First Summer Play Date

Last summer we went to lots of play dates and had a great time!  So I offered to host the first play date of the summer assuming I won't be up for it in a few weeks ;)

Today was the day and after a week of clouds, rain, and storms it was beautiful!

Parker was lucky to have 4 friends and "baby" come to his house to play today for a few hours.

Parker even figured out that his teeter-totter Grandma Vancil bought him is great fun when there is other kids his size! :)

All the kids loved the turtle sandbox Grandma Stecher bought for Parker...not sure if they had more fun playing in the sand or putting the sand in the grass!   Parker was even brave enough to put his toes in the sand barefoot!  Usually he doesn't like sand or dirt, or anything on his feet!

There was even time with baby Lucas.  Parker was quite enamored by him.  Hopefully this is a good sign of things to come for our family in the near future!

We hope to host again in the near future!  I think everyone had a great time!

Handy Helper

This morning when I was at my doctors appointment Daddy and Parker got the baby bed ready in our bedroom. Travis said Parker was quite the helper. In fact when Trav set up the pack and play Parker started to say nigh-night, nigh-night...because when he is at Kim's he naps in the pack and play. So Travis put Parker in the pack and play and boom, Parker laid down. He didn't stay down long though! :) He wanted to help. He was not impressed by the infant liner and bed that went into "his" pack and play.

 What is this?  This does not belong in my pack and play!

Who's in there?

I can help change the diapers.  I'll be a big helper!

Or...maybe I'll just lay around and play! :) 

Night 4 VBS

Night 4 at Vacation Bible School went smooth! Parker was excited to start the opening music.

He and Daddy patiently waited while I took some pictures of the VBS crews. 

Parker helped Dad set up games outside for the kids to play.

He was spoiled by the snack service ladies getting his own cup of sprinkles to eat at 7PM!

He was allowed to come in and out of the pre-school classes and even colored a picture of Jonah and the whale.  He was quite upset when it was time to put the crayons away but his new pre-school buddies took good care of him.

Looking forward to tomorrow night!

VBS games

After a day at daycare playing with friends, rushing home to change clothes and heading out the door Parker wasn't too sure about being away from Mom and Dad last night.  He wanted to be with one of us or Renee...the regular nursery attendant and daycare provider...who happens to be helping with preschool this year instead of being in the nursery.

Needless to say it wasn't as smooth going as I thought it would be...but once we got Parker out to where the kids were playing and running he had a great time.  He ran with the big kids not realizing that at any moment he could be trampled, and even "played" the game with the kids giving them his panda/manda to unfreeze them during Panda tag. 

We were very proud of him especially with him being so tired.  We'll try again tonight and see how it goes...

if all else fails mommy and Parker will head back out to games with dad!

Vacation Bible School

This week is VBS at church.  Travis and I are both helping out.  Myself, all week, and Travis starting tonight through the end of the week.  Last night Travis and Parker came for opening and stuck around for a little while to do a dry run on tonight.  We wanted to see how he would do at opening and how he would react with Aimee watching him.  Aimee is not the regular nursery attendant so we wanted to give him warm up time! :)

Parker and Levi, the youngest VBS ers.   

The VBS front stage.  Travis helped by free handing the pandas that are popping up everywhere.  Parker made sure everyone knew about it last night saying, "Daddy, manda, manda, Daddy" and pointing the the panda's that Travis drew. 

He was AWESOME during opening.  He loved hanging out with the pre-schoolers up front and being able to dance with the music and watch all the people.  Travis and I stayed back several pews to see what he would do and he just laughed and played and danced like it was his thing! 

He enjoyed it so much that when Aimee tried to take him out before all the crews left he got to the bottom of the stairs and promptly turned around and tried to crawl back up the stairs...he didn't want to miss out on anything.  When the kids had left for their stations and he was taken to the nursery he was bummed...not because he was in the nursery but because he knew his "friends" were somewhere else.  When Travis took him home Parker kept saying "its over" "is it over" very sadly. 

Tonight he will spend the whole evening there and probably spend some more time with the pre-schoolers...since he's so mature...he he he!

Catch Up...Schools Out

Schools out, summer training is over...VBS is starting...and it's time to get caught up on the blog.

Here's what's been happening in our life!

Parker has become a ham ball with photography...he will now say cheese and smile on command. Grandma Stecher has taught him that he can see himself in the camera after the photo is taken so he always wants to see what the photo turns out like!

Our good friends the Nelsons just had their second little boy, Lucas.  Recently we got together so the big boys could play and we could see how Parker would do with a newborn.  He did great!  He hasn't stopped talking about Carterbaby...Carter and Lucas...since they left.

Over Memorial Day weekend we played with a tent inside.  The tent was a staple of our living room for over a week.  I think we have a future camper on our hands!

On Memorial Day we went downtown for the parade....daddy got to put Parker on his shoulders.  I don't know who enjoyed it more!

Parker has been enjoying days at the babysitter outside with his buddies Sophie and Sawyer.  Daily on the ride to the sitters he will ask, Wagon?  Walk?  Outside?

I think he's having a great time and gaining some excellent social skills!

This week starts Pandamania VBS at our church.  Parker will be going to spend time it the nursery as both Travis and I are helping out.  However, there has been some talk of occasionally letting him join the pre-school group.  He went tonight and "helped" set up.  It will be a fun week for us all I'm sure.

My due date is fast approaching and we are getting prepped and ready here at home.  Travis just finished a toy room in the basement (photos and a different post to come) and I have been making lists and checking them twice ;)

Baby Jr. is due to come via C-Section on June 27th but if I should go into labor on my own it will be any day now as they will not force stop the labor. 

We are very excited to finally be in "summer" mode and look forward to sharing our summer with you through the blog!

Grandma Stecher/Annica's Birthday

Last weekend we celebrated Grandma Stecher and Cousin Annica's Birthday at Incredible Pizza in Davenport.  Everyone had a great time and Parker ran all over the game area grabbing family members hands saying "hand, hand" and dragging them to what he wanted to do.  Everyone was very accommodating with the youngest Stecher.

Hand, hand

Parker liked playing with Caleb and Tyler in the jungle gym.

This was Parker's favorite attraction.  It was a dance machine where you picked an upbeat kids song and followed the directions kind of like Dance Dance Revolution video game.  However, Parker just wanted to Dance, Dance, Dance.

 We're not sure which side he gets his "moves" from!

Monday evening, Grandma's actual birthday, we had them down for dinner and cake/ice cream.  Parker loved helping Grandma open her cards and presents.

Guess Who?

Guess who.....is washing all the bath toys and tub with bleach?

Mommy and Daddy 

Guess Who....pooped in the tub for the first time?

Parker

 

Guess who loves him even still and wouldn't trade this POOPER for anything?

Mommy and Daddy!

Nesting and sorting...sorting and Nesting?

The nesting phase may have begun...

I have had this nagging mess of baby clothes literally hanging over my head in the attic since we found out we were having another baby.  I knew it needed sorted, I just kept pushing it back.  However that nagging feeling is getting worse.

Tonight with the help of Travis, my mom, my dad, and Parker we sorted through boxes and tubs of baby clothes.  Clothes that Parker once wore and clothes that he has yet to wear.  I was amazed at how many clothes we have.  Good news is Parker is SET for the summer thanks to Aunt Heather/Uncle Kirk and our family friends the Johnson's.  Baby Junior will be hit or miss until about 6 months (just because of being born in late June) and then he too, will be set on clothing. 

It is such a relief to know that each tub has the clothing size that is marked.  We had done a pretty good job of getting most clothes in the general range of sizes but I will admit to being sloppy at times and just shoving clothes in the attic in any box that had room.

A HUGE thank you to my mom and dad who came to help sort (and wrangle Parker!)  My dad thought he was coming to visit Parker and when he showed up Travis and Parker were running errands so mom and I could sort in peace and my dad got stuck digging through clothes piles; he he!  He kept saying are all of these clothes Parker's?  Where did he get all this stuff?  I think he was flabbergasted! :)

A huge thank you also to the Chervenka family and the Johnson family for all the hand-me-downs!  Please know that they will be used, and used, and used and are SO very appreciated! You guys buy CUTE clothes!

Nielson Field Day

Despite a rainy crummy weekend we were able to enjoy a Friday evening at Nielson School's Carnival.  Last year Parker had to be strolled around in a stroller and held up to play the duck game.  Not this year!
This year he went right to the duck pond and grabbed the ducks out and continued to say "duck, duck, duck, duck" the remainder of the night.  In fact it was the last thing he said as he drifted off to sleep.  I'd say the carnival (and ducks) had quite an impact!

  

 He also played the bucket ball toss with Mrs. Kohl, however, he didn't want to throw the balls, just gently placed them into each bucket along the row!