Christmas 2007

Christmas morning...well...afternoon...started off at my parent's house. We went over there at 11am to open presents with my family. Here are the grandkids PATIENTLY waiting behind the blanket. Every year my mom puts up a blanket in the hallway into the living room, so that you can't see the presents under the tree. When EVERYONE is there & ready with video cameras on the other side, the kids get to rip through the blanket:) I think they were getting tired of waiting!

Parker didn't know what to think about all the presents, but he was HAPPY to have a lot of toys to play with!

My parents are so generous year round...but it is even more apparent when they have presents under the tree for 7 children + 3 adopted children(Brian, Craig & Emily) + 4 spouses + 8 grandkids! The married kids gave my mom & dad MEMORIES(picture, dvds, books, ect) in a refinished hope chest that was my Grandma's...my brother refinished it & it looked beautiful!

Poor Parker was READY for a nap as soon as we got to my parent's, so he was not in the mood to open presents. We got a few pictures of him, before putting him down for his nap!

Grandma & Grandpa gave Mason this wagon & the grandboys were having a blast, as Tate pulled them around the yard in it:)

As soon as Parker woke up from his nap...around 2pm, we headed over to the Allens for more Christmas fun!

Grandma & Grandpa gave Parker & Talia a rocking horse...they are going to LOVE that over the years!!!

Matt & his brother Craig, showing off some new tools from their parents

Time for a WAR...
Matt's dad got all 5 of his kids a Nerf Dart Gun
It was one of the funniest sights I have seen...
He handed them out, they proceeded to open them...
When they realized what they were...a race broke out...
who could get their gun opened & loaded the fastest and start shooting eachother?!
Luckily after a few minutes, they were instructed to take their war to the backyard:)

What in the world is Matt doing?!

Dad putting the wheels on Parker's new Car/Walker

About 5:30pm, we headed over to Granny's house. The Brinton cousins went over there from 3-6pm & almost everyone was gone when we got there, but we did get to see a few cousins & most importantly, Granny & then we helped clean up.

It was a long day...start to finish...as always, but so much FUN! It was fun to celebrate Christmas this year with a kid! Parker was at a really fun age to celebrate his 1st Christmas & he LOVES all his toys/clothes that everyone gave him!

Hope all of YOU had a MERRY CHRISTMAS as well!!!

11 Months!

Happy 11 Months Parker!!!

Yes...in ONE more month, I will be the mother of a 1 year old! I REALLY REALLY can't believe it! The past 11 months have been absolutely wonderful...even the sleepless nights, poopy diapers & the multiple times I have cleaned up MESS after MESS! This past month has been SO much fun with Parker! His personality is just going crazy right now & he is SO much fun to be around! He is ALWAYS full of smiles & loves playing games with us! I could literally just play with him all day long-I MISS him while he naps & watch the clock until he wakes up. I enjoy this while I can, because I KNOW that when I have more than one child, I will be watching the clock...waiting for nap time to come! Matt & I LOVE being parents & can hardly remember what our life was like before Parker came along! He is just BUNDLE of fun & our little CHEESE BALL!

Eating Habits:

I LOVE to eat! I will eat ALMOST anything, although I have become pickier this month & if I don't like something I will take it off my highchair tray & throw it overboard! I usually laugh when I hear it splat on the floor:) I will still eat jar food, but mostly like finger foods that I can eat myself. I am still nursing...even though my mom's uncle recently informed her that I was MUCH MUCH MUCH TOO OLD to be nursed! haha! We ARE working on that & as of this week, I am down to nursing in the morning/night & the two times in between...I am drinking whole milk from a sippy cup. Since I was born, I have had trouble with dairy & every time my mom has given me whole milk-I have had a reaction, but this week I seem to be enjoying it & no reaction so far!?!

I LOVE mac & cheese, I tried lasagna for the 1st time on Sunday & it is a new favorite of mine, I love graham crackers, applejuice, bananas, pizza & icecream when mom shares with me!

Sleep Habits:

My sleep habits have changed QUITE a bit this month! I had an ear infection that didn't clear up for a couple weeks & got in the habit of waking up several times a night. After my ears cleared up, my Pediatrician told my mom it was time to let me "cry myself back to sleep" if I woke up in the middle of the night. As long as she was going to do this, she decided she might as well take away my pacifier at the same time. The 1st night I fell asleep within 5 minutes & slept ALL NIGHT long without waking up! My mom was VERY happy-could getting rid of the pacifier be so easy AND at the same time, I sleep better at night!?? It continued for 4 days & I slept GREAT, then I decided I missed my pacifier & I stopped taking good naps. After 3 days of crazy naps, my mom decided to give me back my pacifier & I am back to napping GREAT & I still am sleeping GREAT at night too! Hooray!!!...We will try and get rid of the pacifier at another time! I am currently going to bed& waking up a little earlier than I have in the past. Falling asleep about 8pm & waking up around 7-8am...perfect for our new church schedule which switches to 8:30am next week! I STILL love my blue blanky & love cuddling with it while I sleep!

Play Habits:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE to PLAY! I especially love it when my mom/dad get down on the floor at my level & play with me...peek-a-boo, stacking rings, rolling a ball back & forth, making tents with blankets, reading bookds & I get SO excited and crawl away as fast as I can when they say "I'm gonna get you!" I LOVE to play outside & when it isn't too cold, I love going to the park or playing in the grass in the backyard! I am starting to really interact with other kids & get excited when I get to play with my cousins. Talia & I are SO close in age, we mostly just want whatever toy the other person has, but it is still fun to play with her! My mom & dad are always telling me that I am so entertaining & they just love to watch me/laugh with me/play with me all day/night long!

Any 1sts this Month?
I got to eat my 1st sucker & I LOVED it! Mom & Dad went out to lunch to Olive Garden & their food was too spicy for me & mom had a sucker in her purse, so she let me have it! I was in heaven & I made a STICKY STICKY mess!

I went to Peter Piper Pizza for the 1st time & had so much fun playing with all the kids & eating pizza!

I went Caroling for the 1st time & even sang along for a couple songs! It was really cold, but I didn't care & kept wanting to stand up on the trailer & touch the Christmas lights that were strung across the top of the trailer:)

1st STEPS! Yes...I am walking! I took my 1st steps on Fri. Dec. 21st & am getting the hang of it pretty quickly! Watch me here

1st Christmas! I had SO much fun! I am sure my mom will do a WHOLE POST on this later:) I got lots of fun toys & cute clothes & looked pretty dang cute in my santa hat!

1st time to meet Santa Claus...

I didn't really like him if you can't tell!

I was fine when my mom was holding me & I touched him/shook his hand, but when she put me on his lap...I freaked out! Oh well, my mom still thinks the picture is stinkin' cute!

Happy 11 Months Parker!!!

Goodbyes

We are saying a few Goodbyes in this family...

Today was Matt's LAST DAY @ UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX!!!

We are just a LITTLE bit excited!

GOODBYE UOP...

Thank you for Matt's degree...

Thank you for My degree...

Thank you for 2 1/2 years of paychecks...

Thank you...but we won't miss you!

GOODBYE PACIFIER...

{EDIT: The whole "no pacifier" thing lasted exactly 7 days & now he has it back...don't judge me, it is just easier to put him to sleep with it!}

We decided to say goodbye to the pacifier this week ...

we prepped ourselves...

we knew it would probably be a rough week...

we chose this week, since Matt has a week off work...

I laid him down for the night & he started crying...

he usually just rolls over & goes to sleep...

so Matt & I decided that we didn't want to get rid of it yet...

we went to look for a pacifier...

we couldn't find one...

we found one after a couple minutes...

but he was already asleep...

he slept LONGER than he has EVER slept since he was born...

without EVER waking up...

SO LONG PACIFIER!!!

If I had've know that getting rid of his pacifier, would make him sleep better, we would have said Goodbye a long time ago! (Even though the 2 are probably not even related)

Lets just HOPE that the "TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE-ness" continues!

But...if you happen to see Parker with a pacifier back in his mouth next week, you will know that it really was TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! :)

Phelps Christmas FHE

Monday night we had our ANNUAL Christmas Party with the Phelps' relatives(my mom's side)

I found this adorable Baby Santa Hat & decided Parker HAD to wear it to the party:) He wore it ALL night without pulling it off!

The 4 GrandSONS in my family...they might not all be looking at the camera, but I'm EXTREMELY impressed that they were THIS cooperative & let me take their picture all together!

We had a potato bar for dinner with salad & rolls

Our family gets BIGGER & BIGGER every year!

Time for the hayride(minus the hay) & caroling...

Parker even sang along for some of the songs:)

When we are done caroling, we always enjoy doughnuts & hot chocolate to top off the FUN NIGHT!

Brinton Progressive Dinner

Sunday night was our BRINTON FAMILY PROGRESSIVE DINNER...

We went with a "Mexican Food" theme this year

We started @ Matt & Amy's for Cheese Crisps & Taquitos

My mom ALWAYS makes sure we get the Traditional family picture in front of our Christmas Tree!

Next stop...WOULD HAVE been David & Kylie's for chips & bean & cheese dip...but poor Powell got PINK EYE & David stayed home with him:(

Kylie brought her delicious food over to Matt & Amy's & we ate it there.

(You'll have to imagine their family picture in front of their Christmas tree)

Next Stop...OUR HOUSE...for Tacos!

We ended @ Rob & Julie's this year...

for DELICIOUS gingerbread trifle & hot chocolate!

Even Parker got to try Gingerbread...thanks to Aunt Kylie!

AND....my MOM & DAD are always in charge of bringing the candybars for the CANDYBAR GAME...

Every year the PILE gets BIGGER & BIGGER!!!

If you roll DOUBLES...you get to choose a treat from the middle OR steal someone else's!

LOOK @ Mason's winnings! HE WAS SO HAPPY:)

It was such a FUN NIGHT & got me even MORE excited for CHRISTMAS!!!

Today was so much fun! My g-friends met at Peter Piper Pizza for a Play Date, since it was too rainy/wet to go to a park...

We were all busy socializing & Kylee looked around for her daughter...and found her INSIDE the basketball game! ( I don't know how she climbed in there!)
Parker got SO excited when the tickets started coming out!

Brittani was in town w/her 2 beautiful girls!

And that night was BUNKO...so we got to see eachother twice in one day!

It was @ Tara's house...it was SO FUN & her house is SO CUTE!!!

We sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kylee & ate cake...since her birthday was the next day:)

And I got to see THIS BEAUTY twice in one day!!!
This is CHLOE...Catherine's baby & she is SO CUTE!

I'm so GRATEFUL to have had such good highschool friends & I'm SO glad we all stay in touch with each other!