Random thoughts

Dear Parker,

This is going to be completely disjunct, but I have a couple random thoughts about you right now. So, here goes...

Last night we had pep band. Before the game, you wanted to sit on the throne of the drum set. So, we let you and gave you some sticks. You had WAY too much fun! It was super cute. I got a pretty grainy, blurry phone picture. I wish I had my actual camera. Your friend, Nancy, wasn't able to watch you last night, so you were on your own with your moms. It was way past your bedtime, so you were really tired and clingy. I often had to resort to conducting while holding you. You were so funny. You would imitate my conducting and try to conduct yourself. It was adorable.

Today, you were playing with your blocks and I noticed that you have started building towers with your square alphabet blocks as well as building things with with your lego-type blocks. You filled up an entire platform with the lego-type blocks and then started getting creative and adding other things on the top. Where did my little baby go? You are such a big girl.

I just don't remember when it happened. I don't remember when you became a real little person. I think you are truly the most amazing thing. I love you so much.

Love,

Mommy

Missing Me?

Dear Parker,

I just got a text from your Aunt Lauren that said you are really missing me today. :( That makes me sad. I miss you too, but I feel especially horrible when you miss me as well. I feel like it's my job as a mommy to stay home and take care of you, but I can't do that all the time. I'm sorry, baby. It will be okay and I will see you in a few hours (after my lesson with Abby) but please know that I love you so much and I miss you too.

I hope you have a better day after your nap.

I love you,

Mommy

Ridiculous Reading

Dear Parker,

You are taking this reading thing a little too far (well, maybe not, but it's pretty funny.) This morning, you were crying "Mommy! Mommy!" from your bed. I went in to get you up thinking that you wanted some snuggles. Boy, was I wrong!

I walked in and the first thing you said was, "Book!" while pointing to the pile of books leftover on the floor from last night. I asked if you wanted to get out of bed and read some books. You said, "No!" You wanted me to give you some books so you could read them in bed by yourself.

You wouldn't put the book down during your diaper change, while getting dressed or when I was doing your hair. You almost had a tantrum because I wanted you to eat breakfast instead of read a book. We had to compromise by keeping the book open on the table!

You are so funny. I have a feeling that you are going to be the little girl that reads under her covers with a flashlight!

I love you,

Mommy

Reading

Dear Parker,

You have always loved books. When you were little you chewed on them, you got a little bigger and you would look at the pictures. Now, you are reading them to yourself. Yesterday, you picked up "Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and while flipping the pages, started saying some of the sounds in the book.

Today, after reading "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" for the bazillionth time with me, you took the book to the other room and started going over every page. When there was a funny picture, you laughed, when the beach page came, you said, "beach." Along came the second sprinkle page, you said, "sprinkle!" I think it's pretty cool.

We are going this afternoon to look at "schools" for you for next year. I'm nervous because I want you to be able to stay home, but I know it can't last forever. So, off looking we will go.

I love you. Keep reading!

Love,

Mommy

Proud

Dear Parker,

There are many things for which I am proud of you; here is the most recent. Before you were a year old, we took most of your bottles away. We did it slowly and one at a time. The week before your birthday we were left with your bedtime bottle. Then you got sick. We didn't want to try to take away what we thought would be the hardest bottle (for both you and us) when you already didn't feel good and were cranky. Then, you just didn't get better until right before Christmas. We were doing lots of traveling and you were on a strange schedule. We didn't feel that would be the right time either.

At the beginning of January, we started giving you less and less in the bottle, thinking we would wean you off slowly. When we got down to 2 oz, you had a fit. I was very nervous for what no bottle would look like. But, it had to be done. You are a big girl. So, we didn't give you a bottle last night. You asked for it. We said there was no bottle. You pouted and looked like you were going to cry - real sad tears, not tantrum tears. We told you that you were a big girl and that big girls went to sleep without bottles. You stopped pouting, said, "ok" and laid your head down. I was shocked. You didn't even ask tonight.

You are such an amazing little girl. I'm so proud of you- and I'm kind of sad that my baby is gone.

I love you,

Mommy

Dear Parker,

It's always really hard for me to return to week after a break (even a little one, like a day!) I think of all the fun times we had together and how much I love being with you. I'm glad that we don't have much going on this week so that we can spend every night together. I think it will be the last laid back week in awhile.

I know I say this all the time, but I just can't get over how big you are getting. Even in the middle of the night when you wake up scared, you tell me what you want. I'm so proud of you for being able to communicate so well at such a young age.

Okay, little (Big!) girl. I know this is very short and I didn't really say anything, but I have to go to work. I love you and I hope you have a good day with your Aunt Lauren.

Love you,

Mommy

Shaking with excitement

Dear Parker,

We are having a lazy day. This week has been really busy and you have been kept up HOURS past your bed time twice. So, we are hanging out in our jammies. (Okay, this is mostly because you have nothing to wear - I'm doing laundry - and I can't shower until you take a nap, but it's fun nonetheless.) We watched ate breakfast, watched a movie, read some books, you pottied like a big girl, we made pictures for Aunt Stacy and Grandma, read some more books and now you are playing with your alphabet books and puzzles. The house is covered in toys! :)

We were playing "Boo" this morning (guess I forgot where in the sequence of things that happened) and I was taken back to when you were a little girl. You were sitting on the office chair and when I said we could play "Boo" on the bed your arms and legs started shaking with excitement. You did that all the time when you were a little baby. I think it's so wonderful that you still do it. It reminds me of the baby you once were.

I love you, bits.

Mommy

"s"

Dear Parker,

I just wanted to let you know that they way you say your "s's" is completely adorable. You don't have a lisp exactly, but you work really hard at pronouncing them. I am always asking you to say "moms" "bits" "toast!" That's my favorite, toast.....

Well, okay. I just wanted to tell you that.

I love you so much and am looking forward to spending the day with you tomorrow even if I have basketball tomorrow night.

Love you,

Mommy

Procrastination hello

Dear Parker,

I should be prepping for my classes, but I just can't get in the right mindset, so I thought I would write you a letter about the things you have been doing lately.

Aside from trying to use the potty (which has been moderately successful so far - you potty about twice a day), you currently love, Love, LOVE books. You have always been a fan of books. When you were 10 months old, we had to take all the books out of your sight when you were going to bed because you would be so distracted by them. Now, you will find a book, toddle over - hand it to me (saying tank you) and then say "lap." We will read the book and you will repeat the process - for hours. I love that you love to read.

As aforementioned, you say "thank you" regularly. You will say it when you hand us something (as in thank you for taking this) or when we hand you something (as in thank you for my milk.) I think that is awesome. You are saying so many new things - everyday. I tried to make a list for you but I keep forgetting things - butter, chew, later, morning. It seems like you repeat everything we say!

Okay baby girl, I have to actually go do work now. I hope you are having a good day with your Aunt Lauren. We have to go to a basketball game tonight that will keep you out past your bedtime; I hope you do well.

I love you,

Mommy

Potty Training?

Dear Parker,

On Thursday of last week you said, "Poop. Potty" and then walked to the bathroom. You had already gone by the time we got there, but we thought that maybe you were giving us some sort of sign that you were ready to at least begin getting ready to potty train. So, Friday night we went out and bought a potty.

Saturday, you peed in the potty. You didn't tell us you were ready to go, but you did tell us that you had pooped, so we just set you on there.

Today, you walked down the hall toward the bathroom saying "potty." Your mom put you on your potty and you peed again!

I really didn't think that we would be potty training you so early, but it looks like we are at least starting. We'll see. We can't really go hard core until summer since our lives are going to be so busy until then, but you may surprise us and adapt really well.

Here's hoping that we'll be saying goodbye to diapers in the next 6 months!

You are such a big girl.

I love you,

Mommy

Snow Day

Dear Parker,

Today it is snowing quite a bit for Indiana. We haven't yet ventured out to play today, but the snow has inspired me to post pictures of the last (and first) snow we got this year. You Aunts and Uncles were all here and were very excited to take you out to play.

This is you with your Aunt Stacy before heading out.
Here you are riding in the trash can lid (yes, we are very classy) being pulled by your Uncle Stu. We didn't think we would really get to take you sledding, so you don't have a sled.
This is you and your Uncle Stu laughing at your Uncle Steven! :)
You tried to walk, but fell down!
Uncle Stu was trying to get you to touch the snow.
I think you had a good time and we should try to take you out today. You Mom and I just have to get up the energy to do it! :)

I love you, Parker Alyse.

Love,

Mommy

So far

Dear Parker,

I know this is not a complete list because my memory is not that great, but I have just been struck lately with all the things you say! So, here is my feeble attempt at a list of your words at almost 16 months ( 4 more days). There are 107 of them. These are only the words that you say on your own. You can repeat just about anything we ask you to say. :) You are so smart.

I love you.

Love,

Mommy

Mom

Mommy

Grandpa

Grandma

Stacy (Tacy)

Sally

Lauren

Stu (Goo!)

Uncle

Maxx

Finn

Reece

Taylor (Tator)

Cat

Dog

Duck

Cow

Pig

Goose

Horse

Meow

Woof

Oink (well, a snort)

Nay

Whoo(what an owl says)

Frog (Tog)

Quack

Drum (Gum)

Holstein (as in Holly Holstein)

Pasta (as in Penny Pasta)

Moose

School (kool)

Play (Pay)

Kitchen

Apple

Orange

Noodle

Chair

Booster

Milk

Water

Cup

Cookie

Cracker

Puffs

Strip (sounds like chip)

Fork

Spoon

Plate

Pants

Shirt

Sock

Shoe

Hair

Head

Hand

Eye

Nose

Ear

Mouth

Toes

Teeth

Hi

Bye

No

Yes

Couch

Baby

Bottle

Uh-Oh

Wow

Movie

Hay

Tractor

Blue

Up

Down

Pillow

Blanket

Hot

Cold

Brr

Coat

Hat

Car

Go

Done

More

thank You

Please

Welcome

Help

Ball

Block

Boom

Booga (it's what Grandpa says)

Cloth

Phone (Tone)

Cook

Cake

Fish

Parker

Park

Key

Bath

Whoa!

Balloon

Missing You

Dear Parker,

I have tons of letters that I have started for you, but have never finished. One of my goals for the new year is to write you a letter at least once a week. So, I will start that now.

I miss you. I have gotten used to waking up with you and your Mom. Watching you toddle around the house and play, asking me to, "Pay? Pay!" I love you so much and I really hope that even though I am at work right now that you know that I love you and wish I was there with you.

This morning you were such a big girl eating your bananas and pancakes in your little pigtails. When I left you gave me a hug and said "love you," then went right back to playing. I can't believe that I'm missing all this with you.

I keep trying to tell myself that I'm doing it for you - so that you can go to college and sleep in a a room that isn't freezing cold, but right now I just want to be with you.

I love you so much, Parker Alyse. You are so amazing. I will see you in 7.5 hours. Don't grow up too much while I am gone.

Love,

Mommy