PJ's First Xmas

Our first Christmas with Parker was an exciting experience. He spent the entire week up in the Chicago area visiting friends and family. It was a challenge to get the perfect "family photo" but we got a few winners. Parker is very thankful for all of the thoughtful gifts he received, and as the picture shows, he really did enjoy opening presents.

Weekend of Firsts

So this weekend was full of "firsts" for Parker. Although the doctor told us it would be a while, Parker's first tooth is breaking through. I guess by a while, the doc meant just a few days...

In honor of the tooth, we decided to let Parker try solid food for the first time. You will see by the series of videos (shot only a few minutes a part) that it did not take long for him to catch on.

Finally, Parker had his first visit with Santa. Although we were prepared for beard pulling, screaming, or throw up, he seemed pretty unphased by it all. And just for the record, he did not hate the reindeer suit like his daddy claimed he would!

What's Up Doc?

We had the four month check up today and Parker is still off the charts. He is 18 lbs. 10 oz. and just under 28 inches, both in the 97th percentile. He was such a trooper for his shots too. I think they bother us more than him.

Parker experienced his first winter snow storm on Sunday. Luckily we had a snowsuit so he could go out and "enjoy" playing in the snow. He seemed to like eating the snowflakes more than making snow angels.

Our new favorite thing is Parker's laugh. He appears to be ticklish, as the video shows, which makes bath time especially fun these days.

1st Turkey Day

Parker had a very exciting first Thanksgiving yesterday. We went to his great Uncle Tom & Aunt Linn's where he played with their dog Chase and his cousin Paige. Then we went to his great Aunt Donna's where he had lots of fun getting to know his cousin Rylie. And of course he loved spending time with Grandpa Jim.

4 Months Old

Parker keeps on getting bigger and stronger every day. He loves his bath and playtime every night before we put him to bed. And he is even starting to hold his own bottle when we feed him. We can't wait for his first Thanksgiving and Christmas which are just around the corner!

Busy Busy

Parker is keeping us quite busy these days as he gets more and more active. He wants to crawl so badly--he makes the motion with his arms and legs, but can't quite push up his body weight to actually move. He is definitely stubborn like his daddy (OK--like his mommy too) so he just keeps on trying and gets very frustrated that he can't do it.

When he does finally get going, Nana's cats are in trouble. Parker is already intrigued by them and grabs at their tails as they go by.

And although Jon thinks I'm crazy, I am training him early on how to be a super fan. He is learning how to stay faithful to a team even when they can't win many games. But hopefully the basketball season will bring some victories to Illini fans this season!

Trick or Treat!

We had a very happy 1st Halloween with Parker. Although it is hard to tell in the pictures, he really did enjoy his lobster costume. He just gets so perplexed by cameras that we have a difficult time catching a smile on film.

Parker also enjoys reading these days. I swear I am not exaggerating when I tell you that he can turn the pages of the books (only the thick board books). At first we thought it was just an accident until he kept repeating the action for every page.

And we love having conversations with him, as you will see in the video. Even though it is all babbling, our "talks" are a lot of fun. But of course, as soon as he notices the camera, he freezes!

Three Months Old

In only a few hours, Parker will be three months old. Where does the time go? Everyone tells you how fast time will fly, but we didn't realize just how true that would be.

Parker has had a couple more playdates with some of his friends, and is becoming quite good at flirting with pretty girls! He also has a new best friend, who we have named Charlie (the Crocodile). He gets so excited talking to Charlie that we hope he isn't crushed when he understands that stuffed animals can't talk back.

We have started exposing Parker to professional sports early with the hopes that he can become a famous athlete one day and afford a nice retirement for his wonderful parents (we are keeping our fingers crossed for a cozy place in Hawaii). And what do you know--the Bears actually won the day Parker wore his gear and cheered them on!

Future Ironman

Parker recently had a great time at my cousin Jenny's wedding. He loved spending time with Grandpa Jim and the Sansone side of the family.

He gets bigger and stronger every day and now can sit up straight in his Bumbo chair. We are pretty sure he will be walking by Christmas :)

Parker went to his first high school football game this weekend. He enjoyed the Homecoming festivities and although he was ready to take the field, coach said he is still a bit too young.

Two Month Checkup

We went to the doctor yesterday and got a great report. Parker is now 15 pounds 2 ounces and 25.5 inches long, both in the 97th percentile. He was a trooper during the shots too. He is already wearing 6-9 month clothing, which is just crazy since he is only 9 weeks old. Plus, Parker has recently made us very happy parents by sleeping through the night!

Although being back at work started off as a nice change of pace, it is difficult spending so little time with him each day. He loves to laugh and play--he is such a joy to be around. He is having a great time at Nana's while we are at work. They enjoy going for walks and reading books together.

We all went to a fun barbecue the other day where Parker got to spend some more time with his girlfriend Riley. They really seem to hit it off!

We can't believe it!

I did an unofficial weigh in the other day, and it appears that Parker is a whopping 14.5 pounds already. Granted, I did this by weighing myself first, then holding him on the bathroom scale, so it might not be completely accurate, but a good approximation.

PJ is starting to hold on to things more and more (unfortunately it is usually the hair or shirt collar of anyone holding him). But we have been able to get him to play with a few simple toys like the rattle in the picture, so that is adding new fun to our days.

I go back to work on Monday and although I look forward to teaching again, it will be difficult to be away from Parker all day. Luckily, he will be spending this time with Nana Susan which we are all very excited about.

Our "Little" Man

As you can see in the picture, Parker continues to grow and is looking more grown up every day. We aren't sure if it is just that he has "bald man's hair" or not, but he has started to look like Grandpa Jim lately.

And he is quite the ladies' man--he and his girlfriend Riley make such a cute couple. And no surprise that he has picked an older woman, just like his daddy.

Growing Strong

Since we know it is hard to believe that Parker can hold up his head and roll over, we caught both on film. And at 5 weeks old, Parker is learning quickly and is a Fighting Illini fan just like his mom!

One Month Old

We can't believe it but Parker has now been with us for 4 weeks! We are convinced that he is now smiling at us (not gas) and he has proven that he really can roll over since he does it any time we put him on his stomach. Plus we did an unofficial weighing (holding him on a regular scale) and we think he is close to 12 pounds already.

This past weekend we went up to Grandpa Jim's in Glenview so Parker could meet his family and friends up north. He was quite a trooper and enjoyed spending time with everyone who visited (and thankfully slept during the car ride home).

The first picture is of Parker and his cousin Rylie. The second is with his friend John Palmer and the third is with his friend Haydon Hawksworth.

Growing Boy

We just got back from our second visit to the doctor. Not only has he regained his birth weight, but he has jumped up to 10 lbs. 12 oz. Dr. Boe was very happy with all of his progress and the check up.

If you can believe it, Parker can also roll himself over already. We thought maybe the time he did it in the hospital was a fluke, but he has repeated the act several times now.

On Tuesday, we took Parker to State Farm Park to watch his daddy play softball. He had a great time and enjoyed spending time with his girlfriend Riley Books!

Enjoying Life at Home

We are thoroughly enjoying our time at home with Parker. When he is not eating or sleeping (which isn't very often), he likes tummy time and spending time in his bear chair, which is actually the seat of his swing, but he isn't a fan of swinging quite yet.

Doctor's Report

Parker went to his first doctor's appointment and we are happy to report that he is healthy and happy. After dropping down to 9 lbs. 8 ounces in the hospital, he is already back up to 10 lbs. even and his head has grown. Overall, he is in the 90th percentile for height, and 95 percentile for both weight and head size.

Thanks to our good friend Laura, Parker had his first professional photo shoot on Sunday, and the pictures are amazing. Check it out on Laura's website:

http://lbooks.dotphoto.com

Finally Home!

After a pretty rough day on Friday filled with different procedures, Parker finally passed all his tests and we were released from the hospital on Saturday morning. He loves his new home and we are so excited to have him here with us!