Post-Christmas letter

Dear Parker,

I haven't been very good about keeping up with writing you letters over our break. We have all just been so busy spending time with family, that it's been hard to squeeze in computer time.

I had a GREAT Christmas with you. We were so excited to watch you open your gifts. When you finally got up Christmas morning, we brought you into the living room to see what Santa had brought. You looked and then your entire face lit up. You walked over to the kitchen set and said "hep pease," picked up a spoon and began stirring your imaginary creation in the pot. It was amazing. We played with all your toys from Santa. Then, your Mom made us breakfast and we opened up the rest of your gifts.

Your Mom and I found this hooded duck towel on sale. You have been struggling a little with the bath lately, so we thought it might make it more fun. We thought that you would like it at bathtime, but wouldn't really care otherwise. Boy, were we wrong! You thought it was the greatest thing ever. You ran all over the house with that silly towel on your head crying, "Quack! Quack!" It was hilarious and adorable and it completely made my morning!

We finished opening presents around 10:30. You were so tired that you just laid down on the floor as if you were begging to take a nap. So, we obliged. You were just so happy and content. Your Mommy's family came that evening, but we got in a great day of playing and just being with each other before that. I loved it. I wish more days could just be like that. No computers, no reason to go out. The world finally stopped for just a little bit so that I could spend some great time with my family.

I love you and I know that it's late now, but Merry Christmas, Parker Alyse.

Love,

Mommy

Merry Christmas

Dear Parker,

We have been very busy the last week and I haven't had a chance to write you a letter. I also know that I promised to post some pictures from your adventures and I haven't done that yet, but I will do that too. We have just been so busy celebrating Christmas with your family.

It is Christmas morning. You started to wake up, so your Mom and I got up - and then you went back to sleep! Little stinker! :) We are very excited for you to get up.

We went to church last night, as we always will. I have been feeling guilty for not taking you to church regularly, but I suppose that's a different post. Anyway, you did a pretty good job. You ate an entire bag of yogurt melts and a fruit strip, but you were reasonably quiet. When the choirs sang, you conducted them. :) That always makes me happy.

We were singing "Silent Night" at the end and I was holding you. I just started to cry because I'm so happy with my life and so grateful that God has blessed us with the most perfect, little girl. I remember when you were only a dream and now you are here - and that is the most amazing thing. Christmas is about a baby and it certainly reminds me of how grateful I am for mine.

Merry 2nd Christmas Parker Alyse.

Love,

Mommy

Visiting Santa and other things

Dear Parker,

Yesterday afternoon, we took you to visit Santa (for the 2nd time.) The first time was sort of spur of the moment and we thought that maybe you would do better with a practice run. The first time, I tried to set you on Santa's lap and you screamed and screamed. I ran back into the picture and you calmed down a little but were still pretty unhappy. The second time we didn't even attempt for Mommy to leave the picture or to put you on Santa's lap. But, you still weren't very happy. You just looked like you wanted to get out of there. That's okay.

The funny part about this is that in the morning before we went, I told you that we were going to go see Santa when Mom got home from work. So, as you were eating your breakfast, you randomly asked "Tanta?" I reminded you that we had to wait for Mom to get home. To which you knowingly replied, "Mom." For the rest of the meal, at random intervals, you would tell me, "Tanta. Mom." It was so adorable. You were actually pretty excited in the morning. He might just be kind of scary in person.

After we visited Santa, we let you play in the museum. Your Mom took you on the Yule Slide, which looked pretty fun. She tells me that you said "Whee!" once you got to the bottom. The rest of the Jolly Days area seemed more for bigger kids. You could have had some fun, but there were lots of bigger kids there so we opted to go to the playscape.

This is the fist time we have been to the museum since you have been independently walking. It was so fun to follow you around trying to figure out what you were thinking. There are a couple of ramps in the Playscape area. You were very funny because the first time you lost your balance coming down and reached for your Mom's hand. Then, you decided you wanted to practice walking on the ramps, so you just went up and down several times. The first few times you used the fence on the side to help you down and then as you got better you let go. It was like you were thinking - well, I need to learn how to do this, so I'll just do it now! Every time you got to the bottom without holding on, you would clap for yourself!

Since we were there later in the afternoon, it wasn't as crowded, so instead of riding the carousel, we went downstairs to the glass exhibit. You enjoyed playing with the glass pieces, but were quite nervous about walking on the shiny tile floor. There is both carpet and tile and every time you got to a tile section you would stop, try again, stop and then finally decided to cross near the bench in case you should need to grab on to something. It was hilarious. You also explored the train exhibit. You got upset when you crawled underneath one exhibit to see something, but then discovered that you couldn't stand up. You wanted out!!!!! You even got to play with an old fashioned "tone" (phone).

Overall, I think it was a really good afternoon. I have pictures of all these things and will try to upload them to the computer and post them really soon. We are going to your Grandma and Grandpa LaMagdeleine's this afternoon and I hope to be able to get some picture and blog updating done while we are there.

In the meantime, I love you so much. We are so blessed to have been given you as our daughter - you are everything we wished for and more. I'm grateful everyday.

Love,

Mommy

frustration

Dear Parker,

Lately, I have been very frustrated. Sometimes it's about little things - like the fact that I have absolutely no idea what you should get your Mom for Christmas. I'm totally stuck. Sometimes it's about my inabilities as a parent- I don't know why you are waking up screaming lately. I can't figure it out and it just keeps happening. I don't know what "dee dee" is. I'm guessing that it's candy, but am not sure. I don't know how to get you to eat things other than pasta, cheese, bread and sweets. Sometimes it's about how stuck I feel in life and how I don't know how to get from where I am to where I want to be.

Here's what I do know baby girl. I love you in a way that I never knew was possible. I want to remember every single funny thing you do, every single mispronunciation, every giggle and every, "uh...no." It makes me sad that no matter how much I blog or how many pictures I take, I'm going to forget some things. I am so looking forward to Christmas with you. I know that you will be excited to open presents (perhaps not as excited as I am to give them to you, but that will come.) I hope that you are able to get in the spirit of giving and be excited about giving presents to other people as well.

I know I'm not a perfect Mommy Parker Alyse, but I love you so much and I'm doing the very best I can.

Love you. Happy Christmas Break!

Love,

Mommy

PS - Please don't wake up screaming tonight. Your Mom and I need to sleep!

'Tis the Season

Dear Parker,

I'm sorry I haven't written you a letter in a while. Things have been so busy. In the spirit of giving, we wanted to have you make gifts for your family. So, we bought some ornaments and some paint and thought you would like to decorate them. You were hilarious. We would ask you if you wanted to paint and you would say, "Uh....no!" and then run away. Finally, we got you to "dip" the brush and then smear it on the ornament. It took us 3 different times of painting to get the 9 ornaments done. Some of them are pretty hysterical. Just a green smear - you were being very minimalist.

In other funny news, a few days ago, you got up and sat cross-legged in front of the tree. And then asked for "hep, pease." We tried to have a discussion about how some presents were for you and some were for other people. I thought you understood, but then a few minutes later, I caught you shaking a present. As soon as you saw it, you dropped it and looked sheepishly at me. It was pretty cute.

My favorite memory of this past week though is when your mom and I were just chillin', laying on the floor and you were toddling around, playing. You randomly came up to us, one at a time, and gave us snuggles. Then, you kept going back and forth. Snuggling, me, then your mom, then me, then your mom. You are so cuddly!

I love you so much and can't wait to spend all of break with you and your Mom.

Love,

Mommy

Too cute

Dear Parker,

You have been doing so many things lately that I keep thinking I should write down because they are so cute and will make adorable stories when you get older. I can't remember many of them right now, but I will try. Here goes.

The other night, we were walking back to the car from dinner. It was dark and you pointed out a tree. "Tee!" you said. Then you said, "Tee! On!" You didn't seem to understand that not all trees could be turned "on" like the Christmas trees in our house!

Last night, you and your Mom were playing Peek-a-boo in the bedroom. She would pop her head up over the mattress, say, "Boo" and you would giggle hysterically. Then she would do the same around the footboard. Again, hysterical giggling. You are so smart. You knew what was going to happen next and started to peek your little head around looking for her. It was the most fun I have had in a really long time. I love seeing you so happy!

You have also gotten very good as saying please, or really "pease!" Now you will come up to one of us and say, "Hep" (help). We won't know what it is you would like help with so we will ask, "Help what?" You then respond, "Hep Pease!" We still don't know what you need help with, but you are asking so politely!

You are an amazing little girl. I can't wait until Christmas with you. It's going to be wonderful. I love you, baby girl.

Love,

Mommy

In Love

Dear Parker,

The last couple of days I have been overwhelmingly in love with you. I Always love you, but sometimes the amount of work that it takes to take care of you can take its toll on me. Lately, however, you have been so amazing. You are adorable and friendly. You are smart and funny. Your mommy and I have a weekend getaway planned this weekend and I'm actually a little sad about leaving you. I know I will have a great time with your Mom and I know that you will have a good time with your friend, Nancy. I also know that it's important for your Mom and I to have time to ourselves, but I'm still going to miss you.

I love you more than you will ever know.

Love,

Mommy