And they're off...

TO THE RACES!!!

The Spence Family attended their first Derby party this past Saturday. Campbell in his searsucker pants (to match Jason's suit), Parker in an adorable bubble that had elephants on it, and me in my Lilly and hat! It was so much fun to get all dressed and up spend the afternoon with such a fun group of friends - old and new.

I am sorry that I just posted Parker's 9 month photo and he's turning 10 months this week. I promise to be speedy on this week's photo. We're off to Charlottesville this weekend for Jason's fraternity brother's wedding. We are looking forward to a fun weekend with the UVA gang and their spouses.

Have a great week everyone!

Parker - 9 months

Parker- 9 months...

Campbell - 9 months...

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Easter!

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful Easter weekend! The sun was shining, blue skies, and lots of candy! We had a weekend of fun with taking C to the circus on Saturday morning, then a "steak and egg hunt" on Saturday afternoon/evening. Then on Sunday, we went to church and then to lunch at the Gullott's. Campbell loved hunting for eggs, eating candy, and swinging at the pinata.

Parker was fighting a bug this weekend, so he wasn't his normal self. We think he's better today and hopefully on the mend. We were able to capture some cute pictures, so enjoy!

Time is flying...

This is long, so if you don't have time to read it...come back.

I still can't believe that Parker is now 8 1/2 months old, Campbell is almost 3 1/2 years old, that we have 2 boys, and that SPRING is FINALLY here!!! And today is the ideal first day of spring. The temperature was around 77 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and a slight breeze. It couldn't get any better.

I do have to remind myself that it's been quite a journey to get to this fabulous day. The first six months of Parker's life were a bit stressful, to say the least. And as I told my mom the other day, he really did have colic for those first 6 months. He wasn't just a fussy baby. Then a friend reminded me that once the colic goes away, everything begins to fall into place. She was absolutely right. Around 7 months (when we were in New Orleans), I started to see a noticeable difference, but I chalked it up to traveling and he was just better on central time zone. We then got back up here and he has continued to be easier and easier. He is finally that totally happy baby (except when he's tired and ready to go to sleep), and he has FINALLY decided that my scheduling is going to win. He has thrown in the towel and adjusted to the life and schedule that I have set for him. WOOHOO! All that being said, Parker is an absolute dream. His eyes light up a room so fast and melt everyone's heart. He has a laugh that is contagious and the way he holds out his arms for me, Jason, or Campbell is too cute for words. We are all totally in love with this little guy and are so blessed to have him in our lives. He has taught me so many things about myself and has made me so much stronger.

Now, Campbell..."baby boy," which is what Jason and I called him for the longest time...is no longer a baby boy. He's such a big boy and it just kills me how fast he has grown. He is one of the sweetest, most even tempered, gentle, and compassionate boys I've ever met. He is not afraid to show his feelings or his love of something or someone. He has a VERY "go with the flow" personality, and adapts to pretty much any situation (with a few tears here and there). He loves to kiss, hug, and play with Parker in such a gentle way. He loves to try and show Parker how to roll over and crawl. And most of all, he hates when Parker is upset. He just wants to fix whatever is wrong and right away. At the same time, he has inherited some of my fun traits! For example, loves fruit, BUT will not eat it in anything. Does not like the "chunks." (Blueberry muffins, yogurt, breads with raisins, etc). He has also learned that if he tells us his tummy hurts, that we might not make him eat anymore. Mom and Dad, sound familiar? Each of these things make Campbell the wonderful little boy that he is. Recently, Campbell was accepted into a new preschool for next year. Unlike many of the schools up here, it was not a lottery for accepting new students. We had to go thru an application process that included a playdate for him which included a little "test" with the admissions director. It was so neat to see what he knew and what he was able to do. I was so impressed with his abilities and so proud of him for being accepted. We are looking forward to a new school and new friends.

Happy St. Patty's Day...a few days late

Parker was done with posing for the camera, but at least I got them together for the shot.

I have to admit...blogging has not been my top priority lately and I feel so horrible because there is so much to catch you up on. For example, Parker now has 7 teeth, yes, 7! He's eating us out of house and home (avocado, peas, macaroni, banana, cantaloupe, peaches and the list goes on). The bad news, we think he has developed an allergy to milk :(. It doesn't appear to be too severe, just a rash and a bad cough (which is common with milk allergies). So, we'll see what the doctor says at his 9 month appointment.

Campbell, well....where do I begin? An absolute riot. He's a complete and total drama king. He knows how to turn on the charm in an instant...and boy does it work! His sweetness grows each day - he'll be in the middle of playing or eating and he'll stop and say "mommy or daddy? and we say yes, and he says i love you." Just out of the blue and a moment that just lights up our day and makes us forget about whatever might be on our minds. He has become very protective of Parker, as if he wasn't already. He is quite insistent on feeding Parker whenever he can. Whether it is a bottle or some puffs. Sometimes, it's extremely helpful when I'm trying to get Parker's bottle ready, and Campbell just jumps right in and feeds him a snack. What a lifesaver!

Okay, so those are just a few things going on in the Spence household. Back to St. Patty's Day. No big plans, but it was one of the first fabulous days of weather that we've had in months. So, I loaded the boys up in the stroller and headed to the park.

Have a great weekend!

Parker - 8 months

Parker - 8 months Campbell - 8 months