First OSU Game

We have to start Parker out liking the Buckeye's young since she is being raised in Michigan!

She's not too interested in the game here but she's dressed ready to cheer them on!



Also not very interested here! I think that the game from the week before when I went into labor was the most exciting one of the season for Parker, obviously :)



Check out those cute little booties!



Parker and Sydney look the most tired in this picture but I think that's just because Kris and I hide our exhaustion better :)



Go Bucks!

Parker's First Week

It's hard to believe that Parker is a week (and a day) old today! We're cherishing every moment we have because this sweet newborn period will pass faster than we know it.

Kris and I have been curious for months to see how Sydney would react to her "little sister." If you don't know Sydney that well, she is a very timid, shy, yet sweet dog. When we first brought Parker into the house Sydney started barking at her--great we thought. Not the start that we were looking for! But as soon as we put Parker's carseat on the floor Sydney's brave persona took a back seat and she jumped onto the safety of the couch where she could carefully observe this little person.



Once we got Parker out of the carseat Sydney went to investigate it.



Then she went to check Parker out. Don't worry, there's no dog licks going on in this photo, just sniffing :) Ever since this moment Sydney has been very protective of Parker. If she cries, Sydney will run to her. If we move Parker to another room, Sydney follows. Unfortunately, Sydney also wants to protect her by barking at every car and person that goes around the cul-de-sac. We're working on getting her to calm down! Amazingly, Parker is not bothered at all by the barking. We wonder if it's because she heard so much of it while in the womb!



The bouncer is just a bit big for this tiny girl! Soon enough she will fit in it.



The only parts of the bath that Parker enjoys are when she's fist cuddled in her hooded towel and when it's all over. Kris and I are working on speed bathing ;)




































































Sydney keeping a watchful eye over her sister in the co-sleeper.




































So this is what I felt Parker doing while she was in the womb! She was trying to kickbox me!






















Right before going on our first walk! The weather was in the 70s and sunny, a perfect day to take a short walk in our subdivision. It was nice to get out and enjoy the fresh air before winter arrives. This was our first shot at the Moby Wrap and it is a lifesaver! Since we love holding on to Parker all the time, this wrap lets us still keep her close while being able to move freely around the house. Thanks Grandma Eva and Aunt Linda for the wonderful wrap! We'll be getting a lot of use out of it!
































I've been excited to introduce Sophie the Giraffe to Parker ever since I heard about this toy. It gets rave reviews and Parker seems to give it five stars too!

Welcome to the world Parker Sophia!

The OSU/Wisconsin game was so nerve wracking that it actually put me into labor :) Around 8pm on Saturday evening, October 16th, I started feeling contractions and knew it was the real thing. We didn't end up leaving for the hospital until 5:00am since I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible and it's good that we left when we did since she was born not long after that! When Parker arrived it was love at first sight. The emotions we felt when we finally got to meet her were so unbelievably amazing.

Parker arrived on October 17, 2010 at 6:45am weighing 7lbs 12 oz and measuring 21 inches long.




I was very happy about two things at this point--(1) that Parker was here and perfect, and (2) that my natural, med free labor was over! It was more difficult than I could have ever imagined but was all worth it in the end. Check out those pouty lips and huge eyes just taking everything in!



We were lucky and ended up with the most wonderful labor and delivery nurse. She had her third child naturally just nine weeks before so she could really relate to what I was going through. Not only was she great support but she also made sure to get some family pictures of us :)



Seriously, I can't get enough of those cute lips!



Getting checked out by the nurse isn't too bad...



...wait, I take that back!



Our happy family :)



Getting her first bath. I don't think that she enjoyed it!



All cleaned up and ready to be cuddled!











And here we are finally ready to go home! Parker did not enjoy being put in the car seat at all and she let the whole hospital know it on the way out. And she let us know it the whole way home :) Thankfully the hospital is only ten minutes away from our house so we were able to get her home and settled in quickly!
































































It's so nice having Parker home with us. While we've only been parents for a short time, it feels so natural and I can't imagine how we lived our lives up to this point without her. Parker is doing really well--she is very sweet and loves being held all the time. She also loves getting her best sleep in during the day and saving her energy for the night :) I'm sure that will change and until then, Kris and I will take naps when she does in order to keep up with her!

Parker's Nursery

When Kris and I moved into our house we went crazy painting every room, including one of the guest bedrooms which is now Parker's nursery. Rather than going with a neutral shade like the rest of the house, we decided that a light blue would work well. And it did work well until we found out that we were expecting a little girl! A coat of primer, a gallon of paint, and a few decorations later, the room was transformed into a nursery fit for a princess. I've often sat in the nursery just picturing what it will be like when Parker arrives. Even though she is not here yet, the room has already started making great memories.







I can't wait to dress her up in these cute clothes!

Welcome!

With less than one week until Parker's expected arrival, I decided to start blogging so that all those dear to us would be able to keep up to date with our growing family! It's hard to believe that in a matter of days (or hours, or weeks...hopefully the former!) our lives will be forever changed. We're looking forward to meeting our little princess!