he can faintly remember seeing that dumb lion on the wall before - but really can't remember how he remembers the lion.....

Poor Parker had to spend his day of being a 6 month and 1 day old baby at the doctor!  His check-up went well - he was pretty happy the entire time.  He had lots of very important conversations with "the lion" on the wall and showed all his awesome (and not so awesome) personality traits to Dr. Furr.  This included talking candidly on cue - being INCREDIBLY cute - giggling for her when she tickled him.... as well as spitting up all over the floor and on my 'dry clean only' pants.  Parker has this very special ability - you see.  He can SPOT 'dry clean only' clothes!  It's amazing.  He sees someone has a 'dry clean only' peice of clothing and IMMEDIATELY begins to spit up all over it!  It's really amazing.  I have learned a great trick of leaning forward a few inches when I see the half digested food coming back up and his spit up splatters all over the floor - sometimes onto my feet/shoes and the person standing near me shoes/feet as well.  But - it's better than spending $100 a month on dry cleaning! 

He was starting to remember what happened the last time he saw Mr. Lion and he grabs his best friends - his feet - for some quick relief in hopes that he mean lady won't come and poke him again!

Anyway - he showed all of these awesome abilities to our doc!  She was very impressed with him and answered about 2 million questions we had about the flu shot and the H1N1 shot.  She was awesome and patiently answered them all but I could SEE behind her sweet smile that she had probably been explaining these answers to about 20,000 different mommies and daddies in the past few weeks.  I finally decided to stop asking and I just trusted that God had led us to the right doctor (basically just using the same doctor my sister Whitney and her husband Doug had decided on after several pediatrician interviews over several week nights they set apart before their Kayley was born.... this is something we never took the time to do and just decided we would do what I so often do - and do what big sis Whit does!) and that we would trust Him and her to take care of our little boy. 

Mommy's view.

Looking up the lion for some support.....

Here are a few videos of Precious Parker - the first is of him before he knew the shots were coming.  The second - is very sad - but for some reason I really wanted to document it.  Some may think it's so mean to document such a terrible time in a precious child's life but I love seeing Parker's eyes look up at his daddy right before he gets his shots.  There is SUCH an amazing trust behind those eyes.  Parker just always trusts his mommy and daddy to always do the right thing - to always make him feel better - and he always knows we are there for him.  Seeing him look into his daddy's eyes - hearing his cry - hearing his daddy's soothing voice over him - seeing his daddy hurt for him - and then seeing his daddy scoop him up off the table make him feel all better.  Amazing. 

Of course while taking this picture I realized I was possibly the worst mommy out there - and that I had to be the cruelest mommy in the world for making my son be in any pain what-so-ever!  Another thought in my head was - my child is SO INCREDIBLY HANDSOME and I think he is looking a little more like his mommy every day :)  If I do say so myself....

6 Months

October 14, 2009

Dear Parker,

Today is your six month birthday. 

I think back to last August (2008) when I found out you were in my tummy and I remember crying for nearly a week straight.  In fact, I cried so hard the day I found out I was pregnant with you, my cell phone completely broke because it was so tear-logged.  I had to rush to go get a new phone!  If only I would have known how incredibly awesome life would be with you, my reaction would have been MUCH different.  But I didn't know.  I was SCARED!  Your daddy and I had only been married a little over a year, daddy was still in school, we didn't feel grounded yet at all, we were renting a tiny home in Smyrna, we didn't have any money saved up,  and we did not think we were fit to be good parents yet!  I knew that one day I would want to be a mommy, but I did not think I was old enough, mature enough or good enough to bring a life into my world. 

I questioned God a lot those first few days I knew you were inside my tummy.  I had a friend at church, Lori, who had been trying to have a baby for YEARS and she had gone through so much to try and have a baby.  ALL she wanted was to be a mommy.  And here I was, crying and upset that God had chosen to give you to me - with no trouble at all - and here was Lori - who was ready and willing - and He hadn't given her that one void in her life yet.  (Quick update on that - Lori gave birth just a few weeks ago to a precious little girl!)

Oh, Parker, if only you could realize how much you changed my life in an instant.  A few days after we found out you were only 8  months (which ended up only being 7 months!) from joining our lives, I began to realize what a true blessing you were.  I handed my life, your daddy's life, and your life over in God's hands and told him I trusted him fully to take care of us.   And did he ever!  The few things we were most worried about - after we handed them all to God - were taken care of - above and beyond what we could have imagined.

Just a few MINUTES after you were born!  We called you Rocky for the first few hours because you looked like you had been in a boxing match!  And you had been!  With my PELVIC BONE!  :)

A few months down the road, we found our PERFECT dream house that we could afford to build - and thanks to our wonderful family - we were able to scrape up enough money to find a way to afford it.   Child care - which was a CONSTANT worry for us and how we would ever be able to afford it - was solved in an instant when your incredibly generous Aunt Whitney and Uncle Doug offered to share their nanny with us.  Our cars - which are both nearing their 10 year birthdays - have been HANGING in there with no major repairs needed.   And our 3rd dog, Harlee Jane (who we had been fostering several months before we found out you were coming) was adopted out to an INCREDIBLE home and family. 

Just me and you, bud, hanging out just an hour or so after you were born!  Mommy was SO tired!  And you were so sweet!

God had EVERYTHING planned out perfectly for us - I just had to re-learn (like I do so often when I forget) to fully trust him and give everything to him in order to allow him to bless us with our OVER FLOWING blessings. 

Looking MUCH better the day after you were born!  You went from 'Rocky' to 'Super Baby Model'!  I posted this picture on my facebook page and I got SO many comments from friends who just said you were absolutely the most beautiful baby they had ever seen!  I must agree!  :)

Parker - you are the best thing that can possibly come from two people.  You are a perfect creation and you honestly make my life more wonderful and more enjoyable every day.  As soon as I walk into your nursery every morning and see your PRECIOUS smiling face looking up at me, I can't help but fall in love with you more and more every moment. 

I had no idea it was possible to love another human the way I love you.  It's almost like I can come a little bit closer to understanding God's love for me - his perfect creation - his child.  And it makes me want to give my life to God every day - in never-ending praise and thanks to him for GIVING his son up - to allow him to die on a cross as a punishment for my sins that I comit every day.  How heart-wrenching to even think of giving you up - ever - for anyone!  For any reason!   To know that God's love is so much bigger than what I feel for you - is amazing. 

This was taken the day after we took you home from the hospital - which was also your daddy's 28th birthday!  You snoozed the entire time in your bouncy seat.  Today - at 6 months you BARELY fit in your bouncy seat! 

Parker - you have AWESOME role models to look up to.  I pray you turn out to be just like your daddy, your Hoppy and your Papa - all of who are incredible Christian men.  I pray that you will follow in their footsteps always. 

I know that you won't always be perfect. And I know that you will disappoint me time and time again - but you could NEVER do ANYTHING to make me love you less. 

You are amazing.  And I thank God for you EVERY day.  I love you.

Love, Mommy

Almost finished updating :)

Saturday morning started with a EARLY walk around the neighborhood!  We had such a fun time.  Chris and I were both up and at 'em at 6:30 Saturday morning (Chris was up an hour earlier due to our awesome Buddie issues we are dealing with) so after Parker ate his morning meal, we went on a walk!  We ventured over to our neighborhood "tot lot" and let Parker "play" on the playground.  Here we are going down the slide together..... as you can see he thought it was awesome! 

Later on Saturday, AUNT JESSICA came to visit! We had such a fun time hanging out and catching up!  And of course STUFFING ourselves with FIVE GUYS cheeseburgers for lunch.  YUMMMMMM!  Here are some sweet pix of Aunt Jess and Parker at our house.

Ha ha - Parker decided to spit up some of his 5 Guys Cheeseburger right when we took this picture!  Yes - that is spit up trailing all the way down his NICE CLEAN Georgia Tech onesie.

Saturday night, we went to Aunt Whitney's and Uncle Doug's. I had PLANNED to make a cake after dinner but seeing as we didn't even get over there for dinner until nearly 9 pm, making a cake was not feasible.  So - we packed up the cake supplies on our way out and Parker was quite fond of being the designated cake ingredients holder :)  I may send this in to Betty Crocker....  future Betty Crocker model on our hands?

I think so!

After church on Sunday, Chris was finishing up his brick wall around our tree bed in our front yard that he's been "working on" for 2 months now!   Park and I were bored so we brought a blanket outside to watch dada work.  We had so much fun playing outside.  Our neighbor drove up and commented that we were a picture perfect All American family :)  I think I may have to agree....

Here is possibly the fattest face picture Parker has ever taken!

Buddie hanging out with us outside.

Precious Parker practicing his sitting up skills while playing with a toy we stole from Aunt Whitney's house.

HEY MOM!  His lips seem to always be sucked in on the bottom - he is constantly sucking his constant slobber back in... love these teething days!

Mama and Parker playing outside in the front yard.

Monday night, we were trying to get some last minute energy out of Buddie and decided to let him chase his laser around the house for awhile.  I had just finished up feeding Parkster so he was fully awake and alert - he LOVED watching Buddie run around the house.  Watch his head go back and forth watching Buddie run around.  We thought it was presh!

Parker - 20 weeks

Rolling over with P-man on Sunday evening! So sweet :)

He was getting REALLY tired of rolling over!

Saturday afternoon, we spent the ENTIRE day at the pool! This is the first time Park has EVER let us do that! He was happy most of the day - chilling in his stroller in the shade, and after I lathered him up with about 10 pounds of 50 spf sun block, he sat with me and some friends in the baby pool and splashed a little bit. We stayed out at the pool from about 1 until 5! So much fun! :) So when we got home, I went to go bathe him and put him in the swing while I cleaned out our sink. Well, by the time I cleaned out the sink and got back to him, this is what I found. He was exhausted!

4 month doctor check up!

Parker had his 4 month doctor check-up on Monday! He was SO brave! He is 75 percentile in pretty much everything except his head... which I think is 25-50 percentile. He weighs 14 lbs 3 oz and is 25 3/4 inches long. It's cause of all that yummy mommy milk he gets :) I work hard for it so I thought it deserves a SHOUT OUT on the bloggity blog! :)

Here is Parker awaiting his beloved Dr. Furr who he has a total crush on. She's kind of a hottie :)


He has NO idea what is about to come... poor baby. He screamed SO long and SO hard when they stuck 2 needles in him, that he didn't breath and his entire face turned as red as something that is really red - can't think of anything right now. That lasted about 3 seconds then he was fine :) Such a brave little man!

Wait... you're going to stick WHAT in my WHERE?

Say it isn't so Mommy.... please.....


After his appointment, Nana and Hoppy were coming back through town from visiting with my sister Ashley and her husband Joey who just had their SECOND baby, Miller Edward Cetti! So, they all came over to our house Monday evening for spaghetti and meatballs dinner which was FAB! We let Kayley try out the Jump-a-roo that a sweet friend from work gave me... and she LOVED it! She bounced all night long!


She finally let Parker have another try - he's still getting there - a few more months maybe... Kayley Lane is pulling up on everything these days - including Parker's bouncy seat to pull herself up... she didn't care that she nearly flipped him out while pulling herself up...


Daddy is going to kill me when he sees that I posted this up here! Whitney has been waiting to put bows in Kayley's hair for 10 months now - and she can FIIIINALLY manage to put one in for a bit -but it doesn't stay too long. But it looks GREAT in Parker's hair! :) Whit is just jealous that my son has way more hair than her little girl :)

He is so clueless... Parker may possibly hate me one day for this picture :)

Parker - 3.5 months

Me and my favorite little animal I go to sleep with every night. It lights up and sings a lullaby to me... we talk about my day and everything that happened.... we're best buds :) My Aunt Whitney thinks he and I kind of look alike....


Monday night, I sat at the table with mama and dada in my high chair! I was able to sit up all by myself for about 2 minutes... then I just got wore out... its a lot of work to hold my head up! Mommy decided we would wait another few weeks before trying it out again!

I'm such a big boy!

Starting to get a little tired...

Playing with dada this weekend!

I love kissies from dada!

Yes - I know I'm beautiful :) I am all dressed up in this adoreable outfit cause I went to the church nursery for the very first time in my ENTIRE LIFE on Sunday morning! I had so much fun and I made lots of new friends!

Getting my nails clipped by Aunt Whitney... mommy's too afraid to do it after nearly cutting my finger off one time!

Mommy was giving away all my old clothes to my Aunt Ashley and she started crying when she found this little hat I wore home from the hospital! It was HUUUUUGE on me 3 and a half months ago... now she couldn't even fit it over my giant head!

Looks and Gas :)

Some may think it's tacky - we think it's HILARIOUS!

His PJ's read: "I've got mommy's good looks and daddy's bad gas."

I'M A SAILOR!

My Hoppy is a sailor man so I paid tribute to him this week and wore my SAILOR outfit! Hoppy has a RED sail on his boat so every time mama pointed to the red boat on my outfit, I would smile and think of my HOPPY! :) Love ya Hops!

All this picture taking makes me very tired mama....

Kangaroo Time with Da Da, Pool Time, Camo Time!

Saturday morning, I woke up to make a bottle so my mom could feed Parker before she left. Then I went back to bed when they left town... when I woke up around 10:30 to feed Parker again, this is what I woke up to.

This is - without a doubt - my awesome, incredibly blessed life... in a picture.



Jack loved having an empty spot in the bed when I got up :)

Saturday afternoon, we headed to the pool after Park's 2:00 feeding. We got up there around 3 and about 4:30, we started to hear thunder... before we even got a chance to get Parker in the water! Poor baby :( He really enjoyed his time underneath the clubhouse deck where it's shaded - and a nice fan right above him for his entertainment and to keep him cool :)

Hey mom!

After pool, time, we had bath time! Even though he was in the shade, I still lathered him up in sunscreen so a bath was inevitable! Last week, we got this sweet robe from my friend Laurel! It is his only robe and he loves it :) How precious is he? This is taken in our kitchen sink - a.k.a. Parker's bathtub.

See my tongue!

Sunday, we found out we would be getting a visit from Chris' sister and her husband, Amy and Jeffrey! We THOUGHT Campbell (Camo) was coming, too so we dressed Parker in his camo for Camo! Well they tricked us and didn't bring Campbell :( But we had a fun time hanging with A and J anyway! Sunday early afternoon, Whit, Doug and Kayley came over for some crock pot barbecue I made overnight. YUM!

Douggie hanging out with the babies :)

AND - one quick note - I don't know what I would do without my awesome cousin living in my neighborhood! My sweet cousin Caitlin and Rena moved in a month or two after us - about 5 houses away from us! And we have FULLY taken advantage of them.... Cait's come over to let the dogs out for me one afternoon when I was running late. They have made me dinner on one of my night's without Chris. AND - on Sunday morning when I woke up to find that my crock pot had turned itself off overnight - YIKES! - Caitlin comes to the rescue when I call her early in the morning (well around 10:30) to see if she had a crock pot I could use! Well - Chris walks down to get it and about 2 seconds after he walks in the door - our crock pot decides to turn back on - WEIRD! Anyway - EVERYONE should have a cousin as a neighbor - it's pretty awesome! :) THANKS CAIT AND RENA!

And here is a video of Parker THIS morning before I left for work. Chris always feeds him his morning bottle cause I've gotta hit the road for work. But I normally wake him up right before I leave and it is by far my most favorite time of day! He is so sweet :)