Praying for Daddy

This morning we were eating breakfast and Parker said, "Dada?". I replied, "Daddy's at school, and he has a big test today! We need to pray for him." He hesitated about .5 seconds and said, "Amen!"

Talk about a proud moment. He is making the connection between prayer and the word Amen!

17 months old!

17 facts about my 17 month old: (idea stolen from Sarah)

1. He is talking up a storm. I'm not going to list all his words, but his favorites are outside, moon, sissy, shower, mama, night-night, and shoes (which he's really in to).

2. Speaking of showers, that is his only mode of getting clean these days. He LOVES taking a shower. According to my sisters, it's really weird because he just stands there under the water and lets you wash him. They had to "shower" him last weekend just to believe it.

3. He is starting to string together two word phrases. When we woke up at my parent's last weekend, he said, "At Gigis?" repeatedly. And he'll say, "A moon?" and then I'll say, "Yes, that's the moon" and he'll say, "I see"

4. He still loves to read. He's a boy after my own heart. The Lord knew I needed a child that loves to read as much as I do. He still loves the Llama Llama books, but he's also liking You are my I love you, Goodnight Moon, and a Sesame Street book from the dollar spot at Target!!

5. He's really in to tractors lately. He's pretty much plowed up the entire house with his little John Deere. He calls them "caka". He likes to drive them up the walls and furniture. And he loves to read his tractor book.

6. He is still saying "Amen!" The other night, we were putting him to bed, and Phillip said his nightly prayer. Apparently Phillip was taking too long, because in the middle of the prayer, laying face down on his belly, he raised his hand up behind his head and yelled, "Amen!" Talk about trying not to laugh.

7. He loves to be outside.

8. He loves to wear his rubber boots.

9. He loves to eat popsicles! This was one morning before we went to Vickie's. He had reopened his lip wound, so I gave him a popsicle to stop the bleeding.

10. He hates socks. I guess he's not used to the feeling of them since it's been so long since he's had to wear them.

11. He walks around the house carrying a picture of his cousins Gavin and Emma.

12. He likes playing with trucks and firetrucks. Friday night we took him to my fall carnival at school, and he got to get up in the big firetruck. I think he would have stayed all night.

13. When he's embarrassed or trying not to laugh, he makes a really funny face with his lips.

14. He's really interested in my car.

15. He's really interested in his "owies". That's what he calls them. He currently has one on his knee, so he points to it repeatedly.

16. He is also into eyes. He likes to point to everyone's eyes and say the word. This includes Tulips and any stuffed animals laying around.

17. He is really funny. Seriously, he has a really funny sense of humor. He's still really easy and fun.

17a. He is the absolute love of our lives. This is the perfect age. This was the age I was meant to parent! Seriously, this makes all the sleepless nights worth it.

Racing for the Cure!

We all participated in Race for the Cure this year to celebrate Mom being cancer free! This is her 8th year of being cancer free!

All that racing wore Parker out!

1st ER Visit

We took our first trip to the ER today. We were at Truett's birthday party, and Parker took off running across their living room. He tripped and fell face first into their piano bench. He started bleeding like a stuck pig! Phillip was at work, so David Donnell took me up there to show him; I figured Phillip could tell me if we really needed to go to the hospital or if I was just overreacting. Phillip decided that we did need to go, so David, Phillip, and I headed up there.

He didn't require any stitches, but the gash on the inside of his lip is pretty bad. They told us to rinse it out after he eats. They also told us to give him popsicles and ice to keep it numb, and Tylenol/Motrin for the pain. She said his lip would be twice as big tomorrow! His top gum line is outlined in blood, but the Er dr said the teeth were secure. However, she said we still needed to follow up with the dentist. So, Daddy will be taking Parker to his first visit with Dr. Fulks tomorrow!

Below are some pics. I couldn't get the lip open enough to get a good picture, but the gash looks like a star shape. He still has blue icing on his lip from Truett's birthday cupcake!

He's happy to be playing "outshide". That's what he kept saying when we got home. He just wanted to go out and play.

You can see the scratch on the top of his lip, and you can kind of see how his top teeth are outlined in blood. The main gash is in the bottom lower lip.

Amen!

Lately

Parker spent the weekend with the grandparents. While he was at my parent's, he found a pair of pink rain boots that belong to my niece Abby. He loved wearing them around the house, so when we got home, I dug out this pair. They're a little big for him, but he insisted on wearing them anyway!

Here he's running to greet Phillip. He heard the garage door open, and he jumped up to go see his daddy. However, one of his boots came off, so he had to pause, grab it, and try to get it back on.

He's getting really good at eating with a spoon..can't you tell? He hardly makes any mess at all! :)

Here he gave up the spoon and figured this was just easier....

I went to Dallas for my pledge sister's wedding. It was so good to see my college crew! It's hard to believe we've been friends for over 10 years now!

Such a big boy eating in the chair!

Just so I can remember: In addition to the words he says already, he can also say sissy (for Tulip), belly button (when you ask where it is, he says it and points), all the cousin's names, grandparent's names, friends at Vickie's, baby (glowworm), night-night. He'll pretty much repeat what we say. And...he can put his puzzle pieces in correctly!!!! So, so exciting! He's also loving reading more than ever. Now we have to read the same books over and over. Usually it's Llama, Llama Red Pajama. Tonight we read it 3 times and we read Goodnight Moon twice.

15 months of fun!

Parker is soooo much fun these days! We're amazed all the time at how smart he is. Some things he likes to do:

1. He likes to look at the pictures on the fridge. We have pictures of friends and family. If you ask him where certain people are, he'll point to them. He can point to Ana Bella, Shelby, Lily, Abby, and Brock. We're still working on Pratt. Don't worry, Pratt. We'll have it down by your birthday party.

2. He loves to take a shower. Tonight, I said, "Parker, it's time to get out," and he looked up at the water and said, "Bye." I am realizing that his receptive language skills are amazing!

3. He is adjusting to his new babysitter really well. He can say her name and her dog's name. This morning I said, "Parker, are we going to Vickie's today?" and he said, "Bubba." Bubba is her dog.

4. He loves to read any of the Llama Llama books. He calls them his "mama" books. He points to them specifically...points and says "mama".

5. He will "sing" to any toy that makes music....and he likes to dance.

6. He will pretty much give love to whatever/whoever you tell him to. Tulip was the recipient last night. The more attention he gets because of it, the longer it will go on.

7. This weekend he was at his Marmee's and he walked up to her and said, "shoowee". She said, "Do you have a shoowee diaper?" Sure enough, he did. Are we ready to potty train? :)

8. He likes to sweep. He gets his broom and dustpan and says "shwee".

9. He loves to play tug-of-war with his sister. We were reading tonight, and Tulip wanted to play, so she brought the toy and laid it in his lap. The game was on!

Yes, you see it correctly. He had it in his mouth. I know, it's disgusting, but it pretty much sums up our life.

I had to put this one because it actually shows how blue his eyes are.

His new favorite hiding place is under daddy's sink.

He's rockin' out in some Converse.