Family Vacation.....Sort of

We haven't had a real vacation in a year.  Of course, that was a month in Hawaii- sort of the ultimate vacation, I know.  So Spence and I were so excited to take the last week of August and go to Florida.  We invited his family, and it all worked out that his parents, Daniel, Suzy & Jim were all able to join us.  We even got the same house we've stayed in before.....what a treat.  

Parker actually traveled really well!

Then there was Isaac.  Hurricane Isaac that is.  We knew the week before our trip that it was predicted to come up the gulf.  Then it looked like 

it would hit directly where we were staying.  But we had faith that we would be fine.  So we drove 8 hours anyway with Parker to our destination.  Beautiful weather, everyone made it.  House set up, beach gear ready, and kitchen full of a week's worth of groceries.  Daily, the storm looked to start heading more and more west towards New Orleans.  Then after less than 48 hours, the area had a mandatory evacuation of non-residents.  Even our rental company called to kick us out.  Boo.

on the beach with Honey

Spence and I were determined not to go back home.  So the 8 of us went to Birmingham for the night and stayed at a nice resort.  The guys got one more golf day in and we all parted ways.  We ended up spontaneously crashing in Atlanta with my awesome family for a couple of days.  All in all, we had almost a week away, out of the house, away from the hospital, and fun time off together.  Maybe next year, right?

the sand sculptor

We did fit a lot of fun in though- check it out!  On our one full day at the beach, we had a professional sand sculptor come and teach us how to make a real sand castle!

we got in 2 decent beach days

Rick, our professional sand castle architect

building our castle

Suzy and Jim watching the castle construction

our finished product- it got so much attention on the beach!

Parker loved the water

Daniel and Jim

Spence and Parker on the beach

Daniel, Suzy and Jim

Waking up and playing with our cousin Jim

Playtime inside 

out to eat at the Fish House

story time before bed

golf in the wind and rain of Isaac

Wish we had many more days of this.....

at the pool in Birmingham- unfortunately the rain followed us here too 

Honey and her babies before we went home

8 Months

Dear Parker,

Each month I pinch myself in disbelief that you can be growing up so quickly.  It still feels like just the other day your daddy and I were holding you in the hospital as we welcomed you into our family.  We would just hold you and stare.  Or put you in the bassinet and stare.  There is none of that these days, because you are a wild man around this house.  I am following you room to room and baby-proofing the house in stages as I realize all of the things you want to get into are unsafe (you seem to LOVE any cord, any shoe, Jack's tennis balls, and Jack's food/water bowls).

So last month you started crawling, and each couple of days I noticed how you are getting faster and faster.  Then, I started finding you standing up all over the place- your crib, the door, the bathtub, holding onto Jack, etc.  Then you realized that if you hold my hands, you can walk on your 2 feet around the house.  So, why would you crawl?  You make it clear that you want to walk everywhere now.  You are even using your heels instead of walking on your toes now.

Stats
Height: ~27" (50th%)
Weight: ~20lbs (50th%)
Teeth: 5
Eating: ~5 5oz bottles of breastmilk a day.  You are such a great eater- you have 3 meals a day.  For breakfast it's whole grains or oatmeal mixed with milk and fruit.  Lunch and dinner you have a variety of vegetables.  And we have introduced Puffs lately.  At first, you worked pretty hard just to pick one up and it was rare to make it into your mouth.  Now, 9/10 times you get the puff quickly and into your mouth.  Your hand/eye coordination is really improving!
Sleeping: You were starting to sleep ~11 hours a night.  Then we went out of town, and are paying for being off schedules with you waking up at night at least once.  We'll get back to all night.....hopefully!

You are starting to babble more these days.  You say "mamamama" still when you are in the mood.  At times, I just hear you experimenting with noises, but no other clear and discernable consonants yet.  Once you have your palate repaired, I am curious to see if you start making more sounds.

I found you looking at Jack the other day

This month, you clearly reach for us with your arms when we approach you to pick up.  You use your hands to feel our faces, and I'm pretty sure you know how to give kisses.  You grab my face and put your lips to mine- which usually ends in me wiping away a ton of drool!

You are just so playful, and when I watch you every day, I feel like I can just see the wheels turning in your mind, discovering more about the world around you.  You turn to your name.  You turn pages in books, looking behind pages in pop up books.  You see us leave the room, and you crawl after to find us.  When I called home the other day, you went crazy trying to get to Dad's phone because you heard my voice.  He said you smiled every time I spoke.  You are really becoming a little boy, full of wonder and curiosity!

Life has become drastically busier with your mobility.  But it has become increasingly more and more fun.  I am filled with pride watching you grow, develop, and express your personality.  Your Dad and I love you so much, and you continue to make us laugh.

All my Love,
Mom

Standing up

I swear this boy changes more and more each day.  I heard him awake on the monitor, so as I walked in his room, I find him standing up in his crib.  What??  I thought maybe it was a fluke.  Until several times throughout the day I found him standing up holding onto something.  He just started really crawling last week!  He is one determined little boy!

Playdate

As I've mentioned before, it can be a bit of a challenge living so far from family members with a small baby.  Not only is it hard to not get to see them frequently and have Parker be around them on a consistent basis, it also means we don't have built-in help or babysitters.  

But the best aspect of what we love about our life here in Columbia is the incredible friends that the Lord has blessed us with.  Meredith and Colin especially are like family here, and we can mutually rely on one another to help out when in a pinch.  We had the pleasure of a playdate with Madeline today.  It was the easiest it's ever been having the 2 at the same time.  They are both so mobile that they want to entertain themselves and each other.  So much fun!

And finished our playtime with a snack......so cute!

Going Home

visiting with Honey!

I am in disbelief that it is already the middle of August.  Summer is over.  I swear June barely existed, July was a blur, and I don't know how we are already gearing up for September.  I was really feeling a longing to go home to Arkansas to see family.  We hadn't been there since May, and I knew by looking at the next few months that I didn't know when we could go back.  Spence and I had ~5 days off together randomly this month, and we got a GREAT deal by Priceline for tickets to fly home 48 hours later.  So that's what we did.

playing in the airport

Parker, again, was an awesome traveler.  He was so happy on the flights, and I was so grateful for an easy time of traveling with a 7 month old.  So many fellow travelers kept complimenting what a great disposition he had, how well he did on the plane, how adorable he is.....all comments that made for proud parents!

What did we do for 5 days?  Very little, except eat, swim, and relax.  It was the perfect visit home.  And Parker as usual was smiling and playing delightfully the entire time.  I love watching our family with him.  I tell him daily how lucky he is to have so many wonderful people that love him.  We pray for our Arkansas family every night, and with Facetime, we can start seeing them on a more regular basis.

Mama was in Heaven!

Parker giving kisses

Parker LOVED Mitchell- and he was so great with him

we could get used to daily pool time

we got a lot of time to visit with Aunt Margaret

Mama held P at any and every opportunity

Love time with our KK

Parker is on the move!

Wow- I have been really late in catching up lately.  Once again- the busier and more mobile Parker becomes, the less time I am finding to do things.  I often wonder- what did I do when he just laid around and slept?  Somehow I found myself very busy.  And tired.  Yet- fascinated with every "little" thing that he did!

So, in less than 2 weeks time, we have a boy who can now put himself in sitting position and is now in the early stages of crawling.  I swear every single day I find him doing something new.  Last Monday, July 31, I woke up at 6am to a babbling boy on the monitor.  I looked on the video monitor, and much to my surprise, I had a little boy sitting up in his crib playing.

Good morning, Mom!  I'm ready to play!

So, once he discovered that he could sit himself up, that is all he wants to do- sit up, lay down, sit up....you get the idea.  He also has been trying to crawl for a couple of weeks, and we are now in the early stages of crawling.  Really, he is getting around with a variety of moves.  He sits up, goes to all fours, rocks a bit, then moves his arms and legs forward a couple of times, plops to his belly, rolls to his side, slithers like a snake, scoots backwards, then back up on all fours....etc.  It is hilarious to watch!  I LOVE watching his little mind at work in discovering his world more and more every day.