Spring break

We have been busy little beavers enjoying this week off of work! It was still cold and rainy so we had to be creative with our indoor activities.  On Monday we visited the Round Lake Children's Museum. This was a great pretend play space. Parker was definitely one of the youngest, but good to know it will entertain him for a few more years! After the museum we brought daddy some lunch & ran around the job site for a little while.

Tuesday started with an art class in Libertyville. Parker really enjoys painting & understood that he needed to dip his brush in the paint & then on his paper. He has even begun taking my make up brushes & pretending to paint!

We also went to the mall, played at the play place, shopped & ate lunch. Parker had his second hair cut & he hated it. He screamed the entire time-it was pretty miserable for both of us. 

Wednesday morning we met some friends (mine & Parker's!) for breakfast. It's always fun to see 8 one year olds all out together. Then we visited a park, even if it was only for about 7 minutes until Parker was much too cold! Later that afternoon, once we were home, he asked to go outside and play on his playground. Again, another 5-10 minutes was all we could handle but he sure was enjoying himself. Can't wait til it gets warmer and we can really enjoy the parks and playgrounds.

Wednesday evening was our first swim lesson at Foss Swim School. These lessons are very expensive but Jeremy and I both want Parker to be comfortable and safe around the water. Parker slept on the way there and was kind of in a daze as we were waiting for our lesson. It's loud, busy and lots to watch. He was still a bit apprehensive when we got in the water. He was submerged underwater maybe 6-8 times in our first lesson....the first time there was a definitely look of surprise when he came up out of the water. But by the end of the lesson, he was smiling after coming up from the water and clapping his hands! He was also floating on his back, with just his head resting on my shoulder (much improved from last summer!). Then he balanced on his belly on the barbell - it was tucked in his armpits and I had my hands on his feet to show him how to kick. But he was basically floating on his own, chewing on a rubber ducky.

Thursday was a day of (rainy) rest! But some errands - lounging in the cart at Target & buying an umbrella stroller for some of our upcoming outings. 

Friday we met Parker's cousins at Monkey Joes. Parker still enjoys the bounce house that is more like a trampoline-round, flat & had a few balls & basketball hoops. He also enjoys hugging his cousins! The weekend was finally warmer & we spent some time outside. We also had a Gehrke family dinner to celebrate Nana's birthday. 

Break sure was exhausting for mommy!! I really enjoyed spending the time with my little man & am looking forward to a busy summer schedule too....but I was also happy to go back to school Monday morning. As kids were running down the hall to greet me with a hug, I was quickly reminded that my kids at school need me too. I am grateful that my job allows me to have this extended time with my son. 

March Madness

Fourteen months old and some new milestones-Started waving with his arm & not just curling his fingers. Says "tat" for cat & sometimes says dog. Loves to give kisses, hugs & sit in my lap. Puts things under his shirt & hides them. Loves hide & seek with the big kids at day care-but really just gives away the hiding spot by pointing & giggling at them. Has has all four molars. Loves to walk to & from the car and has to wave behind him 2-3 times as we walk away. 

We started our first after school class-"Little Masterpieces". This art class was set up for 1-2 year olds and had four tables of activities. We painted, colored, glued, handprints, rolled cars thru paint, used play doh-it was quite a busy time! Half an hour was the perfect length of time & I was happy not to clean up the mess when we were finished! 

One of his masterpieces-a college of green textures-was carefully placed in the cabinet when we got home. Parker purposefully moved his cooking instruments out of the way so it had a special place on its own!

After our first art class, I was giving Parker a bath upstairs. As he hadn't seen dad all night, he was looking out the door down the stairs, shouting "da!". Finally Jeremy came up to say hello. Parker proceeded to motion for me to stand up (and move) so dad could sit down in front of the bath tub. Way to tell us what you wanted!!

Parker never really got into many tv programs in his first year. Nothing really captured his attention for more than a few minutes. However, he has enjoyed the Chica show for a few months now. He recently has gotten excited watching Mickey. When Mickey was over, Parker was indicating to me that he needed help with something & motioned toward the tv. Thankfully there was another Mickey show on immediately after the first, and Parker began waving his hands & dancing. 

This boy is way too smart at such a young age! He is really starting to complete puzzles & is purposefully looking at the piece in his hand & finding the matching space. 

Cooking is still one of his favorite activities. He now knows what the timer on the oven means. He gets so excited to eat that we have to turn it off before it beeps if dinner isn't ready yet. Otherwise timer beeps & Parker is ready to sit down & eat! The other day the timer went off & Parker left the kitchen-very unusual because he loves to watch us cooking....he comes right back into the kitchen with his oven mitt on his hand! He goes into the cabinet and pulls out the box of foil. I help him pull out a piece, which he carefully lays across his cookie sheet. Then he puts the cookie sheet carefully in the cabinet (pretend oven) closes the door. To take it out, he puts on his oven mitt & blows on the tray (to cool it off!). 

February '14

Valentine's Day was uneventful with pizza at home with my boys. Jeremy surprised me with some beautiful flowers delivered to school.

Parker received a Valentine gift bag from his buddy Spencer at day care. He is also in love with Spencer's big sister Autumn. After one long weekend, Parker had a few mornings of crying when I left him. Then one morning he climbed down off my hip, walked right over to Autumn, who picked him up & sat him on her lap. He just smiled & snuggled in to her beck, and smiled as I walked out the door. When I came back to pick him up, Parker was again sitting in Autumn's lap!

Parker has consistently said (ba)nana, as it remains one of his favorite foods. He has also said "hi" to me, including at 4:30 am as I lifted him out of his crib! He is still waking up at least once at night, sometimes twice. But we are grateful his good health & happy attitude, even if it means I don't sleep longer than 6 hours at a time!

Parker has been quite the helper lately. He loves to throw things in the garbage. I've used it to my advantage when he has something he knows he isn't supposed to have and he won't give it up - I tell him to put it in the garbage and he cheerful gives it up without a fight! He also helped with the groceries. It was snowing so I brought all the bags in & left them at the front door so I didn't track snow all over the house. Then I had a few bags with me in the kitchen, putting things away. I turned around and here comes Parker, dragging another bag from the front door!

Parker loves dancing & we frequently turn the music on loud & have a family dance party! This month also brought us our first sickness as Parker got pink eye. But he was so good about putting drops in his eyes! He even started to take the bottle out of the box and tried (with the cap on) to put drops in his own eyes! He also got a large case of hives all over his belly but benedryl is helping and they do fade quickly.