Baseball and Bluebonnets

This weekend we made the trip over to the Spring/Woodlands area to watch my newphew play baseball.  He had been so excited saying that he was going to hit a homerun for us! He actually did hit a homerun at their game last week! I was just excited to go on a short little day trip and be outside in the lovely weather.  On our way there we saw patches of bluebonnets and I thought to myself, spring is almost over and we have NO pics in the bluebonnets! We will have to stop on the way back. 
It was a little chilly that morning and his game was at 10am so we all had jackets on, but by the end of the game, we had them off.  Logan watched for a little while (and by a little while, maybe 15 minutes) before he got bored and wanted to go to the swings.  The game was an hour and a half so Bryan and I took turns walking back and forth from the swings to the field.  Hunter struck out twice :( but he did make some outfield plays.  What shocked me the most was the parents.  And well, working with parents is what I do for a living so really why am I that shocked?  They were YELLING at their kids.  Like it was crazy. A little boy struck out and his mom yelled at him that he lost it for his team. I wanted to go hug him.  I am talking this is little league, like 6 and 7 year olds! Bryan almost said something to her.  My sister is not like that at all with Hunter.  He plays because he likes it. 

After the game was early we headed over to grab some yummy Chick-Fil-A.  Logan had lots of fun running around the inside playground. 
After that, we headed back home.  Logan was fast asleep on the way and I thought oh well no bluebonnet pics this year.  He was out for about 30 mins and woke up.  We found a nice patch and stopped for a bit.  These are the best pictures we could get!

Newest member of the Parks family...Sully

Long before Logan was even talked about and right after I got my dog (6 years ago!) Bryan talked about wanting a dog.  We moved a lot (apartments, duplexes) and nothing ever had a nice backyard for a bigger dog.  When we did move into a rent house, Bryan was working a lot and then we found out we were pregnant so a new dog was far from our minds at that point!
Fast forward to now.  We have lived in our house for a year, and have a nice big backyard.  We had been really looking the past few months for the perfect dog to add to our family. 

There were lots a few stipulations:
I was against getting a puppy, because well, let's be honest, who wants to train a puppy AND have a 2 year old? Nope, not us.  So were were looking for a young adult dog. 
Bryan wanted a blue heeler or a pointer.  Both good, family dogs (I did research) that do not get very big.
but pure breds were expensive! I was not going to pay like $300 for a pure-bred, so we were looking at shelters for some "mixed breeds" 
IF we got a boy dog (which is what Bryan wanted) he needed to be neutered, boy dogs (that are not) are gross and I am going to leave it at that. 
He needed to be house trained.  Being outside all day, but we bring him in at night, he needed to not lift a leg on ANYTHING otherwise we would not have him that long. 
He had to be good with a little dog and a little kid.  Needed to be gentle, not bark too much. 

Well can I just say that Sully meets all of the above and MORE!

Hi, I'm Sully!

I was looking last Monday online and I came across a student how was GIVING AWAY this Blue Heeler to a good home.  As soon as I saw the picture I knew we had to have him.  The student (her brother had him, and then had to give him to her, he moved or something) and she had him for about a month before we got him.  She had a weenie dog that he loved to play with.  She just did not have a place for him to run so he was cooped up inside all day.  So she wanted to do the right thing and find a great home for him.  He has been around small children before and is very gentle. He is house trained. He is neutered and up to date with all his shots.  He will be 3 in August and did I mention he was FREE?!

I called my husband and we went over to look at him.  Logan was not so sure about him (but he is like that with Suki, our small dog too).  And we ended up taking him home that night!
We have had him for a full week and he is a great addition to our family.  He is so gentle and patient with Suki and Logan.  He would just love to be petted all day long.  He loves his ball and that is the only time he will bark if he wants it to be thrown when you play with him.  He is so smart. He knows his new name (his original name was Tator....LOL that just did not fit in our family) We took him to the park on Sunday and we took him off his leash and he did not run off, just stayed right with us.  We love Sully and are so glad he is a part of our family!

I think he likes his new bed.

My boys. 

Sully walked very slow and did not pull at all! What a good boy!

Can I keep you this little forever?

I look at Logan and think, how did you get so big?  Wasn't it yesterday you were a little baby I could hold in my arms and rock you to sleep?  Fall asleep on my chest and listen to you breath in and out? 
He isn't, he is a big boy. 
Independent.  Stubborn.  Tantrums.  *Sigh*
But there are those moments.  The ones where I think to myself, can I keep you this little forever? 
Last night, he was taking a shower with Daddy (yes, he takes showers now! Not every night but sometimes he wants to.) I got him out and wrapped him up in a towel and carried him to his room to change him.  His towel, not covering most of him (he needs some bigger towels!) and when I laid him on the changing table, he is so big, he hangs off.  How can this be?! It was only 2 years ago that the towel was so big and he was so little on the changing table. 
After bath, we watched a movie and he got under the blanket with me and let me hold him in the rocking chair.  This rarely happens! I took it all in.  His scent.  I would like to bottle it up and keep it for always. 
One day, he won't fit in my lap, or he won't want to.  One day, he won't be using baby shampoo.  One day those little feet, will be big.  He will be big and grown up. 
But oh these moments.  I love every minute of them. 
After the movie, we told him it was time for bed.  He got down from the rocking chair and turned to me, grabbed my face and gave me the longest kiss ever.  Be. still. my. heart. 
I love that boy more than words can even say. 

Monkey See Monkey Do.....Logan is 2!

I thought long and hard about what Logan's theme was going to be this year for his party.  He was repeating everything we said and did, so Monkey See Monkey Do seemed to fit perfect! (And let's be honest....next year I am sure he will TELL me what kind of party he wants.)  I ordered some things online and made the invitations.  The colors were yellow, lime green and brown.  I made most of the decorations. I had the genius idea to have a banana split bar.  It seemed to go over quite well and not much cost to us.  Ice cream, bananas, syrup, whipped topping, nuts and sprinkles! I was very happy to see that gallon ice cream bucket almost gone after the party.  One of my best friends is a pastry chef and made his cake.  It was so cute and YUMMY! It was a cloudy (but not rainy) day so we set up the backyard fun for the kiddos! Most all of them had a great time slipping and sliding and jumping into the baby pool.  Lots of laughs and good times.  Logan however, being the thinker that he is, just took a step back and watched all the fun and laughed right along with them.  He then decided he wanted to just play on his climber.  Ok buddy, it is your birthday, you do whatever you want! We had a great turnout, probably 35 people! He got so many books, clothes, outside toys (it is going to be a FUN summer!).  We are so blessed to have such great family and friends in our lives!
Happy 2nd Birthday Logan, my sweet boy, hope your party was everything you wanted and more!

Warning....picture OVERLOAD!

My baby is 2.

2. TWO.  I keep saying it in my head and it just sounds so much older than 1.  He is not a baby anymore.  He is a little independent, stubborn strong willed, precious, lovable funny little boy! Time seems to fly by when you have a kid.  Like holy cow, where did the year go?!

He is wearing a size 4 diaper (we are working on potty training) and is 28 pounds.  He is pretty tall too in the 95% for height! Going to the doctor is fun these days.....Logan knows right when we walk in where he is an is in instant meltdown mode.  At his 2 year check up we had to hold him down and he had to sit on the baby scale! At that appointment she told me that at 2 years old we can schedule his first dentist appointment.  Ummm yea.  Daddy will be escorting him to that one.  He is wearing 18 month shirts, 24 month shirts and 24 month pants (although they are big....he is skinny and ALL legs!)

He loves to dance, give high fives, kisses and fist-bump (thanks to my hubby for that one!)

He loves his books! He would rather look at all his books in his room than play with the ba-zillion of toys we have at the house. 

He loves buses.  He has to yell out every bus we see in the morning on the way to school.  He has done this so much that after I drop him off at school, I am driving to work and I find myself getting excited seeing a bus, only to realize that Logan is no longer in the car with me. 

His favorite word is NO.  Even if he does not know what he is saying no to. 
You ask him "Do you love Mama?" NO (heart breaks) "Do you love Dada" NO "Do you love Elmo?" NO The first 2 might be true but the last one has to be a lie, that kid cannot get enough of that red Muppet! Elmo is the only thing that will keep his attention.  On the way home every day I hear in the back seat.  I.... Elmo.... home (meaning he watches Elmo when he gets home).  And most days I let him watch ONE episode, it is educational so I feel like that is ok.  He has Sesame Street books and has to point out Elmo in all of them.  For the past few weeks the only thing that will distract him when I drop him off at school and stop him from crying when I leave is Elmo books.  They pull those out of the drawer and all of the sudden, he is ok! Like I said the kid is obsessed with Elmo!

He LOVES strawberries.  Like he has them almost every night after dinner (if he eats good, which for the most part, he does). He calls strawberries "boobies"(I have tried to figure this out...I got nothing) and I have to admit it is funny in private but when you are at a local frozen yogurt place and he sees the strawberries and screams "WANT BOOBIES!".....it is pretty embarrassing. 

Whenever we are talking to my mom (Grams) and I have it on speaker he sees a picture of Grams and Paw Paw and he will say over and over in a quiet whisper "Paw Paw" and it breaks my mom's heart a little. 

He is talking so much! Saying phrases like, "I do it" or "I outside" or "No I want"

He has to have his shoes on until he takes a bath.  If we try to take them off before, meltdown of the century.  So we let him keep his shoes on.  And man when we take them off, he has the stinkiest little feet!
That doesn't mean that I don't kiss them, because, yes I do.  If you are not a mom, you might be grossed out by this, but just wait, you will know what I am talking about when you have your own kids!

He cracks us up.  He does the funniest things! When he dances he moves those little shoulders back and forth and nods his head up and down.  He will laugh at the most random things like Bryan has this racing games and Logan cracks up when he runs over the barrels.  Who knows.  He loves to tickle us.  He wil run up to us and "tickle" us which I admit sometimes hurts! But then he knows we will tickle him back and he loves it.  His neck and his legs are the most ticklish. 

He points out all of his body parts, and he is pretty proud of that.  We are too. 


He is lovable.  He gives us lots and lots of kisses.  But on his terms.  Sometimes we ask for them and he says no, but then he will do it later on.  He does not let us hold him much.  Only when Elmo is on and he is glued to the TV is when I can sit him in my lap and he stays there.  Or when Daddy mows the grass he wants me to hold him and puts my arms around him.  He gets scared of the lawn mower and Bryan's motorcycle. 

He loves to do Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and This Little Piggy with me. 

He is Mr. Independent.  It takes a while for him to warm up to new people.  Or people he has not seen in a while.  But if you ask him for a high five, he will gladly oblige.  Just don't go in for a hug or try to pick him up.  Not a good idea. 

He is our sweet boy.  He keeps us on our toes and we would not have it any other way! We love you to the moon and back Bubby and I can't wait for your birthday party on Saturday!!

Hoppy Easter!

I was so excited this year for Logan to have his first Easter egg hunt! (Last year he was not walking yet).  Last Thursday he had his Easter egg hunt at school.  They lined all the kids up and they were off! All of the kids were running around crazy and Logan carefully studied the egg, picked it up, opened it and proceeded to eat the candy that was inside.  When he was done, he tossed the empty egg on the ground.   It was really funny.  Oh that boy.  He did not want the eggs, he wanted the candy! So I helped him a little ;)

Easter morning came and I woke up with a really bad sinus headache...which is still lingering....but we got up and got ready for church.  We went to the early service at 9:30 so we could come home, Logan could nap, and my parents were coming over for a late lunch. 

Logan had lots of fun getting the eggs in the backyard, he actually would pick them up and put them in the basket this time! The weather was a little drizzly, so we headed back in not long after the egg hunt was over. 

 We had a great Easter and next up....Logan's 2nd birthday party!

A look back:

Easter 2011

Easter 2012

Easter 2013