Parker, you never cease to amaze us! Lately you are coming up with new tricks every day it seems. In the last week you've started waving, saying bye, some version of hi, maybe bottle (ba), ok that one is a big maybe, you're saying ma ma all of the time as well as da da. You'll eat anything we put in front of you, and many things we don't. I took you and Payton to lunch for BBQ the other day and you were a maniac, I barely got any of my own pulled pork. Today we headed out for breakfast where you sucked down blueberry pancakes like it was old hat. You are grinning and crawling around like every move is a race. You're starting to pull up on things, but don't stay up long. AND, you've learned that you can climb up the first stair. I didn't say stairs, because once you get up the first one you stop and get frustrated, you don't know what to do next. You don't seem to have the energy to get up the next one, can't move back down to the floor, and don't know how to sit down on the stair you've made it to. I suppose this means that we need to get the gate up pretty soon. Yesterday we took you swimming at Grandma & Grandpa's and you were loving it, I think you are going to be a swimmer like Payton is. I'm very excited for you to start swimming lessons next week! Kimmy's gonna love your spirit.

Did I mention that your first tooth is totally through and your chomping with it?! Too bad you won't give me a good toothy grin for the camera so I can show the world.

Oh Payton, it's crazy how grown up you have become. I think I realized it yesterday after you spent two days with Grandma & Grandpa. When I arrived you were napping, but when you got up you were a person on your own. You had no hesitation to swim alone, jumping in from the edge, swimming from one end of the pool to the other. You knew what you wanted and when, and asked politely (most of the time) for what you wanted. You sat at dinner and ate your fish, shrimp and couscous, even telling us that you liked the "texture" of the fish, working so hard to fit into the grown up conversation. Obviously you're still so little and do need our help for most things, but there's a lot you don't need. You can dress yourself, go potty without us, and now you're headed off to preschool this week. You've started looking out for Parker and playing with her usually with the right amount of gentleness (if that's a word). I know I keep telling you and you look at me like I'm crazy, but I'm really proud of you.

10 Months...

As much as I seem to be pushing you to be a year old, you are really only 10 months old today. For some reason this time of year, I jump ahead a bit. Grandma Jackie is leaving, Payton's birthday's in a month, and then yours is the next, so in my mind it's all happening at once and I've already graduated you out of babyhood! Sorry sweetheart, I'm just so excited for you because it seems like you are growing up so much all of the time. In the last week you've broken your first tooth through and have become a very happy chick again. You are back to eating, and are making up for lost time. Last night you ate 3 containers of baby food! You are doing your cute little crab crawl all over the neighborhood and seem to need a bath every night after crawling down the streets, pavers and yards of all our friends. You crack me up pushing your little tush up in the air. I don't know if you're doing it to relieve your poor knees or if you're trying to stand up, but it's darn cute. Payton is obviously your best friend in the world, even when she yells at you to "STOP LOOKING AT ME", you just grin and giggle more, and of course keep watching her. Tonight your dad and I got a good laugh at the two of you playing peek a boo in Payton's new tent while she told you "It's not funny" buried her head and giggled, which of course made you giggle, and made her repeat herself "IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Oh you girls are gonna make each other crazy some days, but I hope you both will always know how luck you are to have each other!

Poor Baby!

I hate this so much for you, but it seems like teething is going to be really tough for you Parker. The last two days you've been having a terrible time. You have spent so much time sleeping and when you're not sleeping you just can't take the pain and you go from giggling to bawling in no time at all. In between those times you're so lethargic it almost frightens me. You just lay on our chests and fall asleep, but when we try to put you to bed you don't want to be left alone. Thank goodness you are eating and drinking but it just goes straight though you poor thing. I don't know what to do for you except hope that it ends soon.