Christmas Cards

This past few days I have had a flood of Christmas Cards coming in, some funny, some down right depressing, and some annoying as all get out. Excuse my Southern expression, but it is the truth. I will give them awards.

Most Heartwarming:

Goes to my Aunt Mary Nell, she actually addressed the envelope to my mother so the envelope read Margaret Ann (insert really long hard to spell Italian last name). For those of you who don't know my name is most certainly not Margaret Ann, after all I am a Samantha Clair, Margaret Ann would be my mother. I cried realizing how old my Aunt truly was getting. I also felt horrible for not visiting her before I moved north.

Most Depressing:

Goes to my Granny's widower, he felt so inclined to send a copy of my Granny's obituary with the card, really, He pretty much said, "look, I know a way to make sure you do nothing but cry for two weeks" "try to have a merry christmas now" or I like this one even better, "how dare you abandon your family". Ah, Ed. Thanks for the card.

Most Comical:

That award goes to my sister Melanie, who has two of the prettiest kids ever, who are now teenagers, and were forced to wear antlers and have their picture taken. How embarrassing, but hey whatever. I thought it was cute, but I am not one of their friends. Did I also mention the dog had antlers too.

Most Annoying:

My mother, bless her heart was so desperate to feel so close to Parker, that she bought one of those cards that you could record your voice on, and she did, and that is the only thing I have heard for two days. Love you mom, but I want your voice out of my head. Like NOW.

Most Creative:

Goes to Alicia, who is my best friend in the whole world, and she actually had her two makes make their cards. This is a lot more impressive than it sounds due to the fact that her kids are 5 and 2. ...these also involved glitter, and cutting, and everything. WAY TO GO!!!

There you have it, if you send me a Christmas Card I will most certainly ridicule it.

New Direction/ Radicalism.

My whole life I have been told I was a radical. I do not feel this is accurate. Passionate, sure. Radical, no. I have a few very strong beliefs, and a few minor ideas. Vaccinations are something that falls under the strong belief category. I haven't blogged in a while, I really don't see how anyone with a toddler could find the time to blog, but here I am during nap time, thinking of new directions to take the blog. I most certainly will always want to talk about my child, I mean ALWAYS. Just for the record, I do honestly feel I have the cutest/smartest/funniest child ever, however I truly believe everyone will feel this way about Parker. A little delusional, at best. But, back to the point. I think I will start blogging some about my child, some about the current cultural/political aspects, and also the hilarious lengths you go to when you are a parent, and the stuff you do you swore to yourself you would never do. After the big move that happened all of four months ago, I think I am ready to link MY family and friends to the blog, and not just Nicko's, this should be interesting, to say the least. :) Start of first story.....NOW!


Most of you who know me, know exactly how I feel about Jenny McCarthy. If you don't know, I think she should stick to what she knows best and that just so happens to be porn, not parenting. I do not think she is a bad parent, but I do not feel she is educated/far enough away from the problem, to make good judgment calls. The bottom line I think she is an idiot. Does she love her child? ABSOLUTELY! Does she want what is best for her child? ABSOLUTELY! Does she know what is best for everyone's child? NEGATIVE! I can not fathom why anyone would go against the American Academy of Pediatrics to follow anyone's unproven ideas about how to treat your child medically.

I am actually dumbfounded. I am no conspiracy theorists, and I will say I am a bit of an idealists. My government loves me, I love them, we can be best friends, and they only want what is best for me. Crazy, no? I also can not fathom how anyone can say the government is pushing vaccines to make money. The government gives them for FREE, how is that making money. Everyone can go to your local health department, and get vaccinated. I do not understand how this isn't losing money, as opposed to earning. Furthermore, I can not understand why people who take Xanax when they have no anxiety, or pop pain killers just to "relax" think pharmaceutical companies are making their money off vaccines, instead of various other medicines that aren't medically necessary, per say Viagra anyone? What about that new one that gives you eyelashes? Those my friends are the "money makers" I would even say antibiotics to an extent, are way OVERPRICED. Vaccines are FREE, not a money maker. Now that is cleared up, I move to my next point.

I do NOT feel it is wrong for your child to be required to get vaccinated to go to public schools. It is as simple as this, you pay our government to protect you, and keep you safe. How are you not seeing the correlation between required vaccines, and public safety? Well, if you can't see them here is a great article for that. I also just want to kindly remind everyone why vaccines were required in the first place, you can remind yourself here. I am fastly approaching Parker's time to get his MMR, am I worried he might get sick, sure. Do I think he will have an adverse reaction? NO. Would I ever consider not vaccinating him? NO. You may even be asking yourself why I care what other's do with their children, well, this isn't something that just effects your family and your household, this has the potential to affect the WHOLE United States.

I cringe at the thought of MY vaccinated son going to school with un-vaccinated children. Diseases mutate, it is not like these diseases will come back and stay the way they are, they will change, making all of us "conformers" susceptible, thanks for the polio folks! What a great welcome to the neighborhood gift. Is this guaranteed, no. Could it happen, you bet your pants it can. Probably not in my lifetime, I hope not in Parker's, but it could, and it will. Everyone should not be vaccinated, there are a FEW people that have religious/medical reasons for not doing so/ I also want to remind you that Polio is only eradicated, because of vaccines, not proper hygiene. I also want to remind you of the numerous studies that found no link between vaccines and autism, you can find that information here.

I will now get off my soap box, and share the beautiful Christmas pictures I took of Parker, and our FIRST Christmas tree.

Adventures of Parker Part 1

Parker and I have been doing somethings, and we have been doing these things for a while, but unfortunately for you, I am rather busy, and rather lazy. So...without further wait I will post pictures so OLD, they were taken in Mississippi!

We took Parker to the Agriculture Museum just before we left Mississippi. It was by far one of my favorite places as a kid, and thought that I should do it with Parker, and he is a big animal lover.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of me and Parker, which isn't saying alot as there are probably only about 20 in existence. Compared to the over 5000 of just Parker and Nicko.

Nicko trying to feed Parker to the goat.

The cutest pig ever.

Finally....

I have about two months worth of pictures to catch up on, and not only pictures, but life. We have been SOOOOO busy. I feel like I haven't taken a breath since we left Mississippi.

Parker is very, very happy here in Pittsburgh, and well, I am very, very, happy here as well. That is something I never thought I would say, but I said it. We walk to the park pretty much everyday, if I am not working, and if I am working Francesca, the wonderful aunt that she is, takes him. He simply adores her. Also, he has taken a liking to Ken, which is surprising, and well, nerve racking. :) He has been walking more and more, and I have a feeling it won't be long until that last couple of pounds of baby weight comes off, because I am chasing him all day!

Parker took a pretty nasty fall about a week ago. He was jumping on a chair, maybe calling him "monkey" as a pet name, was a bad idea, and well fell on to his head, on our hardwood floors. I FREAKED! But, he seems to be doing alright!

Nicko, is happy, I think he secretly likes his job, but he loves to complain even more. So, complaining wins out. We will be celebrating his 26th birthday tomorrow! He is creeping up on thirty and still believe he is 15. lol! He is such a wonderful dad. He truly, truly is. They have a bond like no other, and he can make Parker act like a wild man like no other.

Now, time for pictures, and happiness. And, a promise to blog at least once in three days.

Pictures, from Mississippi:








NEW HOUSE

Too long gone?

We have been in Pittsburgh, and in our new house, for about two and a half weeks. That is more than half of a month, and I am just now getting on here to update people. Wow, maybe I was out of the loop so long I couldn't get back on. Oh, that and Parker isn't allowed in the computer room, and he is only napping once a day, if I am lucky, in fact, he is in his room yelling "mama" as I am typing. Poor kiddo.

Anyways, I will put pictures up of our new house later this evening or in the morning. Too lazy to upload pictures, even though I am clearly a month behind if not more. It is a great house! I am pretty into it, even though it takes about three times as much time and energy to clean than our old apartment. Keep in mind, that is not energy I have, and you will find out why, when we get to Parker updates.

Parker is dangerously close to walking being is mode of transportation. He is getting braver and braver by the day. He completely walked at the Park the other day, but he won't do it at home. But, he also punched a kid at the park, so maybe I am lucky the two are independent. He LOVES his new house, he has so much room to just crawl around, and do what he wants. He also likes when I sweep, he thinks it is lunch time. He grabs a handful of dirt, and well that is what he likes to eat!

Nicko seems to be adjusting to his new job, and seems to be pretty happy. He likes to sit in Parker's room and play with him. So, Parker knows how to play like a "boy". HAHA!

Abu

I won Parker this nifty Abu monkey, out of the grab machine. It only took me one try, and he is a big fan of it!

Look how sweet he is when he first wakes up!

Pictures.

There are going to be more posts with pictures, than posts with text. I am entirely too consumed with packing, moving, trying to find a place to live, Nicko being sick, and Parker acting like he is Spider Man. He actually climbed and was standing on the dishwasher door, while I was doing dishes :O. I have no idea how he knows to do these things. I do know I am in for one ride, when he starts walking. Which, by the looks of it will be any day now, YIKES!! Enjoy my beautiful man child!

Wordless Wednesday!

Precious

Sharing is Caring.

Parker's latest trick is to share his food. As adorable as it sounds , and trust me it is precious. It is also a bit terrifying, for a multitude of reasons:

1.Whatever he gives you will be mushed and covered in baby drool plus what he has picked up on the way to you.

2. You are never entirely sure what he is giving you, as he likes to find goodies off the floor to eat.

3.The sheer force he is trying to push it into your mouth with.

That being said, I always eat what he offers even if I have to go gag and vomit afterwards. I really couldn't imagine hurting his feelings like that :). Nicko always freaks out and runs away respectfully declines.

First Stay Over.

Parker had his very first sleep over Saturday night. He stayed the night with my mom and aside from not sleeping supposedly was great, she said he didn't even whimper once. :O The king of tantrums didn't even make a peep! I think she is "joshing" me. I also arrived at nine the next morning, you didn't think I could go very long without my kiddo did you?, to find him eating Nilla Wafers and a banana. Apparently he ate two bananas. For dinner, he had cornbread and peas. As if he isn't big enough, now we are going to feed him cornbread :O!!!

They have this really great German Shephard, and I guess he is only like 1.5 years old, so still a pup. He LOVED Parker. I guess he slept by his pack n play all night, and would lick him through the mesh whenever he cried. When I got there, the dog was sitting in the yard making sure Parker didn't eat anything he wasn't supposed to. By nabbing the leaf/stick/grass/dirt/bug out of his hand en route to his mouth. He would also make sure Parker didn't crawl too far out in the yard. Great dog!!

Parker came home napped, and slept like normal last night. YAY! I was so scared we would be facing the same situation that we did coming back from Pittsburgh.

Playtime with Daddy

Laundry Boy!

Parker loves to help with laundry, well most chores, except vacuuming, but, we are talking about laundry today. Parker immediately gets all up in your business the minute you try to do any kind of chore. He will follow me down the hall to sort laundry, and patiently wait for the dryer to buzz, when it buzzes he hurries to the kitchen to help me fold laundry. He is so cute. He will shake the laundry as hard as he can to get the wrinkles out and then pat it to "fold" it. Sometimes he even rolls around in it, you know to make sure they are all dry ;). He is my little helper.



He enjoys it so much that he even makes laundry when there is none, by pretending to fold his bibs, which he can easily access underneath his highchair.

9 down 3 to go!

Parker turns 9 months old today! As always I feel this is best celebrated looking at pictures of his whole life all in the same place. So, you can see how much he has truly grown. To be technical it is about 10 inches and 16 pounds. YIKES!! They say they are supposed to triple their birthweight by their first birthday, and I just don't think Parker is going to make it. He has only gained two pounds in three almost four months :(

Blanket Tents/ 9 month check up

About a week ago someone told me they were doing a blanket tent with their older child, and I got insanely jealous and decided that maybe Parker was ready for teh wonder that are blanket tents. So I put a blanket over our heads and he was AMAZED! He thought it was the coolest thing ever. I am so glad he is a cool kid :). He must get that from me.


How he feels when you take away the blanket tents.



Yesterday, Parker had his check up, and he was NOT anemic. I never thought that he would be, but whatever. He was pretty angry that they had to prick his finger. We were there for three hours or more. I am not entirely sure now. He weighed 26 pounds 11 ounces and was 31 inches long. I do in fact have a man child. He got one vaccine and has to go back at one year. Which is only in three months!!

Baby Chandler and Some Changes

For the Fourth of July we went and had dinner with our friends Carrie and Clay, and their new little baby Chandler! He is about a month old now, and so little and sweet. I have never had much experience with a six pound baby :). Parker tried to rip his appendages off. I am sure he meant well, afterall Parker is as sweet as they come. I got to put Chandler in the sling and he LOVED it. I am so upset now I didn't have it when Parker was little. I would have never put hm anywhere else. On second thought, maybe it is a good thing I didn't have it, or I would have a baby permanently attached to me now. Anyways, a baby that fights sleep named Chandler, loved the sling so much that he was tricked into falling into a coma. Not bad for a newborn, eh?

Parker and I waiting for daddy to get dressed.


Parker eating a "new" remote.



Baby Chandler


Baby Chandler and myself.





Changes

I got a new camera. I got this lucky break and took my old one in for repair, and thought nothing was wrong, but the flash. So, I wound up getting a great rebate, for my defective camera, that was actually a gift, but I got a great rebate and was lucky enough to get a new camera!!!! YAY!!!! It just takes a long time to upload to photobucket, and I am trying to be more organized in the way in which I store pictures on my computer. I re organized folders yesterday, and it took me about two hours. I accidentally made eight copies of every picture on my computer! YIKES!! I am going to start a new folder for every month, and have folders in them breaking them down into weeks. So, on Sunday there will be new pictures up on everything. Also, that means my blog will now be behind a week. Which, isn't a big deal, because I am always behind anyways, but now I have valid excuse!

Climbing

Parker has started climbing on everything! He even tried to climb out of his playpen and was very close to succeeding. His favorite is to push his rocking chair and climb up to get something he isn't supposed to have, mostly the remote and picture frames.