Back in the game!

So for the last 3 months we have been having some computer and internet difficulties. However, as of today, I am happy to report that we have resolved all issues! I have a lot to catch you up on, so I will be starting back up where I left off. Stay tuned....

Pretty as a picture....

We took Sadie to JC Penney Portraits Studios today to have some one year pictures taken, and here are some of our favorites. They turned out pretty cute, especially considering that she wasn't exactly an easy target since she wouldn't stop moving!

One year old!

Well, the day has arrived....my sweet little Sadie Lady is O-N-E year old! How is it possible that this.... is now this?????

Time flies when you're having fun! Happy birthday, girlie! We are having her party tomorrow to celebrate, so look for a party post coming soon....

First tooth....finally!

I'm just a little late in posting this, but Sadie's first tooth FINALLY broke through a couple of weeks ago! I'm so excited because I was really beginning to wonder if she even had any in there. Here is a picture, although since the picture is so small you can't really see the tooth too well. A couple of days ago, two more teeth broke through on her top gum. No, not the two in the middle, the ones on either side of those two. She kinda looks like she has fangs. Not kidding. Here's to hoping the middle ones come in soon.....

Glimpses of Parker

I haven't written any updates on Parker in a while, so I thought I'd make this post all about him. Here are a few things he's been up to lately:

-- He's now closer to 4 years old than to 3 years old. How did THAT happen?
-- He loves to play with his sissy....he also loves to tell her what to do. When *and usually only when* he's listening to my instructions, he is a big help with her.
-- We are still working on potty-training. Parker has always taken very well to transitions, but this one is a REAL struggle. Try as I might, I just haven't been able to figure out how to motivate him/make him care.
-- He loves to go to "school"....the drop-in childcare facility where I work. He asks to go nearly every day.
-- He loves airplanes, helicopters, dragons, and playing any kind of ball.
-- As much as I hate to admit it, he no longer needs/takes a nap every day. And if he does go to sleep, he usually has a much more difficult time getting to sleep at his norml bedtime.
-- He makes us laugh. A lot.

And here are a couple new Parkerisms:

Today, after waking up grumpy from a short nap and wanting to be left alone, he said "Give me some spaces". Sounds oddly like something I ask for on occasion.

The other day, the kids and I were in the Jeep on the way home from Target and the entire conversation took place between Parker and, well, Parker.

"You hit mommy in the face?"
"I hit mommy in the face."
"You hit her in the face?"
"I hit mommy in the face."
"You don't do that. That's not how you act. Say sorry."
"Sorry."
"Say sorry!"
"SORRY!"
"Thank you."

Two things about this story. First, Parker has never hit me in the face so I have no idea where that came from. Second, it is a great relief to know that he actually listens to at least some of the things that we say.

And finally, here are some pictures of Parker. The expressions speak more about his personality than I could possibly write.

We have a stander!

Well, the moment I knew would soon arrive has come....yesterday Sadie pulled herself to standing for the first time! I was up in the kitchen getting some breakfast only to look down and check on Sadie to find this.... OK, so you can't really see anything. I didn't realize until I enlarged the pictures that you can't tell that she is standing, but I promise she was. I wondered if she would do it again because it is classic Sadie to do something once but then decide not to do it again for a while. However, my doubt was all in vain because she is pulling up like crazy now! Here she is in the act....

....and up!!

And as it turns out, she is apparently not only standing but climbing now!! After just learning how to pull up yesterday, I looked over today to see her on the second step trying to make it to the third. I would have taken a picture, but the near-heart-failure state that I was in afforded me no time to do anything but get her down. It's ironic to me that after all the things that she's taken her time in doing, climbing is not one of them. Somehow I feel like the joke is on me....

The forgotten beanie

We have been really blessed by a lot of people who have given us hand-me-downs for the kids. The only problem that I have discovered with this is that no matter how hard I try to organize it all, there are always a few things that either a) get misplaced or *the more likely* b) get put somewhere on purpose by me so that I will remember where they are only to forget that I put them there. Please tell me this happens to you too. Anyway, the other day I was going through some of Sadie's stuff to prepare for the change in seasons, and I found the cutest little beanie. Too bad I forgot that I had it because HELLO, I could have used it all winter! I just had to bring it down and put it on Sadie to see what it looked like..... And a side view.....

Isn't it cute???? Total bummer that she didn't get to use it this entire winter. I'm crossing my fingers that it will still fit next winter, but we'll see. By then, I will probably have forgotten about it again. Oh, and of course Parker had to try it on too!