9 Days and 90 Years

We are back from Texas! Did you miss us? This was our longest trip visiting there- 9 days. I was flew there by myself with just the kids for about 4 days and then Phil joined us later when he was off work.

I didn't have room for the camera in my suitcase, so the pictures start once he's there, day 5.
We, along with one of Phil's sisters, Rachel, took all five of our kids to the beach on Friday. It was really crowded and very hard for me to keep an eye on my three little ones. No way I could have done that without a second pair of hands....and I could have used a third!

I call this the Bay Watch picture. Left to right- Chase (with Puddle Jumpers on), Bryson, JuJu and Phil. Chase grew up so much on this trip, first learning to swim underwater the length of the pool and then also just being so independent and playing with all of his cousins all day. I didn't see him until it was time for me to put him to bed! He LOVED playing with his cousins!

Daddy and JuJu. She knows that Daddy's job is to keep her safe, so she was stuck to him like glue in the water.

This one was a mess at the beach! He was so hard to keep an eye on, which gave me several heart attacks. He also ate SO much sand and there was no stopping him. Not very surprising, he had some GI issues about two days later and ran a low grade temp for three days. Hmm....

Anyway, he's just a mess, but I love him!

We also did lots of swimming in the pool! I mean lots!!

Chase swam for so long one day that I had to make him get out to eat after about 4 hours. He was so hot and tired that night, I thought he would be sick, but thankfully never was.

The little boy cousins, there were four of them, also played lots of ball when they weren't swimming.

And then we did some 90th birthday celebrating! Phil's grandmother, Mema, turned 90 while we were there. Lots of Phil's family was able to make it down to Houston to celebrate. Mema is the sweetest lady and she and PopPop, who is also 90, still live together and totally independently.

Aren't they sweet?! Happy Birthday Mema!

More of Texas to come.

A New Ride

I finally got an Ergo Carrier for Parker! I have wanted one since he was born but they run about $120 new. They still go for about $80 used on ebay, but I had a friend here selling hers for $30! I quickly took her up on the offer. (Thanks Brenda!)

Parker is still fussy at the witching hour before dinner- like while I'm trying to make dinner. He only wants me to hold him, which doesn't make for a successful dinner-making. Now, I just put him on my back and go about my business.

He really likes it when I get in the fridge. He always manages to grab the hot sauce out of the door.

It's so cute because when he comes to me asking, "Up", while I'm cooking, I ask him if he wants to get on my back and he says, "Uh-huh".

I plan on using it also during our next airport experience.

Thanks Brenda!

Just like his big brother

Parker loves bananas and I was capturing these pictures, I was reminded of this post that I did about Chase and his love of bananas around the same age.

See what his shirt says, "More Bananas Please". If Phil is bringing a banana along in the car for himself as a snack, we have to hide it because Parker will go nuts for it if he sees it.

Here's Chase at 15 months eating his bananas. What do you think? Do they look alike?

VBS

Chase attended VBS at the church we go to Bible Study at during the school year. It's a very big church and this picture is just the kindergarteners and first graders. Chase is on the bottom row, center in a navy and orange striped Polo.

Phil was on a trip the night of the performance and family night, so Mimi got to come along.....and help me keep the younger two entertained in the sanctuary for over an hour. Whew! That was tiring.

VBS was a great activity for Chase last week, as summer is always hard to find enough things to fill the days with these active young ones sometimes. We've enjoyed a week at our own pace this week though.

Happy Father's Day!

Phil had been working tirelessly on all the broken things in our house for two weeks when Father's Day rolled around. Needless to say, we couldn't buy him enough presents to show him how much we appreciate and love him!




This is the card that Chase made for him.



And this is JuJu's.


The kids got him a pack of three flashlights (since we had just dealt with all of those power outages and fix-it projects in dark places). He immediately lost two to the older two to keep in their rooms, in case the power goes out.




A new grill for the grill?? Not sure what you call those things. He also got a grill cover.




And the Vasque low-top hiking type, waterproof shoes that he has wanted for a while.



Daddy and all kids.



We thought it was funny that Parker was screaming for all the pictures.

Happy Father's Day Phil! We truly love you and you make this house such a home. I love how much you love our kids....and me. :)

50th Birthday Fun

My Uncle Tim, my Mom's oldest brother, turned 50 a couple of weeks ago and they had a little party at their house. Luckily for the kids there was a swimming pool so they were entertained.

The sun was blinding Chase as he was trying to look at the camera. Look how laid back he was though. He was so bummed because he couldn't reach the bottom of the pool so he had to wear floaties the whole time.

It was not an easy task to light 50 candles!

Or to blow them out.

All the men, except two teenage cousins. Who knows where they were.

My sweet cousin Molly holding Parker. I am the oldest grandchild and she is the youngest. We are the only girls, separated by 17 years.

This picture is blurry but I had to post it anyway. We put some ice cream on Pops' plate even though he said he didn't want any because we knew who would come asking for Pops to feed him. And sure enough!

Happy Birthday Uncle Tim! It was a fun family day!

Backyard Fun

We got the kids a plastic pool from Wal-Mart and it has provided lots of fun for them! It even has a built in slide! I can only put a couple of inches of water in it when Parker is out there though because he keeps falling down and going under.

One day they just stayed in their bathing suits all day. I even fed them the majority of the time on the deck. This picture was taken at sunset, just before we went in for bed. Phil has been working lots of nights, and lots of nights in a row, so we've missed him around here.
This is what I got when I said smile. They didn't even plan that.

Then I got this.

Then this. I'm sure that I must have said something like, " Act right and like you love each other.". Or something along those lines.
My sweet, sweet five year old.

And my precious baby girl.

Chase was really wanting to squirt his water gun, but inappropriately, so I set up a bucket for him to shoot into. I was cracking up watching him squint his eye.

I'm not even sure how he seeing here. And the tongue is out a bit to help him.

Looks like he's really straining to keep that eye closed. I told him I'd go in and get his pirate eye patch but he didn't want that. I think he really wanted to figure out how to do it.

Our 17 Month Old

Parker is now 17 months old and busy as ever- as you can see by this picture. It is becoming impossible for me to cook dinner these days because Parker is constantly climbing on something. Yes, this picture was taken while I was trying to cook dinner.

I remember these days well from when Chase was this age. It's so funny how my little girl was not like this, so I caught a break for a couple of years.

Parker is definitely wanting to be one of the big kids and do whatever his siblings are doing. Notice that he's ditched his high chair. We only let him sit in a regular chair every now and then. Other than that, he's now in a booster seat.

Check out those cheeks stuffed full! He is eating up a storm and growing like a weed! He had his 15 month check-up today. Yes, we are a bit behind. He's 33 inches tall and is in the 75th-80th percentile for height. Those tall genes must come from his Pops or his great-grandfather, PopPop. He weighs 24 lbs 8 oz, which is close to the 50th percentile.

What Parker likes- shoes! Look at those pink sparkly sandals!! He and Julianna wear the same size shoes, so he has a lot to choose from. He also likes playing outside, sliding, swinging, eating, being held by Mommy or Daddy, his NeeNee (MiMi), climbing up and down stairs or even just going up and down one step, and any kind of ball.

His vocabulary is crazy these days and he can say all kinds of things! He sings songs and he's now saying phrases like, "I love JuJu", "Thank you Dada", Night Night Bubba". Some of his new words are- sandwich, apple, NeeNee (MiMi), milk, more, outside, snack, book, pooped, JuJu, Bubba, up, out.

He also loves to give kisses now and as of yesterday actually closes his mouth when he kisses...which is much better than the open mouth ones.

He's cutting all kinds of teeth, including his two year old molars. Those have been coming in for months and causing him all kinds of pain. He's also cutting his incisors. I don't know that I will have ever seen a baby his age with so many teeth!

And it looks like Parker might be our only child that is a Daddy's child- Daddy's boy in this case. Lately he wants Phil to hold him, Phil to feed him, asks for Phil, etc. He still wants me too, but often times while I'm holding him he asks for Daddy. This is a strange feeling for me but I'm glad that Phil gets to enjoy it.

We sure do love you little Parkie! You have so many people watching over you and loving you. It must be nice to be the baby!

Swimming with The Varelas

My best friend Kate invited us to come swimming Memorial Day weekend. The kids were super excited since they are seeking out all pools, so we went. It was extremely hot that day and the water felt awesome! Not too cold, not too hot.

I got Julianna this Puddle Jumper at the beginning of the season and I love it! For one, she scares me around water, so I can just keep it on her all the time and not worry that she might get in that water without us looking (which she did on this day, but without it on). For two, it keeps her head and face up out of the water, along with keeping her buoyant. I would get one for Parker but I don't think he's quite ready for it.


Kate with Parker. Kate is going to have her first baby the first of August, or maybe the end of July if she's lucky. :)

Kate and Jose with Chase and Julianna. It was a great day and I love spending time with my Kate!