Sweet times...

Sweet times include:

Sitting on the couch with my arm around my Parker snuggling close while he watches movies of garbage trucks on my itouch.

Laying my sweet Beckham on the changing table (or smile table as I have named it) and then seeing him give me the biggest cheesiest grins and coo's!!!

Watching Parker stack all of the couch cushions up- then looking so proud once he's done.

Going in to pick up Beckham out of his crib when he wakes up in the morning....so sweet.

Marching around the island with Parker in the kitchen with cooking utensils singing as if we are in a marching band

Sitting on the floor with my arms open WIDE saying "one...two...THREE" and then having Parker run and JUMP into my arms with his arms squeezing my neck as tight as he can

Playing in the back yard with Parker teaching him what "ready, set, GO!" means and then racing him across the yard.

Seeing Parker turn and look at me over his shoulder begging me to come chase him and then seeing him giggle and run when I jump up after him.

Laughing at my sweet Parker when he is being silly and goofy and then watching him start laughing because I am laughing so hard!

Hearing Beckham cry over the baby monitor and then looking at Parker and saying..."uh-oh (mouth open wide) Beckham's up...let's go get him!!!" and then watching him RUN into Beckham's room.

When I would kick the ball in the back yard, Parker would yell "Whoooooooooaaaaa!!!!!!!". Thinking I just kicked the ball the furthest out of anyone on this earth!

When Blake and I go pick him up from the nursery at church...we peak our heads in and see him playing and then yell "PARKERMAN!!!" and he looks up, realizes it's us and then his mouth drops wide open in excitement and he RUNS to the door soooo happy to see us!!!!

When he wakes up in the morning- he is standing at the door, sometimes with his monkey blanket, sometimes not, waiting for me to open the door...then reaches up for me to hold and cuddle with him.

I love how he calls milk "doke"!

I love that he is so comforted when I am around him or holding him when he is in a new place or uncomfortable place. (See "perfected in my love" blog)

I love love looooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee being a mommy...I love my boys more than my heart can handle and I am so grateful to the Lord that He has entrusted them to me. It's the best job anyone could have ever given me!!!

One of those moments...

Today, I had "one of those moments" where I was thinking about all of the parents who have lost their children. When I put myself in their shoes it made me so so so so soooooooo incredibly grateful that I have my children on this earth with me. It made me want to go into their rooms and wake them up and hug and kiss them a million times. It made me realize that even on my worst day as a parent....that would be a parent's who lost their child best day because it meant that they HAD their child. It made me realize that the frustrations that I feel throughout the day are so small and so WORTH IT because my children are with me.

Beckham Cole

My sweet little Beckham Cole. He is 2 months or 9 weeks old! What is he like????

Well, for a while, if Beckham wasn't eating or sleeping he typically was crying or fussing. He spits up a LOT and seemed to be struggling with a little case of reflux. However, it seemed like overnight, he began to come alive! He is smiling and coo'ing like crazy and he is starting to be a happier baby when awake. Here is a video of the little smiles and "coo's" that I get that absolutely steal my heart. You will have to excuse the "owl" noises that I make- that is the way I get him to smile and it is almost like he tries to imitate my mouth and my voice when I do it.


Beckham goes to bed around 7:30-8 and sleeps anywhere from 5-9 hour stretches- then wakes up to eat and will sleep some more...typically sleeping an accumulative of 11-12 hours. Accumulative is the word, though...he is not sleeping that straight through! :) However, my 5-9 hour stretches are wonderful!!!! He takes anywhere from 2-3 naps a day lasting anywhere from 1hour to 3 hours.

He is currently participating in pacifier training as he is a baby that needs to suck...so I am working on him to take one. He is not nuts about it, but in crucial moments like nap-time, bedtime or eating dinner at a restaurant...he will take one!

So- that is what is going on with my sweet little Beckham. I love him more than words can describe and as he is becoming alive life with him is getting more and more exciting!

TRUCK!!!!!!!!!

One of my favorite things about being a mommy is figuring out what my child's passion is and then making it my own. Parker LOOOOOOOOOVES trucks...therefore, I had to learn all of the trucks' names. Excavator, Skid Steer, backhoe, fire truck, auto carrier, cement mixer, tow truck, dump truck, tanker, box truck, crane, bull dozer, tractor, and last but not least GARBAGE TRUCK!!! I love getting so excited when we see trucks, because I know he gets so excited! At home, our favorite thing to do on garbage day is to RUN outside when we hear the garbage truck and go watch it. Parker will hear it and then open his mouth as if he is gasping and say 'TRUCK!' and then literally we run to the door and go outside to watch the garbage truck lift up our trashcan and empty it. Usually we get to wave at the garbage man too. Occasionally, Parker will go to the window and say 'truck' and point as if he hears the garbage truck...it is so cute and yet so sad to have to tell him there is no truck outside. Goodness....how fulfilling it is to have a little boy in this stage. Life is SO exciting for him and I love making it exciting for him. I love watching him be goofy and silly and I love encouraging that. I love that he has an imagination already growing and I love watching him use it. It's so much fun to be his mommy....I am going to miss these early years where he is so innocent and so excited about life. However, I look forward to continuing to figure out what his passions are and making them my own, so that I can help make moments, that could be bland and boring like the trash getting picked up, EXCITING and fun!!!!

Bath-time...

One of my favorite things to do is take a bath with Parker in my big bath tub. We sit in the tub and I turn cartoons on my TV that I have in my closet and we sit in our hot bath, playing with toys and watching cartoons. I know, that this is a short time period that I will be able to do this and I am truly enjoying it while it lasts and will miss it terribly when Parker gets too old. We have so much fun and I am quickly turning my little boy into a lover of baths as he wants to take one anytime I even hint at turning the water on! Now that Beckham is in this world he gets to join us in our bath-time and there is nothing better than having my two baby boys in the bath tub with me!

Parker recently started to think me pouring water over his head to wash the soap out of his hair is actually kind of funny! Parker used to SCREAM when I would do that...however, now that he is older I warn him..."Parker, mommy is about to pour water over your head....one....twooooooo....THREEEEEE!!!!"....and when I start counting he starts squealing and giggling with delight! It's the BEST! Then, he takes the bowl and fills it up with water and starts pouring the water over his head himself!

Another favorite about bath-time is when I am getting out of the bath, Parker will go grab my towel and bring it to me. He is already such a sweet little gentleman, and I absolutely love him with all of my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The big brother...

I realized today when Parker bumped his head on a table that he could clearly run under just a few weeks ago, that he is growing and getting older quickly. Just a reminder that I must cherish every moment...every little memory that would normally pass me by. So today...I loved several things about my Parkerman....

1. Watching him figure out how to pick up his lawnmower and get it to roll down his slide in the backyard.

2. How he figured out if he looks through the cracks in the fence he can see into the neighbor's yard.

3. How he loves to rough house and play with me on my bed. He yearns for me to throw him on the bed and jump on there and play play play. I love that so much! I love that he WANTS me to play with him and be with him!!!! So today as we were playing on the bed, I yelled "Pillow fight!!!" and then whopped him with my pillow...he laughed and then grabbed a pillow and threw it at me...I fell over and he just laughed and laughed!!! We did that over and over again, until it was time to play ring around the rosy!! So I stand up on the bed and he excitedly jumps up and grabs my hands and we jump around the bed singing and then FALL DOWN!!! LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH!!! Oh....tickle tickle tickle and hug hug hug!!!!!!!!!!! Those bed moments are some of my favorites!!!

4. How Parker will get on one of his riding toys and then pat the seat of his other riding toy wanting me to ride it and chase him around the house!

5. The past couple of nights he has let me rock him...like a baby... with his head in the crook of my arm. I sing "I love you forever" while staring into his eyes...until he drifts off. Heaven...on...Earth!

6. I love holding him. Even though he is almost two- I love that he reaches up and wants me to hold him. I don't care if I am spoiling him...eventually he is going to be too cool to be around me and I am going to hold him every minute I can and snuggle with him every moment I can, because I only get these moments once in my life...I only get to be a mommy to him once!

Parker, "I'll love you forever...I'll like you for always....as long as I'm living...my baby you'll be!!!"

My sweet little Beckham

Today I realized that my sweet little Beckham is becoming alive. As I was breastfeeding him, I happened to look down at him and see his beautiful blue eyes staring at me. Oh, how I looooove this stage. So of course I get a huge smile on my face and stare right back into his eyes. Then, unexpectedly he SMILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHHHHHHH big and cheesy too!! That was IT! I went nutso! It wasn't the first smile, but it was the first smile I received without begging or talking! :) Tonight, as I was getting him ready for bed, he was staring at me again...and I just starting talking to him and singing to him, with our eyes locked, and I relished in watching him get so excited to have me talking to him. It's unconditional love...on both ends...it's beautiful, and I know this is just the beginning of a love that will overwhelm me on a daily basis!