Finally the SUN!

After a week of rainy cold weather Parker finally got outside today!  Boy oh boy did he have fun!

He blew bubbles...

He played in his sandbox...although he doesn't like sand on his clothes or feet...

He played at his picnic table... 

He mowed the lawn for dad... 

He picked flowers for mom...

He had a great day!  Bring on more sunshine!!

Easter Day

On Easter morning we met Grandma and Grandpa Stecher at church.  After church we came home and had some time with the Stechers which included an Easter Egg hunt and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Finding Eggs out back.  It was a nice day so we were able to go outside, which Parker loves!

The Easter Bunny was good to me!

The guys playing with bubbles

My first Peanut Butter cup Egg...YUM!

Playing with Play-dough and Grandma.

After Stecher time we met up with the Vancil's for Easter Brunch.  The food was great, the atmosphere so-so, and the service needed improvement, but it was nice to have everyone together and especially nice for Travis, Parker and I not to have to have 2 huge Easter meals in one day! :)

After a nap for all 3 Stechers we headed to Grandpa and Grandma Vancil's house where the Easter Bunny had visited as well.  We had another great egg hunt and enjoyed time outside as a family.

Hop, Hop! 

We  have a future golfer...FORE! 

After a light supper we headed home.  Parker had a great day with his family and thoroughly enjoys Easter!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

First Egg Hunt

Today was Parker's first Easter Egg Hunt.  My mom's workplace hosts an egg hunt every year and she invited us to come.

Parker's first egg. 

There was a separate area for 3 and under which was nice and Daddy was smart enough to pick Parker up and carry him out in the courtyard some to avoid the distraction of the crowd.

Egg goes in here. 

Look I can shake it! 

How many do I have?  One, two, three... 

Grandma, I made out like a bandit!

Parker even found a "prize" egg and won a basket full of goodies...of which mom and dad dove into as soon as we got in the car ;)

Thanks Grandma!  We had lots of fun!

Hop Hop

Yesterday my mom had to pick up a rabbit suit for her workplace.  She thought it would be cute if she came over to the house to meet Parker....I thought this would be a great photo op.  Then I thought it would be HILARIOUS to scare Travis, so I didn't tell him she was coming by.

Mom texted that she needed 5 minutes and she was in front of the neighbors house.  I called down to Travis who was working in the basement to come up and watch Parker so I could start dinner.  I was hoping to have them both in the living room when she "hopped' by the window. 

Parker was watching the Wiggles in the living room, Travis was in the bathroom washing his hands, and I was in the kitchen turning the camcorder on trying to to chuckle at my funny moment coming up...Suddenly we hear a scream/cry and a pitter patter of feet come running through the hall. 

Mom was EARLIER than 5 minutes and caught Parker in the living room by himself while she was dancing about in front of our picture window.  Travis comes out of that bathroom saying what's going on...do you know who that is?  Do you know who that is?...as he's ready to chase the rabbit down the street. 

I'm cracking up and Parker is clinging to Travis for dear life crying.

It didn't go exactly as planned.

So I let the hop-hop in.  Parker was none to pleased by this and would not let go of Travis.  Even after we took the mask off and showed Parker that is was Grandma, he wanted nothing to do with her.  In a last ditch effort before we helped grandma out of the suit I tried to have Travis stand near the rabbit.   

Poor bunny was quite rejected...notice the death grip on Travis' shirt!

Once Grandma had left the rest of the evening Parker went to the front window saying "Hop-hop?"  "Hop-hop?"  He wanted to know when the next rabbit would come popping up in our window!

The very first thing he said this morning when he woke up was "hop-hop?" and he came running to the front window...I'd say that Hop-Hop made quite an impression.

It begins....life with boys...

This has been an amazing spring break with Parker and Travis.  We have had loads of fun and literally watched Parker mature before our eyes. 
For example:
He is no longer allowed to have a traditional sippy cup.  Both Dr. Larson and Dr. Smith (dentist) have said it is time to say goodbye and go strictly to a straw cup. 

Also, no more juice unless he is constipated which won't happen because he's on Lactulose. 

His speech continues to develop and grow and he is adding more words daily. 

He has learned how to partially sing a small amount of the ABC song thanks to a Baby Einstein music video. 

He has virtually stopped signing "Please" because now he says it....Peas....

He is hitting less and less when frustrated thanks to constant language and redirection.

and....
he is learning how to be a parrot...and mimic...

Friday night after dinner we were taking a drive around the area.  It was a decent evening and there were still people working in the yard.  We happened to see an elderly man getting on a lawn mower. His pants were so low he could have been a plumber...get my drift...
Travis says "Eww, Butts, butts..." and from the back seat we hear in a teeny tiny voice: "butt.....butts...butts"  We look at each other shocked and then back at a very smug little one and a half year old who was all grins!

Saturday afternoon Parker and I were at lunch with my mom, Jane, and Sara, Justin's Girlfriend.  We went to Granite City and Parker was doing really well.  He was starting to get antsy at the end of our lunch and I said, "do you need your diaper changed?"  His response was to say:  Poop....Poop...Poop...and continue in this fashion for many moments.  While standing up in his high chair, while being carried through the crowded restaurant....while being put on the changing station in the bathroom...
The kicker is..he wasn't even poopy!!!

So to wrap up our vacation:  Lots of fun family time, lots of growth and development, lots of changing into a big boy...and for sure 2 new words: butts, and poop..
This is my life with boys, and to think there is another one on the way...do you think it will take the new one 18 months to learn the words poop and butt with Parker around? :)

Yard Work

We have thoroughly enjoyed our spring break weather.  There has been sun, warm temperatures, and the opportunity to be outside without coats!  Our yard was/is in need of some much needed TLC after the winter months and Travis and Parker got right to work.

Here son, this is how you do it... 

Got it dad...like this? 

That looks good, you keep raking, I'll put the twigs in the bag since it's taller than you! ;)

We have a very good big boy helper! (he's not for hire!)

Monkey Joe's

Two Thumbs up for Monkey Joe's!

Today we went to Monkey Joe's in Davenport with some of Parker's friends.  Carter and Emily were able to join us. We had a great time.

Parker loved running around the bounce houses and even laughed when he would fall down! 

This was the "dinosaur" land.  He wasn't as impressed with this one, but would run back and forth between the two bounce houses.

Whoa, that's a big dinosaur!

  

Towards the end of our adventure the "boys" got very brave and went into a bouncer that was outside of the mini-monkey area.  However, they needed some help getting down the slide.  Even though this photo is blurry (because they are going so fast down the slide), I LOVE IT!  You can see how all 3 of the guys are LOVIN' it.  If you look close you can tell that Parker is cracking up too!

Daddy and Parker wend down a second time even! 

We were all tuckered out but had a blast!  The timing was perfect, go first thing when they open, during the week, and you'll beat the crowds!

We can't wait to go again!

Spring Break Day 1

Monday was beautiful so we took advantage of having the day off from school and our zoo membership still being valid and took Parker to the zoo. 

WOW!  They have remodeled the entry and made it much more user friendly and added a tropical/jungle area.  Very cool!  New bathrooms too...for a pregnant woman and a toddler a definite bonus! :)

Travis and Parker in the new Jungle wing.

All was fine while we waited for the train, and even walked up to the train....

but...

when we actually got on the train was a different story. 

Tears and wanting "up" which is Parkers up and down.  He wanted off the train.  Looking off in the distance we noticed that the elephant was out.  I'm not sure if it was the train, the lack of movement, or the large packaderm that scared him.  However, after a few short minutes and the start of the train ride we were much better.  My bet is the packaderm! :)

We learned that Parker is Kito in Swahelie.  There was a zoo employee giving giraffe facts and he told us that if Parker was the first born he is a Kito.  So Parker and Kito the giraffe have the same name...first born.

When we saw the monkeys we found a mama and baby monkey and two brothers duking it out...sigh...a prediction of things to come?

  

Parkers last stop was the ducks.  He loved it.  We had a great time and can't wait to go back again! 

Happy Spring Break!

Tubes and Spring

Parker had Ear Tube surgery on Tuesday morning.  He did great.  The surgery was so fast that I didn't even have time to eat my complimentary muffin!  After a brief fopau (I walked into a private family waiting room instead of going through the door to recovery, OOPS!) we were able to greet a very unhappy little boy!  He was not a fan of the anesthesia. After a nap on the way home and some milk and lunch he was as good as new! 

We hope this will solve our chronic ear infection problems.  He has slept really good the past 2 nights and been eating well too!

 

 

We have also been enjoying this fabulous March weather everyday after school!  We are excited to spend next week on Spring Break with Parker!  Hopefully it will not rain all week!