Happy New Years!!

Well looks like the baby is going to wait until the New Year to get here so we went ahead and made New Year's plans. Hope everyone has a great and safe new year celebration.

Parkes turns 3

Yesterday was Parkes' birthday. It is so hard to believe that he is already 3 years old. We did a "small" family birthday party for him this year....he wanted one with all his friends but with having the baby soon and his birthday when most people are out of town we decided this would be the best this year (he'll have a big birthday next year for all his friends to come to). He might go through withdrawal today from not having people bringing him presents all the time and not having so much activities going on. We did go to the doctor yesterday as well and found out I am almost halfway dilated which was quite a jump from the week before so I was informed to take it easy and gain weight this week, but if the baby wants to come on before the end of the year I won't complain.

Santa Came!!!!

Parkes was a little in shock and overwhelmed this year with all the festivities that happen. We started out Christmas Eve doing Christmas with Brandon's parents in Lexington who came up for the day and then all headed out to my parents for dinner that night. Then we came home to find Santa's elf had left Parkes some Pj's and got him to bed. Brandon was more excited then Parkes to wake up the next day and woke up about every hour throughout the night and finally asked if he could go wake Parkes up about 7:15, and even though I said it would be best to let him sleep until he was ready to wake up I told Brandon he could.... So this is what Parkes looked like when he came out to see what Santa had brought him. And it took him a long time to actually register what was going on which Brandon was hoping for him to come running out yelling about his Yellow Hummer. He finally started to warm up to the idea that Santa had actually brought him his Yellow Hummer that he had talked about for so long. Then after having Christmas at home we headed over to my parents to have lunch and Christmas over there which is not small in my family as I come from a family of 5 kids (3 of us which got married within a year of each other, and then we've added a baby every year since Parkes was born) Parkes was completely warmed up to his Hummer and gave the dogs rides around the yard. And then my sister, Hayley, got a ride too. When we finally got back home we expected Parkes to crash, but he was still too excited and Brandon and I finally went to bed around 11 with Parkes still awake in his room watching a movie and playing with cars. A little side note that made Brandon and I laugh the other night...We had put Parkes to bed which we have always been able to put him to bed awake and he plays for about an hour and then falls asleep on his own (except right after we moved our room upstairs and we had about a 3 week adjustment phase) so we had put him to bed and Brandon and I were watching TV and all of a sudden we here little footsteps running down the hall. Parkes runs right past us into the kitchen informing us, "don't worry just getting a night night snack." Then he opened the cabinet got a couple of crackers and ran back to bed.

Gingerbread House

Well I had high hopes for making our gingerbread house. I saw in the Rachael Ray magazine were they made one out rice krispie treats and thought well I could do that. I've never been really talented in regular gingerbread houses but how hard could it be out of rice krispie treats (and of course the picture in the magazine was so cute). So we made the treats and let them cool in the fridge to harden up before I pulled them out to start assembling....after about three attempts I finally got it to stay like this (Brandon got a good laugh at my many attempts, but he wouldn't take a try at it). So then Parkes decorated it with his M&M's which I think he definitely ate more then what made it on the house, and then shortly after this picture was taken the walls started to all fall down, but at least we have a picture of my attempt and Parkes had a good time. Then Parkes had his school Christmas party yesterday which I heard he had a great time (my doctor's appt got moved up so I missed it, but I have pictures coming). And he sat in Mrs. Claus' lap, but still wants nothing to do with Santa. As far as the baby goes, everything is still looking good, but I have been uped to Ensure once a day (it is really nasty especially since I don't like sweet things) and am showing signs of labor which I showed the whole last month with Parkes and he only came 3 days early so I'm not really expecting anything to happen. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!!!!

Christmas Outing to Opryland

Last night we decided to make an impromptu trip to Opryland Hotel so Parkes could see the decorations as we are running out of time before Christmas is here. Parkes had a great time looking at all the lights and the elves hiding in the trees. Today we are making a gingerbread house because Parkes has been talking about wanting to make one for over a month now and tomorrow he has his school Christmas party so I'll post some of those pictures sometime soon. I, also, have a doctor's appt tomorrow so we are getting close just over two weeks left before we are a family of four!!!!

Santa is Coming to Town...

I will get some pictures up sometime soon...I have been really bad about taking pictures lately so I really don't have any and Parkes was away all weekend with his grandparents which I should of gotten some pictures of me and Brandon at some of the Christmas parties but I didn't, so I promise I'll get some up soon. Just thought I would share how obsessed Parkes is with getting a "yellow Hummer with a radio"....when he hears the song Santa Claus is coming to town he starts singing really loudly "Santa Claus is coming to my house to bring me my yellow Hummer."

Well Parkes has decided very adamantly that this baby is a boy. He won't even think that there is a possibility it could be a girl. He got so mad at me yesterday when we went out to look for a gift for his friend's Emery's new baby sister because he thought I was buying it for "his baby" and I was buying "girl toys" and not "boy toys". He, also, got to feel a nice strong kick from his baby sister or brother the other day. Parkes has gotten were he likes to listen to and hug and kiss the baby all the time. So he was listening and all of a sudden the baby had a big kick right at his face which Parkes thought was so funny. He is getting really excited and likes to point out the baby's "that just came out" as he calls newborns when we go out. And then informs whoever will listen to him in the store that "his baby has not come out yet". He has become quite the social butterfly in stores talking to every person that will listen to him which he gets from his daddy as we can't go anywhere without Brandon making new friends too. I have had several people tell me where all they seen us and what Parkes was talking about. So that is what Parkes has been up to lately as we enjoy the last month before the baby gets here. Parkes has gone to his grandparents for the weekend while Brandon and I enjoy a weekend of Christmas parties with friends.

Breakfast with Santa

Parkes had Breakfast with Santa this morning. He actually had the one from his school and the one from our church both this morning so we asked him which one he wanted to go to and he picked his school one since his friend Holden was going to be there...he and Holden have become good friends. So we woke up this morning and I got him dressed in a cute plaid button up shirt with his jeans all tucked in with his belt, but he was not happy with the outfit I had picked out so he wanted to add his Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer shirt on top of it (I had hopes of taking it off before the Santa picture, but that was not happening). Parkes was very friendly and liked to talk to Mrs. Claus, but Santa was different story. As you can tell in the first picture, Parkes clinged to Brandon and would not allow him to let him on Santa's lap. So we took the picture with Brandon and Parkes kneeling next to Santa. After Playing around with his friends for a little while he decided he might want to give Santa another shot and went back up. He sat on his lap this time, but would not put his hands down from crying. Finally when Holden joined him on Santa's lap we got to see his face. Of course when we got home Parkes wanted to go back because he forgot to tell Santa that he wanted a yellow Hummer for Christmas.

New Bed

Parkes finally got his new big boy bunkbed the other day thanks to my grandparents for giving it to us and my parents for picking it up on the way home from my little sister's cheerleading competition in Sevierville (where both her squads won). He was a little worried about giving up his toddler bed as Parkes does not like change at all, but when it got all put together he decided he did like it. We will still have to go pick out a football quilt to go on it to match all the Alabama football pictures he has up in his room (Brandon has way too many to fit in the upstairs game room that they needed to go somewhere). As far as our job/insurance situation, Brandon is starting a remodeling sales job on Monday that he is excited about the job, but there is no insurance with it so if you or anyone you know is looking to remodel your home give him a call and he can quote it for you. So Brandon is also looking into some part-time jobs that offer benefits. He has been offered one at Ross as a door agent aka rent-a-cop or another one at the Y in customer service aka door greeter so we will have to see what one works for us (i like the one at ross because i would get a discount and on things at ross that would make their clothes almost free, but he is leaning towards the y because the hours are in the early morning and he would get to be home in the evenings and weekends with the family which makes me love him even more that he is a father and husband who will do what it takes to be home and wants to be home). So that is where we are...thanks to everyone that cares to ask and check in on us.

I really don't have any pics to post this week except this one of Parkes where he was wearing my Uggs around the house yesterday calling them his work boots playing with his tools. Parkes also found a new friend this weekend in our friend Frank who Friday night at dinner entertained Parkes and Jay with sorting sugar packets, and Parkes hasn't stopped asking when he's coming over since then. I, also, need to tell our mystery person or people who are paying for Parkes' school thank you once again. I really wish I knew who you were so I could tell you in person just how much it means to us.