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!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
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!
 |
| 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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