Happy Half Birthday, Parker!

I know I still need to post about our Christmas and New Year's, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Parker is 6 months old today and I cannot believe that in just another 6 months, he will be turning 1! In the past few weeks he has really developed his own personality. He is slowly beginning to try and roll over and close to sitting up. His favorite thing at bathtime is a wet washcloth. I am serious, he sees me put it under the water and immediately starts reaching for it. All he wants is to suck on it! I guess it's part of the teething thing. He's working on his top 2 teeth and we are waiting for them to break thru any day! We will all be happy when that happens. His other favorite thing is his doorway bouncer. We have it hanging in the kitchen doorway by the dining room and he will sit in it and bounce all the time! He LOVES it. It's hysterical to watch.

So folks, I'm off to spend the last 2 hours with the half birthday boy before picking up Campbell. I promise I will post some photos and information about our holidays tomorrow! In the meantime, you can see the pictures on our picasaweb ... www.picasaweb.google.com/spencefam2.

xo,

Jane

Wordless Wednesday

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

and that's what it did from Friday night until Saturday night! All day Friday, the news kept reporting that we were going to have 8-12 inches of snow by Saturday night. When I woke up on Saturday morning to feed Parker (promptly at 6 am, as usual), we had surpassed the 8 inch mark and the new forecast was for 12-24 inches. Well folks, according to the yard stick on top of our patio table, we had 21 inches at 905 Allison St! You read correctly, 21 inches.

When Campbell woke up, he could hardly wait to get outside and play in the snow. Well, he really just wanted to eat it. After a good breakfast, we bundled everyone up (even Parker) and headed outside. Parker made it for a total of 5 minutes. Enough time for a couple of photos (showing his displeasure)! Campbell, on the other hand, played for hours outside with Jason. They borrowed our neighbor's sled and went down the hill in front of our house. I could hear him screaming and laughing from inside.

By Saturday afternoon, we could barely walk in front of our house. Thanks to Jason, he kept clearing the sidewalks so we'd have a path to get out. We bundled everyone up again (and this usually takes about 15-20 minutes with all of the snow gear) and walked to another family's house for a glass of wine. All of the parents needed to have some social interaction and the kiddos, well...they just loved seeing their friends.

After working all day on Sunday, Jason was able to clear out the driveway and sidewalks in front of the house. Our wonderful neighbor even pitched in to help clear the snow from the drain so we wouldn't have a huge patch of ice at the base of our driveway. Such great neighbors!!!

Jason was able to take a couple of breaks on Sunday to play with Campbell and our friends, the Kuniks. Their daughter Elle is adorable and Campbell just loves hanging out with her. They went over to another street and went sledding. I stayed in and kept Parker company!

We got out of the house today, for the first time. The roads were pretty clear and will hopefully continue to melt with each passing day.

It was quite a weekend, a first for this Nawlins gal. We had snow at Mary Baldwin, but nothing like this. Enjoy the pictures below and on the picasaweb - www.picasaweb.google.com/spencefam2.

Wordless Wednesday...a day late

tis the season...

It's hard to believe that Christmas is just 11 days away. Jason and I are enjoying watching Campbell experience Christmas this year. He is really beginning to understand what Christmas is all about. He does get confused about the difference between Christmas day and the Christmas season :). Last night, we enjoyed Campbell's singing of "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus." And while he sang, he pointed his finger up to the sky. We think this is one of the songs that they will be singing in his school Christmas concert on Thursday.

Last week was Parker's 5 month birthday. We cannot believe how fast the time as flown by and know it will go faster and faster. His personality is really starting to show. The poor little guy has had a rough few months, but we are slowly beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The fussiness is lessening and when he is happy, he is hysterical. A total flirt! He loves to make all kinds of funny noises and his latest trick is spitting his food out of his mouth after each bite. He absolutely cracks himself up with this, while I on the other hand, am not totally amused. Especially when I had green beans in my hair and on my neck the other day. Don't get me wrong, it's cute and all, but every meal? Really? Parker also loves, loves, loves (the feeling is mutual) his big brother. Campbell will walk into the room and Parker turns his head and is completely fixated on whatever Campbell is doing and/or saying. Campbell adores Parker in a way that completely and utterly melts my heart. He is so gentle, caring, and nurturing. On Saturday, I was making Campbell's lunch and Parker was ready for his bottle, but I could only do one thing at a time. So I asked Campbell if he would give Parker his bottle. Campbell jumped right on it and did it until I was finished making his lunch. At one point, Campbell said "now Parker, don't turn your head if you want to eat." He clearly hears everything I tell Parker.

I was able to take an almost identical photo of Parker at 5 months as the one I took of Campbell. It's so fun to see the similarities and differences in the boys!

Parker - 5 months...

Campbell - 5 months...
We had such a fun weekend with two birthday parties and a Christmas party with Santa and his elf! Saturday was our friend Amory's 3rd birthday. Her parents had the party at a horse farm in Maryland. All of the families got a tour of the stable, took a hayride (Parker and I skipped this part), searched for candy in a haystack, and best of all...got to ride a horse. Campbell had the BEST time!

After stopping by the 2nd birthday party on Sunday, we went to a Christmas party with Santa and his elf, Grampus. This is the 3rd year we've gone and it's so much fun to watch the kids see Santa and Grampus arrive. Campbell was so excited and couldn't wait to tell Santa that he wants a bean bag chair and a jack in the box for Christmas. Campbell has no fear when it comes to Santa. Parker, on the other hand, was a bit upset. You be the judge (see the pictures below)!

What a great weekend and now the countdown begins for December 25th! We will host our 2nd Christmas Eve open house for friends that are in town and then head to Charlottesville on Christmas afternoon. If I don't post before the 25th...I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas. We are blessed to have so many friends and family and look forward to 2010!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy December!

Today is the 1st day of December and the Spences are ready for Santa! Well, almost. Our tree is up and Campbell constantly wants the lights on. He is so excited for Santa to come in just 24 days!


Since my last post, Parker has begun eating baby food. He started with rice cereal, then prunes, squash, green beans, and today apples. He is becoming a really good eater and really likes green beans! Maybe he'll be a vegetable eater unlike his big brother. He now also has 2 teeth! It's hard to believe how my little guy is growing up so fast. Soon enough, he'll be chasing after Campbell and driving him crazy!

Also since my last post, C has developed a love for the New Orleans Saints and hammed it up for the video camera a few weeks ago. Glad we beat the Patriots last night and are now 11-0!!! Go Saints!

We also took a "hike" on Roosevelt Island with the boys and Campbell loved exploring the woods! It was so much fun to enjoy one of the final weekends of fall with my 3 favorite boys! You'll see Parker's chompers in one of the pictures below :).

Last week, we went to Charlottesville to be with Jason's family for Thanksgiving. Campbell was in pure heaven playing with our nieces. We got there on Wednesday afternoon and didn't see him for about 3 hours. He was so busy playing with each niece that he forgot we were there. It was a great Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for. Especially our newest member of the family, even during his fussy times (which seem to be more often than not). One day he'll work out the kinks and be the happiest baby around. Let's hope so!