Parker's Birthday Week!

Parker turns 4 on Thursday! As every mom says each birthday, "I can't believe how fast time has flown by!" I'll write a more official 4th birthday post on Thursday but today I thought I'd post pictures from Parker's little party with my parents and sister. As I mentioned in the last post, we're not having a party this year. Parker didn't want one so we're keeping it simple!

The weather was PERFECT so we spent most of the day outside! The kids enjoyed taking the dogs on a walk around our neighborhood trails.

She is amazingly awesome at walking Moses! I got so giddy pulling out her summer clothes!

Parker walking Ellie while holding his new Buzz spaceship and wearing a Mario hat.... Multitasking at its best.

Dog walking is hard work! Someone needed a rest. What better place to rest than on top of a table?!

We all had fun playing on the swing set with nana, poppi and Aunt Kelly!

Tire swing fun!

The birthday boy!

Hangin' tough!

Parker's new favorite game is to launch Buzz down the slide to infinity and beyond.

Parker couldn't wait to open his presents! We got him a working kiddie digital camera since he much prefers to be behind the camera than the subject of it! We're a bit disappointed in it but he seems to like it so that's all that matters! My parents got him the most adorable little bike!

He hasn't figured out how to peddle it yet but hopefully with more warm weather, we'll get lots of practice!

Sissy cannot let Parker have his moment so she hopped on a scooter and headed down the sidewalk after him.

After a spin on the new bike, it was time for Parker's BUZZ LIGHTYEAR CAKE! This is literally the only thing he asked for for his birthday. Originally, there was a big Buzz on top but he fell over in transport and took out some icing so I tried to cover it up with this bigger Buzz space ship. I still think it turned out cute!

The cake was pretty good and even better the 2nd day. I find cakes that are made a few days in advance and set out (like this one was) to be dry. I found on Pinterest that if you cut the remaining cake into slices and place them in a Tupperware container and use a water bottle to spritz it one time then cover it, the cake will be more moist. I was leery so I only did one of the 6 containers I put the cake in and it worked! Only spritz the cake part, not the icing. It made the cake taste more fresh. YUMMY!

1 birthday celebration down and 2 to go! We'll take him to the zoo on the next warm day that Daniel is off and of course, celebrate the birthday boy all day Thursday! :) How is he already 4?!

The Birthday Dilemma

Parker's birthday is next week and I have done approximately nothing to prepare for it. The truth is, he doesn't want a party.... which throws my desire to throw a Pinterest worthy party out the window but believe me, its for the best. He's requested a Buzz Lightyear cake, a trip to the zoo and squinkies. Easy peasy except I just can't bring myself to do it... especially the squinkies.... I curse the person who came up with those darn things. You see, for the last 2 weeks, my son has spent 90% of the day throwing tantrums, in time out or whining. I. AM. OVER. IT.

The thought of dropping hundreds of dollars on a party, presents and cake while my son rolls on the floor because his Thomas the Train is dirty (because he put it in a flower pot) simply does not appeal to me right now with this current rash of awful behavior. I may or may not have threatened no 4th birthday presents if he keeps acting 2.... well he's continued to act 2 so now I'm kicking myself for "threatening" that. Do I follow through? I was sure that would serve as amazing attitude adjustment but alas I was wrong.

Who has taken my sweet boy and when do you plan on returning him?!

I hate that he's acting this way. It literally hurts me to my core to see him throw these ridiculous tantrums over the weirdest things. It's a season of life... and I know you're not supposed to wish away time but I can't say I'd miss these "moments!'

The birthday plan as it stands is to celebrate with my family this weekend since my sister will be in town. I did score a Buzz cake but I don't have a present for him. He needs NOTHING but I would feel like the worst mom ever if I didn't get  him something, especially since this is the 1st birthday he understands. Help a girl out, what do I get him...despite this current behavioral hiatus he's taken?! He's into Toy Story again (today) but he has so much Thomas and Toy Story that I'd like to get something generic. I'm serious.. I need ideas.

Feel free to also chime in on how to retrieve my sweet boy who has been taken over by a child I do not know or understand. I seem to be at a loss and I sure miss him!

Midweek...Thursday....Confessions

It's been a while since doing midweek confessions so I thought that might be fun to liven up this windy, cold Thursday. Thursday is still midweek, right?

1. I got "the call" from preschool 30 minutes after drop off to pick Parker up from school. He had been home sick this week and his only symptom remaining was a cough so I sent him.... kid was hacking his lungs up at school.... since being home... maybe once or twice. Can my 3 year old really know how to fake sick already? He's currently jumping on the indoor trampoline yelling "to infinity and beyond!"

2. I ate leftover tacos for lunch.. and by "taco" I mean leftover taco meat in a tortilla wrap. I am HORRIBLE at estimating a week's worth of food. We always seem to have plenty of dinners, bits and pieces of leftovers that don't make a full meal (ie the "meat taco" with no condiments) and no snacks. I swear I look in my fridge and see tons of groceries and can never seem to make a full meal of it all. I'm in desperate need of meal planning 101.

3. You may have seen this on Facebook but Parker has a recent fascination with private parts which I think is a)hilarious b)mortifying c)developmentally normal or d) all of the above.....The answer is D.

He asked the check out lady at CVS "Excuse me, do you have a hooha or a pee pee?" which was mortifying but I may have been wondering the same thing. It was questionable if you know what I mean. This question has now become common conversation with strangers. He told my grandfather's renal doctor the other day: "I has a pee pee and my mommy has a hooha." FABULOUS. Thankfully, the doctor took it in stride and proceeded to tell us the story of a kid with a dead chipmunk head in his mouth... and I'm not sure how it correlated but I was glad to not be talking about my lady parts anymore. All that to say....  if you pass us in Harris Teeter or Target, prepare yourself to discuss your genitals.

4. The potty gods felt bad about how difficult Parker was to potty train and decided to cut me some slack with Avery. She has started stripping and running to the potty and is about 50% successful right now. She's had maybe 2 accidents and does the rest in a diaper if we're not home or she's being lazy. If she's naked, she'll go in the potty... which is a great strategy for at home... not so great at the grocery store. We've had the "we don't pee on our princess panties" chat and she's all like "You may not but I do..." So if you come to my house... there is a good chance my kid is naked... but it's all in the name of being done with diapers, halleluiah amen!

5. Sometimes I host play dates or girl's nights as motivation to clean my house... I'm always excited to see my friends and I want to get together but that added pressure of hosting is what really kicks my butt to clean when I don't want to. Awful, I know.

6. I've already started stressing thinking about what we'll all wear for spring family photos... which I haven't even scheduled. We all know how the "A Very Old Navy Christmas Card" shoot went.... and I only stressed about that for a month. The good news is, I have a vision and maybe even a color scheme picked out so I think I'm on the path to that elusive frame worthy family photo! ...and it does NOT include Old Navy...

I'm hearing the phrase "Avery, that's dangerous" being spoken upstairs so that's my cue to quit! Your turn! Comment here or on FB with your confessions!

Update: She was sitting in my sewing chair which is a no no. Clearly Parker was listening when I told him my sewing machine is dangerous! 

Favorite Photos

 A blog I follow, Kellys Korner is doing a link up of favorite pictures. Most of these have been on the blog before but I figured it would be fun to compile some of my favorite pictures on one post. It was too hard to pick.... I have about 400 favorites but here are a few highlights:

Avery's 1st Birthday Cake Smash Photos. The look on her face is PRICELESS!

Parker in  the sunflower fields

Get a room, right? Hilton head Island 2011

Daniel and Parker playing on the beach in Hilton Head

From Avery's Newborn Photoshoot. I used this picture as her birth announcement.

This was from Parker's preschool orientation. I just think she looks so precious!

Also from the sunflower fields

All of these photos except the one of Avery in the apple smocked dress were taken by Alicia Sutton Photography. I love having pretty, professional pictures framed or printed on canvas around the house! I REALLY regret not having professional photos done of Parker. It wasn't as popular to do back then and we were just so excited to have him home from the NICU. He was our little fragile preemie and I just couldn't imagine stripping him naked and bending him in half but now I SO wish I had! They are some of my favorite photos of Avery! Avery is a great poser. She's happy to smile and stand still for a photo but Parker is our "action shot child." I'm trying to learn to be better about setting our photoshoots up for success with less structure and more candid shots.

I've really enjoyed getting other photography ideas by looking through other people's submissions on Kelly's Korner. I'm already getting spring family photos fever!!!!