Up Swing

Right before Parker went to sleep tonight we had a major milestone! Are you excited? I know I sure was........ the milestone was....... solid poop. Yes, that's right. Normal, solid, stayed in the diaper poop! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does this mean our 8 day streak of poop, puke and Barney is over?! Fingers and toes are crossed!

Next on our list is getting back to his normal schedule! He's gotten up every night for 8 nights in a row at least 3 times and is up for the day before 5:30am. Yes, I know... I've just signed myself up to do this all again with a newborn but I can handle feeding a hungry baby... it's a toddler in pain and pooping all over himself that I struggle with. That's just miserable for everyone.Poor buddy. It kills me to see him in pain.

Parker perked up enough today to go back to his usual vacuum obsession.  He asks usually upwards of 15-20 times a day to vacuum. Here he is opening the closet where the vacuum "sleeps."

He participates using his vacuum and ball popper.

And we're off...

Ready for the next room!

Parker's turn!

In awe of "the vacuum." I hope he still loves it so much in 10 years.

Gotta get the baseboards.

 We're done vacuuming but Parker was clearly not ready to finish.

 The start of the "no all done, mommy" meldown.

I'll spare you with the laying on the ground, kicking the door shot but it's hard not to laugh at this precious pouty face!

Alright guys... finger crossed and prayers said for restful sleep in the Wise household tonight!!!

Poop, Puke and Barney

I've been a bit MIA this week. What have I been up to you ask? Well.......... Watching Barney, cleaning up poop, watching Barney, cleaning up puke, watching Barney, cleaning up more poop, doing laundry and giving poopy baths. You get the picture..... Parker has a tummy bug.... a nasty nasty tummy bug that is working its way out of his body in every which way imaginable. Poor buddy..... and poor mommy. UGH. I love my little man but it is JUST G-R-O-S-S!

In the midst of all the poop, Barney and baths... I did manage to snap this cute pic of Parker and his goggles. He has no interest in swimming in them but he apparently likes his world to be turquoise. Excuse the sloppy clean up job on his shirt and his lack of bottoms.... At this point... everything he owns is either covered in poop, puke or in the washing machine.

See our couch behind Parker in this picture?

It's now at the dry cleaners..... yep... poop.
The plus side of being sick is mommy is a sucker to give him just about anything he'd like. (or would consider eating and keep down). So I caved and gave him this tasty fudge stripe while he enjoyed Barney episode #6719 (at least it felt like it was).

See the wall behind the musical table?

This was where the fudge stripe made its second appearance. Mommy fail. Now he eats rice.

Well this sleepy, smelly mommy is off to bed with visions of poop and puke dancing in her head!

Get well soon, Parker! .........P-L-E-A-S-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clemson Game!!!

Saturday was a fun day. I took Parker to Clemson for his very first tailgate! We didn't venture into the game but we had a great time touring the campus, playing football on Bowman and eating lots of yummy food! We got up at 5:30 in the morning (cockadoddledoo!) and were on the road by 6:30, heading to Tigertown. Considering Parker never did nap, he was awesome. No meltdowns. YAY!
The only hiccup we had was that Parker got carsick on the way to the game and puked ALL OVER himself and the car. He manged to puke all the way into my center console which I found to be highly impressive. Bless his heart. He didn't even cry and we had to drive 2 miles to a gas station to clean up. What a tropper. Props to me as well for keeping my composure, remembering a 2nd emergency outfit and not puking myself! :)

I enjoyed showing Parker his future freshman residence, the dining hall and Bowman field. Lots of fun memories and, of course, a commemorative T-shirt was purchased at Knickerbockers. Here are some pictures of our day.

Parker and Coleman reading books and having snacks.

Parker, the ultimate tailgater. He looks like such a pro!

 Parker, me Whitney and Courtney. Go Tigers!

 Students were selling these beads for $1 to raise money for mission trips so I bought a pair. Parker insisted on wearing them. He was lovely.

 Playing football on Bowman. Many fun college memories were made here!

 How precious is he even though the Tiger paw is slanted to 11 instead of 1 oclock?!

I actually remembered to have someone take our picture together! Heaven forbid he look at the camera.

 Set. Hike!

 He can be a QB or running back. Multi talented.

 Touchdown!

 My little Payton Manning,

 Not bad self photography!

 Look at that hand position!

Man do I love that kid.... and Clemson. SOOO..... taking my kid to Clemson was a wonderful and memorial day!

Toddler Tantrum Day

The sweetest words I've heard all day: "Night night, mommy!" It was only 6:45pm but after the day we've had, I was more than pleased to kiss my monster pumpkin to bed! Of course now that I'm "off the clock" the day doesn't seem quite so terrible in retrospect but in the moment, it was ROUGH! Today I had daydreams of wine and visions of margaritas which were wonderful coping mechanisms prior to the pregnancy of baby #2 so now I've got to find new ways to unwind from toddler tantrum days.

Help me out here moms..... Parker is 18 months old (19 tomorrow). He was an angel until 13 months when he started walking and he's progressively getting worse (15 months and 18 months have been by far the most difficult). My pediatrician told me everything he does is completely normal for his age BUT that doesn't mean I'm particularly enjoying these "developmental milestones" as he so eloquently put it. It's hard to comprehend that throwing himself in the grass because I turned the cozy coupe away from the street is a developmental milestone but apparently it is. Changing diapers is once again a fight as is putting clothes on, taking them off and washing his hands. Strangers shouldn't even look at him because he flips... much less touch him. We get paged out of church on a weekly basis and he no longer participates in activities at MyGym if they're facilitated by a teacher other than the female (who is a friend of mine). If he doesn't want to go in the car, he arches his back. If I tell him "no, we're not vacuuming right now" (more on that in another post), he throws himself on the floor, beating on the door the coat closet. I believe I'm essentially looking for a non existent way to skip these lovely developmental milestones and go back to hugs and laughs which have been replaced with "NOO WAY's", screams, "mine's," "give me's" and kicks.

He is; however, a polite tantrum thrower. Today he yelled to me "NO maam!" after I told him "no sir" for pulling up the lights around the walkway. The 8 times his hiney landed in the time out chair today he immediately said "sorry" and then got up (at which time he was put BACK in the chair because he wasn't sorry... he just knows he has to say it). 

I've got to give him a little credit... he's USUALLY a good kid. Most days we have "bad minutes." Essentially, scattered throughout the day we have some rough patches but the hours of good minutes totally make up for them! I don't know what triggers the toddler tantrum days but when it happens... look out! It's a whole day of battles to accomplish anything!

Help me out here moms.... is this what I have to look forward to for a while? If so, when does it END?!? How do I stop this behavior when it starts? Any idea of what triggers it? Parent's magazine cracks me up. "Just sit there with your child while they throw the tantrum".... "They'll finish this phase around age 4."... "You just have a strong willed, assertive child. You're raising a leader!"  AHH... none of that is helpful! I'm officially open for mommy advice! Help me!!!!!

October Showers bring Clemson Flowers!

Today was ugly so it was the perfect day to make pretty things indoors! I'm taking Parker to Clemson this weekend for his VERY first tailgate! If you've ever been to a Clemson game, you'd know that a "Clemson game" is WAY more than just the players on the field. It's the perfect combination of South Carolina fall weather, tailgates, food, football and fashion! Yes... fashion.

My Clemson gameday attire is now old, tired and no longer functional for my needs. My orange high heels have been unwillingly donated to goodwill and the orange strapless dresses are deep in the back of my closet. I need a new, functional enough to push a child miles around town in a stroller, up and down hills outfit.

SO it's decided..... jeans, plain white tee and accessories... lots of fun, spirited, orange accessories! I've never made jewelry before but I knew I wanted to use the ribbon and fabric I have around the house. I made lots of variations. Some I'd wear... some I wouldn't but either way, it was fun, cheap and a good way to spend my ugly weather day!

Here are some hair barrettes or pins. (keep in mind how cute they'd be in neutrals but remember we were going for Clemson gameday attire)

Small ribbon flower puffs

Orange gingham flower (8 fabric flower shapes folded)

I made this by accident when I botched another "design"

Trying to use all 3 types of fabric I had.

I frayed fabric to make this one a little edgier and glued on a button

This is purple and white polka dot ribbon sculpted into a flower.

Those were fun to make and a nice precursor to the main event. I wanted to make a bib style necklace with fabric rosettes and beads. Considering I've never done this before, I'm really happy with the outcome.

Up close of the final product

Even more up close. Note the fabric rosettes and beads I hot glued to fill all voids in between flowers.

Shot of the whole "bib" portion. The necklace will tie around my neck with orange ribbon. I think it will pop against a white tee at the game. Hopefully Parker doesn't pull it off my neck!

I'll be sure to take pictures this weekend! :)

Nana and Parker

My son LOVES my mother and she is just head over heals for him! When nana (my mom) is in the room... I don't exist! We spent some time at my parent's house yesterday and I caught some cute nana/Parker pictures.

 Playing underdog!

 Nana gets more snuggles than I do! I'm jealous!

 So my mom isn't in this picture but it's just too cute not to add!

I hope they remain close! They have a special bond. We love our nana!