Dear Parker (Our Tenth Month)

Dear Munchkin,

Oh, my sweetest baby! You had an excellent month. So much to experience and so much to enjoy! You make unpleasant situations so much fun. Thank you! It is quite a relief.

You got to go on your first airplane ride! You were an angel your first flight, but your second flight wasn't as easy. It wasn't your fault. The airplane's air conditioning was broken! So miserable. You got to strip down to your diaper though and got quite comfortable. People played with you the whole time and you were especially fond of a sweet girl who played peek-a-boo with you. What shocks me most is the people you draw into you. You have little kids that are acting like snots drop everything to play and you have grown, grumpy men doing everything they can to make you smile. The group I never expect is teenage boys who have their friends around and still stop to play with you.  They remind me of your sweet uncle Trevi. It is proof they will be great daddies one day. (Ladies, if you are thinking you are in love, make sure they handle kids well!)

We were lucky enough to go to Pennsylvania for a week. It sounds like a boring place to visit, but it is every kids dream! Mama spent a lot of time there growing up and every street has a fun childhood memory and I hope you get to make some too. There are parks galore and not the boring plastic parks we have. There are huge wooden parks with play stations you don't see anywhere else and real tire swings. Squirrels are running around and giant orange leaves to jump in. Swings are not your thing, you prefer crawling around getting into things, like the leaves. You had the time of your life.

You are a very observant child. You do have a short attention span, but you really enjoy things and take in every moment. It seems like you really appreciate any small thing and it fills my heart. I am trying my hardest to raise you as a grateful, appreciative person and these moments make me feel like I am on the right track. The Hershey Chocolate Factory has a cute little ride that takes you through the chocolate process and your little head was flying everywhere and looking at every little thing. We went to an art museum and you stared so intently at every piece we walked near.

You have been brushing your teeth for a while, but now you have quite a few teeth to clean. This is your favorite part of the morning and night. You may even like it more than eating. I have to pry the toothbrush out of your mouth. Please, please keep up that habit for you whole life. Also, please get my teeth. Daddy has tiny teeth. I know that they say binkies aren’t as bad as people claim they are, but I still worry. I hate them. I am hoping to cut you off around your first birthday. I cannot handle when kids are talking with binkies in their mouth. Time to start the weaning!

Halloween is such a fun holiday! Our entire family went as a zoo! You make the cutest lion in the history of animals. You did not want to keep the costume on and you definitely wouldn’t wear the lion mane, but for the little bit of time we had it on, it was the cutest ever. You really enjoyed handing out candy because there were so many kids! People your size make you smile. I can’t wait until play dates mean playing together rather than grabbing hair and poking eyes.

I am so excited for your first holiday season. It is so fun to begin traditions that I will carry on from our family. Time to help make pies, pick out your annual ornaments, and see how long we can keep ornaments on the tree! I love you forever and cannot wait for this season!

Dear Parker (Our Ninth Month)

Dear little pumpkin,

The holidays are quickly approaching and the pumpkins are out to be picked. Thank goodness I got the best pumpkin in the patch! You are at the age I have spent more time sharing you with the world than I did keeping you all to myself, nice and safe in my tummy. It is so weird that I have known you longer than anyone else, even daddy! Of course daddy knew you a little when you were in my tummy, but only small things like what song would always make you wake up and when you were most active. I knew every hiccup, your favorite sleeping position, and what foods made you jolt and which ones made you hiccup. Now everyone knows it.

You started climbing the stairs the day after you celebrated your eight month birthday. You climbed one stair, looked at us, and kept going. On your first climbing adventure, you made it all the way to the top. I was pretty shocked. Standing right behind you, I kept my hands there just waiting for you to need help. No sir. You needed no help. In fact, you kept waving bye-bye to me to get me to go away! I can’t help but laugh as your little hand pops up, waving toward yourself.

You learned to wave last month, but you are rocking it this month! I mention your flirting all the time, but I can’t even have you turned toward me at the mall! You want to be out and waving at all the ladies with both hands! Smiling the biggest smile, dressed to the nines, kicking your feet, and waving with both hands. Ladies cannot help but stop me to tell me you are flirting. I never know what to say, do I apologize? No way. Who needs to apologize for someone totally making their day?

We let you play in your first ever bounce house. We were lucky enough to be invited to a Sharing Down Syndrome and it was full of bounce houses! We went into one and you just were not having it. Maybe it was too hot, maybe it was too unstable, but whatever the case may be, you hated it. Poor kid. You did enjoy watching your cousins bounce around though! When we got out, Daddy took you to the side and let you bounce. That’s all you needed… some simple fun.

You finally got to meet two members of the family that you haven’t met yet! Chester and Lupe, our horse and donkey. You may remember Lupe… he is the infamous donkey that escaped and we put up “Lost Donkey” signs up. Luckily, he was just making friends around the neighborhood. You seemed mesmerized by animals so big, you couldn’t take your eyes off of them. When it came time to ride the donkey, you didn’t even cry! High five brave little guy!

I cannot believe I’ve had to share you for nine months. Can I be selfish and keep you all to myself? I wouldn’t, even if I could. You deserve all the love in the world. Everyone that meets you loves you and that makes me so happy. Is there much more a mama would want for her baby? I can’t think of anything better than an abundance of love. I love seeing your tender moments with your family and cannot wait the holiday season. You will get so much family and cousin time!  

I want to tell you to stop growing up, but you are just starting to develop your personality and I cannot wait to get to know who you are becoming. You are sweet like your daddy, but loud like your mama. What else will you get from us? Will you be musical like him? Or a genius (har har) like me? I cannot wait to find out. Lets just slow down time a little.

 October 8th, 2013

17.8 Pounds

28 Inches

Dear Parker (Our Seventh Month)

Dear Little Squirt,

Holy moly, seven months. Every month, the passing of time gets a little more shocking. Your seventh month of blessing this Earth had more personality milestones than physical ones. I'll take it! You are growing too quickly and moving too much too soon. Stay little, sweet boy. I just want to spend my life cuddling you and smothering you in kisses.

You are playing non stop. You will skip your nap if you see something that looks fun. Luckily, you have grown to the point where you are not too crabby when you skip your nap! When Daddy gets home from work, it is your time. Lately, you've been building forts and try crawling through the little holes. You love it. Your pup, on the other hand, absolutely hates when you are in the fort. She tries knocking it over to get you out. I know I've mentioned this before, but we were so scared of how Leia would handle you, but it has been more perfect than I can ever imagine. With your quick movements, you are able to sneak up on her. You really surprised her and scared her, then held on, and she wanted you to let go, but wouldn't move to avoid hurting you. I love this little friendship you two have!

Your Grandpa has these special little things he does with all the grandkids. I imagine that there will be a few different special things for you because you are the only boy, but for now you get to follow in your cousins' footsteps. Pretty soon you'll be out there gardening with him and feeding the fish, but right now you get to do one of my favorite things... wear his hats. Our family has big heads. Very big heads, literally and figuratively. Nothing is cuter than when Grandpa puts his big head hat on you! You look adorable and you love it. 

You have a pooping face and it is adorable. One of the funniest things about becoming a mom is how obsessed you become with poop. I need to keep track of how many times you go a day, the consistency, the color. It is the most awkward thing. I am guilty of getting so excited, I took a picture of your diaper and sent it to Daddy! Next bathroom milestone: when you hide to go potty. I love that too. It is hilarious.

We have a pretty good routine in the mornings. You usually wake up at 6 and I bring you to bed to feed because you go back to sleep immediately. Lately, you have been finishing breakfast and look at me and start squirming around. Next thing I know, you are cuddled up to Daddy, far away from me! The first few times, you gave me this "ha ha mom!" face and then fell asleep. I melt every time I see you two sleeping or cuddling. He is your big pillow.

Maybe we let you taste a few more treats than we should, but we love your little squeals. It looks like a lot, but I promise it is not much. Daddy is really bad about it. He feeds you way too much ice cream! I've mentioned this before, but you really do scream when we do not give it to you or we do not let you have any more (see below). Luckily, you are doing great with eating veggies. This baby led weaning stuff is awesome. We don't have to puree every thing and you basically feed yourself! Lately, you have been loving peas for dinner and peaches for dessert. 

 Your favorite toys have changed! You love empty water bottles, your baseball, piano, and books. Oh boy, do you love books! You love the pictures and play time in our bed; it is just a nice end to our busy days.

You know how to make a mama's heart melt. Whenever I am making dinner or cleaning the kitchen, you search for me. You look every where and get upset when you don't see me. Finally, Daddy will turn you in my direction and you get the biggest smile and make the best happy sounds. All I see is your little head poking over the chair and it is the epitome of happiness. You are literally the Sun, my everything revolves around that little face poking over the top of the couch.

 Parker, you just make life perfect. You are not a stressful baby. You are not a handful. You are a smiley, cuddly babe and I just love being the one blessed with the privilege of raising your kind soul. I promise to do my best.