Parker's New Talents

Parker has just recently figured out how to get from his tummy to sitting upright. In fact, he now keeps his arms completely stiff while you try to lie him down so that is can quickly back up over his leg in order to sit up. He's amazingly quick too. He has also started to rock back and forth on his hands and knees. Somehow I am already regretting our numerous "let's practice crawling" episodes. What was I thinking :)! All I can say is "we're in TROUBLE"!

Five days ago, Parker discovered that he can stand up in his crib. Although afterwards, he tends to let go of the railing and fall straight backwards - we got to work on a safer technique. Shawn lowered his mattress in his crib none to soon. Parker also likes "walking" while hanging on to either Shawn or my hands. Great - if he doesn't crawl soon, he may be walking!

Bomber Fan Already?!

Here's Parker and Shawn with Buzz at the Baby and Kids show.

Hubba, Hubba!

Look at these cuties! Parker, Shawn and I were heading out to celebrate my Aunt Helen's (my Mom's sister) 65th Birthday at the Keg. Gotta love the little tie - it was TOO CUTE!

Parker also has developed an affinity for "bling". If it is shiny, he'll try to eat it, just like my Aunt Joyce's necklace.

Assortment of Funny Photos

Parker does the darnedest things!

Parker the Fish

Parker loves to swim. Shawn and I took him to Centennial Pool and the little guy couldn't get enough. He surfed, played with a flock of rubber duckies and splashed around for nearly an hour.

Where did January go?

I can't believe March is right around the corner. In a way I am sad because I only have a few more months left to spend with the Parkermeister before I go back to work.

I can't wait until spring. I feel that Parker and I have been cooped up inside for too long. Of course when it actually warmed up outside, we ventured out for a walk but unfortunately those days were few.

Above are few pictures of Parker, Shawn, Sailor and I walking along the Assiniboine River skate/walk way. The path was awesome (I say "was" because ever since the two-day-long rain event we had in mid Feb, the path has been closed - bummer). You could get from the Assiniboine Park walking bridge all the way to the Forks downtown by walking on the river.

For the month of January, Parker, Shawn and I were busy helping to take care of my parent's dogs, my sister's cat and frog while they were were all gallivanting in Mexico and other tropical locals for three weeks. Ugh, I was so glad when the babysitting of the animals came to an end. I spent hours making and re-vamping a schedule so that the dogs would be let out at least four times a day by Shawn, my sisters Cristen and Vanessa or me. It doesn't sound like it would be a lot of work, but oh man, I was counting the hours until my parents came home. Then I found out from my Dad that my Mom and him were contemplating staying for another week - I told them that would have put me right over the edge. No more pet babysitting for us for a while.

Parker's First Chicklet!

Parker got his first tooth today (29 weeks or 6.5 months old)! Too cute! While trying to feed him cereal, the little guy got cranky and started crying. So I checked his gums, and sure enough a small jagged lit' chicklet was poking out of his gums on the bottom left. Aaaawwwwwwwhhhhhhhh!

What else is new...for all my friends in warm locations...it was -51 C this morning in Winterpeg, Manisnowba! Brrr....

Happy Birthday Tracy!

Christmas 2008 continued

Okay, Parker is only 6 months old and he's a complete party animal...I tried to put the little guy down to sleep several times but he just wanted to PARTAY! Here are a few pictures of Parker with Auntie Tracy on Christmas around 11 pm! Damn, he's so cute!

Christmas 2008 continued

Thanks Claire, Jeffrey, Carolyn and Auntie Marlene for the awesome gifts for Parker.

Christmas 2008 continued

Here's Grandma straight from the North Pole!

Here are the ravin' dorks playing the "Ravin' Rabbids" Wii game.

Darryl and Elisa

Parker's Christmas dinner...not bad for having NO teeth!

Christmas 2008 continued

After opening gifts, we headed home for a nap. Then we headed back to my parents' place for Christmas dinner. The usual suspects were there: Grandma, Lana and Don, Lori and Matt, Auntie Helen, Uncle Tom, Bob, my family, Auntie Joyce, Uncle Walter, George and all the way from Chicago...Darryl and his wife Elisa. After a dinner which included eating a brined turkey...yes, a turkey which was first soaked in apple juice (I hear it was delicious, but being a vegetarian, I just took everyone's word for it :)) and the usual fixings, Shawn set up the Wii and we played a party game called "Ravin' Rabbids" It was absolutely hilarious! Shawn and Tracy started playing this party dancing game, then Vanessa and Richard joined in. To get points you had to mimic the dance moves on the TV screen. Songs which you danced to included "Wake me up before you go - go" by Wham and "ABC" by the Jackson 5. Moves included waving your hands in the air over your head, punching side-to-side, to slapping your butt, etc. They must have given everyone driving by quite the show.

Christmas 2008

On Christmas morning, we all woke up early...despite every attempt to sleep longer. I was hoping the little guy might sleep for a few additional hours given that he was up so late the night before, but no such luck. After we got dressed we headed over to my parents place for the first round of gift openings. Like what Shawn's brother said, "this Christmas is ALL about Parker" He wasn't kidding. Parker got a rocking horse from Cristen and Craig. When you press the ears, the horse's nose and tail move. It is really cool. Tracy bought Parker the matching frog toque and mitts.

Christmas Eve 2008

I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone already! Here's what we did. On Christmas Eve, Shawn, Parker and I spent time with his parents and all of Shawn's extended family at his Auntie Brenda's house.

Parker was a real trooper, eventhough his bedtime was 8 pm, he partied until 11 pm. Parker wore the cutest little red plaid vest, matching black cords and black shoes with a little black bow tie to boot all thanks to Nana Shirley. The poor little guy crashed in his car seat mere seconds after we left, zzzzzzz.

Parker with Nana, Poppa and Santa (Uncle Trevor)

Thank God for the Backpack

The backpack has come in sooooo handy! Parker loves it!

Here are some pictures of Shawn and I taking Sailor and Parker for a walk through Assiniboine Forest on the last warm day of the year. It was amazing on Monday (Nov 3, 2008), the day we went for the walk, it was +18C. By that Friday the high was -5C and we had snow :(! So weird! Gotta love Winterpeg Manisnowba!

The backback has so many purposes...Shawn will even put Parker in the backpack while he's cooking! Thanks Bruce and Jaime for lending us this amazing item!

Holy Jolly Jumper Batman!

If I had to choose two things Parker loves the most...other than his chewy toy "Froggie", "Sophie", Shawn and I :), it would hands down be his Jolly Jumper and Sailor!

Parker LOVES his Jolly Jumper! It was the best investment we ever made! He's a jumping machine! He totally just bounces and giggles madly the entire time! He especially loves when Sailor butt checks him while he's bouncing - he can't stop laughing! Sailor can totally bowl Parker over in the Jolly Jumper and Parker LOVES every second of it.