February: fun, food and Florida!

pic: Dinner out in Florida with mom and dad!
pic: Chill'in in the Florida warmth!
pic: Lunch in Florida with my friends!!!
pic: asleep at the beach bar for lunch!
pic: Sitting in my tankini...mommy and I match!
pic: Swimming with mommy and daddy....we are definitely Minnesota pale!
pic: My buddy Will!
pic: "Who is this guy??"
pic: "I love Florida because I get to play in my diaper!
pic: Sweet potatoes!!!...delicious!
pic: Colts fan forever!
pic: Tummy time in my tutu skirt!
pic: Snuggle time with daddy in Florida!
pic: Addison pacifier...bought when I registered!
pic: Addie in her February hat from Opa!
pic: Addie sitting on her own....she is so proud!

The last two weeks have been very busy again.............hence, my lack of blogging!!! This will be my attempt to catch everyone up to speed on the latest in the Parker household!

Some of the big events of the last couple weeks include:

- saying goodbye to our friends Courtney/Chris and their children who moved to Indiana....we had a fun adult dinner out at Zelo downtown (Addison played with Annie at home) and a girl's night dinner at Don Pablos.....so sad to see them leave...but we sure hope to visit with them on future trips to Indy!

-playdates with our friends Stacy/William and mommy's friend Cherie

-a dinner party at our house with mommy's hip hop friends (Addison's first time getting stranger anxiety-a little lip quiver and quick head turns to find mommy....boy does this ever break my heart!)

-a happy hour in the neighborhood with acoustic music (Addison loved dancing and relaxing to nice tunes!)

-our trip to Florida!!!!! including Addison's first time putting her feet in the ocean and sand and first time swimming! She was precious in her tankini!!!! She got some quality time playing with her new friend Will and meeting mommy and daddy's friends Liz and Dave! What a great trip!

Addison is really enjoying solid foods now!!!! She is taking in a couple tablespoons of rice cereal morning and evening.....and we have also tried sweet potatoes and carrots in the last week!! She is LOVING them! She opens her mouth wide and uses her hand to grab the spoon to help feed. She loves to stick her hand in the bowl and then wide her cereal all over her face!!! :-)

She has been sleeping very well......many nights recently of 8-10 hours straight!! Sometimes we'll hear her shift or awaken at night, but she puts herself back to sleep peacefully....she is learning to self-soothe....yeah!

Her sitting is getting better and better each day! She is now able to sit and lift her hands up and down to play with toys and twist her trunk to reach for things for several minutes before eventually tipping over! She loves this position and seems very proud of her new accomplishments! She still has not fully rolled from her back to belly...that elbow still seems to catch her up.....but she continues to get about 3/4 of the way over frequently during the day....so I'm sure it is coming soon!

Unfortunately Addison is currently sick.....again! I don't know what is causing all of these little colds.....but we are hoping to get better soon! She started coughing a couple nights ago, and has had intermittent fevers and congestion. We plan to snuggle up inside this weekend and work on getting better!

Enjoy the pics from the past couple weeks!

Looking forward to the week ahead: Addie will be turning 6 months next week....can't believe it!!

The big 5 month old!!!

Wally, AKA: "booger sucker stealer"
First bites....."mmmmmm!!!"
"this stuff is cool!!!"
"not so sure??!!! what is this??"
Wide smiles, "I love cereal!"
My Cool Jeggings!
Wally and Addie-playtime!

Playdate with Emily!

Where does the time go??!! My dad reminded me this morning that it has been almost two weeks since I've blogged. Hence, it has been another very busy couple of weeks!

The big Addison highlights of the last couple weeks are: a playdate with Levi and Ali (Addison loved Levi's swing!), Addison getting new "jeggings" at Target and loving them, turning 5 months old, starting rice cereal, and Addie's first real sickness :-(.........

Over the last few weeks we had noticed that Addison had really altered her normal sleeping schedule and was acting progressively more and more hungry all the time.....so a call to the lactation consultant and chatting with others made us decide to initiate a rice cereal trial to see if this helped! The rice cereal debut was the night before Addie's 5 month old birthday...and boy was it adorable! Not sure that she truly got anything down...but it was all over her face and the facial expressions were priceless! It will definitely take a little work to perfect the art of eating with our little one! :-) See pics below.

Honestly, at this point it is really difficult to know if the cereal is going to help with the sleep or not, because it was the next day (Addie's 5 month birthday) that she came down with what Noah and I had been fighting for several days......a stuffy nose, sore throat and fever! We had some really long nights with mom, dad and baby all sick......however, I am happy to say that we are all on the mend! I had a hectic work schedule during this time......so Annie was nice enough to care for Addie when she was sick and sent me hourly updates via text noting her fever, symptoms, etc......I will say I have the best nanny ever!!!

On that note, we also found out that Annie is going to be able to care for Addie a little longer in to the summer. She has just one class starting in July/August for physical therapy school....so with Noah's research block, we will be able to work out keeping Annie around until Addison turns 1 year old. I'm so relieved that we get the extra couple months with her before having to figure out a new plan for childcare on the days that I work!

Addison is still working hard on learning to sit unsupported....she loves this position and is holding it longer and longer each day before she tips over to the sides; she is also gaining more momentum with rolling from back to front but she still can't figure out her elbow/shoulder positioning to fully complete the position; Addison continues to talk to her toys and us, smile and giggle-so precious! Noah has also been working on teaching Addie the guitar....one night she had her help pluck some strings.....wish I had pictures!

Noah and I are exhausted from this long Winter, busy work schedules, having a sick baby, being sick ourselves, etc. and greatly looking forward to our time off together and trip to Florida in just over a week!!!

Enjoy the pictures of our precious peanut from the last couple weeks!!

Four and a half months, friends and fun!

Addie in her cute new corduroys!
Addie looking so tired with her friend William!
My friend Courtney trying to organize her three and Addie (head down!) for tummy time pic (haha!) We weren't too successful!
Addie and her friend Molly!

Chatty, chatty Addie! The last couple weeks Addison has really begun to use her voice! She is babbling constantly and loves to squeal and talk! One night when Noah was out of town I listened to her babble on the monitor from 2:45am to 4:30am.....oh my! So cute though!

Addison has pretty much conquered prop sitting and is now working on sitting and moving her hands side/side, sliding them on the mat....probably building up those obliques in preparation for sitting totally unsupported in the next few weeks! I can't believe how much she is growing and changing each and every week!

Since my last posting, we had a playdate at Courtney's with her three kids (hysterical...check out the pictures of Addie and her friend Molly, as well as us struggling to get a tummy time picture of the four of them together!! haha), a playdate/dinner night with our neighbors Joe and Stacy and their baby William, a football evening and dinner/playdate with our friends Ana/Chris and their son Benjamin, a visit from mommy's friend Jenn and lunch at Bewitched with her, a coffee get together with our new friend Ali and her son Levi (a couple months younger than Addie), a visit from mommy's friend Emily, and daddy's trip to Arizona! Wow.....a busy couple of weeks! Enjoy the pictures of Addie and some of her friends! She is really enjoying watching other kids and babies now!

Last week we went shopping in preparation for our upcoming Florida trip and bought Addison a tankini.....so adorable! I can't wait to take pictures of her on the beach with her little belly "muffin topping" over her cute little panties!!! :-) So precious!

Our friends Ana and Chris let us borrow some of their baby gear for a while....a new rainforest chair for Addie and an exersaucer that is still a little big, but should be fun relatively soon! Addie is enjoying these new additions to her toys!

We had some warmer days last week and so we were able to get outside for some walks and Addie also got out with the nanny (Annie) and the dogs several times during the week.....perhaps a glimpse of warmer weather ahead......??? I hope!!!

Noah just got home from a conference in Arizona for four days.....we sure missed him! It was exhausting working all day the last three days and then coming home to walk Wally and have full Addie duty all night....no break time that's for sure! Yeah for daddy coming home!!

Only one more week until Addie reaches the 5 month mark on Superbowl Sunday....our little angel is getting so big! This week mommy starts her hip hop class again on Tuesday nights..it has been since before pregnancy...can't wait!

Winter updates...

I can't believe another week has passed....the weeks seem to be moving so quickly this Winter! Not a bad thing considering the temperatures expected for the rest of this week....I don't think we are getting above 10 degrees...ugh! Yesterday we got up to 28 degrees, so I bolted outside with Wally and Addie for a snowy stroll.....gotta take advantage of these days that are so rare this time of year! Today we are staying warm and making a huge pot of soup for dinner...I think the high is around 5!!

The good news is that Noah and I confirmed our vacation for February!! We are escaping the heat and heading to Estero, FL (right outside Fort Myers) with some friends for a few days....looking forward to this get away and a little sunshine! Addie will get to meet her friend Will....our friends Liz and Dave's baby who was born just a little over a week after her! :-) I can't wait to order Addie a baby swimsuit!!....bikini? or one piece?...... Maybe if mommy keeps up the running, we could get something matching!! :-)

Last week we had dinner with our friend Kim and her baby Nora (9 months) on Wednesday....so much fun to see Kim and watch Nora and her new developments. It's amazing to think that Addie is going to be that big in just a few months!

This weekend our friends Ashley and Geoff visited from Chicago! We had a great time showing them a little bit of the city, eating at some of our favorite venues and showing off our new little Addison! It was a pretty low key weekend which was nice! They brought Addie some fun surprises including a new teething toy (that Wally loves!! :-)) In fact this morning, I had to hide the giraffe, because Wally wouldn't give it up...he lies next to Addie whimpering when she plays with it. Hysterical!

Addison got to try out her new highchair last night! We've decided that she would rather be at the table watching us during dinner than anywhere else....and we figure it's good practice for the big solid food debut in the weeks ahead! She looks like such a big girl sitting there.....wow!

Addie is also getting VERY close to rolling from her back to her belly...she literally gets all the way over with her entire body, except her poor elbow is always caught under her! She gets so frustrated as she pushes and pushes trying to accomplish this new skill! She is also still loving the sitting position for everything! She can actually hold the position with a forward lean for a few minutes...but hasn't quite conquered preventing a sideways fall yet! We get our new area rug for the family room today......can't wait to have something softer than just a blanket under her as she ventures in to these new skills!

Sleeping has improved again.....thank goodness! We are back to either sleeping for a full 7-9 hours at a time, or just awakening once during the night for feeding!

Tomorrow we are heading to Courtney's house to visit her and the kids....Addie can't wait to see baby Molly again! Then I'm back to work for Thursday-Sunday...ugh!

Enjoy the pics from the last week.......including Addie dolled up for Annie one morning in her cute headband, Ashley and Geoff with Addie, Addie's January hat (from Opa) and her snowsuit, and the high chair debut!

Not so sure about sleep! :-)

Addie in the early morning!

Tummy time!

Chill'in on the couch.....I love to sit now!

Watching mommy make dinner!

Playtime with Wally, and my new rings!

So, our little monkey turned 4 months and decided to throw us for a loop!! After sleeping so great for the last couple of months and only nursing one time at night.....now we are not so sure about this schedule! The last week or so has been vastly different each night........either sleeping 8-9 consecutive hours with no nursing....or a night like last where I'm up every 2 1/2 hours with her......hmmmm??? Growth spurt?? Learning a new skill?? Everyone always has a theory when it comes to babies! Addie also seems to have a sixth sense for the nights that mommy has to work the next day...these usually seem to be the worst! :-) Maybe my punishment for leaving her! haha.

I can't complain though.....even in the wee hours of the morning, that precious little smile and babble perks me right up!

Addison is a talker!!! She is full of constant conversation, even in the middle of the night....in fact, she generally doesn't cry to get us up, but rather talk!! Hysterical! I can already see the cell phone bills someday!! :-)

We are still growing like a weed....... I went through her closet yesterday and took out the 6 month clothes in preparation......some already fit! The too small clothes made their way to the storage unit in a large rubbermaid....wow, those precious little t's and pj's....it's hard to believe she was in them just a few months ago! Hopefully someday we'll get to share them with a little sister.

DON'T trial cloth diapers.....!!!! I know some people swear by them....and ofcourse I love the idea of a natural diaper (we ordered ours from peapods)....however, ours finally fit this week and what a mess!!! Addison leaked through every single one, even with the waterproof liner. After 24 hours of 6 different outfits and 2 baths I decided to abandon the natural diaper.....back to Pampers! Perhaps in the future we will revisit au naturale with a different kind! Suggestions are welcomed!

Sitting is our current love!! We aren't quite doing it on our own, but with just a little hip support, Addison LOVEs to play in this position! We also have been sitting her against a pillow on the couch and letting her observe the world! She seems to practice mini sit ups pulling her middle away from the support...so cute! Sometimes I'll let her fall to her side and make her way to her belly and back for practice.....working on those transitions.....she loves it!!! She's a mover!

We are also getting really close to rolling from our back to our belly...perhaps Annie will be able to capture this footage as well! :-)

I am loving my time with her on Mondays/Tuesdays and Wednesdays......it's so wonderful to watch her grow and change! We play most of the day.....then she enjoys her exploration in the Baby Bjorn while I get some things done around the house, and takes a nap in the stroller while I run on the treadmill! With the cold winter weather it has been tough to get her much outside time; although yesterday it peaked at 25 degrees so we hit the sidewalks for a nice snowy walk with Wally.....we all loved it!!

Daddy is also having fun with his weekend days with Addison.....it's always entertaining to see which athletic team shirt he dressed her in for the day and hear about his adventures with his "little woman" as he calls her! Adorable!

Tonight we are meeting up with mommy's friend Kim and her daughter, Nora (9 months)....someday we hope for them to be pals!! This weekend our friends Ashley and Geoff are visiting from Chicago....so looking forward to Addison meeting them too!

Enjoy the pictures from the last week!!

A New Year!!

With the birth of our baby girl, 2010 will surely not be forgotten...but we look forward to the year ahead.....2011!

Our last day in Indy was surely a whirlwind with a few more visitors (Nanny, Cille and Lynn for lunch; Jana in the afternoon; Allie in the evening) and preparing to return to Minneapolis. We were sad to say goodbye to Opa and Jojo, but also eager to return to daddy and Wally. We'll look forward to a visit from Opa and Jojo in March! The plane ride back went without a flaw...Addie was great....a little awkward nursing next to a group of men...but hey, I guess that is what the "hooter hider" is for, right?!

We celebrated New Years Eve dinner with some friends at Ghorka Palace in Northeast....Addie decked out in her sparkly black leggings and red sweater with a fur collar......so cute! Enjoy the pics! Our friends all left to head out from there to a club and we came home with Addie in time to watch the ball drop and welcome in the new year! A low key, relaxing NYE!

Addison continues to get chubbier and chubbier and interact more and more each day! She continues to practice her new skill of rolling belly to back, and is totally obsessed with her hands and mouth now! She crosses her fingers together and grabs objects and brings them to the mouth constantly now! Today was her four month check-up (can't believe the big 4 month birthday is tomorrow)! She weighs 12 pounds 12 ounces (32nd percentile...keeps moving up!) and is 23 1/2 inches long (17th percentile....height is not present in our families! :-)) The doctors said she looks and acts just great for her age! We had shots today so we'll see how that pans out tonight....wish us luck!

We look forward to a visit from our friends Ashley and Geoff from Chicago in a couple weeks!

Enjoy the pics from the past week or so, as we are greatly enjoying our new camera.....NYE, Addie's new robe (smiling at Wally) and playtime!

Christmas and family and friends!

Sorry it has been a while since the last post...but with the holidays, we have been very busy! The week before we left for the holidays were spent with packing up, working a couple days, holiday parties, and a couple treks out with friends!

Addie first rolled over from her belly to her back on Friday, December 17th......received a text message from Annie (our nanny) while I was at work....she was able to capture the big moment on the video camera! Addie joined us that night at Kieran's with some of Noah's friends, and of course we had to brag about the big accomplishment! We also had a fun holiday dinner and brunch with some friends in the building (and Addie's little "boyfriend" William) that weekend...we love to get the little ones together!

On the 2oth Noah drove Addie and I to the airport and we flew to Indy together for the holidays! Addison was great on the plane, even though we had to be de-iced and sat on the runway for about an hour....up the whole time playing, smiling and entertaining everyone...no tears or screams thank goodness! It is amazing how nice everyone is on Delta airlines when traveling with an infant....I was very impressed with the help getting through security. They even gave me my own two seats so I could nurse comfortably!

We have been in Indy visiting family and attending numerous parties/get togethers for the last week or so......Addison has tolerated being passed around and entertained by numerous different people extremely well! Some of the highlights of the week were Addison getting to meet her two great grandmothers, getting to sit on Santa's lap, wearing her first beautiful Christmas dress, and hanging out with numerous other family members and friends.

Noah flew in on the 22nd, and got to spend his first Christmas in Indy as well...Nick and Jen came in on the 25th morning..it was wonderful to have everyone here together with the exception of our little Wally (who unfortunately couldn't make the trip!)

Addison was super spoiled this holiday season with adorable Christmas outfits, many cute outfits to grow in to very soon, lots of toys to enjoy and so much LOVE! She received a very special gift from her grandma, Nanny....a beautiful gold heart necklace that was given to Nanny when she was a baby from her grandmother.....with a little effort we figured out that this necklace is from Addison's great, great, great grandmother "Nanny"....what a treasure!!

Today is our last day with Opa and Jojo before heading back to Minneapolis tomorrow.....enjoy the pics...(only a few from the last couple wonderful weeks!) Mommy and daddy got a new beautiful camera for Christmas and can't wait to learn how to capture even more adorable Addison moments in the months ahead!