First Dates and Funny Faces!!

Parker went on his first date tonight with Ally Mattern. We had a great time with Ally and Alicia at Beagle Bagel.

This is Parker's new outfit from Clayton. It's the cutest thing, and I've been waiting for him to be big enough to wear it. Thanks, Clayton!

We just tried this out today. Don't worry, I don't leave him there by himself. He's holding his head up really good, so we work on it for a little bit every day.

Parker's First Trip to Houston

Parker and I just returned from our fun trip to Houston. Lee and I had originally planned to drive out for the weekend to see Lia in her school musical, but I ended up hitching a ride with my aunt and going a week early...just me and Parker. He was such a great traveler and was really good while we were there. My parents were so great and kept Parker almost every night in their room...I almost got a little too spoiled! We had a good time hanging out at their house and being a part of Lia's every day life. Lee, Alyssa and Sam flew out for the weekend and flew back home Sunday. My mom and I drove back yesterday with Parker and got in late last night, and she's leaving tomorrow. I'm so sad I'm so far away from all of them. Of course, Parker and I were glad to come back home to our own house and be with Lee, but I'm going to miss my mom and dad and Lia so much. It's so much harder to come back home after I've been there for a while because we start to fall into an old routine and it makes me miss them being close so bad. Maybe soon!! Here are some fun pictures from our trip.

My cousin Eldon sat in the back with Parker on the way to Houston to watch him. He was such a great babysitter...until he got too tired!

My dad (PeePaw) was so sweet. He loved holding Parker and even stayed home by himself a few times with him so my mom and I could run around town!

Lia was such a natural with Parker and held him every chance she got. She was a great babysitter and a huge help...especially when he was fussy. He loves to hear Aunt Lia sing!

We had our first play date with Kelly and Dylan Mingoia. Dylan was born 1 week and 1 day before Parker. I think it's crazy how much they look alike. We had a great time and can't wait to see them again.

Parker started holding his head up for the first time. He loved to sit in this chair and stare out the windows.

We went to see Lia's school musical, Bye Bye Birdie. Lia choreographed the whole thing, and it was amazing! I got to see it 3 times while I was there - a little obsessed. We were so, so proud of her.

Parker had his first play group. Some of the girls in my mom's Sunday school class started this group that meets every Friday. It was so fun to talk with other moms and ask questions and share our concerns about raising these sweet babies. I'm so sad I can't be there every week.

Parker wore his first Polo outfit today to look just like his dad. He looks so grown up. When we left, it was WAY too big for him and now it fits. He's growing way too fast!!

Parker's First Road Trip

Parker went on his first overnight trip this past weekend. We loaded up Saturday afternoon and went to Pontotoc. Lee's parents had some chairs covered for us that we've had for a while for our bedroom, so we decided to go up and get them. I was a little nervous about how things were going to go, but he was perfect. He even slept a full 7 hours that night for the first time. We had a good time visiting with Lee's family, too. Parker got to meet one of his great-grandmothers for the first time and got to go by and see his other great-grandmother and great-grandfather. The real test will be this weekend. We are leaving Friday to go to the Coast to see my grandparents (Parker's other "great" set). Saturday morning Parker and I will meet up with my aunt and her family to drive all the way to Houston, TX to see my parents and Lia. Lee and I had already made plans to drive out there next Friday to see Lia in her school's musical and then come back on Sunday. But my dad and Lia really want to see Parker for more than just one day, and I could use getting out a little. I just hope the trip goes ok. Wish us luck!!

These are the chairs and ottoman that were covered for our bedroom. We love having them in the room and have spent lots of time in them already. It's nice to just feed him for the last time right here and then put him right to bed. I think the guy did a great job!

These are a few of my favorite things...

These are just a few things that I LOVE and am so glad I have. Just thought I'd share!

Netflix

I mean, why didn't anyone tell me about this sooner? Lee's mom got me a subscription to this for Christmas, and it is fabulous. I get two movies at a time with an unlimited number of movies a month. I went online and created my "list" of movies, and I keep updating it. Netflix sends me two movies at a time. When I'm finished watching one, I stick it back in the prepaid envelope and stick it in my mailbox. Within two days, I get the next movie on my list. It is so great, and checking the mail is so fun. I have found that there's nothing but trash on TV during the day, so this keeps us entertained, especially with the freezing weather!

Flip Video Camera

This was a Christmas gift from my parents and one that I knew nothing about before we got it. It is a tiny video camera - about the size of a digital camera. There are no tapes. We just pick up the camera, turn it on, and shoot. The greatest thing is that there is a USB port on the side that plugs straight into the computer, which makes saving the videos so easy. It does only capture 60 minutes if video at a time, so it is just for short segments. But we haven't even used half of that time yet!

Sing Over Me

My mom gave me this cd and a cd player for Parker's nursery. At the time, I thought we would never use it, but it turns out that we have a baby who loves music! I turn it on every time I change his diaper or any other time we're in his nursery. It calms him down almost immediately. For the times when he is really unhappy and will not stop crying and I'm about to lose my mind (like at 2am), I sing the words outloud to remind myself how much God loves me and Parker and of his promise to take care of us. It sometimes makes me cry at the realization, and it normally quiets him down. In just this short amount of time, we know all the words. The artists are great and have the most soothing voices.

Blanket nightgowns

Ok, I mostly love these because they are so cute. But they're also really practical. We zip Parker up in these things to go to bed, and he's so warm. We also don't have to use a blanket in his bed, which makes me feel better (just in case). And changing a diaper in the middle of the night is so much easier when all you have to do is unzip the front. I also love just the regular nightgowns, but I wish they had a zipper!

7 Random Things...

I was hit by April, so I'm going to give this a shot. This is a very hard task for me since I tell people everything about myself. Let's see...

1. I was born in Singapore. My dad was not in the military...he works in the oil industry. My parents moved there when my mom was pregnant with me. We lived there for just a short while and came back, but I've been back a few times since. I love that place. It's one of my favorite places I have ever been.

2. I love COPS. Yes, the show. I realize this is so skanky, but I have always loved it...even when I was young. I think if it weren't so dangerous, I might would be a cop, but I'm too scared. In case you're wondering, it comes on every day from 11am-12pm and 6-7pm. And, as always, Saturday nights at 7pm.

3. A dog almost bit the left side of my lip off when I was 2 years old. It was completely my fault...I kicked sand in his eyes. This called for stitches and plastic surgery. I used to be very self-conscious about the scar on my lip and was obsessive about wearing lipstick to hide it, but I have given it up. I don't see it getting any better!!

4. I am a bookworm. It's really ridiculous. I am always reading something - books, magazines, etc. I almost always have a book in my purse (just in case I have time somewhere) and have been known to read while I'm walking from place to place. What a geek!

5. I hate to shop for clothes. I mean, I really can't stand it. I like to shop for almost anything else...just not clothes. This is mostly due to the fact that I never know what to buy. I normally rely on my mom and sisters to either buy things for me or go with me to pick things out. So if you ever see me in something you like (or don't), I get no credit for it. It was them!

6. I love licorice. Only the red kind. And not the kind from a gas station. I really love Twizzlers and Red Vines, and we almost always have some of either one in our house. And I love licorice ropes, which I recently found at Candy's Confections down the street from our house. Dangerous!

7. I hate to fly. This hatred is one I have developed in my later years. It never seemed to bother me until I was older. The funny thing is that I fly all the time, especially since my parents now live in Texas. But I still hate it. I get so worried and worked up every time we fly, and every bump sends me into a tailspin. I mean, I don't need medication or anything, I just don't like it. I think it's feeling so out of control that I can't stand.

Now that I'm finished, I tag Kara, Jennifer, and Jenny. Good luck, girls!