An explanation is in order

I know the last post was so long ago that most of you have either called to asked if I had Baby P early, have left messages through family members that my name is mud until I get another post up, or have long since abandoned checking our blog.

(Which leads me to a somewhat random point (and yet another - Becky, weren't you just commenting on how random Libby can be?? I guess I can't deny where she gets it :) Back to the beginning of my randomness...Bloglines is a wonderful way to check your favorite blogs. Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but you just go the the website and copy/paste the URL addresses of the blogs you'd like to read. Each time you go to the site and click on "Feeds", it will highlight your feeds that have new material since the last time you checked. Then you just click on whichever one you want to read. Some blogs, mine included (I think, it has actually been so long since I looked at mine) have little Bloglines buttons you can click on that will subscribe you to its feed. There are also a few other sites like this, but I use Bloglines and would recommend it.)

Now, for the explanation...

A few days after Christmas the hard drive on our laptop crashed. And, I don't know if I ever posted about this, but our desktop needs a new motherboard or something, so it is actually in a dumpster somewhere now. We were computer-less until a couple days ago. I've just been so overwhelmed at everything there is to blog about that I've avoided the computer all together. Well, that and I'm afraid if I touch it, it will break again :)

To make things easier on myself (and you, Dear Readers, who surely do not wish to read a blog post version of War and Peace), I'm just gonna list 10 Parker family current events.

And, I promise, if you're sticking with me, I'll post fairly regularly as long as I still have a working computer.

1. My grandmother, aka Rea, Momma (or Mom, which do y'all call her?) Ma, Memaw, Mawl came to stay with us after Christmas for a while. The girls and I drove her back to Austin last Wednesday and we got to see 2 of my cousins and my 2 aunts who we'd just seen at Christmas. The girls were able to sufficiently torment my Aunt Dee's cats and sufficiently torment my cousins at 7 am! We ate some delicious food (both home cooked and bought) and got to meet Bob (we'd been hearing about him for a while and enjoyed getting to put a face with the name). The only people missing were my other cousin Lauren and her new husband Will, but, hopefully, we'll be able to see them soon and get the opportunity to meet Will before he's deployed. It was a wonderful thing to see all my Austin relatives twice in a matter of days!
2. Baby P is doing well. I am sick of being pregnant! Be sure you catch that I did not say, I'm ready to have the baby, I'm just ready to not be pregnant! This pregnancy has really made me wonder at the resiliency and patience of women who have 6,7, 8+ kids. I used to think I had a lot of patience and I used to think I was a "good" pregnant person. Of course, adding in a major move and two major holidays might have added some stress :) I have a little less than 6 weeks to go until my due date (although my babies never like to be rushed) and feel like I have about 6 months worth of stuff that must get done before the baby arrives!! A computer falling apart doesn't aid in the completion of said stuff.
3. Speaking of Baby P, the girls will be participating in a sibling class at 1 of the 2 hospitals I could deliver her/him. It is in the morning and, according to my OB, very cute. I'll try to remember my camera.
4. Addi started preschool for the very last time on Wednesday. She attends on Wednesdays and Fridays and has loved it so far. Libby misses her and stares at me like I'm really kidding myself when I tell her that we'll pick up Addi soon, but isn't it fun for it to be just Mommy and Libby sometimes?!
5. Libby's differences when compared with her sister are really shining through. She is determined. Even when utterly frustrated with something, she wants to continue to do it herself. While she's good-natured and enjoys a joke as well as the next toddler, she sometimes has no patience for kidding around. The other night when Bryan put her to bed he tried playing a game Addi used to enjoy at bedtime. Addi would ask him to sing a certain song, he would start singing another song, she would giggle and correct him, he would sing yet another song and the cycle would continue. Libby asked him to sing Jesus Loves Me. He started singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and she furrowed her brow, popped him in the face and said, "No! Daddy! Sing Jesus Loves Me!" I supspect he won't be continuing the Song Game with sweet Libby Lu.
6. Bryan continues to work hard. He's gone before the sun is up and home after the sun goes down. He's also eating well. A few times a week he comes home and tells me that he won't even share with me where he ate lunch. Of course, that only serves to peak my interest. You would think going through a pregnancy for the third time, he would know once he peaked the cravings of a pregnant woman that he may, in fact, have to drive the 40 miles to the Dairy Queen in Hutchins for a steakfinger basket late one night.
7. One day last week the high was below freezing. Today the high was in the mid-60s. I mentioned it being winter in conversation with Addi and she looked at me like I'd lost my mind replying that "Winter is when it snows, Mommy!" Honestly, I don't mind. I'm not crazy about it being in the 80s during January, but a sunny day in the 60s is perfect to me. We aren't stuck inside and I don't have to try and squeeze into my non-maternity coat. While Addi was at preschool today, Libby and I took a walk and found a new playground. I was literally sweating before we got home, but loved the idea of pushing the kids outside after naptime for a snack on their new picnic table and some energy expension on the new trampoline. We have a shoebox sized back yard and big windows along the walls of the breakfast room and living room, so if I love to send them outside while I'm cooking supper. Hearing them giggle and squeal is precious!
8. Don't tell the girls, but we're taking a family "vacation" of sorts before Baby P makes an appearance. A new resort opened in Grapevine and Bryan made reservations for us in a Camp room later this month. I've heard this referred to as a babymoon. Like our honeymoon, our babymoon will consist of lots of time wearing a swim suit. Unlike our honeymoon, this time around, I will not be allowing any photos to be snapped of any part of my pasty-white, very pregnant self in a swim suit. It just wouldn't be pretty.
9. Bryan bought a cookbook for me as a Christmas gift. It was one I'd asked for and I've used it quite a bit. You may have heard of it, Deceptively Delicious? I think I've used it enough to recommend it. There have been a couple recipes that have flopped, but mostly we liked the food. The idea is you get all these vegetables and spend some time steaming them, pureeing them, and putting them in quarter cup servings in freezer bags. Once you get through that, which is time consuming and messy, the rest is pretty easy and quick. You just thaw however many servings of whichever vegetables are called for in the recipes. The author (Jerry Seinfeld's wife) wants you to use brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas and whole wheat bread. We already ate whole wheat bread, and the tortillas and pasta don't really taste that different to me (or my kids). I just never bought those because I didn't think I would like them and they are more expensive. The brown rice is going to take me some time to get used to, but Bryan and the girls seem to like it. There has only been one meal in which I could detect the taste of the "hidden" vegetable and I think that was because I used Rachael's advice and "just eyeballed it". I've made breakfast, lunch, supper, and dessert. Some of our favorites include the pancakes with sweet potato, the French toast with sweet potato, the Sloppy Joes with red pepper and carrot, and the tortilla cigars (like enchiladas without a sauce on top) with squash and carrot. Everyone except Addi also enjoyed the guacamole spread with their cigars and I really liked the oatmeal with pumpkin. So, if you have anti-vegetable eaters in your house, you might this book a try. Also, she says you can puree meats and sneak them into foods also. (I rememberred this after I talked to you today, Angie).
10. If you're looking for a van, I must recommend the Honda Odyssey. I had a Pilot and loved it. I didn't want a van...ever. But, when Libby was super-little and I was still toting her around in the infant carrier while trying to keep a hand on my 2 year old so she wouldn't dart in front of a car in a parking lot, I always envied the moms who pressed a little button on their door lock remotes so their children could just climb right in to their vans without having to set the infant on the ground while keeping one hand on their 2 year old and opening the door with the other hand. The first thing Bryan said when I told him I was pregnant again was we'd have to buy a van. Let me tell you, I fought it. I had a Pilot I loved and it had a 3rd row. I told him there was plenty of room and Addi could just climb in the back once the baby arrived. It would have worked. It would have, but this works so much better. The dvd screen is bigger than the Pilots, there are built in side window shades, about 300 cup holders, the leather seats are much more plush and comfortable than the Pilots, an 8th seat that comes out completely and can be store under the floor, and it tells me how much oil I have left and when my tires need air on my odometer. Plus, I really love driving it. And, it cost us less than the Pilot did 4 years ago! I couldn't imagine there would be much difference. The Odyssey drives so much like a car. It is so much easier to park and really has some get-up-and-go. I don't even mind driving it when I am kid-less. After all, who am I kidding? I am a thirty year old mother of (almost) 3. The Odyssey was designed with me in mind.
11. One more for Bryan...we are going to the Cowboy game on Sunday with his dad and my brother. I probably shouldn't put this on the internet for the world to see since I was raised in a house not 15 minutes from Texas Stadium, but I'm not really a fan. I'm excited because it can be fun to be in that atmosphere, around all the lunatics who paint their bodies blue and because everyone else I'm going with are fans and so they will be really excited.

So much for brevity. If I can keep up better, I won't have so much to catch y'all up on. Be writing again soon...

If only we could've thought of a name without a "d"

Today Addison's preschool class celebrated her birthday and gave her a good-bye card with all of their handprints and names. After I read her the inscription and each name on the card, she asked about her new preschool. I told her she would start at her new preschool as soon as there was an opening and asked her (purely from my own curiousity) if she wanted to go by Addison or Addi in her new class. She said, with much expression, "Oh...Addi! I'm so tired of writing all those "d's"!" She was a little quiet when I reminded her she would still have to write the "d's" in Addi.

A Delayed First Day

When we found out we were moving I went back and forth on whether Addi would begin preschool here. Bryan and I talked about it and finally decided we would wait to start her until we moved thereby avoiding the difficulties involved with not only moving her home, but also her preschool.

However, it now looks as though the girls and I will be here much longer than we'd hoped. And, honestly, she's been driving me crazy. (It hasn't been her fault. We've been living waiting to move. That isn't a fun way to live. Plus all her friends have either started school or preschool.)

Today, she began her time in Miss Angie and Miss Jeneane's class. She spent last week preparing by working in a kindergarten letter workbook. Every day she would pull it out and tell Libby she couldn't play because she needed to work. This morning she told Libby that Libby might get lonely today because she was going to preschool. (Of course, Libby responded with, "I wan go preschool!")

She had a good day and is really excited about going back on Thursday. She even told Libby that tomorrow they could hunt for something that starts with D to take for Show and Tell. Oh, and since there's another Addie, she's decided she wants to go by Addison. Her teachers, who've known her since before she turned 2, say they are having trouble remembering to call her Addison instead of Addi.

I got a picture at the beginning of the day with Addison and Miss Angie and at the end of the day with Addison and Miss Jeneane.

I (really) apologize if you have been on pins and needles awaiting this!

Here is one of the videos from Addi's tea yesterday. Under normal circumstances, I am a shaky, at best, videographer. Yesterday, I had Libby trying to climb into my lap and onto the table and off the chair. The first video I took, which is not this one, was fine, but only featured the kids walking onto the stage. At that point, Lib was sitting nicely in a chair next to me. 15 seconds later I started shooting again, which is also not this video, with Libby in my lap. Addi decided she would hide behind Jackson, so I needed to Army crawl (to avoid ruining any other Mommy's videos) with Libby on my back to capture a different angle. That wasn't happening! Instead, I turned the camera off, missed a cute song, yet manuevered to a slightly better position. Libby lasted in a chair for about 23 seconds for this video and at the end the camera is all over the place because she was trying to climb down and I was trying to help her and thus avoid screams that would drown out the adorable children everyone was there to see when she inevitably suceeded in falling out of the chair.

Alright, enough excuses! Enjoy the torture video :)

Oh, and to find Addi, look for the taller boy with a red J on his shirt. She pokes her head out from around him every once in a while.

Redemption

This time last year Addi's preschool class hosted a "Mommy and Me Tea". Letters were sent home, reminders were placed in bags, and notes were written on the notice board. Addi and I were both excited. She couldn't help but slip some of the secrets that were to be revealed at the tea to me.

I remember walking her into preschool the morning of the tea. We walked past the notice board and I read that the tea was to begin at 11:30. I remember thinking that I must have gotten the time wrong because I thought it was supposed to begin at 11:00.

You can see where this is going.

Yep, I walked back into preschool at about 11:25 wondering why there were no other moms walking in at the same time.

My heart broke when I walked into the room and saw Addi at a table sitting next to Grandma Jan. Grandma Jan is an older woman who likes to visit and read to the classes at preschool. I quickly sat down and asked one her teachers what time the tea started, though I already knew the answer.

I don't know how I made it through the rest of the tea without bursting into tears. I felt I had failed my daughter. She could've asked for the world that day and I would've given it to her without flinching.

Today was the day of this year's "Mommy and Me" tea. As I waited at a red light across from the preschool, I started to panic thinking that maybe I'd gotten the time wrong again this year.

It is starting at 11:00, right? I don't see any cars turning into the parking lot. What if it started at 10:30?

As I pulled into a parking space I noticed a few other moms hopping out of their cars.

R-E-L-I-E-F!

The entertainment was adorable. (I'll be posting a video later) We all, especially Libby, enjoyed the food. And, the company was unbeatable.

Of course, the best part was leaving and not feeling like the mom who let my kid down :)

Gymnastics Show

Addi had her gymnastics end of the year show at preschool this morning. She looked as though it was all she could do not to run out of the room. No smiles. No enthusiasum. I got her to smile when she was finished. Later I asked why she wasn't smiling during the performance and she said that she really didn't like the shirt she was wearing and didn't like all the people looking at her. I totally understand that!

Speaking Pictures

They say, A picture is worth a thousand words. So, I guess I'll let these do most of the talking writing...

Libby likes to ride her bus around the house saying, "Weeeee, weeeee, weeeee!"

Bruster's Ice Cream Shop field trip

Addi and Ally enjoying their "dirt" sundaes.

unrelated

I helped out in a 4 year-old class this morning at preschool instead of doing my usual science gig. At the end of the morning I overheard this exchange between two of the little boys.

[background: The class was drawing pictures of 3 nutritious foods.]
boy 1: I can eat a whole carrot in 10 seconds!
boy 2: Well, I can eat a apple slice in 4 minutes!

Which has nothing at all to do with what my 4 year-old is doing right now. Her room is still a work in progress, so she's sleeping in our room, which is also where the Pack and Play is set up for Logan to nap. Logan was almost asleep when I took Addi in for a nap. I told her to not look at Logan and go to sleep hoping both girls would sleep. I just put my ear to the door and heard Addi chattering away. So, I opened the door to see Addi huddled next to the Pack and Play holding up a book and reading it to Logan. I guess I could've gone in there to tell Addi to get to sleep, but they're being quiet and I'm in the middle of purging the playroom. I'd be crazy to risk "waking" them up :)

And I think I just heard a chorus of Amens from all the other Mommies!

Happy Thanksgiving

Friday morning Addison's preschool class hosted a Thanksgiving breakfast for their families. It was very sweet and I know her teachers put in a lot of time and patience in making the food, decorations, costumes, and entertainment perfect. I got most of the "show" on video. Enjoy!



What the Parkers are thankful for:

1. good health - except for the occasional ear infection or cold
2. Bryan's job - how else would we have discovered the wonderful city of Raleigh, North Carolina and all its wonderful people and it provides us with more than we need
3. our home - it isn't perfect, but projects give us something to do
4. cars - reliable and suited for our needs
5. computers - otherwise I might have to write a letter and mail it
6. phones - otherwise I might have to write a letter and mail it
7. princess stuff - so we can watch the girls dance around in tulle and sequins
8. A&D - takes care of diaper rash fast
9. preschool - especially Mrs. Teresa, Mrs. Nicole, Mrs. Sarah, and Mrs. Suzanne
10. extended families - they support us and love us always
11. Zoe - she could possibly be the best dog in the world
12. airplanes - they make a trip to Texas with 2 kids much easier
13. service men and women (and their families) - they make sacrifices many Americans can't fathom
14. Mexican food - we can't wait to fill our bellies on our next Texas trip
15. foodnetwork.com - it is where I go to plan my weekly menus
16. bananas - Libby Lu eats one for breakfast daily
17. cereal - Addi couldn't live without it
18. Addison Grace and Reagan Elizabeth - Bryan and I feel that we're the most blessed parents in the entire world...they light up our lives
19. you - our friends and family reading our blog
20. Jesus Christ - He died so we could live.