Parker 51 Weeks - Last Week as a Baby

Turning 1 year old officially marks the end of the baby phase, and the start of the toddler phase.  Mommy is happy yet sad to see her baby growing up, but she's going to enjoy this last week!  Parker is growing like a weed.  He has really taken to his soy formula and we've found that he loves eating meat.  His favorites seem to be chicken, hamburger, and lamb.  Steak and pork are still a little tough to chew when you only have a few teeth.  Hope to try fish soon.  He also seems to like any kind of fruit, most veggies (including broccoli), but doesn't seem to like pasta.  We continue to offer him a spoon and he has figured out how to get the spoon in his mouth occasionally but not always with food. He also loves drinking water from water bottles.  Speaking of water, we have caught him drinking bath water from one of his toy cups, silly boy.  He enjoys eating dinner with his family from the high chair or portable high chair and watching big brother.  He's getting braver on his walker even lunging toward Mom or Dad.  And he likes to stand hands free when leaning against the couch or shelf, what a big boy!  He is definitely putting on more weight gaining more chunk in his face and (finally) moving up to size 3 diapers.  He's reached the phase where it's almost impossible to clip his nails or toenails because he just won't hold still and clenches up, that's where big brother helps provide a distraction. And just this weekend tooth #5 made an appearance (upper left).  Still can't believe our baby is going to be 1 yr old, he's almost ready for a convertible car seat!

Playing peek-a-boo with brother at dinner

Brady is such a little man, he's great with his manners and always gets compliments on his good verbal skills. With turning 3 yr old last week, his picture has been on the door at daycare with a big birthday sticker and ear-to-ear smile.  His memory is incredible and he will starting singing songs he learned at daycare (Mom and Dad try to play catch up).  He'll also remember if you told him to do something like "remind me to tell Daddy that..."  His energy is overflowing and he will bounce around on the couch or dump out his toy bins until he finds something that catches his interest.  Potty training has gone really well, even on travel, with only a few minor incidents.  In fact he loves flushing the airplane potty covering his ears when it makes the loud noise.  And who knew that little kids pooped this much (and how frequently)!  He is still a phenomenal sleeper and loves reading his bedtime stories with Mom and Dad frequently asking Mom to make up a story about Frank (from the movie Cars).  He's been sleeping with a pound puppy Mom had as a kid and since it is brown he named him Mater.  And he always asks to hold Mom's hand during bedtime story time, what a sweet boy.  Speaking of sweet, he gives the best hugs when we pick him up at daycare.  It's so cute to see how excited he is to see his parents at the end of the day.

School picture day

The family made a quick trip to Texas and back both for Mommy's work and to enjoy the LM Aeronautics family day.  Family day was really cool, we got our family picture in front of both an F-35 and an F-16.  In addition the factory floor was open and we were able to tour the wing and fuselage build up centers and aircraft final assembly.  What an amazing place to work, Mommy has been very fortunate.  While only a short trip, we did get to see Keira and her family as well as some of our other Texas friends.  Daddy was even a little homesick for Texas.  And despite not having ear tubes, and drinking only sips of milk, Parker did not have any trouble with takeoff or landing (phew!).

Awesome hotel kiddie pool

Parker impressing the girls at their old daycare

We miss you Ms Sam!

The boys and Keira - cuteness x3

The BFFs

We are totally blessed with two wonderful little boys, amazing family and friends, and work opportunities that provide our lifestyle.  We will be celebrating the boys birthdays in a joint birthday party this weekend.  Until then, Mommy has her baby for 1 more week!

Family Day at Mom's Work

For the first time in 10 years Mommy's work had a family day.  The boys had a lot of fun getting to tour the factory, take pictures with the airplanes (F-35 and F-16), sit in firetrucks, and play with other kids.  It was amazing how much of the facility was open and available for viewing.  What an incredible place to work!

The Family in front of an F-35 destined for Luke AFB

Happy 3rd Birthday Brady!

What a big year for Brady - having a baby brother to love and take care of, moving northeast back by family, and becoming a year older and growing into the wonderful person he is becoming.  This little guy brings so much energy, laughter, and love to our household - happy 3rd birthday Brady!!!

Then and Now - Brady Turns 3!

This year Brady's special day fell on Patriot's Day, a New England holiday, so with day care closed Mom had an easy excuse to take the day off and spend it with her boys.  After a morning of cartoons and playing in the house, it was time for a mobile nap (ie car) then a stop to check out the Loch Ness play center.  Loch Ness was awesome, best $10 we've ever spent.  Brady had a blast in the bounce house, driving the big wheels, sliding down the slide, and playing with every possible toy the place had to offer.  We will definitely have to make a return trip when Daddy has the day off.  Parker had fun too walking with the shopping cart, riding with brother on the big wheels, and crawling through the tunnel.

Fun at Loch Ness

The boys had a great weekend too.  With the beautiful weather we picked up a double stroller and took the boys out for a stroll.  They loved it.  There was a little bit of foot kicking and giggling but it was all good.  It will be a little heavier for Mom's jog.  With everyone finally healthy and in town we took the boys up to see Great Grandma.  Not sure who had more fun, Great Grandma or the boys!  The boys got all the toys out on the porch, and even took some outside.  Parker who hasn't liked touching grass got brave and started crawling on it to get a ball.  Now it'll be harder to keep him confined to the picnic blanket.  It was great seeing Great Grandma and Aunt Diane, I hope they slept as well after the visit as the boys did!

Stroller shenanigans

 It's shiny and makes noise

The birthday buddies - 89 years apart!

The house where Mom grew up, under the new owners

Parker 48 Weeks - Sleeping Through the Night

What a difference a week makes - one late night talk with Daddy and Parker is now sleeping through the night!  It's funny the ways Parker and Brady are similar, and yet the ways they are different (Brady was sleeping through the night at 3 weeks).  Parker is finding more ways to communicate, this week he learned a parents least favorite response the "no" headshake.  And he does it with a big smile, silly boy.  He's also started clapping to music or mimicking others, and will give hi-fives.  The eating really kicked in this week with the switch to soy formula.  For a good week he was drinking 7-8 oz bottles plus eating anything he could get his hands on.  And he's getting more accurate with the finger pincher grasp getting food in his mouth.  While we don't go back for his next pediatrician visit for a few more weeks we can already feel the pounds packing on him.  He's such a happy kid, always wanting to play or explore or follow around big brother.

 Mr Happy

Milk coma

Brady just cracks us up - he comes up with the wildest stories when sitting on the potty (suns hatching from eggs?).  And he loves taking his matchbox cars to the sink car wash covering the sink and himself in water.  He has a great imagination and and will pretend to grill out or make a cake with Mommy while dinner is cooking.  His curiosity and energy are endless, asking "why" repeatedly until he understands it and can repeat it back to you.

Arranging magnets 

The new fashion in pre-school (Daddy???)

Mommy spent the week back in Texas while Daddy was solo watching the boys.  Daddy did great getting the boys to school and getting them home/fed/down to bed all by himself.  He also helped Uncle E move some old furniture into Uncle Chris's new apartment.  Mommy extended her stay in Texas so she could catch up with some old friends, see some baseball, and go to Keira's 3rd birthday party.  How is it possible our babies are already 3!?!

 Opening day at Rangers stadium

 '66 Chevelle (and a rare dress sighting)

Happy birthday to this little princess!

Parker 47 Weeks - Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!  Hope everyone had a great weekend and great holiday.  No outdoor Easter egg hunts for the boys this year (we still have 1ft of snow), but they did enjoy a homemade Easter egg hunt and their own Easter baskets.  We were originally planned to go to NJ, but Parker came down with the stomach flu this week so didn't want to put him in a long car ride or share his bug with others.

Happy Easter!

It also worked out that staying home one of Mom's high school friends was in the area and they got to hang out for a few hours.  Megan, her husband Chris, and their 3 kids enjoyed some pool time with Daddy and Brady, while Mom and Parker stayed dry watching all the action.  It was good seeing Mom's old friend, another perk of living back up north.

Fun times at the hotel pool

Poor Parker threw up 2 nights this week warranting staying home from daycare and getting another trip to the pediatricians office.  Our little guy weighed in at 15.05 lbs.  He has only gained 2 lbs in 5 months, and currently weighs less at 11 months than he weighed at 9 months.  At the advice of the pediatrician we switched him to soy formula to help stop the diarrhea.  And we stuck to the BRAT diet for finger foods.  By the weekend he was more himself eating 4-5oz per bottle, 8-9 bottles a day (incl 1 over night).  His poops are more firm, although very smelly, but hopefully he's over it now.  Let's hope so for poor Daddy as Mommy has to travel out of town again this week!  Otherwise Parker has started "monkey see, monkey do" clapping if you clap, poking something if you poke it, laughing if you laugh, etc.  He does really well beating two objects together.  But he does have a temper at times, and will thump his head on the floor while crying, silly boy.  We've started him on Baby Signing Time sometimes at the protest of older brother who would prefer to watch cartoons.  Parker is all over the house now, crawling or getting around on his walker.  He's very curious and loves to check things out.  And he's definitely in a Mommy phase, kicking/crying anytime he sees her and she's not holding him.

Keeping up with Mom's email while at the doctor

New toy house at school

Brady had a great week - this week they made bird feeders at school using the cardboard paper towel roll, jelly, and seeds.  Once it hardened he was able to bring it home and that will make our birds very happy.  It was also book week and Brady got a new book about a shark and a minnow that are best friends.  He's still a great helper too always willing to feed Indy and going with Mommy to get Parker when he wakes up.  Brady was even brave enough to hold Parker himself on the rocking chair and feed him a bottle, until Parker got too squirmy and started crying.  But Brady is happy Parker is feeling better so they can play together again, especially down in the play space (basement).  With the house heat and the space heater on, the play space does pretty well for warmth. There is also something that have been meaning to put in the blog, Brady loves to say Coco, or Koko, not sure what or who he is talking about. But he calls us Coco, or references Coco at least once a day, crazy kiddo, more to come about Coco I am sure. This has been going on for months.

Proud of his bird feeder

Feeding Parker (bad spot for the sun!)

We did get invites out for the boys joint birthday party in a few weeks - hoping everyone can make it, see the new house, and celebrate these milestones with the boys!