Busy-ness

Dear Parker,

I know that I have written you many apology letters lately, but I want to tell you how much I love you. I know that it is hard for you right now. (It's hard for me too!) I know you don't understand why Mommy isn't home at night and can't put you to bed. I'm hoping that you will begin to adjust and that you will learn to love this special time that you have with your Mom. It will all be over (sort of) soon, baby. We have to get through 2 weeks and then we will have Spring Break and you will have your Moms all day for a whole week! Then, we will have 4 weeks of things being kind of crazy, but you are always a good girl and I know you will do fine.

We sold the house (well, contingent on a pre-approval for the buyers), but it's pretty much done. I'm kind of sad right now about leaving this house. I have so many memories of you here. I remember the day we brought you home and just sat you in the middle of the living room floor because we didn't really know what to do with you. You just slept in your car seat while your Moms ate Jimmy John's. :) I have so many more to share and I'm sure I will as moving day draws nearer. For now, though, I should go to bed.

I love you very much, Parker and am very much looking forward to Wednesday afternoon when I will at least get to spend time with you in the car as we look at houses.

I continue to be amazed by you. I love you.

Mommy

18 months (a little late)

Dear Parker,

On Thursday, you turned 18 months old. Where has the time gone? I can't believe that just 2 years ago, you were not fully part of our lives. I can't really remember life without you. :) Anyway, you had your 18 month check-up. You still hate going to the doctor. You screamed through the entire weighing and measuring process. You weigh 26 lbs, 2oz and are 331/2 inches long. You were pretty good for Dr. Hughes though. She said that you spoke really well and are doing fine. You had to get one shot, which you didn't like, but I think you were more traumatized by having to lay on the table than by the actual shot. :)

Yesterday, you got to go to the "zeum" with your friend Nancy and your mom. I had to go to musical rehearsal We also got an offer on our house yesterday. It was okay, but we made a counter offer and are hoping to hear good news today. We will see. As much as I want to move, I will be a little sad if/when we sell this house. I have lots of good memories here.

In a few hours, we will be going to the big library downtown to get your 18 month pictures taken. I'm excited but very nervous. You are hard to photograph these days! I'm sure Micah will do a great job, but I always want you to be well behaved!

When I'm playing with you, I always think, "I should write that on Parker's blog," but then I forget what it was when it comes time to write!

Cute story of the day: This morning you were watching Abby on tv and your mom was making breakfast. She sneezed and you said, "Bless You, Mom!" How funny! I didn't know that you knew when people sneezed you were supposed to say, "Bless You!" You continue to amaze me.

I need to go do homework, before we have to get you up to take a bath for your pictures!

I love you, big girl.

Mommy

More time outside

Dear Parker,

Today, we had about an hour to spend together before I had to go to rehearsal. It was such a nice day that I thought our time would best be spent outside. So, out we went! This time, we played in the front. We walked up and down the street. You pointed out the cars, a truck that drove by and our neighbors' stone goose (which you wanted to pat find eyes on!) We came home and played on the porch. You liked playing with the leaves that had fallen off the bushes this past fall. You would take them out of the flower bed and put them on the porch. Then, you would put them all back. You kept saying, "leaf. back." It was pretty cute.

You have been wanting to do lots of things yourself lately. You will say, "Parker walk" or "Parker down" or "Parker tork (fork)." It's pretty cute. I can't believe how many things you say. You sat at the computer tonight and said, "Computer. Parker type." Where did you learn type? I guess it doesn't matter.

Tomorrow you go to the doctor for you 18 month check-up. I hope you don't need any vaccines. I hate that.

I love you baby girl.

Mommy

Bad Mommy Day

Dear Parker,

On days like today, I feel like a terrible mommy. I had to wake you in the morning, tear you from your books so you could get dressed and then pass you off to your Aunt Lauren without so much as breakfast. I have a hard time with this because I know that you are only going to be little and want Mommy to play for a short period of time and I feel like I am wasting this time by not spending ever second with you. I know that it's ridiculous for me to think I should be spending every waking moment with you, but on days like today - when I will only get to see you for an hour this afternoon - it's really all I want to do.

I'm hoping that you understand and that I can make the most of the time I do get with you. But, I'm still sorry that you are getting a raw deal. I love you more than anything, little girl. I just don't know how to do things differently.

I hope you had fun at the park this morning with Aunt Lauren and Uncle Stu and that you are taking a good nap right now. I will see you in 3 hours and 15 minutes.

I love you.

Mommy

Pics from Today

Dear Parker,

Here are the pictures from today that I talked about in the last post. You are such a big girl. I love you very much!

Love,

Mommy

Outside

Dear Parker,

I had almost forgotten how much you love being outside. It has been getting nicer the last couple of days and when I take you to the car to leave, you get upset that we can't stay outside. Yesterday, we went to the zoo and the gardens. You liked that. Today wasn't quite as nice, but we had a couple hours to kill before I had to start cleaning the house for (yet another) showing.

So, we went outside for awhile. You spent an hour and half in the backyard just walking in the grass, swinging (on our pretty jank bench swing), playing with your toys from the bin and on your slide. I'm not sure you are quite sold on sliding yet, but you liked to climb up and down with help. You are a cautious little girl and, although you are completely capable of doing it yourself, you wanted my help getting up and down. Even when you were walking in the grass, you wanted to hold my hand. So, we walked around and played with the toys and swung. It was fun.

It made me dream of spring and summer and a new house and getting you a playset. Now, you are pretty tired, but I can't let you take a nap because we have a showing really soon and I have to clean and you can't be napping for the showing.

I tried to take some pictures of you outside, but the camera died. I will look at the pictures tonight to see if any of them turned out. If so, I will try to post them. I love you very much.

Love,

Mommy

Getting Out

Dear Parker,

I'm sorry it's been awhile since I have written. We've been very busy and you've been a very good girl when we drag you along to all of our things. So, today we took the morning and had some family time. It was relatively nice outside, so we went to the zoo!

Here you are making a funny face at me before we leave.
I didn't get many good pictures at the zoo, but afterward we went to the White River Gardens. Here you are "reading" about the flowers.
Lately, you have been a little obsessed with the color pink. It's not that you have to have everything pink - I think it's just a color you recognize. Here you are getting a closer look at a pink flower.
We all had a good time and it was nice to get out of the house and spend some time in the sun. I'm looking forward to spring and summer with you!

Love you,

Mommy