Funny Conversations

Parker is a talker!  That's probably the second thing that everyone comments on when they first meet him.  #1 - big blue eyes! #2 - clear talking, and lots of it!  (Oh and at the park the other day some lady told me he had nice eyelashes.  Haven't heard that one before).

With the clear talking comes quite the conversations.  Sometimes they are with himself and his toys, which I LOVE watching.  The other day he had five little people in the corner because they were being "naughty."  Here are some other classic examples.

Me:  Good morning Parker!
P: Oh good morning, Mommy.  (Sometimes he'll say, "Did you have a nice nap?)"
Me: Did you sleep well?
P: Oh yeah.
Me:  What did you dream about?
P: Dolphins (almost every morning he says that!)

Ryan:  Goodnight buddy.  Daddy's going to work on the firetrucks tomorrow.
Parker: Daddy, you drive the firetrucks?
Ryan: No, I ride in the back.  I'm the tailboard.
Parker: Daddy, you no tailboard anymore.  You drive.
Ryan: Ok

He also loves to watch Little Einsteins.  He sings a lot of the songs and can tell you a lot of what happens in the show.  Anyway, he loves to say "The bald eagle take Leo's baton, and Leo say "AHHH!"

Background Story:  We were going to eat at California Pizza Kitchen until I realized it was a sit-down restaurant and it was 7:15.  So we went to a place called "Zoup," right down the street.  I got Chicken Pot Pie soup in a breadbowl, Ryan tried a few other soups and ended up ordering Macaroni and Cheese in a bread bowl...  I later asked him why he ordered that - he had no idea.  Anyway, we put some of our soups on a plate for Parker, but he just wanted to eat the bread.  We finished both of ours and Parker didn't seem interested in any of the noodles or chicken on his plate, so Ryan at them.  A few minutes later...

P: Hey!  Where's my noodles?  Where's my chicken?
R: Oh I'm sorry Parker.  I thought you were done.
P: Nooooo, Noooo Daddy.  Why'd you eat my chicken?

He was asking Ryan that all the way home (while I was laughing hysterically).  This morning, I went to wake Parker up and first thing he says.  "Daddy.....ate my chicken!!"

The other day he said "This is my favorite snack in the whole wide world."

He also likes to say, "Don't ever do that again."  He usually uses that when he's disciplining his toys.

P: Don't cry mommy.
Me: Ok
P: Good girl mommy.  And good boy daddy.

"Mommy, I please have a snack please?"  (Yes)  "Oh, thank you."

And of course our all time favorite...
"Daddy/Mommy, I love you sooo much"

Daddy - Parker Days

Now that I'm back at work, Ryan and Parker have a Daddy-Parker morning every third day.  I think it's safe to say they both look forward to them, and I love that they get to have this special one-on-one time!    A few days ago, they made blueberry pancakes together.  Ryan is seriously the best dad.  Who has patience to do this with a 2 year old?

They were both wearing aprons and Parker got to do a lot of stirring.  (It's all on video).  It was a little chilly downstairs that morning, so Daddy let Parker wear his wool socks.

Aside from cooking, they play at parks together, Parker "helps" Ryan with projects around the house, they laugh a lot, play with Little People and Parker is usually riding his bike outside when I get home from school.

The Apple Orchard

I believe I've mentioned this before, but one of the major perks of having a husband who is a firefighter is that you can go to all the "busy" places on the "empty" days.  Prime example - The Apple Orchard. We went on a Tuesday afternoon and there was hardly anyone else there.  We got to sample everything we wanted, Parker could sit on the tractors as long as he wanted, and we had a relaxing day at a place that is usually crazy with people.  

                                           

                           

We've been going to Kuipers for 3 years now.  The first time we went was actually on my due-date with Parker.  Last year he took a bite of his first cider donut, and this year he practically shoved the entire thing in his mouth in one bite!  

There are a couple of different things to play with, like a horse made out of tires.  We showed him how to hold the reigns and he said "giddy up, giddy up."

There was also this washer-toss game.  Ryan and I had fun tossing them while Parker was busy practicing his jumping skills.  By the way, he call his new Nike's his "Jumping Shoes."

Side note - we had visited a park the day before and Parker got a big owie on his forehead as he was running, and tripped and fell on the cement =(  

We came home and you better believe I got started on the Applecrisp right away.  Yumm.

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

You'll love Shutterfly's award-winning photo books. Try it today.

Parades

Parker is really developing his imagination.  He has pretend conversations with people on the phone, he tells me he dreams about dolphins at night and he looks at pictures in books and makes up the story.   He's also started making up his own language. Two of the most popular words are "beto beto," which he sings to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle," and "dedacto!"  He seems to know exactly what they mean =)  The biggest thing he has been imagining lately are his elaborate parades.  He will take almost every vehicle and toy out of his toy bin and them in a big long line.  The funniest part is that while he's doing it, he is very concentrated, and he acts like he knows exactly where each piece needs to go.  He literally does this for at least an hour everyday with no help from me.  Here are some examples.

Today was extra fun because he made his own parade in the morning and then we took him to a real one!  He was pretty excited when he could see the firetrucks coming.  He told us they were his favorite part.  I had tears in my eyes before the parade even started because he was being so stinkin' cute, and there are not many things more satisfying than seeing your child having a great time.

Wheaton is the only place that has a parade where you receive an "Adventures in Odyessy" cd, and see a "Harley Davidson's for Christ," club.  Check out this one below!  Probably the sweetest 3-wheeled thing I've ever seen, and Darth Vader is driving it! 

After the parade, my parents came over and we went biking on the Illinois Prairie Path.  We got on only a few minutes from our place and biked ~5-6 miles to Mike and Deb's house, where we had Boston Market for lunch and played with Mark for a while.  

Then we biked home and Parker fell asleep in his little seat.  Of course he has to show Papa and Grandma how to make a parade when we got back =)