Parker E Alexander

Parker turned seven...SEVEN...I mean I just can't believe we are here.  I know everyone says this, but it really does feel like just yesterday that I could pick him up and carry him and now he is over four feet tall and more than 60 pounds.  He has gone from toddler to little boy and his personality feels more like twenty sometimes.  He takes everything in and then tries to adjust his behavior to try and make everyone happy.  We are so hard on him sometimes because he is so capable...so very capable.  I am so very proud to be his mama.

A couple of weeks ago, P was MVP at school and I had to write a poem about him for the teacher to read aloud...it sums him up pretty well...

Let me tell you about a boy named P
Who makes this mama as proud as can be
He is sweet as pie and as funny as a clown
and, by far, one of my favorite people to have around
He is a great big brother and Row loves him to the moon
Someday he will probably make another girl swoon
His favorite things are sports, any sport you can name
One day he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame
If he's not playing sports, he is learning about animals
Not many people know more than he does about mammals
He has a heart for God and loves Jesus a lot
You can find him memorizing his verses more often than not
Parker is the best and fills my heart with Joy
I love him so much and am so blessed he is my boy!

Row's first kiss

Today Row came home from preschool and said, "umm, mom, little parker kissed me in the playhouse outside."  She calls him 'little parker' because of course she has 'big parker' at home.  After a few more questions, I realized he only kissed her on the back of the head.  I think we are safe...for now...

Rowan Wright

Once upon a time there were three bears...I feel like I hear that story in my head because Rowan will not go to sleep until I tell her this story...every.single.night. Full disclosure...we spend around 2 hours trying to get her to go to sleep, and it seems like every night I am anxious to get her to sleep so that I can have some time to myself.  However, it never fails, once she is asleep, I am suddenly aware of just how big she is and how fast she is growing and I want to go back to the bedtime struggle and snuggle a bit more.  She has such a sweet heart and is always thinking of others.  She holds my face when she kisses me goodnight and is still small enough that I can carry her like a monkey.  She is my baby and she is getting so big.  I am so blessed by her little personality and her big heart.  Tonight was her first night of Awanas at church and here was her review..."we stood in line and made duck tails, and then played with legos and watched a puppet show and then we had a snack, oh and Jesus loves me."  I just can't even believe she is old enough to go to her own class and next week she starts preschool...love her so.

Row turns 3

Rowan turned three today...where did time go?  No, seriously, between colicky nights in the first year, renovating in the second and moving in the third, I feel like time has flown.  Rowan is sweet, funny and serious.  She keeps her emotions under wraps (unless she's throwing a tantrum because I didn't clean something well enough, ha) and spends a lot of time observing others.  She LOVES Parker...seriously, right now she refers to him as her best friend and future husband.  She likes to make others happy but doesn't need to do something just to make someone happy.  I'm learning that she learns when and if she thinks it is necessary to know something.  She shares so well, seriously, she is definitely used to taking a backseat to P.  She changes her clothes often and definitely has a sense of what she likes and does not like.  She tries my clothes on often (and makes a mess).  Pink is her favorite color.  She never eats an entire meal and instead grazes all day long.  She is spunky, smart and the sweetest girl I know.

This year, we were able to celebrate with most of our family and a few of Row's friends (Haleigh, Emma, Charlotte).  We had brunch and then swam across the street at the neighborhood pool.  Row had such a fun day.

Did I mention?

Today I realized that I blog soooo infrequently that there may be things going on in our lives that I have not mentioned...I wouldn't be concerned if I blogged for others, but in reality I blog for my kiddos...so here's to catching up!

Did I mention that we spent half of 2015 renovating our kitchen in Valley Center?  Did I mention that right after we were finished Brady decided to take a new job in Garnett?  Did I mention that we then spent three weeks renovating our bathrooms so that we could put our home on the market...luckily, it sold in a day and we spent a few months living with my parents while Brady lived in KC with his brother...it was hard, but we made it through.

Did I mention that we moved to Spring Hill (south of Kansas City)?  We  moved into our new home six days before Christmas (and then hosted Christmas).  We are loving it, but I am still struggling to put the first nail holes in my pretty, smooth walls:).  Update...I have since hung shelves in the kids' rooms and a deer head in the living room (random, yes).

Did I mention that Parker had to switch from all-day to half-day kindergarten?  We struggled to fill our afternoons so that we both do not go crazy, but I love, love, loved spending more time with him.  I cannot believe that he will be in first grade in just under seven weeks.

Did I mention that Rowan started 'school'?  Well not school exactly, but kids day out.  She LOVES it. It is only one day a week but because she only has five kids in her class, she already feels like a part of the group.  She will go to the same church for preschool two days a week in the fall.

Did I mention that Parker played basketball again?  The smile on his face while he is playing is infectious.  He dribbles for hours at a time at home.

Did I mention that he also played soccer and baseball too?  I love watching him play sports...he studies the pros and then imitates everything he sees...from their stance to their uniforms...I had to convince him not to wear Row's necklace to the game, because 'all baseball players wear necklaces!'

Did I mention that Rowan hates when I wear a sweatshirt or sweater and will, no kidding, scream at me to take it off.  She is also super into my clothes and shoes right now.  She loves playing in my heels (at least someone wears them:), and is always putting on my shirts as dresses.  She absolutely LOVES when I wear a dress.  She also loves jewelry and purses.  She always has a purse on her shoulder with her 'wallet' and 'makeup'.  I just love watching her walk around like she is sooo big.

Did I mention that Rowan is OBSESSED with frozen?  Everything from nightgowns to notebooks...at least I know I can bribe her, right?  This has actually diminished a bit, but she loves anything princess.

Did I mention that Row's favorite phrases are 'I'm fine,' and 'sure'?

Did I mention that Parker can somehow make Rowan cry and laugh all within the same 60 seconds...my heart explodes watching them.

I did it!

This is the phrase that has shaped the way we think of rowan...we used to think of her as quiet, ornery, and dramatic, but recently, she has shown her sassy side (ok, let's be honest, we knew it was there:)...whenever we ask rowan to do something she believes she has already done, she answers, "I did it!" She, of course, says it in her sassiest voice possible.  This is just one of the reasons that I suddenly feel like my babies are way too old!

Parker takes everything in...feels guilty when someone is sad, can't hardly talk when he is in trouble, makes jokes when he knows he should be quiet (he is sooo my child)...he also plays sports like there is nothing else to do at home.  Even on days that I am completely exhausted and try to get him to sit and watch tv, he runs around playing catch with himself or incessantly dribbling...I swear I hear a ball bouncing in my sleep...

We potty-trained Row last week (after she took off her diaper and pooped under the Christmas tree)...you would think that I would be excited, but for some reason I can't help but feel sad...my baby is 'officially' no longer a baby.  It was so, after the first two days, easy.  She has been so good about telling us when she needs to go and she now seems so old (tear).

The two of them really do play so well together...it is sometimes shocking, really...the other day, I asked Rowan if she was going to be nice to her teacher and she said, "I will not hit my teacher..." then she said, "I will not hit parker...but I will tackle him!"  Ha!  He has taught her well, she is going to be one tough cookie.  Despite the tackling and ball-throwing, Parker is never embarrassed to sit and have a tea party with Row when she asks him:).

I feel like I am so tired all the time that I am missing out on some of the best moments.  I'm afraid of waking up and seeing them in middle school...if only Brady would let me have just one more......:)