Parker 32, 33, 34 Weeks - Lots of Changes!

Leaps and bounds best describes the last 3 weeks.  Prior to leaving Texas Parker was still a baby getting the hang of crawling.  Now he has 1 tooth (bottom front left) which broke our first day in Mass, he sits unsupported regularly, he is pulling up to stand on everything (and sometimes toppling over), and walking when holding Mom or Dad's hands.  What changes in only 3 weeks!  He is also eating a lot more, with 3 5oz bottles at daycare, plus fruit mixed with oatmeal for breakfast, and a veggie for lunch.  He will still nurse morning and night and eat another jar of baby food with meat for dinner.  We also introduced finger foods starting with sliced bananas and blueberries (slippery), Cherrios (a staple), and cooked small pieces of broccoli or carrots.  We also tried giving him a 50/50 mix of juice and water in a sippy cup, but he seemed more interested in chewing on it than drinking it (oh teething...).  With all this eating he is really starting to fill out moving into his 6-9 month or 9 month clothes.  And with the standing, we had to move his crib down to the lowest setting.  He'll be walking and chasing after big brother soon!  Parker's personality is starting to show - he prefers solids to milk (unlike Brady), he loves to explore and climb, and he's pretty happy and smiley but when he gets fussy he wants his momma.  He also hates diaper changes or getting dressed/undressed as it prevents him from being out exploring.  And while he got a lot of baby toys for Christmas, he seems to prefer playing with big brother's toys or turning on/off the XBOX (liking IT already?).  With the drop ship delivering the crib, we are back to sleep training to get him on a regular nightly sleep schedule and give mom and dad some sleep (he was waking 2-3x/night).

1st standing on his own 

Proud of himself!

 Yummy Cherrios!

 Time to move the crib down to the lowest setting

 Getting ready to walk

Sippy cup...or teether?

Brady has taken really well to the relocation.  He drinks most of his hot milk morning and night, eats his breakfast and lunch well, still struggles with us to eat dinner, and "negotiates" going for a bath and bed but then sleeps a full ~11 hrs / night just like he did in TX.  We moved Parker into Brady's room while we're squeezed for space in the apartment, and Brady sleeps through Parker's crying and sleep training.  As for naps, he does really well at school but struggles at home and on weekends just like he did in TX.  It's also harder with the boys on different nap schedules, unless we are out and about in the car.  Brady did really well adjusting to his new daycare already taking to his new teachers and classmates (he's learning their names), and learned how to "flip" on his winter jacket.  With Parker we can add blankets to the car seat to keep him warm, but Brady has to wear his jacket, hat, and gloves making it a little harder to squeeze him into his car seat.  Brady is growing really well too, some of his 2T pants are getting a little short so we bought him a good supply of 3T pants and jeans that he can grow into.  He also moved into Size 5 diapers.  He does a great job of helping Mom and Dad sweep, throwing out his trash, feeding or walking Indy, and helping get things for Parker but he is 2 yr old and does have an occasional tantrum (don't take him house hunting with you without a movie for the phone).

Bundled up for the cold

 1st gingerbread house with Mom

 Playing firetrucks and cars with little brother

"Helping" at bath time

For us parents, the relocation has gone well.  Seems we only missed 1 box in the drop ship, and Mom's car has been delayed, but otherwise everything has showed up.  Living in an apartment again is good and bad - we like living with less, but it's an adjustment.  And our immediate neighbors and hallways can be noisy prompting Indy to stand guard.  Mom did meet another Mom who gave us an exersaucer and may meet up for future play dates.  House hunting has been a process, lots of variety but nothing we've loved and we've been adjusting to home prices (half a million for what?!?).  Hope to find something permanent soon.  With the move, 2 week break from work, and seeing family for the holidays we still feel like we're on vacation and haven't moved.  Maybe it'll sink in tomorrow when Dad starts the new job!

The local ski/tubing hill is open (Nashoba Valley)

Our "happy place"

First Day At the New Daycare

Brady and Parker started at their new daycare this week going to the Next Generation Children's Center (NGCC) in Westford.  The school is larger than the Children's Courtyard, having 160+ kids and splitting the boys into two different buildings.  This makes drop offs and pick ups a little more challenging.  Brady is enrolled in the Toddler B classroom and Parker is in Infant A.  Daycare here costs about 2x as much as Texas, but offers a lot more programs judging from all the permission forms we have to sign (bike helmets, water activities, etc).  

Brady cried a little bit his first day at drop off, but once he saw his name on his bin and coat rack he got a big smile.  Parker did great too exploring the room and finding a nook to play peek a boo with his teachers.  After only a day at daycare Brady is learning how to put on his own snow jacket and Parker is a daredevil climbing on things and pushing himself around the room.  Both boys are excited to be making new friends and learning new things!

Parker Exploring the Infant Room

Daddy and Brady at Drop Off

Christmas 2014

Less than a week into our new apartment and Santa found us anyway - Merry Christmas from our family to yours!  The boys had a great day opening presents, playing with toys, and a bonus visit to Uncle E's.

Parker 31 Weeks - Celebrating the Holidays

With Mom's telecommuting request getting approved, the last piece of the puzzle came into place for our relocation.  Now it was time to take a step back and celebrate the holidays!

North Texas offers a lot of fun ways to enjoy the Christmas festivities.  This year we visited the Stockyards for the kid activities and holiday parade.  Brady got to ride a longhorn, a pony, and watch the armadillo races.  We even got to see a live shootout western style.  Capping off the night was a live street band and some impromptu Texas two-step, even Mom and Brady got in on the action.

Later in the week West met East and we took the family to the Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine to see the Frosty the Snowman ICE exhibit and checkout all the holiday lights.  Poor Brady was getting over strep throat and a touch of the flu so he wasn't in the best spirits, getting a little freaked out when the purple ice turned his hand purple, but bouncing back when he saw the giant Christmas tree and water fountains.  Parker just smiled and squirmed like he always does.  It wasn't easy, but Erik and Katie made it to the hotel to join us and checkout the lights.  Uncle E spent the weekend horseback riding, enjoying country music, and chasing his nephews.

This week also marked our 14th dating anniversary.  We took advantage of the free babysitting and some caffeine and went to one of the first restaurants we checked out when we moved to Texas - the Reunion Tower.  The food was good (and filling), the wine was just awesome, and with the rotating floor we got to see the best of Big D one last time.

With Brady feeling a little better, we met his BFF Keira at Texas Motor Speedway to checkout the Gift of Lights and meet Santa.  Brady was a little nervous at first to sit on Santa's lap, but when we told him he had to sit there to make sure Parker was ok and not scared he jumped right up - what a good big brother!  They both did great posing for the picture and Brady even told Santa what he wanted for Christmas (race car).  Then we met up with Keira and went back to her house to exchange presents on one last play date.  The kids had so much fun together, it's so cool how they remember each other even though they don't get to see each other often.  They helped each other open gifts, played with toys together, cleaned up messes together, and gave each other lots of hugs.  Brady was a gentleman and kissed her goodbye on the forehead, he's going to be quite a catch someday!
 

This week the infant room at daycare had their annual holiday book exchange and party.  Parker enjoyed the fun wearing his Elf Sized onesize and taking one of his favorite books to share (mirrors and peek-a-boo).  In return he got a nice interactive book from Liam, a little boy who is younger but about Parker's size.  Parker also got a Christmas blanket from Ms Barb, some holiday art (with his footprints) from Ms Delaney, and a Christmas ornament from Ms Lauren.  They even tried to get Mom to cry by giving her Parker's first finger painting captured a frame at a time.  We are really going to miss these special women who have taken such great care of our sons!

With only one short week left in Texas, Mom and Dad are saying a lot of goodbyes.  We have been so fortunate in our time in Texas, so many special friends and memories were made here.  While it's time to return to our northeast roots and family, we'll always have a little of the wild west in our hearts and it our soul.  We'll miss you Texas!!!

Parker 30 Weeks - Teething and other big boy stuff

The house is sold!  In less than 2 weeks we had 3 offers and the house sold easily to the highest bidder.  And after days of house hunting, while en route back to Boston airport we found a new apartment complex needing tenants and found our new temporary home.  Pieces are starting to fall in place for the move! 

Parker is getting so grown up turning 7 months old this week and doing lots of big boy things.  He sat in a restaurant high chair for the first time.  He's so little we had to watch he didn't face plant into the side of the table.  He also transitioned to the high chair at home while big brother moved up to the big table.  Parker looks so tiny in the high chair compared to Brady!  We thought we'd have to get a lower (not counter height) table for Brady but turns out the extra height is a blessing so he doesn't get distracted and try getting up and down.  Big brother did great eating from the table with little brother in the high chair, he even enjoyed feeding Parker and playing peek-a-boo from behind the chair.  Parker is getting stronger and more mobile crawling all over the living room, play room, and breakfast room.  He's been having a lot of fun with Brady's play house, even managing to crawl down the slide.  He doesn't head butt things like Brady used to, preferring to scoot on his belly then get up on his hands and knees to rock.  He's starting to nap less in the day, taking 2 naps for 1-2 hrs each.  Eating wise, we give him four 5 oz bottles at school, plus morning cereal and a veggie for dinner.  This weekend we started mixing the cereal with fruit and started feeding him a meat blend for dinner to increase his calories and boost his weight.  Turns out he does not like chicken and brown rice, preferring apple turkey cranberry and sweet potato chicken.  And now that we've increased the solids, his poops are getting thicker (and smellier).  Parker has never been as great a sleeper as big brother, but it's gotten worse with traveling and teething.  Poor little guy is just chomping on his fingers.  He tends to be fussier at bedtime (tired and less distractions) and has been waking up to 5x/night.  This is not fun when Mom and Dad have to work 9+ hr days.  We started teething tablets which seem to give him some relief and if he's really struggling we give him baby Tylenol.  Hoping the teeth break through soon.  He also had a bit of a rash on his back but that has been clearing up.  Despite it all he's still his giggly happy self!

Restaurant high chair

Playing peek-a-boo together

Brady "helping" with dinner

Brady is such a big boy too.  He's a great big brother, helper, singer, has a great imagination, and loves his YouTube dance videos.  He got an extra treat this week getting to spend a few days with Grandpa Bob and Grammie Terry while Mom, Dad, and Parker were house hunting.  He even got to drive the tractor to "help" Grandpa.  Now that it's the holiday season he enjoys seeing the Christmas lights and singing Jingle Bells (he knows almost every word).  And when we tell him we're moving to Mass he gets excited for snow, sledding, snowmen, skiing, and playing with Parker.  The boys are going to have so much fun in the snow!

 A moment of calm on the plane

Playing with Grandpa

 Our little helper

 It's snowing!

Early morning cartoons at the hotel with my bro