My Dad the Handyman

My dad can seriously do anything and everything. It's sort of a joke around our family, but it's sooo great when we really need something. He built most of the furniture in our house (and out...like the deck!), can fix anything on our cars, and can fix EVERYTHING that needs repair. Bless his heart when he comes to Jackson! Alyssa and I are normally waiting with a list of things we need him to look at. And bless our poor husbands' hearts when they try to fix something. We're very quick to say that "Daddy doesn't do it like that," or "Whey don't you just call my dad and ask him?"
As soon as I found out I was pregnant, he got to work on this changing table/storage unit for Parker's nursery.

When I went to Houston earlier in the summer, he surprised me with this light that he'd been working on for Parker's room. He had to order the wagon wheel and lanterns and had been working on putting it all together. So when they came this past week, he was finally able to hang it up for us. It looks amazing and seriously makes the room come completely together. It's a great finishing touch.

Thanks for all of your hard work, Dad!! We will surely treasure these things forever.

A long wait...but worth it!

This has been the longest wait of my life! Lee started this deck at the beginning of May and finally finished it this weekend. After promises that it would be finished by Memorial Day, I gave up and figured it would be Christmas before we had a deck to sit outside on. Well, I guess my dad and Sam finally got tired of hearing me complain about it and came over for the weekend to lend a helping hand. They worked nonstop on it all weekend, and I love the finished product. Parker loves to be outside, so I'm sure we'll be spending lots of time on it. Thanks Mr. Howard, Dad and Sam!!


Lee's dad came down in May to help him build the frame.

Sam, Lee and my dad

The finished product!!!!

Our umbrella even has lights underneath it. It's hard to do them justice with a camera, but they look so neat!

I hate baby food...

I seriously hate baby food. I don't mean I hate the taste of it...I don't try it. I just hate it period. It makes a huge mess, and it stinks so bad. And Parker is not the baby who loves baby food and can't get enough of it. I have to hide the bottle until we're finished eating in the high chair or he just won't eat it. So I found the greatest thing, and it has made baby food so much easier. It's called a Squirt, and I found it at Babies R Us. The clear spoon part unscrews, and baby food goes into the orange part. Then you just screw the spoon back on and start eating. When you squeeze the sides, the baby food comes out onto the spoon. You can put it right into the refrigerator just like this or in a diaper bag for on the go. It leaves a hand to wrangle a child!! We fill one with fruit and one with vegetables. I still don't love baby food, and I don't think I ever will, but this makes it a little more bearable. I highly suggest it!!

I thought this was normal...

Will he ever crawl? from Jessica Hill on Vimeo.

until my friends made fun of him! (Thanks Jenny and Kara! :)) He really is starting to crawl now, and he gets really mad when he can't and just rolls over and starts this again. Should I be concerned about the hair on the back of his head??

What Must It Be Like....

What must it be like... from Jessica Hill on Vimeo.

for someone to think you're the funniest person in the world??? All the time!!

Pontotoc

We had so much fun in Pontotoc. Parker and I went up in the middle of last week, and Lee came on Friday after he did some work in Tupelo. We spent a lot of time visiting Lee's family but had plenty of time to play and relax.

These are just some pictures of Parker swimming. He loves the water and has so much fun...especially if he can play with his dad!!

Reading books with Gran

Giving Pop some love

Parker got to drink out of a cup for the first time. He LOVED it. If there's a cup in sight, he wants to drink out of it and will do all he can to get to it!

Life is a Highway...and we've been living on it!!

Parker and I went to my grandparent's house on the Coast two weeks ago for the whole week. They hadn't seen him since March, so we went for a long visit, and my mom and Lia came the last part of the week. We had a great time swimming in their pool and relaxing. I came home on Friday, and Parker stayed with my mom and they both came to our house on Monday. Lee and I went to eat with Kell and Mary Straton on Friday. My sweet husband sent me to Trio for a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure on Saturday, and we just sat around at home Saturday night. We missed Parker so much but had a good time doing nothing...until I cleaned the house all day Sunday!

Parker and I left again last Wednesday and are in Pontotoc now with Lee's parents. I'll have lots to post when we return!


Swimming in the turtle float

Eating sno cones with Aunt Lia

Going for a "night swim" (Isn't that face hilarious???)

Parker with MoMo and PaPa