Oh Boy, Here We Grow!

Yogurt!

2012-02-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

This morning, I set Parker up with yogurt then went out to the man den to grab a few things out of the freezer. When I came back in the house, Parker was whining and I figured he had dropped his spoon. This is what I saw when I walked into the kitchen...

I'm guessing he tried to drink the yogurt then dropped the container when the yogurt hit him in the face!

Fall Go BOOM!

2012-02-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

On Monday, we piled into Sarah's car and visited Jack and Parker's Great Grandma and Great Aunt Linda. After we got back, I left the car seat in the entry way...big mistake! Parker decided to sit in it, then stood up and tipped it over. Unfortunately, he stopped his fall by hitting his face on the low windowsill next to the door. A bloody and very swollen nose had me ~~worried~~ completely panicked that he had broken his nose. So we jumped back into the car and headed to Urgent Care to get him checked out. Looks like he hit his cheek and the tip of his nose. No permanent damage, but his nose is still swollen and as you can see in the pictures he has a large bruise on the left side of his nose.

You can't really see the bruise in this one, just thought it was a cute pose!

This is day 3 and the bruise has finally stopped getting darker.
Sorry about all the boogers, but his nose is pretty tender and he won't let me touch it.

Shower Buddies

2012-02-20T20:19:00.000-08:00

Parker started taking showers with Brian, when he was battling croup (hot steamy air helps calm the cough) and is now a shower convert. We tell him it's shower time and he grabs his towel and sprints to our bathroom. He thinks it is hilarious to change the settings on the shower head and spray us in the face with water. The other night I came in to check on the boys and found them playing with a shower cap and laughing hysterically!

Art Critic

2012-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Last year I realized we were in need of some grown up artwork in our house. The small handful of things we had were a) from IKEA or b) framed posters from college. So I started trying to find a few things to add to our sad little collection, but immediately ran into a huge road block. Brian.

Here is an example of a typical conversation:

Brian: So I was thinking about getting you that picture of Mt. Rainer that you liked at Pikes Place Market for Valentine's Day, but you watch the bank account like a hawk so I couldn't figure out a way to do it secretly.

Me: Why would you buy that? You didn't like it.

Brian: I didn't mind it.

Me: Huh? Well what do you like?

Brian: Nothing with color or flowers.

Me: Oh that's really helpful!

Brian: I would be happy with a stained piece of wood above the couch.

Me: Seriously?!? So let me get this straight, you envision our living room with a chunk of wood above the couch, some random black and white pictures, and probably an elk or deer head mounted on the wall?

Brian: Yeah! That would be perfect!

Me: AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!! Maybe my second husband will have better taste in art!

Playtime

2012-02-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

Parker playing with his ~~zoo~~ playground.

Oldish Videos

2012-02-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry, these videos are a little old. The new laptop saved them in a format that Blogger didn't recognize so it took me a while to get it sorted out!

Allergies-smallergies

2012-02-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Parker has been eating soy yogurt for 2 weeks and last night he chowed down on teriyaki chicken...and fortune cookies. Brian and Parker ran some errands and brought home dinner. Parker wanted to be picked up while I was loading up a plate and started whining and pointing at the fortune cookies. I looked at him and said. "Why do you want those? You don't even know what a fortune cookie is!" Apparently, Parker and Brian shared some cookies while they waited for the food!

Parker has also been eating waffles made with milk for a week, and has yet to have any reaction! Sometime this week we will attempt whole milk yogurt to really test his intolerance to dairy. Fingers crossed we may finally be done with making special meals and worrying about him eating the wrong thing!

Contagion

2012-02-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

Classic timing! Brian started back to work on Wednesday. Wednesday morning I woke up feeling like crap. I thought it was the stomach flu, but now realize I probably contracted Rotavirus/Norwalk virus. These are the same viruses that are sweeping through schools and at last count 145 people at a local cheerleading competition came down with Norwalk virus.

For the last 3 days, poor Parker has been trapped in the living room for most of his waking hours while I shivered and napped on the couch. He was such a trooper! I managed to get him to hangout in bed for an extra 2 hours by bribing him with cartoons, rice chex and a sippy. He even played nurse, giving me blankets and books!

By Friday, Parker had covered the entire living room with toys and was getting pretty frustrated with being cooped up. Brian came to the rescue and made it home early enough to help Parker burn some energy before bed. By Saturday morning I was finally starting to feel human again and Brian was able to get Parker out of the house so he could run around and make up some of his lost playing time.
Now I just need to find the energy to get back into the swing of things and decontaminate/sanitize the entire house so no one else gets sick!

Seattle or Bust!

2012-02-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

While making breakfast this morning I mentioned we should do something fun to take advantage of the warm sunny weather...an hour later we hopped in the car and headed to Bremerton for Parker's first ferry ride to Seattle. By "hopped" I mean an hour of packing, prepping, showering and wrestling a stroller into the car...spontaneity with a toddler is a little more complicated!

Parker wasn't too impressed with the actual ferry ride, but loved running laps around the boat.

Parker decided watching the sailboat was
more important than posing for a picture

We knew the trip was a success when we left the ferry terminal and ran into some construction. Parker would tell you Seattle is awesome because there are excavators, dump trucks, concrete mixers, barges, and cranes everywhere!

We hit Pike's Place Market first so Brian could buy his usual apple and orange (it's become a market tradition) Parker happily munched free samples of grapefruit and apple as we strolled through the market.

I fell in love with this local artist's work and bought this print to hang in Parker's room. She makes these amazingly intricate collages by tearing up recycled magazines, junk mail, etc. I really wanted to buy this print of Mt. Rainer but Brian didn't like it!

We had lunch, bummed around for a few hours then headed home. Parker did very well considering his first nap of the day was at 5:30 in the car on the way home!

Campin'

2012-02-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

House Full of Helpers

2012-02-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

A few months before Parker was born we had the hardwood floors refinished. To do this Brian had to remove the trim in the kitchen, dining room and entryway. Priorities changed. Family time became more precious and much more important than having trim on the walls. This week, Brian was able to take some time off and project #1 was replacing the trim. No small feat with a very active toddler and two dogs! Here are some pictures of Brian and his "helpers"...

Parker has a slight obsession with measuring tapes so
trying to pry it out of his hands was not an option

Parker showing Brian how it's done

Brian tried to give Parker the boring end of the tape, but...

He prefers the "business end"

Ike came in and decided he needed to supervise

When Ike tried to get better view by standing on Brian
Turner decided he needed to get in on the action

As usual, the boys started wrestling, got kicked out of the kitchen and...

Brian and Parker got back to work

Zoo Day

2012-02-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

Brian took a few days off so we took full advantage of the beautiful weather and headed to the zoo.

Getting to the zoo right when it opens means fewer people and
the volunteers are friendly and wandering around looking for
things to do. Which is how we found out this tiger had chemo, if
you shave a tiger his skin is striped, and that rock is a toasty 75 degrees .

We finally have a family picture in front of the famous tiger head!

Going early also means feeding time!

Otter love (okay, they are actually wrestling)

Posing for the camera

Polar Bear calisthenics?

One of only 200 Red Wolves in the world

First time on the carousel

Smile Guy

2012-02-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Mommy's Law

2012-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

Mommy's Law: Murphy's Law involving children

Personal Examples:

Parker figuring out he can slide along the hardwood floor on his belly, right after the dogs run inside with muddy paws.

Discovering Parker pooped 2.5 seconds after...A) I put him in a fresh diaper. B) finish giving him a bath. C) started washing a load of dirty diapers, which means the latest stink bomb sits at the bottom of the diaper pail for a day and a half.

The day before getting professional pictures taken, Parker falls and has a black eye and fat lip.

Warning do not finish reading this post if you are about to eat...

And last night--Brian and I were getting ready for bed, and one of us casually mentions that Parker seems to be over his cold and isn't sick any more. 2 hours later Parker puked spaghetti and hog dog all over my shirt and his crib. After 4 hours of barfing it is safe to say... the three of us may never eat a hot dog again, and I'm pretty sure nobody is going to finish the leftover spaghetti in the fridge. Parker has kept breakfast and a small snack down, but doesn't want to do anything other than sit on the couch and snuggle.

Cabin Fever?

2012-01-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

After Being cooped up in the house for 2+ weeks, due to sickness and the snow. I realized I haven't had enough adult contact/conversation when I referred to Parker's nap time as my break time and informed the dogs that "Mommy will be back in a minute, she has to go pee-pee in the potty."

Super P!

2012-01-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

Introducing Super P, a 21st Century superhero!

He cooks, he cleans...

he even does laundry!

Yes ladies, he is single!

Parent Humor

2012-01-21T21:55:00.000-08:00

Parker alternates between stalker, H is for hell, and jazz hands. His version of jazz hands is trying to find our nostrils and ears so he can shove his fingers in them. Do they make anything wider than a king-size?

Snowmageddon 2012

2012-01-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

We accumulated 6.5 inches of snow at our house.

Here are some pictures of the family playing in the snow.

Ike getting a closer look at the snow

Mom, my nose is kinda cold

Wrestling happens in any type of weather

Chase is lots of fun in the snow too

We took Parker for a quick walk to the mailbox

Don't let the smile fool you he HATES riding in his sled,
but Brian and I enjoyed a few runs down the driveway!

Brian built Parker a snowman...his lower
half is now yellow and the dogs ate his nose.

Parker staying warm and watching Brian play with
the dogs and build the snowman

Brian trying to get the dogs to pose next to the snowman

Brian had a snowball fight with the dogs and
wanted to make sure Parker wasn't left out!

Playing in the snow is hard work!

The Worry of Love

2012-01-19T02:21:00.000-08:00

   It's 2 AM and I can't sleep. You would think after almost a week of sleepless nights I would be too exhausted to stay awake. But yet again, I found myself laying next to Parker listening to him breathe and questioning every wheeze, crackle, and sniffle I hear.

   How can something so small make you worry so much? He had coughing attack, woke up, snuggled up against Brian and instantly fell back asleep. He leaned against me and slept through his breathing treatment. Eye closed, mask on, as the machine loudly pumped and gurgled.

   How do kids do that? How do they smile and sleep through the things we put them through? The things we ask them to do. Things we tell them to do. Simply because we promise "it will make you feel better."

Love and trust is an amazing thing.

Being a parent is insanely exhausting and amazingly rewarding at the same time.

Weezy McGee

2012-01-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

Apparently, 15 1/2 months of breastfeeding did nothing to boost Parker's delicate immune system! Saturday we took a trip to the peds office for Croup, Sunday morning we headed to Urgent Care for an ear infection, and today was another trip to the peds office because he was wheezing and making crackling sounds when he breathed. I asked the receptionist if they had punch cards or a frequent flier program, but no such luck! The latest diagnosis is the Croup has developed into Stridor, which requires a nebulizer to help open his airways. So three times a day he gets to "play" with his firetruck nebulizer -it actually rolls and has a ladder that moves up and down- and he breathes into a mask that looks like a fish. At this rate he may not get to play in the snow again until next year!

Snowball Fight!

2012-01-16T11:47:00.000-08:00

Parker had a rough weekend. Emergency doctor's appointment on Saturday for Croup and a trip to urgent care on Sunday for an ear infection. I was pretty bummed that he was sick and going to miss out on the first snow of the year, but Sunday afternoon he had a little bit of energy so we decided to head outside for a few minutes. Mom, calm down...technically moist, cold air is good for Croup and we only stayed outside for 10 minutes. As you can see, Parker made the most of those 10 minutes!

Brian showed Parker how to scoop up snow in his mitten

Ike checking out a mitten full of snow

Parker letting Ike get a closer look

Winding up for the pitch...

Direct hit!

Ike's not quite sure what just happened

But Parker is pretty proud of himself

Reloaded and ready for the next victim

Heading toward Turner

Aim and fire!

Surprise retaliation

Whatcha doin down there?

But Dad, he started it!

Parker's first snowball fight wasn't exactly a success

But Parker and Turner made up

And everybody was happy again!

So Pretty!

2012-01-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

I think Parker needs to start watching Brian get ready in the morning. He has been grabbing my hair straightener and curling iron to "do" his hair, and this morning he picked up my tweezers and tried to pluck his eyebrows!

Words

2012-01-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

Brian and I are constantly reminding Parker to "use your words." He must be listening because I spent 5 minutes in the bathroom with Parker banging on the door yelling, "Mama all done, mama all done!"

Best commercial ever...

2012-01-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

Husband: "Want some egg nog hun?"
Wife: "No thanks, I'm drinking Crystal Light."
Husband: "Why, you love egg nog?"
Wife: "Because I have thighs, John."

Mini-Me

2012-01-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas: A Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

So let me get this straight...
I can't touch any of these ornaments?

What about that one way up there?

The cousins on Christmas morning

Thomas the Train...thankfully it has an off button!

Ladybug Trunki: suitcase you can ride

Super P opening his wagon

Two brothers and their sons

Jack & Parker enjoying the new wagon

Chef Parker in his new kitchen.

Chef Parker in his new apron

Pure talent: riding a Trunki while cooking

Christmas 2011

2011-12-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas was full of family, fun and a u-haul worth of toys for Parker. You know your kid is spoiled when both sets of Grandparents tell you to "bring the truck."

I have tons of pictures to download, but I want to share one quick, and very meaningful picture...

My amazing Aunt Connie made pillows out of my late Grandfather's neckties. She included the tie I helped him pick out for my sister's wedding, but it ended up being too hot to wear a suit & tie to her wedding, and he eventually wore it at mine. She made one for each of his four granddaughters. There wasn't a dry eye in the house!

Open Sesame!

2011-12-29T22:08:00.000-08:00

Parker grabbed a bottle of bubbles off the bathroom counter and tried to unscrew the lid. When he couldn't open it, he put it on the floor and ran down the hallway. A few seconds later he returned with his play key ring to "unlock" the bottle!

Farts are Funny!

2011-12-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

Parker has figured out how to make himself fart. For the last two days he has been running around farting and cracking himself up! Can't wait until Brian teaches him how to armpit fart.

Ho, Ho, Oh Hell No!

2011-12-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

Santa Picture 2011

What the F*ck Flickr!

2011-12-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Someone call the cops, Flickr has kidnapped my pictures and is holding them for ransom. Paid for FlickrPro last year so I could download all of our pictures before the laptop died. Just logged in to see this message: "Your FlickrPro account has expired. Don't panic! You can only see 200 photos, but the others are safe and sound. You can see them now if you renew." So I'm guessing I need to pay that in unmarked bills?

Successes & Failures

2011-11-28T22:53:00.000-08:00

Small Success: Parker went "pee-pee" in the potty today

Epic Fail: Most of the pee hit the floor, then he stood up, slipped on the pee, and fell on his ass

Books Come to Life

2011-11-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

Parker doesn't watch much TV, but we are having a lazy Saturday morning so I decided to let him watch some PBS. The look on his face was priceless when he saw his Thomas the Train book come to life. The next show happened to be Bob the Builder...a show with talking bulldozers, dump trucks, and cranes. Parker looks like he's in heaven!

Boys are Weird

2011-11-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

Things I never thought I would say...
"Parker don't play with your wiener at the dinner table!" followed up a few seconds later with, "Hey hands above the tray!"

Daddy's Version

2011-11-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

Parker has several construction themed books that he wants us to read over.and.over.and.over.again! We've gotten bored and started to improvise the stories. Here is a typical Brian version of a book about bulldozers.

"Okay, see the guy on the red bulldozer digging that hole? Well he's digging it in the wrong spot, but he doesn't care because he gets paid overtime. And see the other guy in the yellow bulldozer? He's filling in the holes that guy dug. This job is under budget, but not for long because this guy here is going to drive over a bunch of really expensive tools and equipment and all the profit will be used to buy more. And this guy is digging a really big hole, in the wrong spot and the guy with the wheelbarrow is going to slowly fill it back in, so that means this project is going to come in way over budget and they will miss their completion date."

Hmmm, something tells me Brian is a little frustrated with his crew.

Yummy!

2011-11-16T13:09:00.000-08:00

Parker has learned to pull himself up on the dining room chairs and likes to sit at the table and play with whatever happens to be within his reach. While I was making dinner, he was at the table rolling some pears back and forth. I asked him if he knew what they were, and told him they were pears/fruit. A few minutes later I looked over and saw bite marks in all 3 pears!

Oy Bedtime

2011-11-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

Rocking Parker to sleep is less like a Johnson & Johnson commercial and more like wrestling a 23 pound bag of snakes.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

Parker the Lion

Jumping through the Lion Tamer Ring Toss Game at the church Harvest Party.
(Notice the death grip he has on Brian's hands!)

First Day of Daycare

2011-10-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

Parker has started going to daycare twice a month to get some social interaction with other kids.

Say what? I get to play with kids all day long?

No, he didn't take the wagon with him to daycare, it was the only way I could get him to stand still.

Keep on Truckin'

2011-10-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

Parker and I were invited over to my sister's, in-law's house to celebrate her birthday. Usually when Parker and his cousin Jack get together, play time brings up sharing issues and Jack trying to understand why he has to play gently with Parker. This time, Parker was protected in Jack's Cozy Coupe Truck and it was an hour of squealing, laughing, and both boys slept awesome that night!

Parker taking Jack's truck for a test drive

Driving without a license and without pants

Giving kisses

Jack peeking through the sunroof

2011 Scarecrow Festival

2011-10-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Liv helping Parker navigate the "hay maze"

Happy to have his own Jack-o-lantern balloon

"Best buds"

Parker and Lil

Bros

2011-10-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

"Sleepin' double in a single bed"

Humpy & Dumpy

2011-10-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Naptime/bedtime has become a bit uncomfortable lately and I blame the dogs. We always rock Parker to sleep, but lately he's started doing some rocking of his own. He's started humping! He doesn't do it the whole time, quite a bit at first, then just when you think he's finally asleep he does it again! I guess I forgot to warn Brian about this new phase before he put Parker to bed last night, because he sat down on the couch and said. "I feel like I was just humped by a dog for the last 20 minutes."
I'm testing Parker's soy allergy to see if he has out grown it. He slept through the night last night and took a good nap today so the usual stomach pain and wakefulness has not appeared, but....I've changed 5 poopy diapers today.

Oh, and yes I am well aware that someday Parker will hate me for this post!

My Son: The Narcoleptic Mime

2011-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Parker has started throwing tantrums and I for one hope this phase continues for a while!
Allow me to set the scene: Parker finds something he knows he is not suppose to play with. I tell him no and take the object away. He stands in the middle of the living room, fake cries for a few seconds, (makes sure I'm watching) then, silently throws himself face first onto the floor and lays perfectly still like he has suddenly decided to take a nap!
I laugh every time, it reminds me of the first scene in Paul Blart: Mall Cop when he is running through the police academy obstacle course, and right before he hits the finish line his narcolepsy kicks in and he hits the ground face first. (yes, I realize this was the longest run-on sentence ever!)

Play Dough!

2011-09-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

I made play dough for Parker to play with and he loved it!

Sorry, I guess, Turner was really excited too! :-)

Easy & Edible Play Dough

3 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
Food-safe food coloring or powdered drink mix

Mix dry ingredients in a medium pan. Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat until it forms a ball. This takes about 5 minutes. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Paper!

2011-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Word of the Day

2011-09-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Sniss

1. The kiss you get when a toddler has a runny nose.

2. The amount of daily snisses received increases in direct proportion to the amount of snot streaming from said toddler's nose.

Word of the Day

2011-09-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Momicure (mom'i-kyoor') n.

1. The weekly act of trimming fingernails, except for the pinkies. How else are you going to fish out boogers from tiny little nostrils?

2. The need to keep fingernails short to avoid scratching up your child's face and wondering if the brown stuff under your nail is peanut butter or poop.

We Love Our Daddy!

2011-09-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning at the Masten house!

Who Needs Toys?

2011-09-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Our living room is littered with toys. Yet, Parker's favorite things to play with are...

Who knew the rubber bulb on a turkey baster could be so entertaining

By the way I was totally joking, I let him eat dinner, then finish his chores.

Parker's Elephant Impersonation

2011-09-12T21:20:00.000-07:00

Breaking News: Hooters Closed for Business!

2011-09-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

August 22, 2011

After 15 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day of business, our only customer has decided to dine elsewhere. When asked for a comment he grabbed his sippy cup, smiled, and continued chasing the dogs.

All Aboard!

2011-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Parker and I riding the kiddie trains at a local park

No idea where his big brown eyes came from!

Parker in the box

2011-08-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

Parker has decided playing in his toy boxes is more fun than actually playing with his toys

Cherries!

2011-08-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

I love kitchen gadgets, but limited cabinet space and the fact that I'm incredibly cheap, tends to keep my obsession at bay. So what's a girl to do when faced with almost 20 pounds of cherries and no cherry pitter? Ya get creative...and grab the percolating coffee pot out of your camping bin!

It worked perfectly!

This is the definition of FUBAR!

2011-08-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've decided medical statements and payment information should be kept almost as long as tax returns, and this is why...

Just received a bill from 05/07/10 (Parker's birth) called to find out what it was for, and the reason both insurances denied payment. Past experience has taught me that if the provider doesn't bill your insurance in a timely manor, it will automatically be denied and you get the bill! Turns out my insurance sent us a check in April to cover the amount they were responsible for, instead of paying the hospital directly...um what?

So three months ago you randomly sent a check (with no information or explanation) to cover a bill we would get in the future? Wow that makes perfect sense and seems to be the most efficient way to pay a medical bill from 16.MONTHS.AGO!

To fix this, I have to go to the bank to get a copy of the check, send it to the hospital billing department, then they will resubmit the bill to my insurance and then to Brian's to try to get both to reconsider covering the costs.

OY VEY!

Cutie Pie

2011-08-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

Fun in the Sun

2011-08-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

I wish I had noticed the dirt on his face before I took the picture

Brian (and I) love Parker's new squinty smile

Ah, this is the life

Parker's Artistic Side

2011-08-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Crayons are yummy!

Trying the two-handed technique

Here Dad give it a try

Brian's coloring motto...Safety first!

Beautiful!

IKE = DOG

2011-08-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Brian and I haven't been very clear that Ike is the name of one of his dogs, not a species of animal. This weekend, Parker played with his Grandparent's dog and ran around calling him Ike. Now I know why Parker looks at me strangely when I ask him what noise a dog makes.

Pit Stop

2011-08-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

What happens when you're out running errands with a toddler and have to tinkle?

COMPLETE AND UTTER CHAOS!

We ducked into a coffee shop to "quickly" use the bathroom. Parker decided to use this opportunity to practice his door opening skills. Then he felt the urge to pick a scrap of toilet paper up off the floor. As I was telling him to get off the germ invested floor and for the love of God not to put the scrap of TP in his mouth, my sunglasses fell off my head and into the toilet. They are my only pair, so I fished them out and soaped them up, while simultaneously holding the door closed with my foot and trying to keep Parker away from the door knob, toilet and garbage can. I managed to get my glasses clean enough to wrap in paper towel (to be boiled later), washed my hands, Parker's hands and burst out of the bathroom totally out of breath and exhausted. Next time, I think I'll just pee my pants!

Popsicle Twins!

2011-07-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

What do you do when it is 80 degrees outside and 76 degrees inside? Fill up the kiddie pool, toss the diaper aside, and run around naked eating popsicles!

Popsicle twins

Hey Mom, want some?

Trying Dad's popsicle

Gettin' messy!

Here Dad, try mine

Brain freeze!

Random Pictures

2011-07-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Finally downloaded the last of the pictures from our broken camera, apparently its gone to the dogs...

Anybody looking for a couple of handsome studs?
Brian and I are planning to pimp out Ike and Turner to help pay for Ike's future surgeries.

Best Buddies!

All three boys would head to the window and watch Brian drive off to work

Checkout Ike's mosquito bites! (Moscow, ID)

Not So Vicious Guard Dogs

2011-07-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a yellow smiley-face balloon blew into our backyard. We thought the dogs would tear it apart and play with it. Instead, we learned we have barking chickens not guard dogs.

Sorry about the Blair Witch camera work at the end, but holding a camera steady while a 95 lb dog is jumping over your head is not humanly possible!

3 Brothers Go Fishin'

2011-07-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

I broke out the pool for the first time this year and all three boys enjoyed playing in the water.

(sorry about all the videos, our digital camera broke)

Parker Scares Ike

2011-07-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you sneak up on a sleeping dog and try to use him as a jungle gym!

Fun with balloons or how I keep myself entertained

2011-07-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Oh Balls!

2011-07-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

I had to sit Parker down and try to explain to him that grabbing Ike and Turner's testicles was not a good idea. I don't think it made much of an impact - five minutes after the talk he poked Ike in the balls with the straw of his sippy cup!

Parenting. Illustrated with Crappy Pictures

2011-07-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

Recently discovered this blog, if you're a parent, you will laugh your ass off!

Well Child Visits

Changing Diapers

Random Videos

2011-07-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

We have a walker!

Bend it like Beckham

CPS's Exhibit A

Polar bear wrestling at the zoo

Tribute

2011-06-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been avoiding writing this post for a few days now and still cannot bring myself to write much...My amazing Grandfather passed away on Wednesday. We were born 2 days and quite a few years apart and as I sit here, an entire state away from my friends and most of my family, I can't think of a single bad memory I have of him. I don't have enough kleenex to write more, but Grandpa know that I love you and you will be greatly missed by many, many people.

Design Flaw or Operator Error?

2011-06-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Amana Refrigerator Design Team,

I have a few questions for you:
1. Why, oh why, did you create a meat and cheese drawer the same size as the produce drawer and place it at the bottom of the refrigerator?
2. Why does said drawer have only two settings: COLD (which appears to mean partially frozen) and COLDEST (which really means completely frozen)
3. Why are the pictograms of meat and cheese so tiny that they can barely be seen by the naked eye?
4. Did you know lettuce and cabbage are two vegetables that should not be frozen?

Sincerely,
Amy Masten

Father's Day

2011-06-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah I know Father's Day was 2 days ago! Better late than never!

Click here to see the gift Parker created for Brian oh and be sure to click on the "full screen" option so you can read the text...Mom!

Word Count

2011-06-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Word #4 Dog

Surf's Up!

2011-06-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, was a beautiful day so we headed to the local Aquatic Center. At first, Parker was a little hesitant to get in the water, but by the end he was waist deep and trying to put his face under. Oh, and I was totally "that mom" -camera around my neck and video camera in hand...I took 45 pictures and 15 minutes of video and we were only there for 45 minutes! I honestly edited the video, but it is still almost seven minutes long. If you get bored skip to the end when Parker gets brave and lets go of Brian's hand.

Tentative first steps

Not quite ready to leave the "shore"

Keeping one foot on dry land

What? You want me to go out there?

Hold me Daddy!

Getting braver

After about 30 minutes he was off and crawling around without any assistance...

Checkout my sweet spashing action shots!

Almost Walkin’

2011-06-07T16:03:00.001-07:00

P is still not walking entirely on his own, but getting closer everyday!

My Little Sous Chef

2011-06-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Instead of trying to prep and cook during Parker’s nap time I decided to have him assist me in the kitchen.

He has helped me twice, with mixed results…

First, we made some really yummy pumpkin spice cookies, but Parker was so appalled by the condition of the utensil drawer that he decided to motivate me to organize it. I did find a few things that needed to be tossed.

Our second culinary adventure was making chicken pot pies. Parker thought chopping vegetables was boring so he pulled a frying pan out of the cupboard and created his own carnival ride.

Yes Ladies, I Do My Own Stunts!

2011-06-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

Mullet No Mo’

2011-06-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Parker is finally retiring his “business in the front party in the back” look. I bought some clippers and using some teamwork Brian and I gave him a good trim.

BEFORE

AFTER

Blueberries

2011-06-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

We buy frozen blueberries to feed Parker’s blueberry addiction, this brand appears to be particularly juicy. I made blueberry pancakes with them and the batter turned a deep shade of purple.

Word Count - 3

2011-06-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

First word:    Dada
Second word:    Mama
Third word:    Ike

At least Brian and I rank above the dog!

Ike vs. Rock

2011-05-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Ike swallowed a rather large rock and had to have surgery today. He will be fine. The doctor called and asked if we wanted him castrated since they were already putting him under...I was tempted to tell him no thanks, I'll cut them off myself!

You've Got to be F*cking Kidding Me!

2011-05-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

Nestle advertises the new Baby Nes as: "The first comprehensive nutrition system for babies." Oh, really? Pretty sure boobs were here first!*

Anyone fine it funny that the top resembles a breast?

Yes, it's the same technology created by Nestle to make quick cups of coffee (Nespresso) adapted for their formula market. This machine (or "nutrition system," as Nestle calls it) uses prepackaged cups of powdered formula and will whip it up into a warm bottle in under 60 seconds. The formula comes in various concentrations, meant to "meet the needs of babies and toddlers up to age 3." The pediatrician that shills for Nestle says it's meant to "imitate nature" in the press release. (link to article)

* Post Script: For the record I am not a boob nazi! I am not knocking this product because it's formula, formula is a necessity for those moms and babies that cannot physically breastfeed. I'm knocking it because Nestle is claiming this machine is better than nature and the convenient pre-packaged formula cups are incredibly wasteful.

How to Open a Kid Gate...

2011-05-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Check to make sure no one is watching

Step 2: Carefully and slowly begin to lift latch

Step 3: Keep pushing, almost there

Step 4: Eureka! Push on door

Step 5: Swing door open wide

Step 6: Step through the doorway to freedom

Step 7: Make a run for it...oh look a vacuum!

Disclaimer: No toddler was actually freed in the making of this how to guide and the latch does have a kid proof lock, which is now used all the time!

Vacuum Love

2011-05-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

Parker is obsessed with the vacuum! He loves to play with the cord and push it around the room. Unfortunately, when he hits the ON button he practically poops himself, crawls away with a hurt look on his face and then proceeds to shriek and yell at the vacuum for scaring the crap out of him.

Sorry!

2011-05-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

I'm going back and adding labels/links to some posts to make them easier to find. For those of you who get automatic updates when I post something new...ignore them for today!

You Might Be A Mother If...

2011-05-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

I snorted when I read the first one...

You might be a mother if...

You roll over during the night and Batman, who has been hiding in the covers, stabs you in the ass...
You brush cookie crumbs out of the sheets before bed as part of your night time routine
Your bras smell like breast milk
You've ever pre-chewed food for someone
When you wear lipstick, it "feels weird"
You've served wine in a sippy cup... to guests..
You fall asleep if you blink too hard, and wake up at a hitch in your kiddo's breathing
You can hear a diaper coming off 3 rooms away
You know the difference between baba, baba and baba

Ah Ha Moment...11 months later

2011-05-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Good grief! It has taken me 11+ months to finally figure out P's latch problem! He has a maxillary labial frenulum (P's upper lip looks similar to the last set of pictures.) When P was 6 weeks old a doctor (not his usual doctor) casually mentioned it looked like he was "tongue tied." I had always assumed it was his lower frenulum. His latch was wonky at times, but until recently, not a major issue. After randomly stumbling across this post I checked his upper lip and scared him when I yelled, "holy shit!"

She accurately describes Parker's latching issues; which have progressively gotten worse now that he has teeth:

Because an upper labial tie restricts movement of the upper lip, it may be difficult for the baby to latch effectively to the breast (3,4). Once latched onto the breast, the baby's upper lip may be tucked inwards, resulting in a shallow latch (5). The baby may be a 'clicky' feeder who takes in a lot of air during a feed. Breastfeeding may be painful for the mother. An older baby's upper teeth may dig into the breast during a feed, causing indentations or damage. Some babies will be able to breastfeed with an upper labial tie; others will have difficulty. The ability to breastfeed effectively depends on a range of other factors also affecting the mother (eg. breast anatomy, milk supply) and the baby (eg. oral anatomy), all of which may create further obstacles or make breastfeeding easier. (http://thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot.com)

Most of you reading is could care less, but if you know a frustrated mommy having issues with breastfeeding please steer her toward this article!

Mostly Homemade Monday

2011-05-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Frugal By Choice Cheap By Necessity Mostly Homemade Monday Postings:
Parker loves his black beans! But after months of simply tossing beans on his highchair tray, I decided to change things up a bit and use these burgers as a way to add some extra veggies.

Black Bean Burgers (inspired by this recipe)

2 cups black beans (super easy to make your own black beans in the crock-pot. I usually make 5-8 cups and freeze the extras) or 1 can black beans (FYI pretty much all cans are lined w/ BPA)
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 medium carrot grated
1/2 bell pepper finely diced (I used red, it's sweeter and it was also what I happened to have)
1/2 onion (didn't have one so I used a few tablespoons of dried)
2 eggs
2ish tablespoons salsa
I also added 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato

Mash black beans with fork. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Texture should be sticky, similar to meatloaf. Heat skillet on medium and add a few tablespoons of your favorite oil. For uniform patties, scoop into skillet using 1/2 c. measuring cup or eyeball it like I did. Flatten to desired thickness with spatula and cook 3-5 minutes per side. Gently place on bun or eat sans bun with a bit of salsa.

Mother's Day at the Zoo

2011-05-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. This was Parker's second trip to the zoo and he was much more interested in looking at the animals and staring at all the kids running around. Brian would point out an animal and as soon as Parker spotted it he would reach out his hand, grin and squeal. Luckily, all the animals were out basking in the afternoon sun so there was a lot of grinning and squealing!

Usually this tiger is hiding in the bushes so I was busy looking
high up into the bushes and under the trees when Brian pointed
out he was right out front!

The tiger wasn't moving much so Parker didn't really notice him

Parker is only 20 days older than this tiger cub.
I think Parker is wishing him happy birthday
and the cub is thinking about lunch time!

Peacocks freely roam around at the zoo

Mostly Homemade Mondays

2011-05-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Curry Couscous Salad

2 ½ cups couscous
4 cups of chicken stock
½ onion
2-3 carrots
2 t. cumin
1-2 T. yellow curry powder
½-1 cup crasins
Handful of chopped cilantro (optional)
Handful of sliced almonds (optional)

Sauté onion and carrots in a little olive oil. Add chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cumin, curry, crasins and couscous. After the couscous has absorbed all the water, add cilantro and almonds. Fluff with a fork. Serve hot or cold.

Parker's Cupcake

2011-05-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

Parker's First Birthday Party

2011-05-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

12 month picture in his jammies

Supermodel pose?

Parker and I proudly posing in front of his monkey cupcakes

Brian placed the cookies and I gave them eyes and smiles

Custom-made Parker blanket from "Auntie" Alexis

Grandpa Dave holding Parker's future wife or best bud Josie

Born to hunt!

Parker with some of his loot

Opening presents...

and more presents...

and more...

Spoiled, blessed and loved by many family and friends!

Singing happy birthday to Parker and Grandpa Dave

Mom, what's that?

This whole thing is mine?

365 Days!

2011-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Parker is one today!

I would post more, but I have 48 cupcakes to frost and decorate.

Pictures and video to follow....

Mommy of the Year Moment #464

2011-04-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today, Parker ate an "inspected by" sticker in a Target dressing room.

Swinging in the Park

2011-04-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

At 11 months and 2 weeks Parker experienced the exhilaration of being in a swing for the first time. It never really occurred to me that he had never been on a swing until we were walking past one of Moscow's bajillion parks and saw a swing set with kiddie swings. There are very few parks in Gig Harbor with playgrounds and as far as I know there isn't even a swing set in the area.

Greetings From Moscow...Idaho

2011-04-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks Parker and I have been visiting Brian in Moscow. May I present two weeks worth of cuteness for your viewing pleasure.

Every morning Parker ate his breakfast watching squirrel TV

Parker spent 90% of his day staring out the window

Playing peek-a-boo

Brian's parent's sent us Easter presents

Usually Parker hates hats, but he wore this one for quite a while

I had to flip the brim after he crawled into a door

Teachable Moment: The dangers of drinking and driving

Even after borrowing 10 books from the local library Parker wanted to read Little Blue Truck multiple times a day

Lady bug

Easter Day

Psst...Donald Trump the wind is blowing your combover!

Mommy of the Year Story # 463

2011-04-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Unzipped P's sleep sac this AM and felt around to make sure his diaper hadn't leaked, when I realized the toy fish he had been playing with, as I was wrestling him into his jammies last night, had been zipped up in his sleeper all night long!

Late Breaking News!

2011-04-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Parker can stand on his own for a few seconds and yesterday he took a step forward! Now don't get too excited, the step was to try and steady himself, but it's only a matter of time until he takes his first steps!

Attempt #2

2011-04-19T09:32:00.000-07:00