12.21.09

It's getting harder and harder to write. I'm so wiped at the end of every day. You're doing so much lately! You're pulling up on everything. Chairs, tables, toys that aren't made for pulling up on.

You're developing a horrible habit of trying to get places that I don't want you to go-like the end table between the couch and recliner. Why?? I think it's just to make me crazy.

You hate baby food meat but you've eaten sliced turkey for the last two days. You love it. I bought you some soy cheese. You hate that. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. Maybe melt some on some noodles.

You are still getting up at about 4:30 every morning. I'm still not really happy with that. I don't really have a choice though.

I'll write more later, I'm beat!

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.13.09

You're eleven months old. Only one month away from your first birthday. I have to tell you, it's bittersweet. I never thought I'd have you. I'm so proud you're getting big but at the same time it's hard to have you needing me less and less.

You're beautiful and smart. You're so engaging. Even strangers fall in love with you. It's so beautiful to watch you grow. I'm excited but I want you to slow down so I don't miss a thing. Being a mommy is so full of opposites... wanting you to grow and learn and wishing it wasn't all happening so fast.

 You almost took a step today. You pulled up on the recliner and turned toward the coffee table. You let go and started to take a step. Lost your balance and ended up on your bottom. You were so close. I almost cried.

You're still having trouble with meat. I'm not quite sure what to do. No worries, we'll get it figured out.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.11.09

Ack. Sleep. Please.

You're either waking up at 1 am and not wanting to go back down or still getting up at 4:30. You seem to need less and less sleep. It's making me SO TIRED. I'm still hoping it's teething as the teeth on either side of your top fronts have yet to break through.

On a really exciting (and scary for me) note, you're now letting go when you pull up. It seemed to take you forever to learn how to crawl and now you're flying through the milestones!
I've got to go, it's bedtime!

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.08.09

It has been too long again since I've written. I'm so far behind posting all this on your blog.

You slept until 5:30 this morning. You woke up at 1 am for some reason though. Your Daddy gave you a bottle and you went right back down.

You gave your Daddy a black eye on Saturday. You two were playing and you accidentally kicked him in the eye. It's sort of funny but it really hurt him. Ouch!

You also learned to pull up this weekend. Now you're even letting go and standing on your own a bit. All in less than a week!

I promise I'll try to write more tomorrow.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.03.09

Having those two teeth through has helped your mood TONS! You were silly today. You laughed a lot at bedtime. You have such a great sense of humor!

Sleep... You woke up at 3:30 this morning losing your mind. I think your room is too cold. We're trying leaving your bedroom door open tonight to see if that helps. I'm really running out of ideas. If this doesn't have you sleeping later we're going back to a big portion of cereal at bedtime. That's all I know to do.

I love you so much. We're going backwards in terms of your sleep. It's hard for your Daddy and I. We're so tired. Please, please sleep tonight.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.02.09

We have teeth! Well, sort of... Your front two teeth have both broken through your gums. You were in a much better mood today.

We put you down at 7:30 last night, you slept until 4:50 this morning. So I guess we'll be moving your bedtime back to 8 or 8:30. I'm not particularly excited about this... but, it will allow you to be up for dinner with us It just totally gets rid of the hour or two of adult time your Daddy and I a day. Oh well, if it helps you sleep later in the morning, I guess it's worth it.

I can't believe you're almost 11 months old. You're getting so big. I'm excited for you but you're just growing up way too fast! You're crawling really well and starting to figure out pulling up. Wow.

I never thought I'd be here, married, a wonderful son... I have to tell you , I am the happiest I've ever been. It's spilling over into every part of my life, I even enjoy work more. Even as tired as I am sometimes, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you so much it brings tears to my eyes. I really am the luckiest girl in the world.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

12.01.09

I wish these teeth would come in! Your poor gums look so bad! Your top left front tooth has broken through. The right one is starting to break the gum in one spot. The outside two... oh goodness, they look like a war zone. Poor thing... I'm hoping when those nasty things come through you'll sleep later in the mornings.

I'm a little frustrated with your Grandparents. There's a tiny possibility, and I mean tiny, that I could get a better job. If I did, I'd have to put you in daycare at least two days a week. The possibility is so small I shouldn't be upset. I just hoped I'd have more support... Eh, whatever. We'll figure it out if something happens. But if you know to wish for things, wish for this to happen for Mommy. It would mean so much to me, that the last 12 years of my life haven't been wasted, workwise.

That's all for tonight!

I love you Parker!

Mommy

11.30.09

And we're back to sleep! Good grief son! You're napping well, that's not the problem. You've been waking up at 4;30 am every morning for the last three or four weeks. It is killing me. Absolutely wearing me down. I've tried changing a couple of things... different diaper, moving your monitor-the light on it is really bright. And not letting you go down until after seven. I'm pushing your bedtime back to 7:30 tomorrow.

In less stressful news, or maybe more, you're learning to pull up! I'm excited for you! I guess walking isn't too far off. That makes me so nervous. You'll be into everything then. But it shows that you're growing up and getting stronger!

I'm trying to sneak some meat in, you aren't liking that. But you have to eat meat! I don't know how to cook vegeterian! :)

We'll figure all this out. I hope before I lose my mind.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.29.09

We celebrated your first Thanksgiving on Thursday (11.26). You ate lima beans and turkey.

You still haven't gotten those top two teeth yet. I'm giving up that you'll get them before 11 months. I'm just going to try to keep you happy.

 You're still getting up at 4:30 am. This is NOT OKAY. You have to sleep later, you're killing me!

I'll write more tomorrow, it's bedtime.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.23.09

Your gums are still fighting against those teeth! I'm hoping at least one will cut through by in the morning. That will relieve some of the pressure. Hopefully.

Your Daddy and I have some co-workers going through a difficult time. Their baby was born last night but he has a hole in one of his lungs. So now is the time that we need to send all our good thoughts to them. They need them so much.

It makes me so aware of how lucky I am to have you- perfect and healthy. We may be having some small problems, but you are perfect. We'll get the meat thing figured out.

 I just want you to know that I love you more than the universe is big... And you make me proud every day!

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.22.09

You're still trying to cut all of your top front teeth. They're getting closer to coming through. I'll be so glad when they're in. You're a bit of a grouch these days.

You learned to sit yourself up this week and you're crawling on your hands and knees a lot more lately.

I'll write more tomorrow!

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.19.09

There's so much going on right now. Good things and bad. And I feel like I need to tell you all of them. We'll start with the good.

You're getting more and more mobile. And you've learned to sit up by yourself. You're also currently trying to cut four teeth! That's right, FOUR! I think, at times, you're a bit of an overachiever! :)

So now, the not so good... Lots of my friends- your baby friends- are having problems in their marriages. So much talk of divorce. Nattalie, Shannon and Jay's daughter, is going to grow up with only a Mom.  Aunt Melissa has had problems recently. Another friend of mine, Michele, is considering divorcing her husband. And your Aund Christi is having to deal with the possibility as well...

I promise you, no matter what happens between your Daddy and I, we will always be here for you. Together. We meant it when we said forever. And not that we have you, we mean it even more. We promised each other that wo would bear each other's burdens, that we would lift each other up, that we would always respect each other, and nost importantly we would always remember that we love each other.

I'm so glad that you will never have to bear the burden of a broken home. Your father and I are so lucky to have each other and we know it. And we make each other aware of it every day. We are doubly lucky to have you.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.12.09

I keep forgetting things here... Things you do that get lost in the day to day. You talk SO MUCH. And you chirp. I can't explain it, it's a version of your 'motor' sound but really hight pitched. You do it when you're having fun and happy. You hum yourself to sleep at naptime. It's more like an 'aaahhhh' sound but you do it as you're falling asleep during the day.

Your favorite toy right now is an empty water bottle with beans in it. Oh and your Jumperoo. You'll jump and jump and jump until you're bouncing with your head resting on the top of the seat.

You refuse to crawl in the traditional sense. You army-crawl or roll everywhere. You spread your toys all over the den floor.

It's late and I'm sleepy.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.11.09

Parker, I love you son, but I'm so tired. Getting up at 5 am isn't working for me. I feel myself aging more and more every day. It's getting hard to play with you because I'm so exhausted. You're going to have to start sleeping for an extra hour.... I could do 6 am. But not 5. I've lived half a day before I even get to work. And I have to be on my toes at work. My attentiveness and personality keep you fed. If I'm asleep in the corner we're all going to starve.

I'm starting to push your bedime back to see if that will get you to sleep later. I don't have much hope though, honestly. I suppose I'm just going to have to adjust. And drink LOTS of coffee.

 I love you so much but I'm frustrated and I feel like it's interfering with my care for you. I'm just exhausted.

I love you so... I'm so tired.

I love you Parker!
Mommy

11.09.09

I've been awful about writing to you lately- so much has been going on. Like I said in my last entry- you jumped off my bed. You weren't hurt, you even smiled.

We had a Halloween party for you- Melissa & MacKensie, Amanda & Aidan, Shannon, Jay, & Nattalie came plus your Grandmama and Grandaddy were there too! It was tons of fun.

You got your first cold/ear infection the next day. You cried all day Sunday. It was so sad. I didn't know what to do. I felt awful. we took you to the doctor on Monday and got your first prescription. Then I got sick and spent Tuesday and Wednesday in bed. :(

We're both getting better every day.

Your Grandmama does a craft sale every year. It was this past Saturday. We stayed all day- you were awesome. You got to see several of your Great-great Aunts. I'm so glad you get to see them.

 Naps are pretty good. A little inconsistent but you're at least in your bed. It's great.

We're going to start moving your bedtime back. You're getting up at 5 am every day and that's TOO EARLY! I'd love it if you'd sleep until 7 but I can compromise- we're shooting for 6.

I think I hear you moving around in your room. Time to play!

I love you Parker!
Mommy

10.27.09

We've had quite an eventful week. On Sunday you jumped off my bed. You had the biggest smile on your face... as if to say, 'Look what I just did!' It scared me to death.

I love you Parker!
Mommy