It's a GIRL!

Today we had our official half way sonogram where we found out that I am carrying a little girl. I was shocked because I thought I am better suited for boys...however, God must know differently. I love this picture of Parker. He is sitting in front of 2 blankets. These blankets are special because I bought them about 3 years ago. My mom and I used to visit Hot Springs before out school years began to get the baths and spas. There was the cutest little children's store across the street from our hotel. I fell in love with these 2 blankets. My mother told me that I should buy them if I liked them, so I did and put them away. Of course the camo one came out of of hiding about 18 months ago, and now the very bright color block one gets to come out.

This photo is pretty special too. When we found out we were having a little boy, we went straight from the doctor's office to Baby Gap to buy his first outfit. Today we went to Gymboree, my favorite store for little girl clothes. I love all of their coordinating outfits. Stacey got to pick this outfit out and he did a great job. I just had to put back about 4 other of the pieces that also matched this outfit...he was a little out of control.
Now I have to start thinking girl...pinks and purples I suppose.

God bless the effort

As I returned home from Paris (Texas) today, I was tired. Parker was tired. We had a LONG 2.5 hour trip home. The air conditioner was up full blast the entire way. Parker slept a total of 25 minutes in the car, his only nap of the day. He was up until 11:00 last night, and I was up until 12:00 for 2 nights in a row and 2:00 am before that. Dead tired. When we got home, I was hoping to carry Parker into his bedroom for maybe an hour of sleep...he was't having that. Cry...cry...moan...MOMMY...cry...cry.
So I went to get him out of bed. I decided we needed something to drink after our long drive and Parker agreed. As I walked towards the kitchen...I see an oasis...no. There is really a puddle of water standing in the middle of the kitchen. 3 or 4 surrounding puddles are there as well. I try to evaluate the situation. The freezer and fridge door are closed. No other sources that I can find. The water doesn't lead to an appliance. I called Stacey to ask him WHY there was water standing in my kitchen floor upon my arrival. I wasn't very nice to say the least. I had gone through a tough 3 hours...WHY WATER?? He said that he had run the dishwasher that morning before he left for work. But the water didn't lead to the dishwasher. I was too tired to investigate any more. A few hours later, and after Stacey had gotten home, I decided to unload that dishwasher. Top drawer, clean and put away. Bottom drawer, not so clean. I decided to run it again. As I opened the cabinet under the sink, I realize what is sitting in front of the dishwasher detergent, yep you guessed it, dishwasher LIQUID. My beautiful hearted, fantastic husband put DISHWASHING LIQUID into the dishwasher. It must have been like in the movies or commericals due to the standing water and how far it reached into our kitchen. I took the bottle of liquid to Stacey and asked him if he put 'this' into the washer, and he said yes. He still didn't know what was wrong. I explained. He laughed, then I was able to laugh. As I started the dishwasher for the second time...more bubbles poured from the bottom of the dishwasher. Parker loved it. I only wish that we would have been here earlier in the day to experience the major bubblefest. Thank you Stace for being helpful, and I am sorry I wasn't so nice, but I didn't say any words that can't be found in the New Testament!!! LOL!!

Stainglass, liver exercise, and hope

This past weekend was one I have been looking forward to for a year. Really. Last year I attended the Women of Faith conference and came away with a heart renewed for Christ my Lord. This year, the anticipation was eating at me. I couldn't wait to go, to hear the women singing, to be with my sisters of faith, and to reopen my heart to what God wanted me to take away from the speakers and performers. I love being with my sisters from church. I love the girls weekend. But what I wasn't expecting was the flood of tears that streamed my face every 10 minutes. At first, I thought it was my condition (4 months pregnant). I truly had to believe my Lord was teaching me things through each song and each word. Some not so easy to hear, but itsn't that what it is all about. I loved an illustration about stainglass. I will not even try to tell you the story, everyone hears and processes differently, or at least I have a gift to reading too much into certain things and creating stories from from very little. However, what I want to share are my pieces. You see, I have many pieces. Some of them are pretty, and some of them are EXTREMELY broken. Some of the pieces I broke, and some were broken for me out of my control. BUT, that is me. That is what makes me who I am. I am the ART that God created. Some of you who were there might be thinking, that I truly do have a gift to STRETCH what I heard, but remember that is what God taught me.

Hope. Hope for me. Hope for Stacey. Hope for my friends. Hope for my family members, and hope for PARKER. FORGIVEN. Simple message worth repeating....FORGIVEN.

I learned that laughter is possibly the only exercise for the liver. I need to learn to laugh at things much more often.

Tears. A flood. During the entire conference I was a hose. I wish I could explain, but I know that I am not great with words. Many things tugged at my heart. In song...didn't matter which one...they all had the same effect. Hearing 16,000 women sing in unison was AWESOME! A word I don't use often due to my earthly father teaching me it's power. I just lost half of my blog...so I will have to write about LISA in another blog in the future. She was my tears story, but after 30 minutes of writing this was all I could recover. I do need and want to say one more thing.

There were many things that were truly hard to hear for one reason or another. There was one point in the conference that I wished I was sitting by one of my sisters so that I could hold her hand. I know that she was surrounded by women who loved her, but it didn't change my heart from wanting to comfort. I know that you are touching the hem daily. I love you GH, you know who you are. (You know that I am not good with words, so I hope you know what I was trying to say.)

POOP IN THE POTTY

As it was, I was preparing homemade lasanga for tonight's birthday celebration around noon today, when my sweet Parker walked up to my leg and said, "I SHHUUWEEE." Well, convinced it was a false alarm I grabbed the back of his diaper to see if there was damage. None there. So hearing the voice of one of my beloved friends in the back of my head, "he is ready to go poop in the potty," we run into his bathroom dancing and singing a special song, "POOPOO IN THE POTTY." I had put his potty away thinking I bought it way too prematurely, so from behind a guitar of all things, I pulled his potty out of the closet. I strip my son down and sit him on the potty. We wait. He plays with the plastic red guard in front, (note he is playing with it). He stands up, I sit him back down saying, "Parker's going poop in the potty," as only a grown woman who is losing her mind would. Parker stands up again, this time when I sit him down on the toilet the nice red guard thingy comes off in his hand. I don't think much of it at the time. In his eyes, I sense it...it is coming...I see the pushing. HE STANDS UP..."NOOOOOO!" I sit him down and again affirm that PARKER IS POOPING ON THE POTTY!!! My protection gone...the red shield being held in his left hand, luckily a shirt is there to absorb any damage that came my way. Then my sweet little boy gives me the "ALL DONE" sign in sign language and low and behold...WE HAVE POOP IN THE POTTY! I sang and I danced and Parker is now frightened that I am talking so loud and screaming POOP all around the house. I called Daddy at a business lunch to tell him there is POOP IN THE POTTY. You see, Parker is only 18 months old, I know we are way too early for this and today was probably just a freak thing, but we had a party for ourselves anyway. What a milestone we have made today, as I gagged my way back into the bathroom to disgard of the POOP and Parker thinking I am sneezing and telling me over and over, "YOU SNEEZED." We have a lot to learn, the both of us.

YEAH PARKER! WAY TO GO!

I love it when...

I love it when Parker says, "Bye-bye" then hides from me in his closet only to push the doors open to scare me.
I love it when Parker says, "I want.." and he really does want it.
I love it when Parker acts like a monkey, taking big steps and making great big sounds.
I love it when Parker pats his nose with one finger.
I love it when Parker scares people on command.
I love it when Parker uses his sign language to ask for help or milk, to sign please, more, or thank you.
I love it when Parker tries to jump (let's not tell him that he really isn't leaving the ground).
I love it when Parker brushes his teeth. He thinks he is so big.
I love it when Parker tells me he is "SHUUUWEEEEE!!!!"
I love it when Parker accomplishes new things, like climbing on top of Mommy's bed.
I love it when daddy comes home and Parker screams and laughs for him.
I love it when Parker plays with the dog-dogs.
I love it when Parker sees his friends and gets so excited they run in circles.
I love it when Parker says, "CHEESE".
I love it when Parker goes crazy for the water hose, water bowl, or puddle.
I love it when Parker cuts his eyes at me as if he becomes invisible when he does it.
I love it when Parker shows me his light, so that I can sing 'This little light of mine.'
I love it when Parker calls my name for no reason at all~ momma, momma, Momma, MOmma, MOMma, MOMMA!!!!
I love it when Parker wears my shoes.
I love it when Parker sees Ms. Jenny and gets so excited he can't contain himself, even running across the aisle at church to see her DURING CHURCH.
I love it when Parker goes to the front of church during Coins for Christ and drops his coins in 1 by 1.
I love it when Parker kisses me.
I love it when Parker can find something I ask him to find. It is just amazing how much he understands.
I love it when Parker pouts and cries at 10:30 when Barney's over. He is so attached to the purple dinosaur.
I love it when Parker copies me...killing crickets, wiping counters, sweeping, washing my face.
I love it when Parker says, "Church."
I love it when Parker hugs his 'dadda.'
I love it when Parker sees a highly ranking family member (grandmothers, great-grandmothers, grandfathers) and smiles from ear to ear because he feels the warmth of their love.
I love it when Parker says, "night night," which he said to me an hour ago and I already want to wake him up so we can play puzzles some more.
I could go on and on, but must stop because it is making me too sad. Kelli's blog made me want to cry about little ones growing and before you know it they are 4! Which inspired me to write this piece to remember this stage at 18 months.

It's all gone, but the sticky mess. 

Getting serious about "ice"...

A hot popsicle night...

18 month old Parker enjoying breakfast

Like Dog Like Son

I only wish that I could have taken a picture. As a family, we went across the street to the park last night right before sunset. Parker was already down to his diaper but full of energy. Daddy and I were playing catch with a softball, and we brought 2 baseballs for Parker to play with. Well, Parker didn't want the baseball, he wanted what mommy and daddy had. I gave Parker the softball and daddy started playing fetch with our 4 legged family members. Parker didn't like that at all. Now he wanted the baseball. Daddy had Sugar, (4 legged member) retrieve the ball and drop it at his feet...where my 18 month old son bent over and attempted to pick up the baseball with his teeth...just like Sugar.