Wordless Wednesday

Broccoli Babe

While I cannot get Aidan to eat a vegetable to save my life (except for the occassional pea here and there), Ella could eat broccoli with every meal.

Seriously, this little lady LOVES broccoli! Raw or steamed, she will eat it with every meal if allowed!

Friday Fun with Friends

I enjoyed a few hours this morning with quads!

Really, I watched Adams and Henry this morning for Teresa while she has a few errands to run. Strangely enough, it was easier with four than it typically is with two! Having playmates over seems to change the dynamic just enough that the kids all play together perfectly!

Once she returned, we headed down to our neighborhood park for a nice picnic....

....then we made our way to their house so I could photograph some of Teresa's amazing art for her. 

Once again, the kiddos all had a blast with one another. We are so glad to have that we will have our third year together in the same class at preschool next year!

Kindergarten will be here all too soon!

New Rooms

We knew as soon as we found out about this new pregnancy that the guest bedroom was a goner. It is just so ironic that I had literally just finished redecorating the room! 

At any rate, Ella immediately claimed "Opa and Grandma Shushi's room" as hers. It was not even up for any sort of negotiations. 

She was beyond excited about moving, and has told us repeatedly how much she loves the room. She even helped pick out the chandelier and the new drapes.

Honestly, I am not sure who loves her room more - Ella or myself. It is the perfect little girl's room - just the right touch of princess without going overboard!

Aidan, on the other hand, was dead set on staying put. He had absolutely no interest in changing rooms.

That was his standpoint until we actually moved Ella into her new room.  Then, he was all about having a bigger room and giving the small room to the new baby!


Just like Ella, he LOVES his new room, as do I now that he has the floor space to play with cars or do his floor puzzles!

And so, both Ella and Aidan have new rooms and they both just seem so grown up!!

20 Down, 20 to Go!

Wow. 

I am officially halfway through this surprise pregnancy. I think it may actually be setting in with me that we will have another little one joining our family in a few months. 

Perhaps it is the fact that I am actually showing a bit now and finally caved last week and am officially wearing maternity clothing.  

Perhaps it is the fact that we spent all weekend cleaning out the guest room and moving furniture out of the house, splitting it between the Parker's house and our attic.

Perhaps it is the fact tht Ella and Aidan both moved into new rooms and we now have an actual nursery taking place.

Whatever the reason, I have been constantly thinking about that moment of becoming a parent for the first time. It's such a scary love that you never knew existed.  There is no preparing anyone for it.  Oh sure, advice can be given about breastfeeding, or burping, or sleeping, we've all heard "your life will change so much", "you'll never sleep again", and "they get big so fast", but there is no way to describe that love, until that love is bundled up in your arms and you are thinking, "I would die for you in a heartbeat, rip apart with my bare hands anyone who threatens you, sacrifice sleep, nourishment, anything and everything, just so you are comfortable, and how crazy is this, I just met you in person this instant."  

I was thinking about my own experience with Ella and Aidan, and how each age and stage, infant to soon-to-be-adult, I am shocked by how much I have had to learn in the thick of it.  Whether it has been umbilical cord care, or kindergarten planning, I have been constantly learning on the job, and truthfully, scared to death to not do it right.  I read, I ask, I think about everything.  There are so many books to read, experienced mothers whom I trust to glean information from, and professional experts in everything from infant care to college planning to consult, but in the end I've concluded, as parents, we walk alone.  

That sounds awful and I don't mean it to.  I mean that as scary as it is sometimes, we have to make our own best decisions, trust our instincts, trust our children, and forge ahead.   Sometimes I feel I am so worried about getting it all right, I have robbed myself of some of the enjoyment of raising those sweet first little babies of mine.  

I've come to realize that we all have to create our own map of parenthood as no perfect map exists to follow.  There are as many maps as their are children.  Each child deserves his own. We start the journey at the same time they do, not knowing what we will encounter. What mountains we will climb, or rivers we must cross.  There are beautiful meadows we can catch our breath in, of course, but we can't always anticipate what is around the bend.  We are always right there with each child..in front of them in the beginning, and then as they get older and grow, we are by their side, and then of course even older, we walk farther and farther behind, watching and nudging, and oh, cringing sometimes I'm sure.  We must let them complete that journey we started.  We let them grab that pencil out of our hands and map their own life while watching from a distance. Searching to find peace with their choices, and hope and pray that by their own accord, they create a beautiful life on their own.

And sometimes, depending on how many children we have, we do it all again and again and again. Some of it gets easier I suppose. I can do new belly buttons now...just a walk in the park, where with Ella and Aidan I thought I'd mess up for sure. It's darn scary sometimes though. Exciting also. And if I let it, if I can learn to forgive myself easily, stay open to new experiences, be brave, and humble about those surprises, trust myself and my husband and my children, by the end of it all, I think I might have this wealth of knowledge about how to raise my own children. Of course, after they are all done and raised. That's the kicker.  

I struggle through all of this day-to-day mothering to remember this: It isn't the destination I should be looking forward to, but the journey I should be enjoying. Over the last 3+ years, I have been slowly teaching myself to just jump in and enjoy this map-making, stop reading, consulting, doubting, worrying, and just enjoy it all, the joy, the frustration, the heartbreaks, the fear, knowing that the scary love I feel for these little ones is enough to guide me along the way.

Flashforward Friday

We had our 18 week anatomy scan this morning. Everything looks perfect and our amazing little miracle is right on track, despite the fact that I am still not showing!

Come July, this little princess will complete the Parker family. Yep, it's a GIRL!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Greenville!

We spent an amazing day this past Sunday in Greenville, SC with Opa and Grandma Shushi.

We met them just around 10 AM and while Mike and Grandma Shushi entertained the kids over lunch, I took my Dad out for a wonderful brunch - just the two of us! Yep, a long, adult meal in a place with white tablecloths and no kids menu. Simply stated, it was fabulous! Sure, the meal was incredible, but the company is what made the experience. Just my Dad and I chatting about old times and getting to spend some much needed quality time together.

We reunited along Main Street and browsed through a great toy store, a Mast General Store, and capped it off with ice cream for the kiddos.

We then wandered down to Falls Creek Park and played along the waters edge, ran around in the fields and climbed on rocks (well, the kids did while we sat and relaxed a bit).

After a quick rest back at Opa and Grandma Shushi's hotel, we headed to dinner, and eventually headed back to Charlotte, making it home around 10:30 with two sleeping sweeties.

It was an amazing day, and I highly reommend heading down to Greenville for a wonderful day trip! It sure has changed since my college days at Furman, and even back when I lived and worked there!