LUCY

I just realized its been SOOOOO LONG since I've blogged that I have written about our dear new puppy, Lucy!  Lucy is a mini goldendoodle.  She is loving, pretty calm if you can believe it, and not yet fully potty trained.  We're still working on that.  I think she is almost full grown now.  She'll get up to 20 pounds and is hypoallergenic!  We love her!

Best Friends

There is something special about watching relationships form before your eyes, especially friendships.  Friendships that you know will last the length of time.  I was lucky enough to have 11 (first) cousins with some close 2nd cousins, as well.  But, I never lived close to them.  We would see each other for a couple holidays a year and that was usually it.  We loved those gatherings:  playing board games, swimming, eating.  They were the best.  

My heart overflows when I see Parker with his cousins.  He LOVES them.  Parker already has 5 cousins and I know he'll continue to have more.  However, there seems to be one particular cousin that has a special place in his heart for our Parker Bug.  Benjamin says Parker (and Carson) are his BEST FRIENDS.  Never mind that Parker is 3 years younger than Ben.  Never mind that Parker doesn't talk and just became a solid walker.  Ben LOVES Parker and P loves Ben.  It is just the most wonderful thing I've ever seen.  Parker's eyes light up when he gets to see his buddy and I hope that this reaction continues throughout their lives.  Because cousins are a wonderful thing to have.

As you can see, these 2 have the same Kermit shirt on.  Ben got the same one as a birthday gift and he wanted to be sure and wear it when he could be with Parker ALL DAY LONG!

Pushing each other is the walker?  Sounds like good teamwork to me!

Oh my goodness.  It's embarrassing how long its been since I've blogged.  Time just creeps away from me.  Especially since my quiet time is oh so limited when Parker is napping.  Our little baby is 8 months now and is growing just too fast.  Just yesterday he started walking with his Radio Flyer Wagon walker-I couldn't believe it!  This kid is on the move!  He loves to get into everything and, of course, loves the things he shouldn't the most-like cords, plugs, vents.  Oh joy.  Here are some pictures that bring joy to my heart.

Getting on the pony at Kate Dolata's 2nd Birthday Barnyard Boogie Bash.  (say that 3 times)  At first he wasn't too sure.

...and then he was ALL ABOUT IT!  He loved this little pony and realized he could pull its hair just like our dog's fur.

Parker LOVES to eat

Pulling himself up is another one of his favorites.  The couch?  A chair?  His exersaucer?  Anything that is tall will work for him!

6 Months Old

It's hard to imagine what life was like 6 months ago...actually, let me remind you.  Our house was one giant mess!  We got countertops put in our new kitchen just 3 days before Parker was born and I was so glad to be able to cook something!  Parker has brought continual joy to our lives.  We just cannot believe how blessed we've been with this little guy.  He is SO HAPPY and showing us more and more personality every day.  He still has no teeth and LOVES to sit up by himself.  He is fairly independent and seems to have no desire to learn how to roll from his tummy to his back-he has mastered the reverse over a month ago.  We're looking forward to his first Christmas and know that it will be our cheapest in the many many coming years!  We love you Parks!

Happy Halloween

Although I'm not the biggest Halloween fan, I was excited to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters in our new neighborhood.  We purchased our favorite candy (of course), Reese's PB cups and Reese's Pieces and then got some non-peanut candy for those with allergies (typical teacher thing to do).  WELL...we only had about 15 kids-apparently our hood is not the place to hang.  Oh well, we were better off because when we answered the door, Parker screamed and cried in terror from our friends dressed in ladybug, tiger and monkey costumes.  How scary!  Apparently, Halloween is not Parker's favorite holiday either.  He dressed up as a cowboy...which he pee'ed through by noon.

4 Month %

Yesterday Parker had his big 4 month checkup and shots.  To much surprise, Parker is quite average.  

Weight:    14 pounds 14 ounces ----- 45%

Height:     25 inches ----- 50%

His head now, on the other hand, seems to be quite large!  He is in the 95%!

As I would say to my kinders with large heads - "You must be SO SMART!"  That's it, we've got a genius on our hands!  Seriously though, I don't think it looks extraordinarily big.

Stanley Lane Pumpkin Patch

Notice that the sign says "Piggies will bite"...I think we'll look from afar

I was so excited to head to the pumpkin patch for fun-not for a field trip!  It's amazing how much more relaxing it can be when you go with your own family, rather than 60+ kids and 40+ adults!  And on a sunny day!  I wish we could have stayed longer, but Joel had to get back to work.  :)

Pink October

Pink October is a very busy month for the Gewekes in Yuba City.  I am so proud to say that my dad started our Race for Awareness 14 years ago and it seems to get bigger and bigger every year.  All the money raised from the race, Bowling for Breasts, The Scramble for the Cure, Survivor Fashion Show, Spa Night and I'm sure I'm forgetting more goes to the Geweke Caring for Women Foundation.  The money stays local and helps women in the fight of their life with breast cancer. 

I honestly love race day.  It is filled with community togetherness, family fun, exercise and a wonderful pancake breakfast that I just can't get enough of!  I was so excited to have Parker run his first race and with Joel's determination, Parker and his dad (along with Brett and Kate) were the first strollers to cross the line!  I was just proud to run the entire 5k, and with Samantha talking by my side, it was a breeze!

The stroller runners

Kels and Cars with their scooters were still "scooting"

Parker wore Ben's old onesie "Drooling for a Cure"

He just keeps changing!

It is truly amazing to me how much Parker has changed in his last 3 months of life.  As a child development major, I would have thought that I would expect and know how much he matures and develops in such a short amount of time.  However, I think motherhood is a totally different thing that just "knowledge".  When it's your own, its just completely too fast!  Look at these two picture comparisons-

2 months

3 months

Parker practically looks like a little boy now!  Here are some things I love about the little guy he has become:

• He chats up a storm and thinks that I am wonderful (he shows it with his infectious smile)
• He is SO happy in the morning
• When he yawns, he always makes a noise at the end of his yawn.  I hope that never goes away
• He LOVES baths.  When we take him out...not so much.  As you can see in the picture, he can now sit up in his bath bucket!  It is just about the cutest thing ever.
• He's a good sleeper!  He goes to bed around 8:30 and sleeps until 3 or 4, will eat and then go back to sleep until 7ish.  I'm considering myself lucky.
• He loves to go on walks
• He loves to cuddle.  This can never go away-I won't let it.

Parker's 1st Trip to Tahoe

Yes, we made it to Sandharbor...and we only lasted for 2 hours.  We forgot too many things, got our chairs stolen and had a toddler that didn't like the sand.  SOOO, we ended up at Garwoods for Wet Woodys.

Tim and Joel with their earnings for the day-4 trout and 1 salmon.

Introducing Parker to the water.

The boys coming back from their fishing excursion.

He's Popeye the Sailor Man...kind of

Touching the Lake Tahoe Blue for the first time

Gigi and Papa with Parker and Ben.  Ben got a t-rex balloon!

The Sheerans-Kell at 33 weeks with Snooki

I get excited for Tahoe like one would get excited to head to Hawaii or Europe.  Every single memory I have of Tahoe is a good one.  So, of course, I've been so eager to get Parker up to the cabin.  I grew up going to our cabin every summer in August.  It was the last shebang before school started.  Well, since school starts so much earlier these days, I wasn't able to go because I was always getting my classroom ready!  I suppose this is the light at the end of an unemployed tunnel!  We were finally able to go this year!  We had a too short trip with Gigi and Papa, the Sheerans and the Elrods came up for the weekend.  If only the Gewekes could have made it up, but, alas, now they couldn't because Kels and Cars had started school.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to us!

...with the Brian Wilson hair no less.  I just love those lips.

We're hoping his blue eyes stick around

Mimi (Jeannie) came today for her weekly visit/babysit while I went to the gym and went to lunch with Joel for our anniversary.  Our first time out without P-Man.  I ate so fast at lunch and then realized that I didn't have a baby waiting for me or fussing.  Amazing how things change.  We've had a busy 6 weeks since Parker arrived.  He is very social.  He's already been to 3 weddings and 2 Giant's games!  Here are a few pictures from today.  He is growing SO FAST I can't believe it!

What? You moved into a new house AND had a baby?!

It's amazing what you can get done within a few months time.  Something I would NEVER do again is move into a foreclosed house-that needs to be completely renovated mind you- and then have a baby a couple months later!  It is definitely one of those times in life that I will (later on) look back on, laugh, and question at "what were we thinking"?!  Here are a few pictures of Parker's room and the kitchen.  No room is completely done.  But-we're getting there!

The best investment chair EVER! Both the chair and ottoman glide.  It is fabulous.

The airplane picture was Joel's Grandpa Herb's. 

Michele Ferretti found the wonderful pot that said "Sprout" (what we called Parker when he was in my belly).

I found these boards while we were in South Africa last summer.  They were my momento that I carried with me the entire trip because of course I found them in the first city we went to.

Our kitchen that we completely gutted and redid.  Yes-it is a disaster and we still need a backsplash.  That's what happens when you do things all on your own.

The ikat fabric Jeannie found for the window box we'll have...

PMG's First Bath

What is this bucket you are putting me in?!

Not too sure about it...

That face is enough to make you feel like a horrible parent.   NOT the best first bath experience!

What did you just put me through?  At least the hippo towel is cute!

Not to worry...our bath experiences have gotten to be much more pleasant.  I figured out that the water was not hot enough-first time parent mistake!  Whoops!

Parker Maxwell Green

Born June 13, 2011

7 pounds 13 ounces

20.5 inches

...hair is getting lighter by the day with a tint of red :)