Hadley:
*New words: poop, baby, ball, food
*She is taking 4 or 5 steps on her own. She's not too concerned about learning to walk and prefers crawling quickly.
*Her favorite foods are blueberries, yogurt, juice with Dad, fruit, cheese, pasta, deli meat and chicken
Parker:
*On Mother's Day, he gave me a huge hug and said "Happy....Velentimes Day", then he went back over to Justin and said, "I didn't know the word, Dad."
*Parker is saying more complex sentences and tries to hold conversations with people we come across, like the grocery store clerks.
*Parker started weekly parent/child gymnastics class for 2 and 3 year olds. It is great for him to learn how to be in a class and listen to instructions. The kids are learning to follow simple instructions such as "stand in line" or "sit on the floor and touch your toes". The kids jump on the trampoline, walk on the balance beam, swing on the rope swing, and do forward rolls. Parker really loves it, especially getting his hand stamped at the end!
Friday, June 13, 2014
March/April 2014
This month was filled with a lot of firsts and maybe best of all, we have a new niece, Ainsley! We got to visit her at 2 weeks old. She is absolutely precious and we love her so much! Ryan and Heidi know how to make cute babies! Hadley and Parker love their new cousin. We look forward to watching her grow and play with our kids.
Hadley:
*Started swim lessons! She loves it! She has a big smile on her face and likes to splash and kick in the water.
*She got her top right and left teeth on April 3rd and 4th.
*She is saying: dada, mama, ffff for food, all done, boo, pah pah for Parker.
*Hadley signs: all done, more
*She walks with her walker and stands for a few seconds on her own
*Hadley is in the habit of unrolling toilet paper any chance she gets. She also likes to open cabinets touch other things she know she shouldn't, and then look at us to see what our reaction will be.
*She throws her blankets and pacifiers out of her crib when she is unhappy in bed. She drops food and toys and then says "uh oh!"
*Hadley loves playing peekaboo and blowing kisses
Parker:
*Moved into his own bathroom. He has a stool so he can wash hands and brush teeth by himself.
*Parker is continuing potty training. He gets Teddy Grahams for going to the potty.
*He likes to tell us the favorite part of his day or events. "That was my favorite part!"
*Parker use to ask us to sing songs often. Now he is signing on his own for us or with us.
*He likes to be the one to get Hadley in the morning. He opens her door and says, "Good morning to you!" He loves hugging her, but usually wraps his arms around her neck rather than her tummy.
*He is a swimming maniac! Parker absolutely loves the water. He jumps, paddles and kicks like crazy. He still needs assistance or floaties, but he's getting more confident and comfortable.
Hadley:
*Started swim lessons! She loves it! She has a big smile on her face and likes to splash and kick in the water.
*She got her top right and left teeth on April 3rd and 4th.
*She is saying: dada, mama, ffff for food, all done, boo, pah pah for Parker.
*Hadley signs: all done, more
*She walks with her walker and stands for a few seconds on her own
*Hadley is in the habit of unrolling toilet paper any chance she gets. She also likes to open cabinets touch other things she know she shouldn't, and then look at us to see what our reaction will be.
*She throws her blankets and pacifiers out of her crib when she is unhappy in bed. She drops food and toys and then says "uh oh!"
*Hadley loves playing peekaboo and blowing kisses
Parker:
*Moved into his own bathroom. He has a stool so he can wash hands and brush teeth by himself.
*Parker is continuing potty training. He gets Teddy Grahams for going to the potty.
*He likes to tell us the favorite part of his day or events. "That was my favorite part!"
*Parker use to ask us to sing songs often. Now he is signing on his own for us or with us.
*He likes to be the one to get Hadley in the morning. He opens her door and says, "Good morning to you!" He loves hugging her, but usually wraps his arms around her neck rather than her tummy.
*He is a swimming maniac! Parker absolutely loves the water. He jumps, paddles and kicks like crazy. He still needs assistance or floaties, but he's getting more confident and comfortable.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
February 2014
Hadley at 8 Months:
*She is content as long as she can watch her big brother. He makes her laugh and smile more easily than anyone.
*She has been teething all month. She's been drooling like crazy. The bottom right tooth is finally poking out. She's been a bit fussy, but taking Tylenol has helped.
*Hadley thinks animal sounds are funny. She likes reading books with bright colors and animals.
*She laughs when tickled on her feet, chest and tummy.
*Hadley is eating pureed foods 2 or 3 times a day. She loves fruits, is okay with meat/carb mixtures but doesn't care for vegetables. She will spit them out and make faces unless I mix them with fruits. She loves Cheerios and tiny bits of bananas. As soon as she gets some more teeth, she's going to love table food!
*She started crawling at 8 1/2 months. She is motivated to reach her brother's toys. Parker is not thrilled with this.
*Hadley loves to stand up. She holds on to the edge of the couch or toys for balance and will stand until she gets tired and topples over.
Parker:
*Parker loves eating out. He asks to go to restaurants where he gets special treats like apple juice and macaroni.
*He likes being a big brother. He bosses Hadley around a bit ("no Hadley, that's not for babies"), but he is still mostly very sweet towards her. He likes to feed her bottles or get her toys.
*Parker has started some tantrums, especially around bed time when he's tired. He stalls and gets extra picky so he can lengthen the bedtime routine. We remind him of his manners and we have to be tough on him. He learned how to take off his childproof door knob, so he lets himself out when he wakes up. Because of this new freedom, he wakes up about 7:15 rather than 8:00. One evening he let himself out and yelled from the top of the stairs, "Hey, Laura! I need water!" Yikes.
*Parker got his first haircut on the 15th. He was so excited to sit in an airplane chair. He even got to watch Thomas the Train on TV during it. He did really well, however, he wasn't too excited about the buzzer/trimmer at the end. He was very proud when it was over and was pumped to receive his first lollipop as a reward. He looks handsome!
*She is content as long as she can watch her big brother. He makes her laugh and smile more easily than anyone.
*She has been teething all month. She's been drooling like crazy. The bottom right tooth is finally poking out. She's been a bit fussy, but taking Tylenol has helped.
*Hadley thinks animal sounds are funny. She likes reading books with bright colors and animals.
*She laughs when tickled on her feet, chest and tummy.
*Hadley is eating pureed foods 2 or 3 times a day. She loves fruits, is okay with meat/carb mixtures but doesn't care for vegetables. She will spit them out and make faces unless I mix them with fruits. She loves Cheerios and tiny bits of bananas. As soon as she gets some more teeth, she's going to love table food!
*She started crawling at 8 1/2 months. She is motivated to reach her brother's toys. Parker is not thrilled with this.
*Hadley loves to stand up. She holds on to the edge of the couch or toys for balance and will stand until she gets tired and topples over.
Parker:
*Parker loves eating out. He asks to go to restaurants where he gets special treats like apple juice and macaroni.
*He likes being a big brother. He bosses Hadley around a bit ("no Hadley, that's not for babies"), but he is still mostly very sweet towards her. He likes to feed her bottles or get her toys.
*Parker has started some tantrums, especially around bed time when he's tired. He stalls and gets extra picky so he can lengthen the bedtime routine. We remind him of his manners and we have to be tough on him. He learned how to take off his childproof door knob, so he lets himself out when he wakes up. Because of this new freedom, he wakes up about 7:15 rather than 8:00. One evening he let himself out and yelled from the top of the stairs, "Hey, Laura! I need water!" Yikes.
*Parker got his first haircut on the 15th. He was so excited to sit in an airplane chair. He even got to watch Thomas the Train on TV during it. He did really well, however, he wasn't too excited about the buzzer/trimmer at the end. He was very proud when it was over and was pumped to receive his first lollipop as a reward. He looks handsome!
January 2014
Hadley:
*Hadley is getting to be a good sleeper. She is much better at going down without fussing. She usually naps at 10:30 and again around 4. She goes down at 8 and sleeps until about 8:30. Sometime she wakes up for a feeding around 10pm.
*She is sitting up really well. She loves to stand and can balance while holding on to toys for a short period. She is interested in moving around but doesn't want to try crawling. She might get on her knees but then flattens out and rolls to get to her toys.
*Hadley is eating pureed solids. Her favorites are bananas, pears and peaches. She is not a fan of peas! She is also eating mum mums (quick dissolving rice crackers). Parker tries to try bites of her food. Even he didn't like the peas :)
Parker:
*Parker doesn't like to sing (and rarely every will) but he does loves listening to others sing. He asks me to sing simple kid songs all the time. Lately, he's been asking me to change songs and add his favorite things into the songs (mostly vacuums and trains). We have caught him singing the ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle on his own.
*He knows most of his letters and can count to 20, though he usually only makes it to 12 correctly.
*Parker loves going to the YMCA for toddler gym time. He jumps on the trampoline and loves to "run really fast". He loves that he gets to sing songs and get a hand stamp at the end.
*Parker has always enjoyed drinking his milk out of bottles. It has been a comfort thing for him. For quite awhile, we've only allowed him to drink out of a bottle after nap time and first thing in the morning. Then it was only in the morning. I delayed taking it away while Hadley was a newborn because I didn't want him to get jealous of her bottles. I talked it up for a few days, then took Parker to the store to pick out some "big boy cups" for his milk. This did the trick. We are officially bottle-free!
*Hadley is getting to be a good sleeper. She is much better at going down without fussing. She usually naps at 10:30 and again around 4. She goes down at 8 and sleeps until about 8:30. Sometime she wakes up for a feeding around 10pm.
*She is sitting up really well. She loves to stand and can balance while holding on to toys for a short period. She is interested in moving around but doesn't want to try crawling. She might get on her knees but then flattens out and rolls to get to her toys.
*Hadley is eating pureed solids. Her favorites are bananas, pears and peaches. She is not a fan of peas! She is also eating mum mums (quick dissolving rice crackers). Parker tries to try bites of her food. Even he didn't like the peas :)
Parker:
*Parker doesn't like to sing (and rarely every will) but he does loves listening to others sing. He asks me to sing simple kid songs all the time. Lately, he's been asking me to change songs and add his favorite things into the songs (mostly vacuums and trains). We have caught him singing the ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle on his own.
*He knows most of his letters and can count to 20, though he usually only makes it to 12 correctly.
*Parker loves going to the YMCA for toddler gym time. He jumps on the trampoline and loves to "run really fast". He loves that he gets to sing songs and get a hand stamp at the end.
*Parker has always enjoyed drinking his milk out of bottles. It has been a comfort thing for him. For quite awhile, we've only allowed him to drink out of a bottle after nap time and first thing in the morning. Then it was only in the morning. I delayed taking it away while Hadley was a newborn because I didn't want him to get jealous of her bottles. I talked it up for a few days, then took Parker to the store to pick out some "big boy cups" for his milk. This did the trick. We are officially bottle-free!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
October: Parker turns Two!
Parker
*His hair is growing now! He has a full head of white-blonde hair. It is fine and straight with a bit of a curl in the back.
*Parker is talking up a storm. People often comment on his vocabulary. He picks up and uses new words each day.
*Parker knows about 6 letters and can count to 10 with about an 80% accuracy rate (my teacher side coming out).
*He was getting really excited about birthdays. It was Uncle Curt's, then Grandma's then his. Really fun for a 2 year old!
*About a week before his birthday, Parker announced that he had to go potty. I figured he was just looking to play, but to our surprise he actually went! Of course Justin and I made a really big deal out of it and gave him ice cream. That did the trick. He's been wearing "big boy undies" (pull-ups) that he's super excited about. He asks to go several times a day. He doesn't always keep his pull-ups dry, but he's doing a pretty good job so far!
*Parker's 2 year check up stats: 28.9 pounds (59%), 2'11" tall (80%), 19.5" head (72%) Parker loves Dr. Clapper and talks about him often.
Hadley
* Hadley is 4 months old. She is very social and is content watching Parker play or being right next to us. she prefers to be held upright so she can look around. I have a feeling she will be much happier once she can sit up on her own. We started putting her in her exersaucer. At the beginning of the month her feet didn't touch the ground and she couldn't really reach her toys. Now she can touch her feet and grab at many of the toys.
*Hadley explores new objects by putting them in her mouth. Everything goes straight in. She gets mad that her exersaucer toys aren't removable. She wants to eat them so badly! Parker didn't put things in his mouth as much. Once Hadley is mobile, we'll really have to watch what she gets her hands on!
*She is getting much better at napping. She goes down with out much trouble. The length varies between 30 and 2 hours depending on the time of day. At night she is waking up twice, around 12 and 4am. Usually she goes back to sleep without too much trouble.
*Hadley's 4 month check up stats: 12.3pounds (6%), 2' 0.5" tall (30%), 15.75" head (18%) She had one oral vaccination and 3 shots. She screamed for about 10 seconds and then quickly quieted down with a pacifier and a cuddle. She was a little fussy that afternoon, but did very well overall.
Fun this Month:
*Fall brings so much fun! We took the kids to the pumpkin patch and it was a wonderful day! Spooner Farms has many activities for little ones like farm animals, balloon animals, cars and bicycles to ride and a corn maze.
*We thought Parker would really get into carving pumpkins. It turned out he didn't care at all! He came to watch long enough for a picture, but it wasn't a hit this year. Hopefully it will be next year!
*I am a part of a workout group called Fit for Mom. They hold occasional outings for the kids. This month was a trip to the fire station. Parker was thrilled! He loved meeting the fire men and women and seeing them in full uniform. Most of all he loved the trucks. I was worried that he would be shy, but he was up for exploring! The firemen liked his enthusiasm and even let him sit in the driver's seat. Parker thought this was the coolest thing ever! He got to try to pick up the heavy jaws of life and even spray the fire hose! He did not want to leave! What a cool experience for an almost 2 year old!
*Parker now understands the fun of birthdays. He went to his friend Brea's party and realized that it means cake and presents. Then we celebrated Uncle Curt's and Grandma's. Parker was looking forward to his birthday. He would say "Parker's party: friends come over! Cupcakes!!" It's fun that he is finally at the age where he can somewhat understand concepts like this. Parker is really into cars, trucks, trains and anything else that moves so we decided on a transportation theme. At this age, kiddos get overwhelmed quickly so I decided on a small, laid back party at home. It started at 10:30 am and consisted of toddler snacks, balloons and all of Parker's toys spread around the living room so the kids to have at it! It was a really fun time. Parker was talking about it for days after so I know he loved it.
*For Halloween Hadley was dressed as a strawberry and Parker was a fireman. So cute! We went to a party at the Parnell's. It was fun to see the kids all dressed up and trick or treating together. Parker wasn't sure at first what to make of it all. He looked confused as he walked up to the first door. After he got candy, he was into it! He liked talking to the people at each house. A couple times he tried to walk in. He told on man, "Parker wearing big boy undies". He enjoyed saying "Happy Halloween!" at each house. He loved his glow stick. After about 10 houses he start getting worn out: "Lot of walking. Mommy, hold you". He ate several pieces of candy that night, but the next day he forgot about it. Out of sight, out of mind. That may not work next year.
*His hair is growing now! He has a full head of white-blonde hair. It is fine and straight with a bit of a curl in the back.
*Parker is talking up a storm. People often comment on his vocabulary. He picks up and uses new words each day.
*Parker knows about 6 letters and can count to 10 with about an 80% accuracy rate (my teacher side coming out).
*He was getting really excited about birthdays. It was Uncle Curt's, then Grandma's then his. Really fun for a 2 year old!
*About a week before his birthday, Parker announced that he had to go potty. I figured he was just looking to play, but to our surprise he actually went! Of course Justin and I made a really big deal out of it and gave him ice cream. That did the trick. He's been wearing "big boy undies" (pull-ups) that he's super excited about. He asks to go several times a day. He doesn't always keep his pull-ups dry, but he's doing a pretty good job so far!
*Parker's 2 year check up stats: 28.9 pounds (59%), 2'11" tall (80%), 19.5" head (72%) Parker loves Dr. Clapper and talks about him often.
Hadley
* Hadley is 4 months old. She is very social and is content watching Parker play or being right next to us. she prefers to be held upright so she can look around. I have a feeling she will be much happier once she can sit up on her own. We started putting her in her exersaucer. At the beginning of the month her feet didn't touch the ground and she couldn't really reach her toys. Now she can touch her feet and grab at many of the toys.
*Hadley explores new objects by putting them in her mouth. Everything goes straight in. She gets mad that her exersaucer toys aren't removable. She wants to eat them so badly! Parker didn't put things in his mouth as much. Once Hadley is mobile, we'll really have to watch what she gets her hands on!
*She is getting much better at napping. She goes down with out much trouble. The length varies between 30 and 2 hours depending on the time of day. At night she is waking up twice, around 12 and 4am. Usually she goes back to sleep without too much trouble.
*Hadley's 4 month check up stats: 12.3pounds (6%), 2' 0.5" tall (30%), 15.75" head (18%) She had one oral vaccination and 3 shots. She screamed for about 10 seconds and then quickly quieted down with a pacifier and a cuddle. She was a little fussy that afternoon, but did very well overall.
Fun this Month:
*Fall brings so much fun! We took the kids to the pumpkin patch and it was a wonderful day! Spooner Farms has many activities for little ones like farm animals, balloon animals, cars and bicycles to ride and a corn maze.
*We thought Parker would really get into carving pumpkins. It turned out he didn't care at all! He came to watch long enough for a picture, but it wasn't a hit this year. Hopefully it will be next year!
*I am a part of a workout group called Fit for Mom. They hold occasional outings for the kids. This month was a trip to the fire station. Parker was thrilled! He loved meeting the fire men and women and seeing them in full uniform. Most of all he loved the trucks. I was worried that he would be shy, but he was up for exploring! The firemen liked his enthusiasm and even let him sit in the driver's seat. Parker thought this was the coolest thing ever! He got to try to pick up the heavy jaws of life and even spray the fire hose! He did not want to leave! What a cool experience for an almost 2 year old!
*Parker now understands the fun of birthdays. He went to his friend Brea's party and realized that it means cake and presents. Then we celebrated Uncle Curt's and Grandma's. Parker was looking forward to his birthday. He would say "Parker's party: friends come over! Cupcakes!!" It's fun that he is finally at the age where he can somewhat understand concepts like this. Parker is really into cars, trucks, trains and anything else that moves so we decided on a transportation theme. At this age, kiddos get overwhelmed quickly so I decided on a small, laid back party at home. It started at 10:30 am and consisted of toddler snacks, balloons and all of Parker's toys spread around the living room so the kids to have at it! It was a really fun time. Parker was talking about it for days after so I know he loved it.
*For Halloween Hadley was dressed as a strawberry and Parker was a fireman. So cute! We went to a party at the Parnell's. It was fun to see the kids all dressed up and trick or treating together. Parker wasn't sure at first what to make of it all. He looked confused as he walked up to the first door. After he got candy, he was into it! He liked talking to the people at each house. A couple times he tried to walk in. He told on man, "Parker wearing big boy undies". He enjoyed saying "Happy Halloween!" at each house. He loved his glow stick. After about 10 houses he start getting worn out: "Lot of walking. Mommy, hold you". He ate several pieces of candy that night, but the next day he forgot about it. Out of sight, out of mind. That may not work next year.
November & December
The holidays were full of joy! It is more fun than ever celebrating events now that we have children. There is nothing like experiencing things through the eyes of babies.
Parker is starting to really get into holidays. Since his birthday in October, he keeps asking me "whose birthday is it now?" He basically wants to know when he will next get a cupcake. He got to celebrate Duke's 2nd birthday and Jericho's 3rd birthday. He was excited about Thanksgiving and getting to eat a "special dinner" at Gramma and Pop's house. Then as Christmas approached he really got excited! We started some new holiday traditions this year that we hope to carry through as our children grow up. Here are some highlights:
Visiting Santa: We visited Santa and Parker was really excited. We had talked about it beforehand so when Parker saw him, he walked right up to him and sat in his lap (much improved from the freak out last year!). Parker told Santa he wanted a screwdriver! Hadley didn't cry but she didn't smile either. I think she was trying to figure out what the heck was going on!
Elf on the Shelf: Santa's crazy helper came to our house with pajamas for the kids on December 1st. He was in a new spot of the house each morning when they woke up.
Christmas Lights: Parker liked looking at the window at our neighbor's houses. We went to zoo lights with Gramma & Pop and then again with The Vreeburgs and Grandma & Grandpa. So much fun! Parker even rode on a camel!
Gingerbread cookies and houses: Parker made gingerbread cookies with Grandma and Grandpa. He make Hadley a special cookie but then ate the head off before he gave it to her. We decorated a gingerbread house but took a bite of the roof before even getting started. Then he just sat at the table shoving candy in his mouth before actually decorating anything. This kid needs some self control! We also made gingerbread houses with the Bluhms. So fun!
Jesus' Birthday: When we tried to tell Parker the true meaning of Christmas, Parker got excited because to him Jesus' birthday means cupcakes. We got a cupcake and sang happy birthday to Jesus Christmas morning.
Presents: Santa brought Parker a screwdriver along with a whole set of tools. Parker was thrilled! Hadley received a big, pink Teddy along with several books.
Decorations/Advent Calendar: Parker loved the decorations. Hadley loved looking at the tree. Parker looked forward to the advent calendar each night with his dad.
Christmas Eve/Day: We spend two days at each set of grandparents houses so we had lots of fun family time. We got to relax and enjoy ourselves with a wonderful holiday!
About Hadley:
*She started sitting up! She is much happier because she can reach toys and see what is going on around her. She LOVES watching her brother play!
*Hadley started baby food. She eats Mum Mums (a rice cracker) and pureed pears, peaches, sweet potatoes, bananas and squash. She loves to eat!
*She's (finally) sleeping through the night, 8pm-8am. She usually only wakes up at 10pm for a quick feeding.
*She's not a great napper. She naps about an hour and a half at 10:30am but it's hard to get her to take more than a cat nap in the afternoon unless she's in the carseat or in the front pack.
*Hadley loves bath time. She likes to splash and play with her ducks.
*Hadley had her 6 month appointment. She's 13lbs 5oz (6%), 2' 1.5" tall (29%), 15.9" head circumference (10%).
About Parker:
*Parker has bee potty training. He's wearing pull-ups full time. He goes on the potty several times per day but still has wet diapers throughout. Hopefully he'll have it consistent in the next couple months.
*Parker really loves Thomas the Train. It's his favorite show, his favorite book and he plays with the trains every day. He also likes playing with his tools and play food.
*Parker is very sweet towards his sister. He likes to help get her from naps, to bring her toys and to make her laugh.
Parker is starting to really get into holidays. Since his birthday in October, he keeps asking me "whose birthday is it now?" He basically wants to know when he will next get a cupcake. He got to celebrate Duke's 2nd birthday and Jericho's 3rd birthday. He was excited about Thanksgiving and getting to eat a "special dinner" at Gramma and Pop's house. Then as Christmas approached he really got excited! We started some new holiday traditions this year that we hope to carry through as our children grow up. Here are some highlights:
Visiting Santa: We visited Santa and Parker was really excited. We had talked about it beforehand so when Parker saw him, he walked right up to him and sat in his lap (much improved from the freak out last year!). Parker told Santa he wanted a screwdriver! Hadley didn't cry but she didn't smile either. I think she was trying to figure out what the heck was going on!
Elf on the Shelf: Santa's crazy helper came to our house with pajamas for the kids on December 1st. He was in a new spot of the house each morning when they woke up.
Christmas Lights: Parker liked looking at the window at our neighbor's houses. We went to zoo lights with Gramma & Pop and then again with The Vreeburgs and Grandma & Grandpa. So much fun! Parker even rode on a camel!
Gingerbread cookies and houses: Parker made gingerbread cookies with Grandma and Grandpa. He make Hadley a special cookie but then ate the head off before he gave it to her. We decorated a gingerbread house but took a bite of the roof before even getting started. Then he just sat at the table shoving candy in his mouth before actually decorating anything. This kid needs some self control! We also made gingerbread houses with the Bluhms. So fun!
Jesus' Birthday: When we tried to tell Parker the true meaning of Christmas, Parker got excited because to him Jesus' birthday means cupcakes. We got a cupcake and sang happy birthday to Jesus Christmas morning.
Presents: Santa brought Parker a screwdriver along with a whole set of tools. Parker was thrilled! Hadley received a big, pink Teddy along with several books.
Decorations/Advent Calendar: Parker loved the decorations. Hadley loved looking at the tree. Parker looked forward to the advent calendar each night with his dad.
Christmas Eve/Day: We spend two days at each set of grandparents houses so we had lots of fun family time. We got to relax and enjoy ourselves with a wonderful holiday!
About Hadley:
*She started sitting up! She is much happier because she can reach toys and see what is going on around her. She LOVES watching her brother play!
*Hadley started baby food. She eats Mum Mums (a rice cracker) and pureed pears, peaches, sweet potatoes, bananas and squash. She loves to eat!
*She's (finally) sleeping through the night, 8pm-8am. She usually only wakes up at 10pm for a quick feeding.
*She's not a great napper. She naps about an hour and a half at 10:30am but it's hard to get her to take more than a cat nap in the afternoon unless she's in the carseat or in the front pack.
*Hadley loves bath time. She likes to splash and play with her ducks.
*Hadley had her 6 month appointment. She's 13lbs 5oz (6%), 2' 1.5" tall (29%), 15.9" head circumference (10%).
About Parker:
*Parker has bee potty training. He's wearing pull-ups full time. He goes on the potty several times per day but still has wet diapers throughout. Hopefully he'll have it consistent in the next couple months.
*Parker really loves Thomas the Train. It's his favorite show, his favorite book and he plays with the trains every day. He also likes playing with his tools and play food.
*Parker is very sweet towards his sister. He likes to help get her from naps, to bring her toys and to make her laugh.
Monday, November 11, 2013
September
Hadley at 3 months:
*Can now roll both ways. This means she can't be swaddled with her arms in. Getting her to take long naps is tricky. She wants to be rocked to sleep every time she wakes up.
*She can sit up in her Bumbo chair but usually gets tired after 10 minutes.
*She smiles and laughs. She loves watching Parker and will laughs when he is being silly for her.
*She is grasping toys and playing with dangling toys.
*Hadley loves her pacifier and sucking on her fingers. Sometimes both are in her mouth at once!
*She is skinny and long. Most of her clothes are too big around the waist but too short.
Parker at 22 months:
*He loves to help with Hadley. He gets her blankets, diapers and puts her pacifier in her mouth. He is very gentle and sweet with her.
*He is saying longer sentences like "Baby Hadley wake up" or "Momma come play orange ball".
*Parker loves going on walks in the stroller and looking for "Choo Choos".
*Parker has shown interest in learning letters. We play with letter magnets and he knows P, H and J. He says "P for Parker, H for Hadley, J for Justin".
*He can say a few numbers but can't count past two. When he sees anything more than 1, he says "two". A few times he has tried to count something and says "one, two, one, two, good counting!"
Fun Activities this Month:
*We took the kids to the fair. Parker loved seeing the animals, but he especially loved the rides. He was only tall enough for two, but we were able to sneak him on another couple. Parker's Gramma brought him back another day. So fun!
*Justin was best man in his friend Graham's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Hadley joined us and was a serious party animal!
*At Graham's bachelor party, Justin got a hole in one! It was at the Home Course. It's not a day he will soon forget!
*Can now roll both ways. This means she can't be swaddled with her arms in. Getting her to take long naps is tricky. She wants to be rocked to sleep every time she wakes up.
*She can sit up in her Bumbo chair but usually gets tired after 10 minutes.
*She smiles and laughs. She loves watching Parker and will laughs when he is being silly for her.
*She is grasping toys and playing with dangling toys.
*Hadley loves her pacifier and sucking on her fingers. Sometimes both are in her mouth at once!
*She is skinny and long. Most of her clothes are too big around the waist but too short.
Parker at 22 months:
*He loves to help with Hadley. He gets her blankets, diapers and puts her pacifier in her mouth. He is very gentle and sweet with her.
*He is saying longer sentences like "Baby Hadley wake up" or "Momma come play orange ball".
*Parker loves going on walks in the stroller and looking for "Choo Choos".
*Parker has shown interest in learning letters. We play with letter magnets and he knows P, H and J. He says "P for Parker, H for Hadley, J for Justin".
*He can say a few numbers but can't count past two. When he sees anything more than 1, he says "two". A few times he has tried to count something and says "one, two, one, two, good counting!"
Fun Activities this Month:
*We took the kids to the fair. Parker loved seeing the animals, but he especially loved the rides. He was only tall enough for two, but we were able to sneak him on another couple. Parker's Gramma brought him back another day. So fun!
*Justin was best man in his friend Graham's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Hadley joined us and was a serious party animal!
*At Graham's bachelor party, Justin got a hole in one! It was at the Home Course. It's not a day he will soon forget!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
August
Hadley:
*2 month check up stats: Weight: 9 pounds 10.5 oz (12%), Height: 1' 10" (29%), Head Circumference: 14.61" (17%)
*Hadley is nursing very well. We have her take a bottle every once in awhile to keep her used to it so I can take a break or for convenience when we are out of the house.
*Sleeps on her own in her crib but prefers to be snuggled in our arms. We are enjoying this now, but know it can only last for a short time.
*She rolled over from tummy to back at 10 weeks. Her head is very stable.
*Hadley likes to be near us and to be able to see what's going on around her. She loves watching her brother.
Parker:
*He started climbing out of crib and opening his bedroom door repeatedly. We had to change his door knob and put a baby proof one on. We switched his crib to a toddler bed with a guard rail. This made a world of difference. Parker loves his bed and stays in, although every once in awhile he will decide to sleep on the carpet next to the door just for fun.
*Parker is really into "big jumps" and does them off of any surface he can. He like to play chase and peek-a-boo.
*He is starting to correct some words he use to say incorrectly such as "banana" and "yogurt"
*He repeats everything and his vocab is taking off. He says 3 and 4 word sentences.
*Parker is obsessed with Dora the Explorer. He'd watch it all day long if we'd let him.
Other fun things:
Heidi's graduation- We attended Heidi's graduation from Phasician's Assistant School. It was great family time and so fun to celebrate Heidi's completion of the program.
Terhaar's visit- My cousin, Michelle, and her family came out for a two week visit. They stayed at my parents' house, so we were out at Fox Island pretty much every day. The weather was great for paddle boarding and playing in the sand. The little cousins had a great time!
Justin's 30th- To celebrate, we took Justin out to his favorite restaurant with many friends. We also went to a local bar. It was such a fun night out! Justin also got a Traeger smoker grill from many of our family members and we have been using it several times a week.
*2 month check up stats: Weight: 9 pounds 10.5 oz (12%), Height: 1' 10" (29%), Head Circumference: 14.61" (17%)
*Hadley is nursing very well. We have her take a bottle every once in awhile to keep her used to it so I can take a break or for convenience when we are out of the house.
*Sleeps on her own in her crib but prefers to be snuggled in our arms. We are enjoying this now, but know it can only last for a short time.
*She rolled over from tummy to back at 10 weeks. Her head is very stable.
*Hadley likes to be near us and to be able to see what's going on around her. She loves watching her brother.
Parker:
*He started climbing out of crib and opening his bedroom door repeatedly. We had to change his door knob and put a baby proof one on. We switched his crib to a toddler bed with a guard rail. This made a world of difference. Parker loves his bed and stays in, although every once in awhile he will decide to sleep on the carpet next to the door just for fun.
*Parker is really into "big jumps" and does them off of any surface he can. He like to play chase and peek-a-boo.
*He is starting to correct some words he use to say incorrectly such as "banana" and "yogurt"
*He repeats everything and his vocab is taking off. He says 3 and 4 word sentences.
*Parker is obsessed with Dora the Explorer. He'd watch it all day long if we'd let him.
Other fun things:
Heidi's graduation- We attended Heidi's graduation from Phasician's Assistant School. It was great family time and so fun to celebrate Heidi's completion of the program.
Terhaar's visit- My cousin, Michelle, and her family came out for a two week visit. They stayed at my parents' house, so we were out at Fox Island pretty much every day. The weather was great for paddle boarding and playing in the sand. The little cousins had a great time!
Justin's 30th- To celebrate, we took Justin out to his favorite restaurant with many friends. We also went to a local bar. It was such a fun night out! Justin also got a Traeger smoker grill from many of our family members and we have been using it several times a week.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
July
This 4th of July was the best one I can remember. It was so special because the kids experienced many firsts which will become wonderful memories for all of us. New traditions are beginning. The Tacoma waterfront has a Freedom Fair. We walked down and people watched, ate food, viewed the air show and Parker went in his first bounce house. Parker loved the airplanes and people. He was nervous about the bounce house, but was starting to get the hang of it at the end. Hadley, being just a few weeks old, slept the majority of the time. That evening, we barbequed and then started a bonfire to roast marshmallows. Parker loved the s'mores! We also go Pop Its, a small, safe firework that you throw on the ground and it makes a pop sound. Parker thought this was really cool! We put Parker down to sleep for about 40 minutes before we woke up him and drove him to watch fireworks. Of course, he had no idea what fireworks were so I told him we were going to see "special lights". We sat on a big hill with the kids in our laps to watch the show. When it started, Parker kept saying in his little voice "special liiiiiights! special liiiiiiights!" He continued all the way home.
Parker has been a big helper with his sister. He likes to get diapers for her, bring me blankets and help with buckling Hadley in her car seat. I think Hadley enjoys having him around too. She seems to be watching him while he plays around her. He is constantly screaming and playing by her when she sleeps. She sleeps right through it. She's going to be very adaptable when she grows up!
Hadley has gotten on more of a routine. She eats every 3 hours, then is awake for another 30 minutes or so before falling back to sleep. She is more alert and focuses on people or toys. She started smiling at 6 weeks. Let me tell you, she has the cutest smile! Unlike her brother, she smiles easily and often. She smiles with her whole face; her eyes light up and her dimple will melt your heart. When Hadley gets upset, however, she has the saddest cry and a face that says, "why are you doing this to me!!" She's a dramatic girl already.
We went on our annual trip to Sunriver for our Alexander Family reunion. It was great seeing so many relatives and introducing them to Hadley. We did what we always do: eat, relax, go on walks and play on the river. Parker loved playing with my cousins, Josh and Jonathan as well as my cousin, Scott's daughter, Kara. Hadley had her 6 week growth spurt which meant she wanted to nurse every couple hours. I was on the couch a lot, but there were lots of people to visit with. I love my family!
After a few nights in Sunriver, Justin, the kids and I rented a house in Bend. It was nice having a few days in one of our favorite cities. We swam everyday, per Parker's request. He's so comfortable in the water now that he finished a couple sessions of swim lessons. He jumps right in and isn't afraid to get his face under water. Justin took Parker on a float down the river. It was great making memories with family this summer! We can't wait to return next year!
Parker has been a big helper with his sister. He likes to get diapers for her, bring me blankets and help with buckling Hadley in her car seat. I think Hadley enjoys having him around too. She seems to be watching him while he plays around her. He is constantly screaming and playing by her when she sleeps. She sleeps right through it. She's going to be very adaptable when she grows up!
Hadley has gotten on more of a routine. She eats every 3 hours, then is awake for another 30 minutes or so before falling back to sleep. She is more alert and focuses on people or toys. She started smiling at 6 weeks. Let me tell you, she has the cutest smile! Unlike her brother, she smiles easily and often. She smiles with her whole face; her eyes light up and her dimple will melt your heart. When Hadley gets upset, however, she has the saddest cry and a face that says, "why are you doing this to me!!" She's a dramatic girl already.
We went on our annual trip to Sunriver for our Alexander Family reunion. It was great seeing so many relatives and introducing them to Hadley. We did what we always do: eat, relax, go on walks and play on the river. Parker loved playing with my cousins, Josh and Jonathan as well as my cousin, Scott's daughter, Kara. Hadley had her 6 week growth spurt which meant she wanted to nurse every couple hours. I was on the couch a lot, but there were lots of people to visit with. I love my family!
After a few nights in Sunriver, Justin, the kids and I rented a house in Bend. It was nice having a few days in one of our favorite cities. We swam everyday, per Parker's request. He's so comfortable in the water now that he finished a couple sessions of swim lessons. He jumps right in and isn't afraid to get his face under water. Justin took Parker on a float down the river. It was great making memories with family this summer! We can't wait to return next year!
June: A Family of 4
Once we brought our little girl home, life drastically changed. We are so in love with Hadley. She is absolutely precious. From day one Parker has been very aware of his little sister. He will run to her and give her a kiss, a pat and a snuggle. He says "pet baby" and pats her on the leg or tummy. He also says, "Hold you baby!" and wants us to help him hold her. While is loves Hadley, he has not been enjoying sharing his Mommy. As soon as I sit to feed the baby, Parker wants to sit in my lap or he needs help with a toy. When Parker first arrived, I could sit and stare at him for hours. All my attention was on him. Now I find myself nursing Hadley while on the floor playing blocks with a toddler in my lap. It's hard! I'm tired and sore but I'm quickly learning that a parent of two gets little rest. Granted, we don't yet have a schedule and we are not sleeping much at night. Parker's world has been rocked. He's acting out by throwing some fits and being more difficult in general. He normally is such a sweet, easy-going child. I hope this is just a short phase while he gets used to the transition.
Right now Hadley is feeding really well. After a week she had already gotten back to her birth weight. She loves to be held. In fact, she only likes be held. This makes sleeping pretty challenging. Justin and I need to rock her to sleep then try to set her in the bassinet without waking her. She loves being swaddled. Hadley does not like to be naked or changed. Justin says it's because she's a lady!
Justin and I have tried hard to keep life as normal as possible. We try to get the kids out of the house. We go to church, Parker's swim lessons and the park. We even made it out to dinner one night. It takes us much longer to get out of the house, but it is worth it for our sanity. Especially since the weather is so nice, it's hard to stay inside.
We've been very lucky to have so many friends and family members to help us with the transition. Our parents offered to watch Parker so we could have some alone time with Hadley. Friends came over to visit and play with Parker. Neighbors and friends brought us meals. This was really helpful since Justin and I had our hands full.
Right now Hadley is feeding really well. After a week she had already gotten back to her birth weight. She loves to be held. In fact, she only likes be held. This makes sleeping pretty challenging. Justin and I need to rock her to sleep then try to set her in the bassinet without waking her. She loves being swaddled. Hadley does not like to be naked or changed. Justin says it's because she's a lady!
Justin and I have tried hard to keep life as normal as possible. We try to get the kids out of the house. We go to church, Parker's swim lessons and the park. We even made it out to dinner one night. It takes us much longer to get out of the house, but it is worth it for our sanity. Especially since the weather is so nice, it's hard to stay inside.
We've been very lucky to have so many friends and family members to help us with the transition. Our parents offered to watch Parker so we could have some alone time with Hadley. Friends came over to visit and play with Parker. Neighbors and friends brought us meals. This was really helpful since Justin and I had our hands full.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Hadley Jean's Arrival
I was having pregnancy dreams. This was nothing new, however this time I was dreaming about contractions. I was watching people and even objects have contractions. I woke up at 2:45am and realized that contractions weren't just in my dreams. I was having contractions! Real, strong ones. I timed a couple and found them to be about 4 minutes apart. We took a birthing class before Parker was born where we learned that you should head to the hospital when contractions come every 5 minutes, they last for at least a minute and you have them for an hour. I was too excited to sleep, so I went downstairs, ate some fruit and then took a shower. Justin woke up to me having contractions in the shower. He asked if he should call my parents to come watch Parker. I said to wait. He ignored me and called them anyways. This was a good call! By the time my parents arrived, I wasn't able to talk through my contractions and was getting pretty uncomfortable. This showed me that this labor was going to be much faster than Parker's. For Parker, I was able to talk through contractions for several hours before they got too intense. We had just enough time to pack up. I tiptoed into Parker's room and said a prayer for him. It was a surreal moment to realize this was the last time I'd spend with him as an only child.
We arrived at the hospital at 4:30 and were admitted to a triage room by 5am. They checked the baby's heart rate, timed my contractions and found that I was 4-5centimeters dilated. They moved me to the labor/delivery room at 5:15. At this point, I was fairly uncomfortable and the nurse offered me to get an epidural. My goal was to be on my feet to help things progress as long as I could, so I turned down the epidural but accepted a narcotic to "take the edge off". This was very helpful lasted about an hour. Hadley was pushing on my tail bone causing back labor. Justin had to hold and press my hips inward during contractions to take some of the pressure off. His arms were burning pretty quickly! The narcotic wore off by 6:00 and I was in pain but pushed through. By 7:40 I was in a great deal of pain. When I cried during a contraction, Justin told the nurse to ask the anesthesiologist for the epidural. I'm glad he did! I was 7cm when I got the epidural at 8:15. I was able to calm down and relax in bed to prepare to push.
The nurse told us that Dr. Nelson, our OB was not officially on call today, but that she found out it was us and wanted to deliver our baby. We were so grateful to her! We really wanted her to be the one to deliver Hadley since we felt so comfortable with her and she delivered Parker. She came in and broke my water at 9am when I was 8cm dilated. At 10:00 I was 10cm dilated. The epidural relaxed my body so much that they slowed my contractions. Dr. Nelson gave me pitocin to make the contractions stronger. At 11:45 I started pushing. We could see the top of Hadley's head fairly quickly. I heard the doctor and nurse discussing which part of the head it was. That's when they realized Hadley was face up, rather than the normal face down entry. This is what had caused the back labor. 15 minutes in, I started to feel a lot of pain. The nurse confessed to the doctor that she thought the baby would be out by now, so she turned off the epidural. The medication was locked up and we didn't have time to get the anesthesiologist. This meant I had to deliver the baby rest of the way with pain. I ended up getting a 2nd degree episiotomy (I did get a local anesthetic for this). I had my eyes closed to manage a contraction when Dr. Nelson and Justin told me to open my eyes. Hadley's head and shoulders were out! Since she was face up, we got a wonderful view of our daughter for the first time. Dr. Nelson told me to deliver her myself. I grabbed my girl and pulled her to my chest. Justin and I were immediately overcome with emotion. Our baby had arrived!
We welcomed Hadley Jean at 12:16pm on Friday, June 7th 2013. She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. She's perfectly healthy and gorgeous with a head of dark brown hair and deep blue eyes.
Later that afternoon, we started to have family visit. We were extremely excited for Parker to meet his sister. He arrived with a balloon and pink teddy bear for Hadley. He was really excited about the yellow balloon that Grandpa and Grandma got him. Parker also was excited about the buttons and tv in the hospital room. He sat with me on the bed before Justin brought him over to the bassinet that Hadley was sleeping in. Parker said, "Baby, night night" then, "pet". He wanted to pet and tickle his sister. He did but was done about 20 seconds later. After exploring the room and cuddling with me, he wanted to hold the baby. We helped him hold Hadley on my lap. Parker gave his sister a kiss and then was done. The attention span of a toddler!
We arrived at the hospital at 4:30 and were admitted to a triage room by 5am. They checked the baby's heart rate, timed my contractions and found that I was 4-5centimeters dilated. They moved me to the labor/delivery room at 5:15. At this point, I was fairly uncomfortable and the nurse offered me to get an epidural. My goal was to be on my feet to help things progress as long as I could, so I turned down the epidural but accepted a narcotic to "take the edge off". This was very helpful lasted about an hour. Hadley was pushing on my tail bone causing back labor. Justin had to hold and press my hips inward during contractions to take some of the pressure off. His arms were burning pretty quickly! The narcotic wore off by 6:00 and I was in pain but pushed through. By 7:40 I was in a great deal of pain. When I cried during a contraction, Justin told the nurse to ask the anesthesiologist for the epidural. I'm glad he did! I was 7cm when I got the epidural at 8:15. I was able to calm down and relax in bed to prepare to push.
The nurse told us that Dr. Nelson, our OB was not officially on call today, but that she found out it was us and wanted to deliver our baby. We were so grateful to her! We really wanted her to be the one to deliver Hadley since we felt so comfortable with her and she delivered Parker. She came in and broke my water at 9am when I was 8cm dilated. At 10:00 I was 10cm dilated. The epidural relaxed my body so much that they slowed my contractions. Dr. Nelson gave me pitocin to make the contractions stronger. At 11:45 I started pushing. We could see the top of Hadley's head fairly quickly. I heard the doctor and nurse discussing which part of the head it was. That's when they realized Hadley was face up, rather than the normal face down entry. This is what had caused the back labor. 15 minutes in, I started to feel a lot of pain. The nurse confessed to the doctor that she thought the baby would be out by now, so she turned off the epidural. The medication was locked up and we didn't have time to get the anesthesiologist. This meant I had to deliver the baby rest of the way with pain. I ended up getting a 2nd degree episiotomy (I did get a local anesthetic for this). I had my eyes closed to manage a contraction when Dr. Nelson and Justin told me to open my eyes. Hadley's head and shoulders were out! Since she was face up, we got a wonderful view of our daughter for the first time. Dr. Nelson told me to deliver her myself. I grabbed my girl and pulled her to my chest. Justin and I were immediately overcome with emotion. Our baby had arrived!
We welcomed Hadley Jean at 12:16pm on Friday, June 7th 2013. She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. She's perfectly healthy and gorgeous with a head of dark brown hair and deep blue eyes.
Later that afternoon, we started to have family visit. We were extremely excited for Parker to meet his sister. He arrived with a balloon and pink teddy bear for Hadley. He was really excited about the yellow balloon that Grandpa and Grandma got him. Parker also was excited about the buttons and tv in the hospital room. He sat with me on the bed before Justin brought him over to the bassinet that Hadley was sleeping in. Parker said, "Baby, night night" then, "pet". He wanted to pet and tickle his sister. He did but was done about 20 seconds later. After exploring the room and cuddling with me, he wanted to hold the baby. We helped him hold Hadley on my lap. Parker gave his sister a kiss and then was done. The attention span of a toddler!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
May
We had some friends, Kellen & Becca Hiroto, and their son, Yamikani, stay with us the first weekend of May. They are missionary teachers in Malawi so we haven't seen them since our wedding. It was absolutely fabulous to connect with them and to meet their 2 year old son. Parker loved Yami! He followed around his new friend, calling him "Mee-mew".
Parker is a prayer warrior. We pray with him before dinner and bed each day. He chooses who we pray for. Every once in a while, we get an odd request like "Teddy" or "book", but most often it's for family and friends. Baby Sister almost always gets a prayer. Parker really enjoys praying. He starts saying "Amen! Amen!" when we sit down to dinner. A few times we've been pleasantly surprised when he's asked to pray at other times. The other day, Parker and I were riding in the car and he asked to pray for a specific family member. It just so happened that that person needed prayer at that very moment. Parker asked to pray for him over and over for the 20 minute car ride. Let me tell you, his prayers were answered! I love that we are raising a little prayer warrior. Prayer changes things.
This month has been dedicated to getting ready for our newest addition. We've pretty much decided on the name Hadley. The middle name is yet to come. At 36 weeks, we started seeing the doctor weekly. We went in on May 9th for the standard 36 week ultrasound. It was fun to see her squirming around. She was in breech position, which means her head was up towards my ribs. The doctor said that she might turn on her own but to expect that because of the lack of space the last few week she would stay put. This meant that we would need to deliver Hadley via c-section on the 31st of this month (39 weeks). At first I was disappointed about not having her naturally, but I quickly warmed to the idea. The bottom line is that she's coming into the world safely which is all Justin and I really care about.
On the 16th, Justin and I went to see Dr. Nelson again for the 37 week appointment. After feeling my stomach, she thought that the baby had flipped! I was measuring small (again), so those two realizations gave Dr. Nelson motive to have another ultrasound. This was the best one yet! We saw right away that Hadley had turned head down. As long as she stays put, we will have a natural delivery. Also, she was in good position for a 3D image. We were able to see her beautiful, sleeping face. She has Parker's lips. I know we are bias, but she's adorable! I can't wait to see her on the outside very soon!
I've been having a lot of contractions lately. This girl is getting ready for her arrival!
All this talk about how Hadley arriving launched Justin and I into nesting mode. We've been working on the nursery since. Justin painted it a light shade of turquoise, my mom made the bedding, we've set up the furniture and decorated. It's a lot of work but it's cute! We are very happy with the outcome.
Heidi proved to be the world's greatest sister-in-law because she sweetly offered to throw Hadley a baby shower. She's extremely busy right now, so it was extra loving of her to find the time to honor her niece. She teamed up with my mom to throw an absolutely amazing shower! There were about 15 family members and close friends. We ate delicious food, visited and opened gifts. Let me tell you, people love to buy girl clothes! Hadley's closet is full of pink and ruffles! What a lucky girl!
Parker is a prayer warrior. We pray with him before dinner and bed each day. He chooses who we pray for. Every once in a while, we get an odd request like "Teddy" or "book", but most often it's for family and friends. Baby Sister almost always gets a prayer. Parker really enjoys praying. He starts saying "Amen! Amen!" when we sit down to dinner. A few times we've been pleasantly surprised when he's asked to pray at other times. The other day, Parker and I were riding in the car and he asked to pray for a specific family member. It just so happened that that person needed prayer at that very moment. Parker asked to pray for him over and over for the 20 minute car ride. Let me tell you, his prayers were answered! I love that we are raising a little prayer warrior. Prayer changes things.
This month has been dedicated to getting ready for our newest addition. We've pretty much decided on the name Hadley. The middle name is yet to come. At 36 weeks, we started seeing the doctor weekly. We went in on May 9th for the standard 36 week ultrasound. It was fun to see her squirming around. She was in breech position, which means her head was up towards my ribs. The doctor said that she might turn on her own but to expect that because of the lack of space the last few week she would stay put. This meant that we would need to deliver Hadley via c-section on the 31st of this month (39 weeks). At first I was disappointed about not having her naturally, but I quickly warmed to the idea. The bottom line is that she's coming into the world safely which is all Justin and I really care about.
On the 16th, Justin and I went to see Dr. Nelson again for the 37 week appointment. After feeling my stomach, she thought that the baby had flipped! I was measuring small (again), so those two realizations gave Dr. Nelson motive to have another ultrasound. This was the best one yet! We saw right away that Hadley had turned head down. As long as she stays put, we will have a natural delivery. Also, she was in good position for a 3D image. We were able to see her beautiful, sleeping face. She has Parker's lips. I know we are bias, but she's adorable! I can't wait to see her on the outside very soon!
I've been having a lot of contractions lately. This girl is getting ready for her arrival!
All this talk about how Hadley arriving launched Justin and I into nesting mode. We've been working on the nursery since. Justin painted it a light shade of turquoise, my mom made the bedding, we've set up the furniture and decorated. It's a lot of work but it's cute! We are very happy with the outcome.
Heidi proved to be the world's greatest sister-in-law because she sweetly offered to throw Hadley a baby shower. She's extremely busy right now, so it was extra loving of her to find the time to honor her niece. She teamed up with my mom to throw an absolutely amazing shower! There were about 15 family members and close friends. We ate delicious food, visited and opened gifts. Let me tell you, people love to buy girl clothes! Hadley's closet is full of pink and ruffles! What a lucky girl!
Friday, May 17, 2013
April: 17 months old
A highlight this month was going to visit Ryan, Heidi and Ian for a weekend in Portland. We celebrated Ryan's 31st birthday. Parker stayed behind so we could have an adult trip. We kicked it off by going to the Rose Garden to watch the Blazers vs Oklahoma (Sonics!) game. It was a lot of fun. The boys all wore Sonics gear which got a lot of great comments from the hopefuls who want our team back in Seattle. The next day we made a great breakfast with Grandma Jane then headed to McMenamins for lunch and a game of pitch and putt golf. It was a cold, windy day but we had so much fun being crazy that it didn't matter. I decided I like pitch and putt much better than regular golf. I'll play anytime!
Parker at 17 Months:
He is all boy! He loves trucks and trains. He will ask to go on a walk to the waterfront just so he can look for "choo-choos". As soon as it goes past, Parker is asking for another. In the car, I can distract Parker by asking him to look for trucks and buses. He can't say b-u sounds, so when he sees a bus, he yells "ahmeee!!"
I don't think Parker enjoys anything more than the vacuum. This is weird. He will go to the closet and ask for us to vacuum the house. When we do, Parker cheers and claps. When we put it away, Parker almost always cries. We've figured out that if we have him help wrap up the cord and say "night night" while we put it in the closet, there is less frustration. Parker also loves to sweep. He will take the broom and dust pan out of the closet and either sweep on his own, or ask me to do it so he can watch. At least he motivates us to keep a tidy home!
The novelty of brushing teeth has worn off. Park doesn't mind sucking the toothpaste off the brush, but he wants nothing to do with us brushing for him. Lately we've had to hold him down to get it done. Sorry little man, Mom and Dad have to win this one! Right now Parker has 16 teeth, 8 on top and 8 on bottom. He he struggled with #15 & 16. He woke up twice a night for 2 weeks teething. Luckily he usually just wanted a pacifier and for me to lay him back down, so we weren't too tired.
Parker has learned how to tickle. He tickles his teddy and us. One precious moment was at Safeway when he leaned out of the cart to tickle his little sister. He also hugged and kissed my belly. How sweet! I hope he continues loving on her when she's outside the womb!
We are slowly but surely getting ready for our little girl. We got a ceiling fan for her, and I've been purchasing some special clothes for her. At our last doctor's appointment, my stomach was measuring small so we had an extra ultrasound. This was fine with us, because we are always excited to have another look at our girl! The ultrasound results came back very positive. She's 4.5 lbs 16 inches at 33 weeks. This is right on pace.
Parker at 17 Months:
He is all boy! He loves trucks and trains. He will ask to go on a walk to the waterfront just so he can look for "choo-choos". As soon as it goes past, Parker is asking for another. In the car, I can distract Parker by asking him to look for trucks and buses. He can't say b-u sounds, so when he sees a bus, he yells "ahmeee!!"
I don't think Parker enjoys anything more than the vacuum. This is weird. He will go to the closet and ask for us to vacuum the house. When we do, Parker cheers and claps. When we put it away, Parker almost always cries. We've figured out that if we have him help wrap up the cord and say "night night" while we put it in the closet, there is less frustration. Parker also loves to sweep. He will take the broom and dust pan out of the closet and either sweep on his own, or ask me to do it so he can watch. At least he motivates us to keep a tidy home!
The novelty of brushing teeth has worn off. Park doesn't mind sucking the toothpaste off the brush, but he wants nothing to do with us brushing for him. Lately we've had to hold him down to get it done. Sorry little man, Mom and Dad have to win this one! Right now Parker has 16 teeth, 8 on top and 8 on bottom. He he struggled with #15 & 16. He woke up twice a night for 2 weeks teething. Luckily he usually just wanted a pacifier and for me to lay him back down, so we weren't too tired.
Parker has learned how to tickle. He tickles his teddy and us. One precious moment was at Safeway when he leaned out of the cart to tickle his little sister. He also hugged and kissed my belly. How sweet! I hope he continues loving on her when she's outside the womb!
We are slowly but surely getting ready for our little girl. We got a ceiling fan for her, and I've been purchasing some special clothes for her. At our last doctor's appointment, my stomach was measuring small so we had an extra ultrasound. This was fine with us, because we are always excited to have another look at our girl! The ultrasound results came back very positive. She's 4.5 lbs 16 inches at 33 weeks. This is right on pace.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
March
Parker loves to show off. He likes to tell people what he knows. When he sees a stranger at the store, he will point to a light of fan and proudly name it. Lately he's been pointing to me and saying Momma!
At 16 months, Parker is testing his boundaries. He will reach for things he shouldn't, then look back at us to see what we will do. Usually Parker is fairly easy going and will follow directions. When he's tired or hungry, however, he may throw a fit. This means he whines and stomps his feet. He will say, "no, no, no!" and either hit his teddy or try to hit us on the leg. If he's really mad, he will hit his head against the wall. We're trying to ignore most of it, except for the hitting. He's been getting much better. I've seen him think about hitting something and then doing "soft touches" and pats instead.
Parker loves to feed himself. He asks for a spoon or fork at every meal. This makes for messy meal times. Yogurt everywhere! Parker has also been more selective about what he eats. I usually give him choices to pick from. He use to eat absolutely anything in front of him. Now, he's turning down watermelon and various types of vegetables.
Just before Easter, I brought Parker to see the Easter Bunny. Our visit with Santa didn't go too well a couple months back, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go over. To my surprise, Parker was very excited to see the bunny. He can't do bu sounds, so he says "may-may". He was pointing and waving at the bunny with a smile. The bunny came over to say hi. That's when Parker became tentative. I held Parker and coaxed him to do high fives, knuckles and to pet the bunny. When it was our turn for pictures, Parker when right up to him, but he did not want anything to do with sitting on his lap. He wouldn't even sit next to the bunny. That meant I had to be in it. Parker sat on my lap and stared at the bunny. It was pretty cute. Definitely better then our screaming Santa pictures. Hopefully next year he will be more comfortable. I'm hopeful!
On Easter morning, Parker was very excited about his basket. He got MatchBox cars, new spoons and forks, and a battery-powered bubble wand. He was so happy about the bubbles, he wasn't interested in his first egg hunt. Once we showed Parker that the eggs contained his favorite treat, fish crackers, his tune changed! It took Parker a bit to catch on. He was good at spotting the eggs, but wanted to stop and eat the fish as he went. Finally, Justin put Parker on a toy car and wheeled him around the room from egg to egg. We hid 20 eggs. Parker got bored after 15. When we got around to it the next day, Parker was able to find that last 5 all by himself and brought them to me to be opened so he could chow on his treats! We spent the rest of Easter Sunday with the Holmes side of the family. It was a sunny day, so we were outside most of the time. Parker played with his bubbles and we all enjoyed a boat ride around the lake. It was a great family day!
As the weather is starting to improve, we've been spending more time outdoors. We've gone to the zoo several times this month. Parker's favorite part is not the animals, but walking around and exploring. He will literally stop and touch every fence and rock. There were polar bears play fighting 4 feet away from us, and Parker watched for maybe 4 seconds before marching up and down a nearby set of stairs. He's definitely a boy! One exhibit that does hold Parker's attention is the petting zoo. Parker loves to feed the goats. I thought he'd be apprehensive, but he charges right up to them and holds out the food pellets. He laughs when they lick his hands. Pretty cute!
Parker's baby sister is getting big! My belly is growing larger by the day. It's so fun to see her move in my stomach. Her kicks are very strong. We aren't sure how much Parker understands about a new sibling. He can point to my belly and say, "baby" or "sister" but that's about it. We have been talking a lot about it, so hopefully that will help prepare him.
Some of my girl friends threw me a spa themed baby shower. It was really special to be able to get together and celebrate my daughter! I have the best group of friends! The baby got tons of adorable outfits. Girl clothes are the best! I can't wait to see them on our baby!
At 16 months, Parker is testing his boundaries. He will reach for things he shouldn't, then look back at us to see what we will do. Usually Parker is fairly easy going and will follow directions. When he's tired or hungry, however, he may throw a fit. This means he whines and stomps his feet. He will say, "no, no, no!" and either hit his teddy or try to hit us on the leg. If he's really mad, he will hit his head against the wall. We're trying to ignore most of it, except for the hitting. He's been getting much better. I've seen him think about hitting something and then doing "soft touches" and pats instead.
Parker loves to feed himself. He asks for a spoon or fork at every meal. This makes for messy meal times. Yogurt everywhere! Parker has also been more selective about what he eats. I usually give him choices to pick from. He use to eat absolutely anything in front of him. Now, he's turning down watermelon and various types of vegetables.
Just before Easter, I brought Parker to see the Easter Bunny. Our visit with Santa didn't go too well a couple months back, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go over. To my surprise, Parker was very excited to see the bunny. He can't do bu sounds, so he says "may-may". He was pointing and waving at the bunny with a smile. The bunny came over to say hi. That's when Parker became tentative. I held Parker and coaxed him to do high fives, knuckles and to pet the bunny. When it was our turn for pictures, Parker when right up to him, but he did not want anything to do with sitting on his lap. He wouldn't even sit next to the bunny. That meant I had to be in it. Parker sat on my lap and stared at the bunny. It was pretty cute. Definitely better then our screaming Santa pictures. Hopefully next year he will be more comfortable. I'm hopeful!
On Easter morning, Parker was very excited about his basket. He got MatchBox cars, new spoons and forks, and a battery-powered bubble wand. He was so happy about the bubbles, he wasn't interested in his first egg hunt. Once we showed Parker that the eggs contained his favorite treat, fish crackers, his tune changed! It took Parker a bit to catch on. He was good at spotting the eggs, but wanted to stop and eat the fish as he went. Finally, Justin put Parker on a toy car and wheeled him around the room from egg to egg. We hid 20 eggs. Parker got bored after 15. When we got around to it the next day, Parker was able to find that last 5 all by himself and brought them to me to be opened so he could chow on his treats! We spent the rest of Easter Sunday with the Holmes side of the family. It was a sunny day, so we were outside most of the time. Parker played with his bubbles and we all enjoyed a boat ride around the lake. It was a great family day!
As the weather is starting to improve, we've been spending more time outdoors. We've gone to the zoo several times this month. Parker's favorite part is not the animals, but walking around and exploring. He will literally stop and touch every fence and rock. There were polar bears play fighting 4 feet away from us, and Parker watched for maybe 4 seconds before marching up and down a nearby set of stairs. He's definitely a boy! One exhibit that does hold Parker's attention is the petting zoo. Parker loves to feed the goats. I thought he'd be apprehensive, but he charges right up to them and holds out the food pellets. He laughs when they lick his hands. Pretty cute!
Parker's baby sister is getting big! My belly is growing larger by the day. It's so fun to see her move in my stomach. Her kicks are very strong. We aren't sure how much Parker understands about a new sibling. He can point to my belly and say, "baby" or "sister" but that's about it. We have been talking a lot about it, so hopefully that will help prepare him.
Some of my girl friends threw me a spa themed baby shower. It was really special to be able to get together and celebrate my daughter! I have the best group of friends! The baby got tons of adorable outfits. Girl clothes are the best! I can't wait to see them on our baby!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
February
February started off better than ever because we took a family trip to Maui! Justin and I were in need of some sun. We've been to the Wailea Marriot in south Maui before so we knew what to expect taking Parker. We got a ground floor, ocean front room so that we could relax on outside and get sun while Parker was napping. Rachel and Scott DiBello happened to be planning a trip to Maui at the same time, so we invited them to stay at our hotel. What great luck! It was so much fun to spend time with them since they live in California. Rachel is pregnant with a little boy and is due just a few days after our baby girl. We got to catch up and talk babies which was a lot of fun.
Parker hadn't spent much time around water, so we were a little nervous how he'd take to it. He loved it! He was shouting "awa" (his word for water) all the time because everywhere he looked, he saw a fountain, pond, pool or ocean. We had to watch him like a hawk because he would just take off for any body of water he could find. He even tried to swim in the lobby koi pond a few times. The hotel offered a kid pool with sand, 1 1/2 feet of water, water slides and fountains. So fun! Parker was a little cautious once in the water, but he loved splashing around the edges. At the ocean, he loved playing in the waves with us.
We were lucky that it was humpback whale season and there were hundreds of whales right off shore from the hotel. We got to see them breaching, slapping their tails, and we could even hear them when we went underwater! Scott and Justin went scuba diving and could hear them the whole time while looking at turtles, tropical fish and coral.
What an awesome trip! I can't wait to go back as a family of 4.
The day after we got home, I had my 30th birthday. We were jet lagged, so Parker and I caught up on sleep. Justin had to go to work, but we celebrated the following weekend with both friends and family. Justin threw me a party with many of our good friends. It was fun to get a big group together- something we don't do often enough anymore. I am very lucky to have such loving people in my life! I can tell already that this is going to be a wonderful year!
Parker hadn't spent much time around water, so we were a little nervous how he'd take to it. He loved it! He was shouting "awa" (his word for water) all the time because everywhere he looked, he saw a fountain, pond, pool or ocean. We had to watch him like a hawk because he would just take off for any body of water he could find. He even tried to swim in the lobby koi pond a few times. The hotel offered a kid pool with sand, 1 1/2 feet of water, water slides and fountains. So fun! Parker was a little cautious once in the water, but he loved splashing around the edges. At the ocean, he loved playing in the waves with us.
We were lucky that it was humpback whale season and there were hundreds of whales right off shore from the hotel. We got to see them breaching, slapping their tails, and we could even hear them when we went underwater! Scott and Justin went scuba diving and could hear them the whole time while looking at turtles, tropical fish and coral.
What an awesome trip! I can't wait to go back as a family of 4.
The day after we got home, I had my 30th birthday. We were jet lagged, so Parker and I caught up on sleep. Justin had to go to work, but we celebrated the following weekend with both friends and family. Justin threw me a party with many of our good friends. It was fun to get a big group together- something we don't do often enough anymore. I am very lucky to have such loving people in my life! I can tell already that this is going to be a wonderful year!
New Year, Lots of Fun
January 8th we had an ultrasound to check up on our new baby. Justin and I were excited to find out the gender. We saw pros for having either, and said we'd be excited no matter what, which is true. At previous doctor appointments, we had two professionals guess that the baby was a boy for various reasons. Because of this, we were certain more blue was in our future. When the ultrasound tech said we are having a girl, my first reaction was to say, "Are you sure? How sure are you?" Once it sunk in, Justin and I were thrilled! It will be so fun to have one of each. We are looking forward to adorable clothes, cuddles and frilly things. Parker is sure to be a fabulous, loving, older brother. Yay for pink!
The second week of the month, our friends, Alicen & Brian Potucek invited us to their family cabin in Packwood, Washington. Their friends, Abby & Sean came as well. Parker spend the weekend chasing around 2 and 3 year old girls. He loves watching big kids, so he was entertained the entire time. Saturday morning we went up to White Pass for sledding. This was Parker's first real time in the snow since last year he was only weeks old. He was not a fan. It was super cold, so after 5 minutes he was shaking, saying, "all done" and headed for the lodge. Hopefully next year he will be more into it. The adults went skiing/boarding, but I opted to stay back at the cabin with the kiddos. It was such a relaxing weekend and fun weekend.
Parker has been getting his first 4 molars. This means a lot of drool, ear aches, pain and waking at night. Parker is pretty tough so when he's up at night crying we know he's not feeling well. Poor guy. One night Parker was crying inconsolably. There was nothing I could do to calm him. Justin came in after a few minutes to help. Parker looked at him, stopped crying immediately, pointed at his Dad's chest and said, "chest hair". We were shocked first of all that he knew those words, but that he was excited enough about it that he was able to calm down. Then he happily went to sleep. Whatever works, right?
Parker has begun testing his boundaries. He knows what is off limits in the house, but every once in awhile, he will do something just to see what we will do. He may open a drawer he shouldn't meanwhile saying to himself, "Noooo". Or Parker may look at us with a fire in his eye and stretch his hand towards something to see if we will stop him. We're trying to be consistent and hopefully his games will get boring soon.
Parker has a big vocabulary at this point. Here are some of the words he's saying:
Momma, Dadda, Pop, Grandma, Grandpa, Curt, Heido, RyRy, E-E, Kitty, fishy, sister, baby, shoes, milk, turkey, cheese, pasta, bread, Eggo, Cheerios, banana, yogurt, lemon, blankey, teddy, light, wall, door, window, toys, bath, water, all done, more, please, up, hold you, bless you, thank you, mail
Animal sounds for: cat, dog, bird, cow, bear, sheep
Sounds for car and Justin's electric razor
It's fun to see him pick up words. Most of them through direct teaching, but some of them he's learned on his own. We don't remember teaching him 'wall' or 'mail" but he's used both in the correct context on his own. It's so cool that babies are such sponges at this age. I guess it's time we watch what we say and watch on TV in while he's around!
We were invited by our friend, Brian & Alicen Potucek to stay at their cabin for the weekend in Packwood. We went with their friends, Abby & Sean. It was such a relaxing weekend! The best part was taking the kids up to White Pass for sledding. It was freezing so Parker only lasted a few runs before he headed for the lodge. The older girls, Brea and Kyler tried out skiing and snowboarding for the first time. They did great! Justin and I are excited for Parker to try next season!
The second week of the month, our friends, Alicen & Brian Potucek invited us to their family cabin in Packwood, Washington. Their friends, Abby & Sean came as well. Parker spend the weekend chasing around 2 and 3 year old girls. He loves watching big kids, so he was entertained the entire time. Saturday morning we went up to White Pass for sledding. This was Parker's first real time in the snow since last year he was only weeks old. He was not a fan. It was super cold, so after 5 minutes he was shaking, saying, "all done" and headed for the lodge. Hopefully next year he will be more into it. The adults went skiing/boarding, but I opted to stay back at the cabin with the kiddos. It was such a relaxing weekend and fun weekend.
Parker has been getting his first 4 molars. This means a lot of drool, ear aches, pain and waking at night. Parker is pretty tough so when he's up at night crying we know he's not feeling well. Poor guy. One night Parker was crying inconsolably. There was nothing I could do to calm him. Justin came in after a few minutes to help. Parker looked at him, stopped crying immediately, pointed at his Dad's chest and said, "chest hair". We were shocked first of all that he knew those words, but that he was excited enough about it that he was able to calm down. Then he happily went to sleep. Whatever works, right?
Parker has begun testing his boundaries. He knows what is off limits in the house, but every once in awhile, he will do something just to see what we will do. He may open a drawer he shouldn't meanwhile saying to himself, "Noooo". Or Parker may look at us with a fire in his eye and stretch his hand towards something to see if we will stop him. We're trying to be consistent and hopefully his games will get boring soon.
Parker has a big vocabulary at this point. Here are some of the words he's saying:
Momma, Dadda, Pop, Grandma, Grandpa, Curt, Heido, RyRy, E-E, Kitty, fishy, sister, baby, shoes, milk, turkey, cheese, pasta, bread, Eggo, Cheerios, banana, yogurt, lemon, blankey, teddy, light, wall, door, window, toys, bath, water, all done, more, please, up, hold you, bless you, thank you, mail
Animal sounds for: cat, dog, bird, cow, bear, sheep
Sounds for car and Justin's electric razor
It's fun to see him pick up words. Most of them through direct teaching, but some of them he's learned on his own. We don't remember teaching him 'wall' or 'mail" but he's used both in the correct context on his own. It's so cool that babies are such sponges at this age. I guess it's time we watch what we say and watch on TV in while he's around!
We were invited by our friend, Brian & Alicen Potucek to stay at their cabin for the weekend in Packwood. We went with their friends, Abby & Sean. It was such a relaxing weekend! The best part was taking the kids up to White Pass for sledding. It was freezing so Parker only lasted a few runs before he headed for the lodge. The older girls, Brea and Kyler tried out skiing and snowboarding for the first time. They did great! Justin and I are excited for Parker to try next season!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
December
We started out the month with an awful stomach bug. Parker started throwing up on Tuesday. I was out on Wednesday, and Justin on Thursday. Let me tell you, it's hard with everyone being sick, but at least it was staggered slightly so Justin and I could care for Parker and each other. What a miserable couple of days! We've been lucky enough that Parker hasn't gotten sick until now. I can't imagine him being this sick at a younger age. He just laid on the couch and didn't want to play at all. One positive was that he finally started to cuddle. I think at first Parker needed to cuddle, and then learned that he actually likes it! Our boy has been much more cuddly since this illness. We'll take it!
Towards the middle of the month, Justin and I took Parker to see Santa. Parker has been more weary of strangers the past few months so we figured it may not go well. We were right. Parker was fine when Justin placed him on Santa's lap, but as soon as he started to step away, Parker full on panicked. The boy was terrified and showed it! He threw his candy cane, started screaming, had tears in his eyes and was reaching for us to come get him. Like the empathetic parents we are, we let him panic until the photos had been taken. We chose to purchase the photo with the most terrified expression because, hey, every child has at least one. Hopefully Parker won't be traumatized for life.
The days leading up to Christmas were a lot of fun. We spent it all with family. First, we went to the Holmes' for their tradition of watching Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation with the Madson Family. The following night, the 23rd, we headed to my parents' to watch the Seahawks beat the 49ers with the family the was in town.
For Christmas Eve, we were back at my parents' house. The Vreeburgs, Grandma Vreeburg and Curt were there too. We ate the greatest meal of the year, opened presents, and had a terrific time joking and relaxing.
On Christmas, we started the tradition of enjoying the morning at our house. Parker came downstairs to a tree full of presents. He was so excited! Santa brought him a fabric tube to crawl through and a sled. He enjoyed opening his stocking gifts and the rest of his presents. We ate a delicious breakfast that included my mom's sticky buns and Curt's orange julius recipe. Then we headed over to the Holmes' house where we opened more presents, relaxed with movies and games, and had their traditional meal, gumbo.
What a joyful Christmas!
Justin's good friend, Missy and Justin got married on Saturday, the 29th, so we flew down to San Diego. It was a quick 2 day trip, but it was filled with a lot of fun. We got to catch up with many friends whom we haven't seen in a long time. Plus, it's always great to spend time in SD. Justin was a groomsman, and he was asked to say a prayer at the reception. Missy & Justin are a wonderful couple and had an absolutely gorgeous wedding. Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Blaine! On Sunday, we were lucky enough to spend time with Rachel & Scott DiBello. It's always good to see them!
By the time New Year's Eve rolled around, we were exhausted from the busyness of Christmas and the San Diego trip. We decided to spend a quiet night at home. We played with Parker's toys, ordered our favorite pizza, and rang in the new year on our couch. It was perfect! 2012 was a great year with a lot of joy. We are hopeful that 2013 will follow suit. We look forward to the arrival of our second child. What could be better than that?!
Towards the middle of the month, Justin and I took Parker to see Santa. Parker has been more weary of strangers the past few months so we figured it may not go well. We were right. Parker was fine when Justin placed him on Santa's lap, but as soon as he started to step away, Parker full on panicked. The boy was terrified and showed it! He threw his candy cane, started screaming, had tears in his eyes and was reaching for us to come get him. Like the empathetic parents we are, we let him panic until the photos had been taken. We chose to purchase the photo with the most terrified expression because, hey, every child has at least one. Hopefully Parker won't be traumatized for life.
The days leading up to Christmas were a lot of fun. We spent it all with family. First, we went to the Holmes' for their tradition of watching Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation with the Madson Family. The following night, the 23rd, we headed to my parents' to watch the Seahawks beat the 49ers with the family the was in town.
For Christmas Eve, we were back at my parents' house. The Vreeburgs, Grandma Vreeburg and Curt were there too. We ate the greatest meal of the year, opened presents, and had a terrific time joking and relaxing.
On Christmas, we started the tradition of enjoying the morning at our house. Parker came downstairs to a tree full of presents. He was so excited! Santa brought him a fabric tube to crawl through and a sled. He enjoyed opening his stocking gifts and the rest of his presents. We ate a delicious breakfast that included my mom's sticky buns and Curt's orange julius recipe. Then we headed over to the Holmes' house where we opened more presents, relaxed with movies and games, and had their traditional meal, gumbo.
What a joyful Christmas!
Justin's good friend, Missy and Justin got married on Saturday, the 29th, so we flew down to San Diego. It was a quick 2 day trip, but it was filled with a lot of fun. We got to catch up with many friends whom we haven't seen in a long time. Plus, it's always great to spend time in SD. Justin was a groomsman, and he was asked to say a prayer at the reception. Missy & Justin are a wonderful couple and had an absolutely gorgeous wedding. Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Blaine! On Sunday, we were lucky enough to spend time with Rachel & Scott DiBello. It's always good to see them!
By the time New Year's Eve rolled around, we were exhausted from the busyness of Christmas and the San Diego trip. We decided to spend a quiet night at home. We played with Parker's toys, ordered our favorite pizza, and rang in the new year on our couch. It was perfect! 2012 was a great year with a lot of joy. We are hopeful that 2013 will follow suit. We look forward to the arrival of our second child. What could be better than that?!
November: A lot to be Thankful for
**Blogger isn't allowing me to add more photos due to space issues. I'll get them up as soon as I can figure out a solution. For now, use your imagination***
We took family photos in November to celebrate a few things: Parker's first birthday, Christmas cards, and to introduce the pregnancy. Wright Park offered the perfect backdrop with bright orange fall leaves. It was a very chilly day, but we lucked out with no rain. Parker was less than thrilled to be a model, however, we ended up with some pretty great shots.
Thanksgiving was so much fun this year. We spent it at my parents' house. The Vreeburg family came down for two nights which was great because that meant more time with them! Parker loved seeing his family and enjoyed the attention. Curtis was able to come home, so we enjoyed spending time with him. Parker loves Uncle Curt! We all enjoyed wonderful food and good family time. Alyssa even brought a cotton candy machine for dessert. Yum!
The last weekend of the month, we went down to Portland to visit with Ryan, Heidi, and Ian. It was so relaxing! We watched football, played games and ate great food. Parker loves his Aunt and Uncles! One day the boys helped Grandma Jane put up Christmas lights. Grandma took us out to lunch. We are lucky to have such a wonderful, fun family!
Fun things about Parker this month:
He is getting really communicative. Parker is trying hard to communicate so we've been teaching him new signs (fan, light) and words (yogurt, water, help, up, hold you, banana) to make things easier for him.
Parker loves being silly. He turns his head on its side to look at us. He does a fake laugh to get attention and he lays down on floor with a "look at me!" smiling face.
We took family photos in November to celebrate a few things: Parker's first birthday, Christmas cards, and to introduce the pregnancy. Wright Park offered the perfect backdrop with bright orange fall leaves. It was a very chilly day, but we lucked out with no rain. Parker was less than thrilled to be a model, however, we ended up with some pretty great shots.
Thanksgiving was so much fun this year. We spent it at my parents' house. The Vreeburg family came down for two nights which was great because that meant more time with them! Parker loved seeing his family and enjoyed the attention. Curtis was able to come home, so we enjoyed spending time with him. Parker loves Uncle Curt! We all enjoyed wonderful food and good family time. Alyssa even brought a cotton candy machine for dessert. Yum!
The last weekend of the month, we went down to Portland to visit with Ryan, Heidi, and Ian. It was so relaxing! We watched football, played games and ate great food. Parker loves his Aunt and Uncles! One day the boys helped Grandma Jane put up Christmas lights. Grandma took us out to lunch. We are lucky to have such a wonderful, fun family!
Fun things about Parker this month:
He is getting really communicative. Parker is trying hard to communicate so we've been teaching him new signs (fan, light) and words (yogurt, water, help, up, hold you, banana) to make things easier for him.
Parker loves being silly. He turns his head on its side to look at us. He does a fake laugh to get attention and he lays down on floor with a "look at me!" smiling face.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Our Newest Addition
Justin and I have always wanted our children close in age. This summer we started discussing our second child. It took two and a half years to conceive Parker, so we've wondered if we'd also have difficulty with our other children. This time God blessed us with a child quickly. It's funny how our timing can be so different than the Lords'.
On August 25th I helped run a school supply giveaway to children who can't otherwise get what they need for school. As I was cleaning up my station at the end of the day, the Life Center Church janitor was helping me load my car. As we walked away, he turned to me and asked if I am a Jesus girl. When I told him I am, he said, "The Lord told me to tell you that you are going to have a baby." He smiled and walked away. No sooner did he leave did I wish I had asked him when! Does that mean soon or eventually? Would it be a natural pregnancy or an adoption? That short conversation did give me peace, knowing and trusting that I would have another child.
Towards the end of September Parker and I joined Justin on a work trip to San Diego. When we returned home I began to suspect that I was pregnant. When Justin arrived home from work on the 24th, I ran upstairs and took a test. Positive! I decided to put the test in a gift bag and handed it to Justin. When he opened it, he was surprised! We were both in shock. Parker was sitting in his high chair wondering what was up with his parents. It was special to have him part of our moment. We even got him to say "baby".
On October 16th, we went to see our OB, Dr. Nelson, for an intake appointment and ultrasound. It turned out that I was 6 weeks pregnant. The baby was very small on the ultrasound pictures. It sort of looked like a shrimp. We could make out the head and curved body. It was fun to see this stage of development!
Justin and I decided to keep our new baby a secret until 12 weeks. This was difficult! One person, however, figured it out. Tiffany asked me if I was pregnant the week after Justin and I found out. I thought that her and her husband, Derek, figured it out because they knew I was taking extra naps and had turned down a drink or two. It turns out that God told her. She was praying and heard the words "Fear Not" and she knew! This is a big deal for Justin and I. If you've read our Presentation Sunday blog post, you remember that we went to a special service to receive prayer while trying to conceive Parker. A woman prayed over us and kept repeating the words "Fear Not" to us. Soon after I found out I was pregnant. When I told Tiffany about our experience, she reminded us that in the Bible those words were used when God wanted people to know good news was coming.
Luke 2:10: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy".
In Luke 1:12 an angel of the Lord said, "Fear not, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth."
Luke 1:30-31: "The angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."
It's amazing to me how much the Lord cares about us and how he takes care of us. It's not always in our timing, but it's always in His. This baby is in God's perfect timing. He or she is a miracle and a gift. Praise God.
We were so excited and about our new addition, that we wanted to make the baby part of the holidays. It's fun to be pregnant during these special occasions because we have something extra to celebrate. When went to the pumpkin patch before Halloween, we got 4 pumpkins. The baby needs one too! We hoped no one would think twice about an extra pumpkin sitting on our porch.
This pregnancy has been quite different than my first. With Parker I was hardly nauseous. This time, I felt quite sick the first trimester. I was even unlucky enough to throw up a few times. I was am just as tired. Last time, I was busy teaching 27 students and this time I am chasing a one year old. Both don't allow for much down time. Of course, I welcome the sick feelings because I know these are signs my baby is healthy and growing. It is all worth it for a new, precious little one.
November 20th, Justin, Parker and I went to Maternal Fetal Medicine at Saint Joseph's Hospital for an extra ultrasound. This was to detect for any possible complications. We don't have any reason to believe there would be an issue. Our OB always offers it, so we thought we'd do it just for extra piece of mind. This ultrasound was a lot of fun. It was more in depth than normal and we got to see our baby's heart, brain, and other vital organs. The baby was much more developed than the last ultrasound, even though he or she was only about 4 centimeters. We could see him or her wiggling around and waving arms and legs. Exciting!
On August 25th I helped run a school supply giveaway to children who can't otherwise get what they need for school. As I was cleaning up my station at the end of the day, the Life Center Church janitor was helping me load my car. As we walked away, he turned to me and asked if I am a Jesus girl. When I told him I am, he said, "The Lord told me to tell you that you are going to have a baby." He smiled and walked away. No sooner did he leave did I wish I had asked him when! Does that mean soon or eventually? Would it be a natural pregnancy or an adoption? That short conversation did give me peace, knowing and trusting that I would have another child.
Towards the end of September Parker and I joined Justin on a work trip to San Diego. When we returned home I began to suspect that I was pregnant. When Justin arrived home from work on the 24th, I ran upstairs and took a test. Positive! I decided to put the test in a gift bag and handed it to Justin. When he opened it, he was surprised! We were both in shock. Parker was sitting in his high chair wondering what was up with his parents. It was special to have him part of our moment. We even got him to say "baby".
On October 16th, we went to see our OB, Dr. Nelson, for an intake appointment and ultrasound. It turned out that I was 6 weeks pregnant. The baby was very small on the ultrasound pictures. It sort of looked like a shrimp. We could make out the head and curved body. It was fun to see this stage of development!
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| The baby is in the center of the black. The head is the larger, white circle on the left and the body/legs curl up along the head on the right. |
Justin and I decided to keep our new baby a secret until 12 weeks. This was difficult! One person, however, figured it out. Tiffany asked me if I was pregnant the week after Justin and I found out. I thought that her and her husband, Derek, figured it out because they knew I was taking extra naps and had turned down a drink or two. It turns out that God told her. She was praying and heard the words "Fear Not" and she knew! This is a big deal for Justin and I. If you've read our Presentation Sunday blog post, you remember that we went to a special service to receive prayer while trying to conceive Parker. A woman prayed over us and kept repeating the words "Fear Not" to us. Soon after I found out I was pregnant. When I told Tiffany about our experience, she reminded us that in the Bible those words were used when God wanted people to know good news was coming.
Luke 2:10: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy".
In Luke 1:12 an angel of the Lord said, "Fear not, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth."
Luke 1:30-31: "The angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."
It's amazing to me how much the Lord cares about us and how he takes care of us. It's not always in our timing, but it's always in His. This baby is in God's perfect timing. He or she is a miracle and a gift. Praise God.
We were so excited and about our new addition, that we wanted to make the baby part of the holidays. It's fun to be pregnant during these special occasions because we have something extra to celebrate. When went to the pumpkin patch before Halloween, we got 4 pumpkins. The baby needs one too! We hoped no one would think twice about an extra pumpkin sitting on our porch.This pregnancy has been quite different than my first. With Parker I was hardly nauseous. This time, I felt quite sick the first trimester. I was even unlucky enough to throw up a few times. I was am just as tired. Last time, I was busy teaching 27 students and this time I am chasing a one year old. Both don't allow for much down time. Of course, I welcome the sick feelings because I know these are signs my baby is healthy and growing. It is all worth it for a new, precious little one.
November 20th, Justin, Parker and I went to Maternal Fetal Medicine at Saint Joseph's Hospital for an extra ultrasound. This was to detect for any possible complications. We don't have any reason to believe there would be an issue. Our OB always offers it, so we thought we'd do it just for extra piece of mind. This ultrasound was a lot of fun. It was more in depth than normal and we got to see our baby's heart, brain, and other vital organs. The baby was much more developed than the last ultrasound, even though he or she was only about 4 centimeters. We could see him or her wiggling around and waving arms and legs. Exciting!
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| You can see the baby's profile on the left and his or her body on the right. The legs are curled up. |
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
One Year Old: A Monster Celebration
I can't believe I'm already writing about my son's first birthday! It is crazy to think that our little boy is turning into a toddler. It feels like he was just born. Justin and I have been doing a lot of reflecting on the last 12 months. We've had so much fun with our boy. He is sweet, funny, easy going, friendly and silly. We couldn't be more proud or feel any luckier than we do. Parker is simply amazing.
Since Parker was a monster for Halloween, that gave us the idea to have a monster themed party. Let's be realistic...one year olds don't care about their birthday. First birthdays are for parents and grandparents. I'm okay with that. Parker can have a say in his next 90 parties, but this one is mine! I love a good party, so I planned for a month or two and came up with some pretty fun ideas for decorations. I found a lady on Etsy who created an amazing invitation, and I look at Pinterest for cake and cupcake ideas. It all came together extremely well. My good friend, Tiffany was a life saver and helped me decorate the cake and cupcakes. I couldn't have gotten them done in time without her!
We are lucky to have so many family members who live close by and who love Parker so much. There were about 20 people at the party. Parker is one blessed boy!
Since Parker was a monster for Halloween, that gave us the idea to have a monster themed party. Let's be realistic...one year olds don't care about their birthday. First birthdays are for parents and grandparents. I'm okay with that. Parker can have a say in his next 90 parties, but this one is mine! I love a good party, so I planned for a month or two and came up with some pretty fun ideas for decorations. I found a lady on Etsy who created an amazing invitation, and I look at Pinterest for cake and cupcake ideas. It all came together extremely well. My good friend, Tiffany was a life saver and helped me decorate the cake and cupcakes. I couldn't have gotten them done in time without her!
We are lucky to have so many family members who live close by and who love Parker so much. There were about 20 people at the party. Parker is one blessed boy!
Here are some shots of the decorations:
Party Fun:
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| Parker threw each eyeball on the floor |
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