Parker's first haircut!!

Well, it was getting time for our little man to get his first haircut.  So, Bruce and I finally broke down and took him to Jelly Beans on Thursday, when Bruce had a day off.  It took a long time for Parker's hair to grow long enough to deserve a cut, but when I couldn't keep his hair behind his ears, it was getting time. Parker enjoyed playing with the toys once we got to Jelly Beans, but once we got him in the chair (car) he started crying.  Poor thing, I think he still is a little traumatized from his hospital experience and thinks anyone 'messing' with him is NOT good!  :(  BUT as soon as the sweet lady was done cutting his hair, he smiled and waved and started asking for a balloon!!  ;)  Oh well....it was a special moment and Parker got a certificate and they saved some of his precious baby hair for me!!  And all for a penny!! 

 Before --- hair is getting a little long!!

 Waiting for his appointment, killing time playing with the toys :)

 NOT happy---trying to dodge the scissors

 still none to thrilled to be getting his hair cut

 All better---

 making sure we get the view from behind  :)

 Playing with the car

 All happy now; what a big boy!!!  :)

 After the haircut, we took Parker to Legacy Park and he throughly enjoyed running around and playing!!  I took this picture with my phone while he was checking things out!  :) 

Halloween and Lucian's Birthday

For this year's Halloween, we had a pretty busy weekend.  Not only did we celebrate Lucian's birthday (which is the 31st) on Saturday night, but Sunday afternoon we went to Taylor's First Baptist's Fall Festival.  On Saturday night, we had Lucian and Jeanie, Papa Carl and Mama Jo and Huey and Nanny over for dinner, cake and ice cream to make Lucian's birthday special!! :)  I cooked Jamie's famous chili and it was delicious if I do say so myself (everyone else agreed too!!)  ;)  It was nice to have everyone over to spend time together and not be so rushed to get back home to get Parker's bath/bedtime routine started.  We really enjoyed it and hopefully Bruce's dad enjoyed his birthday! :)

On Sunday, after church and Parker's nap--we met Lucian and Jeanie at Taylor's and went to their Fall Festival.  It was packed!!!  They had a cute little toddler area and Parker met up with his posse and rode the train--several times!!  Of course, Grandaddy and GiGi toted Parker around and showed off the cutest lion in the world!!  ;)  It was fun to see the Clayton's and Pascazio's and many of our extended Taylor's family!! Then off to Papa Carl's and Mama Jo's to trick or treat, then home for dinner and to help pass out candy to the neighborhood kids!!  Parker enjoyed that! :)  All in all it was a great weekend--enjoy the pics!

Not too sure about the costume ;)

The whole family for Lucian's birthday

Love this picture

Bruce, Nanny and Huey

Mama Jo and Papa Carl

What a cute couple!!  Lucian and Jeanie

Grandaddy reading to Parker

Mama Jo and Jeanie reading Parker's book :)

The birthday boy!!

On our way to church on Halloween wearing another cute outfit from GiGi and...

some awesome Chuck Taylors from The Weathers :)

"Hey Mom, I'm a LION!!"  ROAR!!

Didn't get alot of good pics while they were riding the train, but here's one of Parker, Luke and Madison :)

Lookin' cool wearing GiGi's sunglasses hehe

Bam-Bam (Luke), Pebbles (Madison), Abby Cadabby (Anna), and the Lion (Parker)

4 great friends in the making :)

Parker's accident/15 month check up

The original day that Parker's 15 month well-check up was scheduled, did NOT go according to plan!!! That day I had my post-op appointment earlier in the day and then Parker had his appointment later that afternoon.  Jeanie was watching Parker while I was at the doctor's, and when I came home, he had just woken up from his nap.  Parker was eating his snack and watching Sesame Street on the couch, and Jeanie was about to leave.  Now, of course in the past couple of days, Parker had started standing up on the furniture and we have been trying to correct this behavior.  But needless to say, he hadn't understood this fact!!  Parker stood up, I was not even 5 feet away and as I was telling him to sit down--his foot slipped off the front of the couch and he face-planted on the coffee table, hitting NOT the padded corners, but the flat, unprotected side, busting open his lower lip!!!  (uggh!!!!)  SO....after going to the peds office immediately, going to the Pediatric ER @ 6pm--waiting, and waiting, and waiting....(which during this time, Parker could not eat or drink---not easy for a 15month old to understand...) we see the doctor, Parker gets stuck 3 times to start an IV :(, wait some more, Parker gets sedated, 2 dissolvable stitches are placed and we leave the ER at 11pm!!!  THANK GOODNESS Bruce, Lucian and Jeanie are there with us!!! 

BUT it doesn't end there!!!!!  After a very stressful evening, we get Parker home and I am laying him down in his crib for bed--about 5 hours after normal bedtime, and I notice that the top stitch seems to have come out!!!  This is when I break down, sobbing...because I know we have to go back to the ER.  Bruce calls the ER to speak to the doctor, and then I talk to her---because I just can't bear the fact of going back, waiting, having Parker sedated again, etc!!  The ER physician was very understanding and reassured me that we had to come back in order for Parker to heal well, but that he wouldn't be sedated again and we wouldn't have to wait.  So....back to the ER again!!  This time we arrive at 1 am, Parker gets local numbing paste placed on the lip, the nurses send us out to just hold Parker down and the ER doctor places a 'real' stitch.  Parker handled it well, considering everything,  and we left the ER at 2 am; getting home at 2:30am.  Luckily again, Jeanie was with us and spent the night so that we could try to get some sleep before Bruce and I went to work. 

It was a traumatic experience, but somehow I have a feeling that there will be more episodes similar to this---having kids (and a boy at that) means that accidents happen no matter how careful as parents we are or try to be!!  And sometimes, children have to learn some consequences in order to grasp a concept!!  Thankfully, Parker will never remember this (although Bruce and I will never forget) and we had such amazing family around to support us and be there for our little munchkin!!  Parker did great and has healed really well--he'll probably have a very small scar, but it won't be that noticeable as he gets older.  Thanks to everyone for your prayers and for reading this long post!!  ;)

FYI:  Parker did have his 15 month well child check-up a week later and his stats are:

25 lbs (55%)

33 inches in length (93%)

18.6 inches head circumference (52%)

Here are a couple of pictures that we took while in the ER the first time with the phone's camera.  You can't really see the laceration, but you get the idea.

 Getting into his cute gown!! 

Not liking his IV armboard---poor baby!!  :(

Fall

Well, it's hard to believe that we have been wearing t-shirts and shorts these last few months of FALL! (until this past week at least) We have been pretty busy with Clemson football season starting, Parker's first trip to the zoo,and of course, our little man learning new things and challenging his boundaries!! ;)   I had my gallbladder removed and thankfully my mom came up and took care of all of us, then my sister came up for the weekend and the next week, Jeanie came over everyday and took care of Parker, me and the house work!! (if it wasn't for such an amazing family, I don't think we would have made it!!)  Thanks everyone!!Look for upcoming posts of Halloween and Parker's 15 month well child stats (and the drama surrounding...).  These first couple of pics are of Parker 'helping Mommy sweep'!!  Funny thing is, he has to have at least two brooms, mop, swiffer, dustpan, etc when he is 'helping!!"  It's so cute and he gets so proud of himself!! :)

"Look Mommy, I can help!!"  :)  such a big boy!!

This is how I found Parker one day during his nap!! 

We met some good friends of ours one Sunday afternoon downtown for Fall for Greenville.  Nicole and I took Parker and her son Ellison on the merry-go-round and the boys had fun!!

Too funny!!  Parker running around at Falls Park

Ellison and Parker playing

Parker's first trip to the Greenville Zoo!! Luckily, Bruce had the day off and we all went as a family!! It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun!! Parker really loved seeing all of the animals and Bruce and I loved seeing his reactions!  We plan on going alot over the coming years!! :)  This pic is Parker pointing at the elephants!

Mesmerized by the lions!!

"umm...I think I'll stand back here and just look at the pig"

We celebrated my mom's birthday while she was here taking care of me after my surgery! :)

Parker wearing Bruce's hat; me recovering on the couch!

Parker eating his first apple, wearing his new Halloween pj's that GiGi got him!! He was so cute and proud of eating it by himself! :)

My sweet boy, getting ready to go to church,  in the cutest outfit that GiGi got !! Thanks GiGi!!