Color Me Bad

This is Parker.... my budding artist.

He LOVES to color and is actually pretty good at it considering he's 18 months old. Note the lovely use of colors.

This morning, while daddy was sleeping on the couch watching Parker, he found a stray, blue (known as the color "boo" to Parker) crayon.... and..... colored us a lovely mural.

...on the wall. Scratch that... 3 walls and my bedroom door.

I put an emergency post on FB asking how to get it out and found the cure all for blue crayon murals! The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser! I sent Daniel to the store (with Parker so I couldn't kill him) and he came back with 2 of these magical little sponges (and a sub). I'm in love. The crayon is was gone! Poof! That is until Parker realized I put the crayon on the table and he could reach it. Epic mom failure... we have 2 new blue murals. Guess who's making an emergency early morning trip to Harris Teeter for more magic erasers?! ME! Guess who's banned from crayons unless I'm standing on top of him?! Parker!

18 months old!!!

Parker is 18 months old!!!! What happened to my 3 pound 10 ounce tiny preemie?! He's getting SO big (albeit still a bit small for his age) and he's learning new things everyday! We're done with walking and onto running, jumping and climbing! No food has been left undiscovered and devoured! He's a trash can... he'll eat pretty much anything even if he doesn't eat much of it. I love that he's an adventurous eater... very much unlike myself! He loves peas, hot dogs, pizza, buddy fruits, smoothies, corn on the cob, black beans, pasta, rice, french fries, chicken, broccoli, goldfish, grapes, watermelon and even salmon!

Parker has a lot of friends and tends to be a good player. His best friends right now are Brooklyn, Harper, Jett, Ana, Nolan, Lily. They all live in our neighborhood and they have had so much fun together this summer! Recently he's developed some separation anxiety which has proved tricky to take him to church. We got paged out of church a few weeks ago because he wouldn't stop screaming. This past Sunday, Mrs. Janet pushed him around in a stroller the whole service. He'll easily go to and stay with Holly, Anna or my mom but otherwise, he wants his mommy and he'll let you know! His recent love for "baby doll" has helped any separation issues at home and is starting to work in public as well. Hopefully, this separation anxiety phase doesn't last long!

His vocabulary is what is most recently astounding to me! In the last 2 weeks he's gone from speaking random words (mommy, daddy, nana, yummy, ball, dog, bobby, baby, bye bye, beep beep etc) to speaking in sentences. He now says "Thank you," "I want my mommy," "There is my baby," "Where is my bobby?" (sippy cup of milk), "All done," and "Where did it go?". In the last few days, he's also started pointing out body parts. He's best at "nose" at which point he shoves his finger as far up his nose as he can.My favorite of all of his new tricks is praying! It's SOOO sweet! My mom taught him to clasp his hands and pray. In Charleston this week, I put Parker in his high chair with food while I got my plate. He kept yelling "mommy" so I looked over to him and he had his hands clasped ready to pray. I told him he needed to wait or pray by himself so he clasped his hands again mumbled words and started to eat. My heart melted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parker LOVES to be outside. It's probably our biggest source of whining right now. He wants to be outside 24/7 and it's just too hot for me to spend ALL day outside! If there's water in site... he's in it! He could absolutely care less than he can't swim. Thankfully, mommy and daddy are never too far behind!

He is... simply put, the love of my life... my pride and joy... my heartbeat. I am proud beyond measure and man, do I love that baby boy!

Missing Girl's Night!

I just wrote a WHOLE blog post... and it was witty... and now it's gone. I hit the wrong button and just like that.. gone. I'm not sure I have the energy to rewrite it BUT it was such riveting information, I just know you'd all want to read it so I shall try to recreate it.

*Warning* This blog post is inappropriate to some*
I bet you're all still reading. I know my friends!

Tonight is GIRL'S NIGHT! I was SOOOOOOO excited! I needed a night out! I'll spare you the details as to why but who doesn't need a night away with their girlfriends to laugh so hard, it hurts? Why am I blogging if it's girl's night? Well, I'm not there! Daniel had to work tonight (which I VERY much appreciate his willingness to support Parker and I. He has an amazing work ethic (maybe too too much) and I appreciate all he does for us). He was supposed to be home around 9 so I figured I'd just get there a tiny bit late. It's 10:22... he's still at work. I'd get a sitter but I just don't have one I trust other than mom friends who I don't ask to watch Parker on weekends.

Tonight's girl's night was special. It was themed... and a WONDERFUL theme it was. We were having a party. What kind of party you ask? Longaberger baskets? NO. Dang those things are expensive! Candlelight? NO. I still have my forever candle from the last party I went to. Tupperware? NO. It's not the 50's I buy the Take and Toss ones from Target. I bet you do too! Tonight's theme was....

A Passion Party! I LOVE this image "Come see what all the BUZZ is about!" ba ha ha! I can tell you what the BUZZ is about!

These parties are a BLAST! How funny is it to watch a woman (sober) hold sex toys and explain the uses while the rest of the group (usually pretty tipsy) tries not to giggle too noticeably. Using my keen sense of deductive reasoning, I feel confident I could figure out the uses but watching her instruct you on it is HIL-AR-I-OUS. They've got some good products to spice up your relationship with your partner... or yourself he he! Whatever tickles your fancy! (Insert fancy tickler image here that is just too hot for this blog!) The conversation that comes with this sort of party is PRICELESS and with the addition of wine and yummy snacks, it becomes quite a memorable night!

So basically... I'm at home... watching House Hunters and blogging. WAY less fun than girl's night! Are you pitying me yet? Because that was the sole purpose of this blog post.

The Baby Doll Controversy

Meet Baby

Parker chose Baby out of ALL the stuffed animals and soft toys that could be lovies in the WHOLE store! (Even if she needs one of those helmets for misshaped head) Right at 17 months, separation anxiety set in and guess what/who is Parker's current lovie... ME! He has never cared for anything when he's sad except me which has GOT to change! I LOVE my cuddle time with him but I can't always be there. And thus.. the hunt for a lovie. I was told letting him pick his lovie was the way to go so to the store we went and purchased Baby. How's it working you ask? See for yourself...

He LOVES her! Parker cuddles her on his chest like I do with him.

He uses his fire hat as her crib.

He carries her around by her head

Sometimes he tries to pull her eyelashes off BUT he has gotten very good at pointing out body parts!

They enjoy watching football together

 

And Saturday afternoon naps are better together!

 

Isn't that precious? Well I think so too BUT apparently this baby is highly controversial. Yes, he is a boy with a pink doll but he picked it. Most of his friends are girls and dolls are simply what he knows to be lovies. I think it's developmentally normal and am so excited he finally has something he enjoys for comfort. Yesterday at Harris Teeter 2 people stopped me to tell me that my son needed a dinosaur stuffed animal instead of a doll. We also got a lot of stares even though he was perfectly quiet, sitting in the cart, kissing his baby. Don't you think I'd RATHER him choose a dinosaur? BUT if that doesn't say comfort to him... than a pink doll it is! I suppose they aren't the ones listening to him cry at night when he has nightmares so I shouldn't take the opinions to heart but it does amaze me how random people feel it's appropriate voice their opinions on my son's doll.

How could anyone take this away? 

 

So proudly and unashamed, I introduce baby... the newest addition to the list of things I must remember to put in the diaper bag!

Just Another Ordinary Miracle

It's not that unusual

When everything is beautiful

It's just another ordinary miracle today

 The sky knows when it's time to snow

Don't need to teach a seed to grow

It's just another ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift they say

Wrapped up for you everyday

Open up and find a way

To give some of your own

Birds in winter have their fling

Will always make it home by spring

It's just another ordinary miracle today

Isn't it remarkable

Like every time a raindrop falls

It's just another ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday

Please don't throw your dreams away

Hold them close to your heart

It's just another ordinary miracle today

It seems so exceptional

That things just work out after all

 It's just another ordinary miracle today

Sun comes up and shines so bright

And disappears again at night

It's just another ordinary miracle today

~Ordinary Miracle by Sarah McLachlan

My Perfectly Wonderful Ordinary Day

Today I am overwhelmed by the blessing and love of my God. Do you ever have days where you feel like God just wanted to make you feel extra loved? Today has been an ordinary day; a perfectly wonderful ordinary day. We woke up with the birds (Thanks Pman), played swords with wrapping paper rolls, had brunch with friends, napped, watched Clemson football, ate leftover Chinese, got turned away at the pool (I guess I didn't read the HOA newsletter about the adult pool party), read books... nothing spectacular and yet I felt spectacularly loved.

I got LOTS of Parker hugs today and open mouth kisses in between whines and foot stompings for milk. I fell asleep on the couch in the strong arms of my husband and I felt safe, small and loved. If you haven't noticed yet, I found this cool music thingy (do you have your volume up?) and in searching for my favorite songs, I found myself choosing love songs. No, Barry White and Luther Vandross are not on this list. That's not the find of love songs I mean. These are the ones I know by heart. The ones I sing in my car... and shower... and in my head. Each has a story. Some were comfort during cancer, others during our NICU experience, some just speak to my love for the Lord and his love in return for me. These are love songs for my Savior; for praise and worship. They are His words and promises set to music. They make me feel happy... and blessed... and loved beyond measure! I hope you know that feeling and I pray you have a perfectly, wonderful, ordinary day!