Parker and Daddy

Brad's birthday was last week, so we celebrated with dinner at home and carrot cake for dessert.  It was yummy!     

Parker loves mowing with his own little mower, but he is especially fascinated when Brad is mowing with his reel mower. 

Parker followed Brad back and forth across the yard for about 20 minutes.  I love it when they hang out together - it's really a special time for both of them!

Jake didn't want to be left out, so he decided to join in as well - hah!

Brad, Parker and Jake reading together - so sweet!

I had to put these pics in of Parker because they are just so cute.  Parker and I will give each other kisses and I make this big "muah" sound when we do, and he just cracks up.  He makes such a sweet face and sound when he laughs - precious!

Visit to Chattanooga

Last weekend we went to Chattanooga to see my mom and meet up with my brother, Ryan, who lives in Knoxville.  We also stopped at the cemetery to say hey to my dad.

We all took a little stroll around the cemetery that is surrounded by a lake - so peaceful!

Later that evening, we ate dinner at my mom's - lasagne and salad and Parker gobbled his right up!  He enjoyed it so much, I had to put a bib on him - hah!

I was so glad my brother and his wife, Donnie and son Dakota could come down.  It was great seeing them, because I don't get to see them very often.

Myself, my mom and brother.  Yes, my mom's hand is in a cast.  She had surgery on her hand because she tore 2 ligaments on her right hand.  Needless to say, she is learning quick how to do things with her left hand - hah!

Parker with his cousin Dakota.  Dakota is the best cousin ever!  Everytime they are together, Dakota always plays with Parker and gives him attention.  It is really, really sweet.  Dakota is such a nice young man and Parker really thinks he's cool stuff!

Dakota was such a good sport - he let Parker play with his face and pull his hair!

We had a fun time in Chattanooga.  Thanks for the yummy food, mom! 

Dentist Report

Parker had his 3rd dentist visit last week and we got a great report!  His teeth are healthy and clean.  Our rockstar dentist, Dr. Bongiovi (pronounced Bon Jovi), also gave me a great report, stating I was doing a good job with the hygiene - yay me!!  All of Parker's teeth are in, except for 1 of the 2-yr molars, but it should be coming through any time now.  It's always such a relief to get a good report at the dentist, you know??

This dentist visit was a special one because Parker actually laid down on the big boy dentist chair and the hygienist cleaned his teeth with the electronic brush!  Parker cried a little, but laid very still and did a great job.  I couldn't get a picture because I was having to hold his hands and distract him.  Both the hygienist and Dr. B said Parker did great.  He got a rubber ducky toy at the end of his visit (which he put right into his mouth and started chewing on) - hah!

This was in January 2011 - Parker's 2nd visit to see Dr. B

Parker's 1st visit to the dentist in May 2010.  I told Dr. B he can never get rid of this beaver, since this is our picture tradition - hah!

Party Time!

Last weekend Parker was invited to a friend's birthday party.  I taught with the mom, Ashley, at my first school, so it was awesome getting to see her.  Her daughter was turning 3, so the party was a farm theme.  The party was outside and they had some farm activities for the kids to do.  We also got to make real butter, by shaking a jar filled with liquid.  The activity was supposed to be for the kids to shake the jar, but all the adults ended up with the jar and did most of the shaking!  It was a great day for a party - in the 80s, when previous days it had been in the 90s.  We couldn't have asked for a better day - especially in July!

Parker found the tool bench and he was pretty fascinated by all the tools. 

However, his favorite was the John Deere mower - go figure!!

Cow cupcakes - too cute!!  Neither Parker nor I ate one, but they sure were cute!

Cow bags for the party favors.  Ashley is an elementary teacher, so she really put her creative touch on these bags! 

We stayed almost 2 hours at the party and Parker was exhausted!  He had been on the go for 2 solid hours, and it was getting close to bed time, so it was definitely time to go!  He almost fell asleep on the way home and when we got home, he got a bath and drank some milk, then he curled up on the floor and was trying to go to sleep.  Needless to say he slept like a rock that night!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy 65th Birthday to my Dad!  It's hard to believe it will be 9 years this October that he's been gone.  There isn't a day goes by that I don't think of him and all the wonderful memories we shared together.

My dad was born on July 20, 1946, so every July is bittersweet for me.  I remember sending him birthday cards and they were always the funny kind.  He even saved those cards and I have a few of them now.  This is a picture of my dad when he was a young boy.  If you ask me, he looks like a little pistol - hah! 

Dad enjoyed coming to my softball games throughout the years.  He always had some constructive "advice" for me after each game - hah!  This was senior day - my last college home game.  So glad he was able to be there!

My dad and I at my graduation at Tech in 2001.  I think he was probably most proud of me on this day.  I still remember walking into the "Hoop," our basketball arena, and among the thousands of people that were there - I was able to spot my dad waving at me.  I still remember his big, goofy smile and him waving his arms in the air trying to get my attention - hah!  The only thing he didn't have was a sign!  However, I'm sure if he had thought about it, he would have had one - hah!

Each year, we go to visit my dad's grave.  I feel this is not only important for me, but also for Parker, so I can share my dad with him the best that I can.

 

It's so peaceful going to the cemetery where my dad is.  He is buried on a plot of land that is surrounded by a lake on 3 sides.  This cemetery is also the resting place of many of his family members (his mom and dad, his grandpa and grandma, his sister, several siblings that passed away as young babies, aunts, uncles and cousins).  The cemetery is less than a mile from the home my dad grew up and lived in until he passed in 2002.

Happy Birthday Dad!  I love you and miss you every day!

Slip Slidin' Fun

It has been really hot and humid here the past several days, so a few days ago Brad bought a huge roll of plastic and turned it into a huge slip-n-slide.  We have to make our own fun when it's 98 degrees!  It actually worked pretty well.

Daddy and Parker ready to go!

Parker was thinking, "I made it down, now I have to walk back up?"

Time out to take a look at the trees and bushes

Back to slidin'

Wet and ready!

Brad definitely enjoyed the slip-n-slide the most!

One happy, wet little boy



Big Milestone!

Monday we reached a big milestone with Parker - we turned his "little boy" crib into his "big boy" daybed.  It was getting harder for me to pick him up and put him in bed, so I decided that it was time.  I'm also at 20 weeks, so this gives Parker (and myself) a lot of transition time, before he moves into his new room and new big boy bed.

The front rail is down and Daddy and Parker are having fun in the bed - hah! 

Parker thought this was the best thing in the world!  He climbed in and out of bed several times.  Parker thought he was hot-stuff getting in and out of his bed!

Parker refused to look at me or smile for me for this picture (I had interrupted his playtime)!

Parker's big boy daybed!  A bittersweet moment for me, because this lets me know that my little man is growing up way too fast!  He did a great job his first night in his new bed.  He only got out of bed once, then crawled back in and went right to sleep - pretty smooth!