A Christmas to remember

First we'll start with Christmas Eve- where we went to an awesome Christmas Eve service at church. There was no nursery so the boys were in the service with us. Such a special night....

Afterward we came home and got in our PJ's so we could go look at Christmas lights!! Doesn't Parker look excited?!?! :) We ran through Wendy's for some yummy dinner and went a lookin'! Once we got into the neighborhood I brought Parker up with me in the front seat so he could really see the lights! SO fun!!!

6:30am came along this morning and my little Parkerman arose...I went and got him and we came in and began jumping on the bed excitedly waking daddy up so that we could start the Christmas day process.

So we got up (Beckham was still in bed...I figured he wouldn't mind us starting the presents since he is only 2.5 months old!) and ran into the living room. Parker opened his first two presents- a tent with a tunnel attached and a puppy dog pillow pet.

At about this point, little Beckham made his appearance!!! We opened a present that Grammy and Poppy gave him and he was thrilled as you can tell! :)



We then at our pancake breakfast that Blake made for us...YUMMY!!! He made my pancakes say I love you....SO sweet!!!


NOW...time for the fun...as I was cleaning up Parkerman of his syrup this was awaiting him in the garage!! A gift that Gigi/Poepoe, Grammy/Poppy and Mommy & Daddy all got him!!!


So we got Parkerman all dressed for the cold and went out to get his new Powerwheel!!!

Once mommy got in it and showed him how it drives- he got the hang of it and LOVED IT!!!! All he wanted to do all day long was drive his new "TRUCK"!!! His best friend Wesley came over and got to have a ride too. SOOO precious! Parker wasn't the best at steering, but he could drive in one heck of a circle!!!!! :)

After a nice morning nap and a visit from Grammy and Poppy- we loaded up the car and went over to Gigi and Poepoe's house for the remainder of the day where we got to spend time with Mimi and Papa and Aunt Autumn and Uncle Jimi too.

We ended the night with putting my sweet precious Beckham to bed and then going into Parker's
room and turning the lights off and getting into his tent with a flash light. It was the greatest ending to the greatest day getting to play just a little bit more!!

What a WONDERFUL day it was. The joy I get to experience of making Christmas morning fun for my child (soon to be children) is unending! The joy I get from creating new traditions with my own family is the BEST!!! I get to be a kid again and it is SOOO fulfilling! I can't express the excitement of having children and I am loving every minute of it. Today, I was standing out in the freezing cold watching Parker drive in a circle on his powerwheel...it made me so happy- so happy to watch him enjoy such a fun gift- so happy that I could stand out there and allow him to have plenty of time to just drive. How awesome today was...how awesome how awesome! I know it will only get better...I know the excitement, as Parker and Beckham get older and understand more about Christmas, will grow to be even better! Praise God....thank you, Father, for my little family...thank you that I get to enjoy these holidays. I look forward to incorporating Jesus into our holidays and having time in God's word amongst all of the presents and excitement!!!!!

Today...was such a Christmas to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick laugh

Today- while I was wrapping presents for Christmas, Parker brought me his police truck (not a Christmas present) for me to wrap, just for fun. So, I wrapped it and handed it back to him. I asked him "well, are you going to open it?" and he began to unwrap it. With my assistance we got it open and once it was open he said "WHOOOOOOAAA!!!!!". haha...he has already learned the art of "acting" surprised! :)

He makes me smile

When he sees me after being apart and yells "HIIIIII" with a big huge cheesy grin

When he holds his hand out towards something and says with passion "It's HOT"

When he says goofy things like "Whoooo WEEEE.....It's hot!!!!"

When he walks around the house with his hands held out palms facing upward and saying "Where de go"???? Mouth open and genuinely looking for where "it" went.

When I say "ready set go" and he squats down getting ready.

When he takes his shoe off and sniffs it, then says "puuuu WEEE!"

When he asks for something and I say "what do you say?" and he says "Pwhee!!!"

He makes me smile so much during the day....he is such a funny goofy child and everyday I love watching him grow and learn news ways to make me smile!!

The blessing of grass between my toes...

Today, Parker, Beckham and I spent much needed quality time out on our driveway. Parker was "mowing" with his little lawn mower and I was holding Beckham. Parker went out into the grass and was having so much fun that I decided to go join him and let Beckham experience grass on his little tender feet. From there- we laid Beckham in the grass and then Parker laid next to him...and then I laid in the grass next to Parker then we collected leaves and I would throw them at Parker who would then laugh and squeal with joy. It is the BEST feeling in the world that God has blessed me with a body that is physically able to sit in the grass and roll around and play with my little boy (soon to be boys :) ). Father, thank you for your kindness, grace and mercy towards me- that I can enjoy life with my boys and FEEL and ENJOY the blessing of grass between my toes!!!!!

Save that dance...

Last night, as I was getting ready for my girls night- I had the ottoman moved out of the way and Christmas music was playing on the TV....it was just Parker, Beckham and I home and we were all three in our PJ's (my girls night was a PJ party). I looked at Parker and said..."Parkerman, dance with Beckham and I!!". Parker got so excited and did his run around crazyman dance while squealing; then he would run into the kitchen and run around the island while I chased him squealing just as much! Oh, how I will cherish these nights of dancing in the living room....oh how I will cherish his sweet little innocent smiles and excitement over spending time with his mommy being silly and goofy. Parker- please always save a dance for your mommy as you grow up into the man that God intended you to be.

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.