THE BABY..... AT COWEN PARK, OUR URBAN ADVENTURE

It's not often that the sun decides to pay us a visit, so when it does you take full advantage. With Sage and the brother-in-law working in the basement, Parker and I put on our cozy gear and headed out for a little adventure. Okay, it really wasn't that urban, but you must admit Parker is looking pretty urban in these pictures. 

The day's adventure took place at Cowen Park, a few minutes walk from our house. While Parker was more interested in playing with sticks and stomping in the mud, I was able to lure him to my favorite part of the park; the graffiti wall. I just love how the wall adds so much character and color. And of course, it provides an interesting background to photograph my favorite little urban baby.

 

TO A SPECIAL PERSON.....

When I think about you leaving us, my heart hurts. But, I am also happy. Not happy just because I knew you, but also because you helped to shape the person I have become and the mother I am to Parker. To me you were perfect. Loving, patient, free-spirited, hilarious and most of all, selfless. Yes, you were perfect.

I love you, Aunt Jeannette. You are in my heart forever.....

THE BABY.....I SURRENDER

Just thinking about motherhood…..

The last few weeks been frustrating and difficult to say the least, and I realized as I was just about to get extremely frustrated, that my life is no longer my own. I can no longer do what I want, when I want to do it. I am now on Parker time and that means accepting the fact that things will never be as clean as I want them to be, I will start something only to have to stop it a few minutes later and then restart it hours, or even days, after. I have to learn to live slowly. To realize that I am actually accomplishing something, even though the results may not be immediate. Yes, being a mother is a COMPLETE surrender, and this is something I have to remind myself of every day.  I surrender…..  

THE BABY.....A ROOM FOR PARKER

When we finally decided that we were going to take the plunge and buy a house, the one thing I could not wait to do was decorate. Finally, we could paint the walls and hang wallpaper. Hooray! Unfortunately, I have not done much in the decorating department (I blame this on the basement), but the one room I have put effort into is Parker’s. I couldn’t let him sleep and play in a room with no personality!

Since we didn’t know at the time what we were going to have a have, I wanted to start with a neutral base of black and white and then use accessories and art to add hits of color. I have to admit, it did turn out to be a bit more boyish, but perhaps my subconscious knew something that I didn’t.

This is the concept board I put together to inspire his space. I look forward to showing pictures of how his room has come along! 

THE BASEMENT.....THEN AND NOW

When we first saw this house a little over a year ago, we had a few criteria in mind.  First, and most importantly, we were looking for a place to start our new life as a family of three.  A place we could make our home. Nothing big and fancy, just simple and cozy.  Next, we wanted a bit of a fixer upper.  Okay, I’ll admit it; any house we could afford would require lots of work.  Naively, we thought fixing up a home would be fun and exhilarating. We may have been over enthusiastic, but this house fit the bill, and it came in the form of an unfinished basement.  Yes, that means A LOT of work…and so, six months after Parker was born, we began to get to business. 

This has been quite the task to say the least and maybe not quite as exhilarating as we may have first thought, although there have been plenty of those moments. I suppose things would be different if Parker wasn’t in the picture and we could devote all our spare time to the house...but who wants to tear down walls and grind concrete when you have a little chubba angel to entertain you all day. It is hard to tear yourself away...but back to the basement. What we loved about the house was the size of the basement and fact that is was unfinished. Because it is about the same square footage as the main floor, we are able to accommodate 2 bedrooms (one of which will belong to the brother-in-law), a full bathroom, a laundry room and what we like to call the party room.

So this is where we were at the beginning of the project and this is where we are now. It is quite the change, and it stills amazes me at how far we have come. We are about 80% percent done, maybe. Oh, I don’t really know, but we are getting closer to completion… and that means closer to the day I get the brother-in-law out of living room and into the basement where he belongs (I am sure he would prefer it that way too)! I can hardly wait...

THE BABY.....A FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY!

I’ll just say it; my baby’s got a sweet tooth.  I suppose Sage and I are to blame for this inherited trait, but as far as I can tell, this is Parker’s only flaw.  He is like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. Watching him eat his first bites of cake was perfect.  He was very cautious at first, slowly tasting the frosting and then taking a nibble of the cake, but after that, there was no stopping him.  He was just so focused. Yep, my baby is ambitious.

And yep, he is also one year old now. Just like that. And it makes me a little sad to think how quickly time has passed over the past year, but I am also so happy. Happy when I think back to the day Parker was born, or to first time I touched his soft little baby buns, or to the day he gave that first smile, and then his very first giggle.  Life with Parker has been better than wonderful to say the very least, and I am so excited to see what will come next.

THE BABY.....ALMOST A YEAR OLD

This is my baby, Parker Bennett. He makes me so happy. He is almost a year old and yes, the thought of him turning one makes me want to cry. Can't he just stay this way forever ? The answer is no....so I soak him in. Most days I spend staring at him as he goes about his business. I am pretty lucky I get to do this.