Doctors, Parties, Work-outs, oh my!

I am being a bad blogger - shame on me for not updating more! However, life has been a little bit busy and hectic and so therefore I haven't had time to sit down and just be and talk. Until now. I am making myself sit down and relax today because I have been on the go for what seems like forever! I need to take today to sit and relax and enjoy some down town with my big 1 year old. Part of that is getting to you an update of the past few days. Obviously you know Parker turned 1 on May 29th, but I didn't get to share with you about his 12 month check up and I certainly did not get to share with you the details of his party. So away we go...

Friday with when Parker turned 1. I think I am still in disbelief that my baby is 1! I sometimes feel like I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not imagining it or even to feel like it's real. (And yes, I did pinch myself that morning. Parker went in for his 1 year check up and it went well. He was 14lbs 15ozs (so I am just saying he was 15lbs.) and he was 27 in. long! Big boy! The doctor said Parker is looking great and doing well. He is allowed to eat pretty much anything now and he will remain on formula until he's 15 months to help get more calories in him. I am actually getting frustrated because he doesn't seem to care for most table food. Which is frustrating especially when the doctor says he needs 3 meals a day plus his bottles. I feel like I am never going to get him to eat "real" food. Don't get my wrong, he loves most baby food...but like, I want him to have eggs or cheese or something like that and he looks at me like I am nuts for offering it to him. I keep thinking, what if he NEVER eats anything but the formula and baby food. He can't have milk yet - not because of allergies, but because for him it is important to get the calories and nutrients from the formula and the milk would take place of that. He can have watered down juice, but not as a substitute for the formula. I am pretty sure this all frustrates me most because if by age 2 he hasn't caught up with his actual age, he will need to see an endocrinologist and possibly get some growth hormones.

Other than his dr. appointment friday was spent decorating cupcakes and pulling together the last of the needs for his party! Parker's party was on saturday and it was elmo world themed. It was a big hit and we had a lot of friends and family there. The kids made a craft (their own dorothy.) and they were allowed to color on the table cloths, which went over great! The kids loved it and I think the adults did too! Parker got a lot of great gifts, which he loves to play with. He did get to try cake but was too busy playing with the frosting and smearing it on his face to actually eat anything. But it was cute none the less. After the party we came home and my family came back with us and hung out for a few hours. We played at least an hours worth of Taboo, which with my family is fun! After they left, I got ready and headed to Buca Di Beppo for mom's night out. So much fun!

Not much has happened between Sat. and today. I did join a stroller fit type group though. It's called Mommies and Munchkins. It was started in Columbus by a woman who just moved here from Indiana. She has started one there too and it was thriving. Slowly but surely this one is growing. It is a lot of fun. You walk and exercise, but you stop and you do things with your kiddos to help them get some exercise too. It's Christ based, so there is a memory verse and rhymes to go along with some of the stretching. The best part about it is that it's free. I loved it, you can go at your own pace. You choose your level of fitness. I pushed myself and I am feeling the pain of that today, but I am so glad that I have found something like this. I have been wanting to get into something like this, but didn't know where to begin! We meet every tues and thursday at various parks in the area.

Not really sure what else to talk about. I guess just pray for the frustrations I am feeling over feeding Parker. And also, pray that he starts sleeping better. For the past few nights at about 12:30 he wakes up SCREAMING and crying. I think it might be because he is getting another tooth, but it's frustrating for mommy and daddy!

Thanks friends.

Tidbits: Lousy Weekend, Parker, Baby Food Advice

Hello Friends,

- I am not entirely sure how to start this post today. It's been a hard weekend and I want you to know that I appreciate your praying for me, Drew and Parker. I also would like to ask that you keep doing so, as this is a long process we are going through. I wish I could share with you the details of what is happening and honestly I could, but I am not comfortable sharing them with you all. It's not at all that I don't trust you guys, I do, I write things on my blog that I might not tell even my family (well that's not true because I know some read this!) but still. I just feel in order for Drew and I to strengthen our marriage and work through this hard time, it's best that we keep this between us for the most part. I hope that you all can understand. I guess the broad specifics of what to pray for would be, healing from hurt, healing in both mine and Drew's hearts, that God would help us rebuild some things in out life and that our marriage would come out stronger on the end of this season. One of the worst parts of this is the timing of it all....lets just say Valentine's Day was HORRIBLE. So thankfully tonight our friend Mandi is coming to watch Parker and we are going out to dinner at a nice restaurant. I am excited! *Oh and in regards to my previous post about accusations and the ending of a friendship - this is sorta related but mostly not!* I will do my best to keep prayer requests up (I will make a special thing on the side of my blog so you can always find what to specifically pray for!

- Parker is amazing. I thought I would let you know that. The kid has learned he can shreek - oh yah, fun times in our house. Mommy normally has a small headache by the end of the day thanks to Mr. Parker's screeching fits.

- Ok, question time. I make my own baby food, but here's my problem - peaches, pears and banana's keep growing brown quickly...any thoughts on how to make that not happen? I know lemon juice...but I don't think I want to put that in for parker right now. If I cook them, will that help them keep their color better? I am so annoyed by this!

I should probably go and start getting around for our date for tonight! Thank you all for loving us!

Quick Update

I don't really have much to share with you right now. It's not a bad thing, just not a lot to talk about. So this is going to be pretty random and not super long.

Let's see....what to share with you...?

- Parker continues to do well with solids. We have pears and green beans left to try and then he will have tried all Stage 1 foods. He's doing great. He really has only not like peas (I like them, but when they are mushed like that...I don't blame him!). Other than that, so far he's liked everything. And seriously, prunes look gross when turned into baby food. Are prunes dried plums? And along the food line, I continue to make baby food...my baby carrots didn't go over well, nor has my squash, but he loved my applesauce...and bananas. I enjoy making the baby food!

- Parker is also very very close to sitting up on his own. He can sit on his own for about 10-15 seconds...and then he falls over. Also, he is talking ALOT....he has a lot to say and he's very vocal. Also, he laughs a lot. He's hysterical!

- Yesterday we had a WIC appointment and he was weighed - 12 lbs 3ozs!!!! That is 4 x his birth weight! And he is 2 ft tall (24 inches). He's my big boy. Oh and he holds his own bottle some now too! He's just about into 3-6 month sized clothes.

- I am doing well for the most part. I have my good days and bad days, but the good days outnumber the bad! I have to admit though I am going through a "nobody likes me, I don't fit in" time currently. Like I said last night at life group, I certainly know deep down it's not true, but sometimes it takes awhile to really believe it. Parker gives me life and makes me really happy, so that's always good.

- On Saturday I was able to hang out with some girls from church. It was Miss America and my friend MK is close friends with Miss NY, they grew up together. So we got together for Miss Fabulous Vista Ridiculous Pageant. It was funny, I was Miss Not-So-Graceful! I didn't win, but it's ok, I had a blast. We enjoyed being judges and laughing and such.

- Drew is off this weekend so hopefully we can get some good time together.

- Oh and now for my thoughts on last nights Bachelor:
1. Lauren - I get that you were trying to be funny, but you really shouldn't demand a rose. Jason is an adult, he can make his own decisions and by telling him he had to give you a rose...you made yourself look bad not to mention, how rude. You don't demand those things!
2. Shannon - oh crazy ridiculous Shannon...you scare me. All I have to say to you is enjoy french kissing your dog and brushing your teeth.
3. Megan - your attitude was pretty sucky. I especially hated your personal interviews on the confession cam or whatever...the way in which you talked about others was very mean and I could not have been happier to see Jason send you home.
4. Nikki - self absorbed much? "I don't know how much smarter I can get....I don't know how much prettier I could get...." Yah and you wonder why you got sent home.

- I am pretty happy with the top 5. I really like Melissa - I will admit I didn't at first, but I do now. I hope he chooses her!!!

Ok well, off to watch Idol! Have a good one and for those in Ohio right now, stay warm! The snow is a falling!

OH and I have a prayer request, 4 people from my church are going to visit our orphanage in Cambodia, they fly out tomorrow. Pray for safe travels and safety while there.

A Happy

Just thought I would share with everyone....



PARKER ATE BABY FOOD THIS MORNING!!!! Sweet Taters...he liked um, his initial face was PRICELESS!!!

Picture to come as soon as I can get the chance to do them - I have some errands to run and my in-laws will be here soon, so I apologize if they don't get up right away!!!

Love you all!



Oh, quick question moms - now that he is starting baby food (which I hear can be a long process!) how do I work in cereal? Do I still do that every day too or what?

(And I should note, Parker still has to eat the same amount of bottles - yay for supplementing)