Walking - the final installment

Dear Parker,

About a week and a half ago, you stood up and declared that you were "all done" and were going to "walk." Although you have been doing small amounts of walking since then, I think I can finally say that you walk. Saturday night you did a good deal of walking around the house. Sunday afternoon and evening you walked the entire time. You walked all day today!

You are so quick! I turn around for just a few seconds and you are GONE! It both drives me nuts and amazes me. While I miss you being a little baby, I am so excited to watch you grow as a person and develop your own interests. You already have so much personality! You love to "cheese" for the camera (if you slow down long enough!) You are still such a snuggle bug. I love that you still will give me random hugs. I hope that you never stop doing that. I know there will come a day when I am uncool and that you will not love me as openly as you do now, but today I will relish in the fact that you love your Moms more than anything else and that when you are sad, I can make you happy again.

I love you baby girl. I am very much looking to this Christmas season with you.

Love,

Mommy

Decorating

Dear Parker

Well, your second Thanksgiving has come and gone. On Thanksgiving night, we set up our large artificial tree and it was love at first sight for you. You kept saying, "tree!" and then "cat!" As if to make sure we knew the difference between the tree and Kitty Maxx! Friday afternoon we went to cut down our real tree. You loved the hay ride out to the field. You weren't feeling super great, but you wanted us to carry you around and touch all of the trees!

We started decorating the trees on Saturday morning and you wanted to help! Even before we had gotten the decorations out, you crawled up to the box they were in and said "help." So, we got out your ornaments. You carefully inspected each one and then nicely laid them on the ground. When I asked if you wanted to help put them on the tree, you got so excited. You helped me hang each of your ornaments.

Later, we put the small tree up in your room as a surprise. When we were done, I called you in. You sat in the doorway for a second, then your eyes got really big and you said, "TREE!" and crawled over to it to inspect it.

When Grandma and Grandpa Sharp came over you helped Grandma put more balls on the tree. At first you just set the ball on the branches! :) Then you got the hang of it. Sometimes you would stop for awhile but then you would go back, choose an ornament, say "hook" (someone would get you a hook) and then you would help to hang it on the tree.

Ever since then, whenever you enter a room with a tree, you have to tell us that it's a tree. Tonight you were inspecting the ornaments on the live tree and naming each one, "Santa, boot, sock, bear." You also like the lights on the mantel. I turned off all the house lights, just leaving the Christmas lights on and you said, "lights" and pointed at the mantel.

I love that you love decorating for the Christmas season as much as I do. I love it more than I didn't even teach you to love it - it was just intuitive for you.

You are so amazing and I love you very much.

Here are just a few photos from you decorating the tree with Grandma.

Love,

Mommy

Here you are making your "cheesy smile" face.

Inspecting the ornament to make sure it's ready
Choosing a green ornament
Watching Grandma show you how it's done.

Thankful

Dear Parker,

On this day before Thanksgiving, although I am overwhelmed with the many tasks and events of today, I am eternally grateful. I am grateful for you - for your smiles, your giggles, your "all done," the joy you bring to so many people, your intelligence, your beauty, your health, our ability to give you the things you want and need, your flexibility, your stubborn personality, your head snuggles, your "Pahr-kehr," and your "pease!"

There are a million more ways in which you bring me joy. I'm so thankful that we were blessed with you.

Happy 2nd Thanksgiving Baby Girl.

I love you.

Mommy

Walkng Part 2

Dear Parker,

You have been toying with walking for about a week now. Last night, you stood up and said "All Done. Walk." And then you did - for the rest of the night. I should say that it was almost bedtime so that was only about 10 minutes. I'm not convinced that you are committed; we will see what tomorrow brings. I'm excited, but at the same time, it's the last little bit of baby you have left in you and I'm going to miss that.

You are so big! I love you, "baby" girl!

Love,

Mommy

THAT mom

Dear Parker,

I really think I have become THAT mom. You know, the one who just brags on her kid constantly? How can I not though? You are beautiful. You are funny. And, you are so smart! You just amaze me sometimes!

Last night, you came up to me, gave me snuggles and said "Happy." Happy is such an abstract concept! How did you figure it out? Later, you came up, gave me snuggles and said "Awwww!"

You also were able to choose the 2 cards that matched of of 3 and even 4 card groups. You are either a baby genius or I am just amazed by the way you are growing.

Either way - you're pretty amazing baby!

I love you,

Mommy

New Hair-Do

Dear Parker,

Your hair has been getting so long. Your bangs get in your eyes and it just looks very unkept! I don't want to cut your bangs because I would like your hair to grow out. This weekend, I tried to put your hair in pig-tails. It turned out pretty cute. Saturday, it was a little too much on the top of your head, and you looked like a 'Who.' You were still pretty stinkin' cute though.

You are such a cute little girl. I'm so proud! Cute and smart!

I love you,

Mommy

sleeping

Dear Parker,

Ever since you were little, I have rocked you to sleep. I really like that time with you. I know that "everyone" says that I shouldn't do it. They say you will never go to sleep on your own, but I think it's so comforting for both of us for me to hold you as you fall asleep.

Lately, however, you haven't been staying asleep when I lay you down. You will sit up and begin crying. After about 45 minutes of trying to lay you down, I just can't take it anymore. It's no longer comforting to either of us and I know that you will sleep better and more comfortably in your bed. So, for the last two nights I have kissed you and laid you down. You have begun to scream. I still left. It rips my heart out.

Last night, you cried for about 3 minutes. Tonight it was about 1.5. I know that's not a long time, but I agonize over you falling asleep thinking that I don't love you. In my head, I know that isn't what is happening, but my heart hurts listening to you cry.

So, please know Parker Alyse, that Mommy loves you more than you will ever understand. Sometimes, mommies have to make hard decisions. I'm sorry. I hope this phase passes quickly.

I love you,

Mommy

Adoption Anniversary

Dear Parker,

Today is a very special day. It is the 1 year anniversary of when your Mom got to adopt you. She has always been your Mom - even before you were born, but it was special because we finally had papers saying that no one could take you away from her. I remember that we were so nervous.....and you screamed through a good part of the hearing because you were hungry. I also remember that a woman in the waiting room told your Mom that you looked just like her - which is so funny because you can't! :) I love it when people do that! This is always going to be a very special day for your Mom and me. I hope that someday it will be for you too.

I love you.

Mommy

Dear Parker,

Since I have been terrible about writing in you baby book, I thought I would start to post some videos and pictures here. That way we both can have sort of a virtual baby book.

This video is from last night. You are constantly telling us that you can't walk. Well, now I have proof that you can! I like how you start to chase the cat instead of walking to me and then proceed to just stand there and yell at him! You are so funny!

I love you, little girl!

Mommy

Walking?

Dear Parker,

I never know when we can officially count things like this. You started walking around on our fingers when you were 9 months old. You took your first steps alone at your first birthday party. Since then, you have occasionally walked between me and your Mom, but have been really uninterested. You generally would cry or say, "no,no, no!"

Tonight, you willingly walked around the room if we asked you to. You always headed straight for a piece of furniture or a wall even though you were completely stable. I'm hoping that in the next couple of days you decide that walking is a much better form of transportation than crawling!

You are growing up so fast! I love you.

Mommy

Good baby Part 2

Dear Parker,

Last night some of Mommy's former students were participating in a marching band competition in Lucas Oil Stadium and asked her to go. So, off we went. You haven't been feeling well lately, so I was pretty worried about taking you. But, once again, you were amazing!

When we finally got seated, you saw the band and your eyes got HUGE! You kept saying "band" and pointing! At one point you even started conducting and dancing! It was adorable and wonderful.

You had a very hard time sleeping last night. You were so snotty and just couldn't stop coughing. So, I took you to the doctor this morning. It appears that the ear infection you had a couple of weeks ago never went away. So, you are now on stronger medicine and I really hope it helps you feel better. You just aren't yourself when you don't feel well.

I love you and I'm so proud of you for being able to "go with the flow." Our lives are never going to be slow, so I'm glad you are up for it.

I love you.

Mommy

Good baby

Dear Parker,

I'm so proud of you. The last couple of days you haven't been feeling well. You are either getting in teeth or you are getting sick (again!) Last night, your moms had to go to pep band. We knew it was going to be a long night for all of us. You hung out with your friend Nancy. Even though you were so tired, you were so good. You watched the whole game and didn't get upset. Nancy said that if you ever started to get fussy, she would just ask you to find the ball. You would snap your head around to find it and say, "ball." You are such an amazing little person. I'm so proud to be your Mommy.

I love you, Bits!

Mommy

Morning Routine

Dear Parker,

I am having a hard time this morning. Usually, I get you up or you wake up in time for me to get you dressed and feed you breakfast before I leave for work. This morning, you do not want to wake up. I opened your door. I even went in and tried to wake you. You are OUT. So, I'm letting you sleep. It makes me really sad though because now I am thinking of all the cuteness in the morning that I am going to miss.

I love going in to get you up. Usually, you are standing in your crib and will say, "Hi!" as soon as I walk in. I'll pick you up and you'll give me snuggles. We'll get you dressed and then come out to the kitchen to eat. You are so adorable when you are in you high chair and I start warming up your waffle. You get so excited. You start kicking and saying "wah, wah, wah." (I guess I forgot to add waffle to the list of things that you say or partially say!) You are generally so happy in the morning. I'm going to miss that this morning.

I'm sorry that Mommy has to go to work some days. I know you love your Aunt Lauren and that she takes good care of you, but I wish I could be here with you everyday and not just Thursday and Friday.

You are an amazing little person and I don't want to miss any of it.

Have a good day, baby. Mommy has to go to work now.

I love you.

Mommy

Smart Baby

Dear Parker,

I have been trying to think lately of all the words that you say. There are so many! I'm so proud of you for being such a verbal little girl and learning things so quickly. I'm going to try to make a list. Here goes:

Ball

Book

Cup

Milk

Moo

Cow

Duck

Quack

Neigh

Dog

Woof

Cat

Kitty

Meow

Maxx

Down

Done

Bad

More

Hot

Cook

Mom

Mommy(mama)

Moo(vie)

Parker

Pumpkin

Cookie

Cake

Fish (sh)

Off

Baby

Uh-Oh

No!

Park

Key

Car

Go

Coat

Hat

Play

Pea

Bath

Cold

I think that's everything. Wow! That's 43 words. At 13 months! You are a force to be reckoned with, baby.

I love you. Keep learning always!

Love,

Mommy

Trip to the Museum

Dear Parker,

This morning we went to the Children's Museum. You had so much fun. You loved playing with the water table. One of your favorite things to do right now is to take everything out of something and then put it all back in. You took all the magnet letters off the board. You tried to take all the water toys out of the water, but your Mom and I said, "No." You compromised by handing them to us and having us put them back in the water. You unplanted all the flowers and took all the gardening gloves out of the box.

You wanted very badly to walk with the lawnmower, but it wasn't balanced so that you could lean on it and walk. You were doing fine, but then you got scared and sat down. You also liked "having tea" with the bears in the mirror maze. You kept getting upset when the lid to the teapot would fall in the pot itself! Oh - and you waved at me every time the carousel came around! I loved it!

Now, you are napping and your Mom and I are thinking about what we are going to get you for Christmas. Later this evening, we will all be going to Bryn Pfanschmidt's 4th birthday party. I remember when Bryn was just a little girl like you. Time goes by so fast. Hopefully, these letters will help both of us remember the times that go by far to quickly.

Love you Baby,

Mommy

Stolen

Dear Parker,

A friend of mine started a blog writing letters to her baby. I thought it was a fabulous idea and have stolen it. I hope she doesn't mind. I'm just terrible at writing in your baby book and I want you to know how much I love you and to be able to look back and read about all the funny things you did when you were little.

I can't believe how big of a girl you are. You have started saying your name - although I think you may be confusing it with "pumpkin!" Either way, you are so smart. You talk all the time and steal hearts everywhere by saying, "hi!" to everyone you meet.

I love you very much, baby girl!

Love,

Mommy