Birthday # 1!!

So I can't believe Bailey is a year old. (as I'm sure you can't since I haven't updated this since she was 6 months!!)

On March 13th two days after her brother's birthday Bailey turned 1. We had just the 4 of us and then we went to grandma and grandpa DeLaMare's for the weekend. She was so cute and had fun with both cake and presents.

She is such a joy. She is happy most of the time and always has a quick laugh. She's not walking yet, (which is just fine with us) but her vocabulary is incredible. Her favorite words these days are Hello and doggie. Kitty and cheese are up there. She has a hard time with Parker but says it like "Dah her" P and K are hard! instead of mama she says Mommy, which is funny because Parker still says mama.

She has the greatest smile and the craziest hair. She is such a joy. And sometimes she looks at me like I'm her whole world and there is nothing she loves more. That sure makes a mom feel good!!

Birthday 7

On March 11th Parker Celebrated his 7th birthday. Having a 7 year old makes me feel 29. He wanted everything Transformers. We had a big party for his 6th birthday so instead of making a party the expectation we did something with just us.

He wanted to go ice skating with Mom and then eat at IHOP. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of us ice skating but we had a lot of fun. Parker spent a lot of time on his rear end on the ice, but he got a lot better by the end. Mom is proud to say she didn't fall and even remembered some tricks from her youth.

We met Dad and Bailey and Rachel at IHOP where he annouced to everyone that it was his birthday, so they sang to him and made him blush.

He is a good kid, and we love him so much. The pictures I did get are priceless!

Birthday 29

So I celebrated my 29th birthday a month ago! I have to say I'm still a little put out that I did not get a golden birthday. The year I turn 29 there is not a 29th, oh well. but I did have a fun weekend. For those of you who don't know this about me. I do not know how to have just one day for my birthday. Growing up I always got 2 days (Thanks mom and dad) because my parents didn't agree what day I should celebrate it if it wasn't leap year. So I have gotten very use to having my birthday celebrated for a number of days. I know my parents only gave me two days but I figure if two is good four is better right? Drives Andrew crazy, but because he loves me he indulges me.

We went out to dinner with some friends who where also celebrating birthdays. And then the next day it snowed! And not just a little! So we played in the snow with the kids. Can't believe I celebrated my first 29th birthday. I do not feel anywhere close to that! Ha ha

First Stitches

So after waiting almost 7 years for it to happen, Parker finally had to have stitches. He was in Buffalo Missouri visiting his grandma and grandpa DeLaMare and slipped on some wet rocks while he was holding a rock in his left hand. The rock he was holding smashed his left thumb when he fell. It cut the thumb and there was need of stitches mainly to save the nail bed.

After the stitches came out he lost the nail but it is growing back! We had to drive down and meet them at the ER in Bolivar Missouri, but fortuantely everthing was okay.

New year, New Things

So at the begining of the year my mom and sister Rachel came out to see us. My mom went home and my sister stayed. She is living with us for now. She found a job and is working. She says she likes it here and has made some friends. We have really enjoyed having her here. In Jan and Feb, she didn't have a job and we had a lot of sickness so she helped watch the kids when I had to work. The kids love having her around and I've really enjoyed her also.

I found out at the begining of the year that I developed an auto immune disease during my pregnancy that killed my thyroid. It's called Hosimotos disease. So my thyroid was ridiculously low. I have to take thyroid medication for the rest of my life but I have to say that it is a relief. I felt so awful. I was killing myself to lose the weight from the pregnancy with no luck and I was exhuasted all the time. My body ached, and so much more. I've been on medication for 2 1/2 months now and I've lost 20 pounds. I have energy I can consentrate and basically just feel better. So yeah for thyroid meds!

Here's a picture of the kids with Grandma

Taking time

Okay I'm taking time to finally update this blog. Yes I've heard from several that it's bees so six month so I should get it updated. The problem with waiting so long is that there is so much to tell so instead of one really long blog I will do several!! The end of our year was crazy as usual and for the first time in 8 years I didn't get Christmas cards sent out. I decided not to lose sleep over it! So I'm putting a couple of pictures on here that very likely would have been on our Christmas card, had I done one. I hope you all had great holidays very overdue!

Finally an Update!!

So I have had several people point out the fact that I have not updated our blog in awhile. I realize it has been nearly a month, but it's been a VERY busy month. So if you have a minute to read this entire blog there are a few things you might like to know.

First off Parker started the first grade and wouldn't you know we got a call from his teacher on the 3rd day!!! He got in trouble for two things. talking, (I know that's a shocker with me as his mother) and trying to make the class laugh (hmm can we say Andrew!) Anyway the thing was he was doing all of this while his teacher was trying to talk. Big no no. So I guess it's during their carpet time he had a little problem distracting the other kids. The good thing is she says at his desk he's all buisness. So we talked to him about it and the next day was better but the first day of the next week we got a second call!!!! SAME THING! I have a feeling this will be something we struggle with his entire school career. I guess with his parentage we should have seen this coming. But the good news is he has an incredible teacher and we've been "practicing" quiet time at home, and we haven't had a call since that day. And his teacher says he's doing great now. Hooray!

Bailey is just amazing. She's growing and changing so much every day! She rolls and turns all around the room, and she's sitting up really well. She's starting to get some hair, and when she's awake she is usually babbling non stop. It's crazy we don't remember Parker talking this much. It could just be the difference in a boy and girl, and she is my child, so I'm sure she'll love to talk. One night she woke up at 2:00am and laid in her crib and just talked and babbled for 2 hours!!!! Of course it was loud enough that we could hear her and we didn't get any sleep!!! But it's hard to be mad when she was so stinking cute!!!! She also LOVES her daddy. For some reason if I'm holding her it's time to play or eat. She won't just snuggle with me. I miss it because Parker was such a snuggle bug, but Bailey will snuggle with Andrew. It's really sweet. I guess she already knows who to wrap around her finger!!

In one of my earlier blogs I mentioned that Andrew's application for the FBI was accepted and that he was going to take the first exam. Well he passed. Now we wait for the second test which could be 3-6 months. Then he'll go to Chicago or Dallas for that which is an essay and an interview. If he passes those then he'll have to take a polygraph test and pass the background check, which could take another 3-6 months, upon passing those then he would take the Physical Fitness test and then wait for a spot to open in a class at Quantico. We would definately have to move. They never send you back to your application area. So we're looking at about a year for the whole process. He's still very excited but we will just have to see. Someone asked why he went to law school if he wanted to go into the FBI. To anwser that he didn't really know he wanted to go into the FBI and not just anyone can apply to be a special agent. You need a degree in one of several fields and law just happens to be one of them. so that's the news there.

I'm just crazy. I've got work and kids, and YMCA classes I teach, and being Primary President and now being roped into helping organize a book fair for the PTA, not to mention the buisness I'm working on, I'm swamped!!!!! So that's my excuse for not getting the blog updated sooner. Besides the laptop was on the fritz and the desktop isn't fast enough for me. I have no patience for slow computers!!!

Well that's my update and here's some pictures! I hope everyone is well.