The Hardy Family

Pink Pig Adventure

2012-01-23T21:48:00.002-05:00

Today we took the boys to Lenox Mall to ride the Macy's Pink Pig, a family tradition. Collin loved the ride and was very aware of all the sights and sounds around him. This was Parker's first time, and he loved it! He sat and looked at everything we passed. In fact, when it was time to get off he started crying and wanted to ride again. This is definitely something we look forward to every year!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T21:55:00.002-05:00

The Hardy family had a wonderful Christmas! Collin and Parker must have been really good this year as Santa left them a ton of presents! Parker got up at his usual 7:00am and drank his bottle then went and woke up big brother Collin so they could see what Santa left. Collin got a Batcave, Fisher Price Big Action Construction Set, and a Tomica garage for his matchbox cars. Parker got a Step 2 Push-Around Buggy, Fisher Price Circus Train, and push walker. Both boys loved their presents and played with them all morning!

The boys also got tons of toys from Mommy and Daddy, Momo and Granddaddy, Papa and Rara, Aunt B, Uncle Jon and Aunt Lotis. They ended up with so many toys Mommy and Daddy are going to have to clean out the playroom to make sure all of them will fit. They are two lucky little boys who are loved by so many people!

The best part of Christmas was remembering the true meaning of this holiday and getting to spend time with our families who mean so much to us. God has blessed us more than we could ever imagine!

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-24T21:33:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve! We began with a yummy pizza dinner, followed by a birthday party for Jesus complete with the Happy Birthday song and cupcakes. We then got the boys dressed in their matching Christmas pajamas and let them exchange gifts with each other. Parker loved the book he got and Collin was beyond thrilled with the "horsey truck" Parker got him. We then took the boys to see the Christmas lights in Johns Creek and got them home to get ready for Santa. Collin threw reindeer food out in the yard and left Santa cookies and carrots for the reindeer, so let's hope he comes soon!

Collin's New Ride

2011-12-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

Look out world, Collin's driving! Momo and Granddaddy surprised Collin this afternoon with a Power Wheels F-150, otherwise known as a "Publix truck" by Collin since there is always one in the Publix parking lot. He was so excited when he saw it and immediately took it out for a spin. Although he still needs a little help in the steering department, he is getting the hang of it fast. Evonvale better watch out for the new driver on the block!

Collin's Preschool Christmas Performance

2011-12-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

Today Collin's preschool held a Christmas musical. It was the first production where Collin has had to perform in front of an audience and he did great! His class sang several songs including Jingle Bells, Away in a Manager, and Knock Knock Knock Went The Man in Bethlehem. Collin stood on stage with his class and sang some of the words while continuously bopping his head to the music. He was adorable! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you and you will always be a star in our eyes!

Santa Claus 2011

2011-12-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

Today we took the boys to Phipps Plaza in Buckhead for our annual trip to see Santa. Collin was super excited about going but got a little nervous when he saw him sitting in his big red chair. Parker, on the other hand, had no clue what was going on. When it was their turn, Collin walked up, handed Santa his list and sat in his lap. Parker sat down and was a little curious at first, but as soon as he realized someone new was holding him the screaming began and the tears started to flow. He wanted his Mommy and Daddy back and he made sure the whole mall new! Collin stayed with Santa and told him that he wanted a horsey truck and a batcave. When Santa asked him if he had been a good boy at school, Collin told him he is always on the green light. Ha! Afterwards we rewarded Collin with a huge cookie from Starbucks for being such a big boy while sitting with Santa. Let's hope he gets everything he asked for!

Parker Is 9 Months Old

2011-12-07T21:18:00.002-05:00

Our little boy is now nine months old. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday we were coming home from the hospital with him. Parker had his nine month doctor's appointment today and appears to be growing and developing right on track. He now weighs 20 pounds (56%) and is 29.5 inches long (89%). His head circumference is 18.25 (90%). The doctor said it had gone up in percentiles over the past couple of months and he is going to keep a close eye on it, but it is nothing to worry about at the moment.

Parker has made so much progress this month. He is able to crawl on all fours backwards, but has not attempted to go forward yet. We are hoping it will come soon. He loves to pull himself up and stand up at the train table and his activity table. He is very steady when he is standing up and tries to reach for anything he can see. His favorite toy this month is definitely his Fisher Price jungle cruising toy and activity table. He loves both of them!

Parker has also started eating and enjoying a few finger foods this month. He loves Mum-Mum crackers, puffs, yogurt melts, and cheerio's. Whenever he sees his food containers sitting out on the table he starts kicking his legs and opens his mouth as if to say "Give me some now!" He is also able to hold his sippy cup and drink out of it if the water is filled to the top.

Parker is such a sweet, loving, and cute little boy. He is always happy and simply loves life! What more could a Mommy and Daddy ask for?

Zoo Atlanta

2011-12-03T21:13:00.002-05:00

Today we took the boys on a field trip to Zoo Atlanta. They both had a wonderful time! Collin walked around and looked at all the animals while Parker chilled out in his stroller and stared at the larger ones that caught his attention while snacking on Puffs. Collin was very intrigued with the reptile house and trying to find the snakes camouflaged in the exhibits. Mommy was not so fond of this! We ended our adventure with a train ride around the children's portion of the zoo which both boys loved!

Parker's Nine Month & Family Photo Shoot by Adamo Photography

2011-11-26T21:00:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T20:52:00.002-05:00

Our family had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving today! Momo and Granddaddy, Aunt B, and Uncle Jon came over to eat with us and help us celebrate. The boys had a wonderful time playing with everyone and getting spoiled. Collin especially clung to Uncle Jon while Parker was content being passed around from person to person getting loved on. Parker even joined in on the festivities eating a traditional meal of turkey and sweet potatoes, baby food of course, while Collin was proud to sport the "cute as pie" shirt he made at school for everyone to see. We are so thankful we got to spend this day with those we love and care about so much!

Reflecting back over the past year, our family has so much to be thankful for! First and foremost we are thankful for our Heavenly Father and His grace. We are also beyond thankful for our two precious, healthy, adorable boys. They mean more to us than anything in the world! We are also thankful Patrick has been blessed with a great job close to home that enables him to spend more time with the boys each night while still allowing me to stay home. God has blessed our family more than we can ever imagine!

Our Jumping Jellybean

2011-11-18T20:51:00.000-05:00

Parker, a.k.a. our jumping jellybean, LOVES jumping in his jumperoo. Anytime we put him in it he jumps like a wild man with a huge smile on his face the entire time.

Collin's First Dental Cleaning

2011-11-08T20:48:00.002-05:00

Today Collin had his first dental cleaning and he did such a great job! Although Collin had to visit the dentist over the summer when he chipped his front tooth, today was his first time going back to the examine area by himself and allowing the dentist to clean all of his teeth. When the assistant came to get him, he gladly followed her to the examination chair where he got to lay down and watch Cars 2. He allowed the hygienist to clean and floss his teeth and then Dr. Caruso came over to check them out. She said everything looked fabulous and he did an awesome job for her! He even got to pick out two new dinosaur toys, two stickers, and a new Cars toothbrush. He is growing up too fast!

Carousel Fun

2011-11-05T20:43:00.003-04:00

Today we had to head to the mall to run some errands. Collin was not going to let us leave without paying a visit to the carousel. Since Parker was with us we decided to let him ride too. Collin chose to ride the elephant and Parker rode with Mommy on the bench. It was his first time on the carousel and he had a blast. He kept watching the statues on the inside of the carousel as we went past them. It appears that both boys are carousel lovers!

Parker's First Haircut

2011-11-04T21:07:00.000-04:00

Today Parker had his first haircut. He was starting to have little strands hanging close to his eyes, so we decided it was about time. I brought him to the salon Collin goes to, Halfpint Haircuts, and had our favorite stylist Miss Nolma trim it for him. He sat in the salon chair like a big boy and watched The Backyardigans while she lined him up. Although she only took off a tiny bit of hair, Mommy and Daddy still thinks it makes him look like a little boy instead of a baby. He is growing up too fast!

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Parker Is 8 Months Old

2011-11-03T21:30:00.000-04:00

Our sweet Parker is eight months old! It is hard to believe that in four more months he will be a year old. Parker has done so many new things since his seven month birthday. He weighs around --- pounds on our home scale and has busted out of his 9 month clothes. He is able to sit up independently and prefers to sit up and play with his toys rather than roll around the floor. He has also developed an opinion as to what he wants to play with. If you sit a box of toys in front of him he will reach and grab for the one particular toy he wants and will not settle for anything else. Parker has also started rolling all over the floor and attempting to crawl. He is able to get up on his knees with his bottom in the air but moves himself backwards instead of forwards. According to our pediatrician, this means he is close to crawling. Parker continues to be obsessed with Collin and wants to see him and be near him all the time. Whenever Collin comes over to play with him, his face lights up and he rolls himself right next to Collin so he can touch him. He adores his brother!

In terms of eating, Parker is still loving his solid foods! He eats three meals of solid food a day and averages between four and five jars of food a day. He has become a little piggy! He still has a six ounce bottle five times a day and drinks water from a sippy cup with his meals. In terms of sleeping, he still takes two naps a day varying in length from an hour to two and a half hours depending on the day. His night sleeping, however, has not been so great. Parker has been waking up two to three times a night all month. We have taken him to the doctor for an ear infection which caused his disruptions in sleep early in the month and now has a bad case of teething as his two front teeth are coming in. The doctor told us not to let him cry it out until he is 100% well. Needless to say, Mommy and Daddy are tired!

We are so blessed to have Parker in our lives. He always has a smile on his face and is such a little snuggle bug. We love you so much, Parky Sparky!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T20:48:00.000-04:00

The boys had a spook-tacular time celebrating Halloween today! Despite Mommy's grand idea to dress them in coordinating costumes, Collin was insistent upon picking his own. He decided he wanted to dress up like Buzz Lightyear and Parker went as a teddy bear. Both boys looked absolutely adorable! Collin's costume made him look like such a big boy and Parker's was one I had loved for the past three years and Parker looked precious in it!

Our Halloween started with a visit to our friend's, The Meyer's, house. Several of Collin's friends met for a pizza and pictures before trick-or-treating. All of the kids looked so cute in their costumes and all of the older ones were so excited about getting candy. After pictures we headed back to our house to trick-or-treat. This was the first year Collin actually understood what Halloween was all about. He and the other kids were so excited that they ran house to house ringing the doorbell and banging on the door eagerly awaiting the candy. At one house, apparently the owner was not coming fast enough for Collin, so he simply opened the door and walked himself on in. So embarrassing! Needless to say we had to have a little talk after that. While the older kids were gathering candy, Parker was taking in all the action in Mommy's arms. He did get a few yogurt melts along the way, which was like candy to him. All in all the boys had a spook-tacular Halloween!

Fall Festival Fun

2011-10-22T10:56:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of the boys from our neighborhood fall festival.

Boppin' Up And Down In My Little Red Wagon

2011-10-17T20:40:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of the boys cruising the neighborhood in their red wagon. Collin loves to ride in the wagon but today was Parker's first time and he loved it! He sat up like a big boy and took in all the sites and sounds. He was just a babbling to Collin about something the entire time. So precious!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

2011-10-16T15:31:00.007-04:00

Today we took Collin and Parker to the pumpkin patch. Since Parker is not a fan of riding in the car, we decided to try a new one this year that was a lot closer. We went to Kinsey Family Farms in north Forsyth and the boys loved it. They had a ton of pumpkins of all sizes and varieties for the children to explore. They also had an awesome hayride that took us through their Christmas tree farm to a small pond filled with catfish for the boys to feed. Collin loved the pond and watching all the fish swim around the dock. Once the hayride ended, the boys each got to pick out a pumpkin to bring home. We then went to check out their small petting farm before heading home so sweet Parker could take his nap.

We Love Swinging

2011-10-04T20:44:00.000-04:00

Parker Is 7 Months Old

2011-10-03T20:53:00.000-04:00

**Note the many attempts to get a decent picture, which did not happen before the sign was destroyed!!

Today is Parker's seven month birthday. Everyday Patrick and I wonder where our little baby went. It seems like he has become such a big boy in the past month. He can do so many new things and even looks like a big boy now. It is crazy to think that in just a few months we will be planning his first birthday party.

Parker has learned and accomplished so much over the past month. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment is that he now wants to sit up on his own all the time. Although we have to stay close in case he topples over, for the most part he can sit and play independently. He loves to sit up and play with his activity triangle, shape cookie jar, and Fisher Price Little Superstar mirror. He is also super flexible and can bend over in all directions to reach a toy he wants.

Although he is not crawling yet, he can get on his knees and try to scoot around. He has moved backwards a few times and has even swim crawled a few times to get a toy that interest him. According to our doctor, crawling is not that far in our future.

Parker also had a major first this month.....two teeth. The two front teeth on the bottom broke through and it looks like more are going to follow soon.

In terms of eating, Parker is still LOVING his solid foods. He is still eating three meals of solid foods a day averaging about two and a half jars of baby food. He still has a six ounce bottle six times a day. In terms of sleeping, he is still taking a morning and afternoon nap totaling about three hours. His night sleeping has not been great this month. After he got sick, he has been getting up three times a night around midnight, 3:00am and 5:00am. We are hoping this changes soon because Mommy and Daddy are tired!

I know we always say it, but we thank God daily for giving us such a healthy and precious little boy. He is an absolute joy and has brought so much happiness into our lives. Parker, we love you more than you could ever imagine!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2011-10-01T20:52:00.003-04:00

Today we had a ton of fun celebrating Patrick's birthday. Momo and Granddaddy came up this morning to help us celebrate. They brought a yummy chocolate ganache cake which Collin insisted we eat immediately. Daddy also got some nice gifts including a Macy's giftcard for some new work clothes and shoes, a new work shirt from the boys, and a homemade card from Collin with a picture of him and Daddy on it. Collin also serenaded him at least ten times with the "Happy Birthday" song. That night Momo and Granddaddy watched the boys so Patrick and I could enjoy a yummy dinner together at Stoney River. It was so nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a warm meal without getting up and down to get the boys something. It was so peaceful and so delicious! Happy Birthday to the best Daddy and husband in the entire world. We love you more than you will ever know!

Dad's Day

2011-09-30T20:51:00.001-04:00

Today Collin's preschool class hosted a Dad's Day to celebrate all of the dads.
Collin was so exited to have Daddy come to school and Patrick was equally as happy to go. Miss Carly and Miss Mary had several surprises in store for the dads. All of the children painted a self portrait of their dad and answered questions about them. Collin's answers were hilarious. He said that his Daddy was three years old, his favorite sport was swimming, his favorite thing to do with Collin is play cars and go to the doctor, his favorite thing to eat is dinner, and his daddy is the best daddy because he wants him to be. So Collin! He also made Patrick a race car picture frame with his picture in it which is already proudly displayed on his desk at work. The two of them then completed an art project together and made ice cream sundaes for dessert. Both of my boys had so much fun together and Daddy definitely felt appreciated and loved!

Poor, Sick Parker

2011-09-28T20:51:00.002-04:00

For the past few days Parker has not been feeling very well. It started off on Tuesday when he was diagnosed with pink eye. Although he was put on eye drops, by Thursday afternoon his eye was still not getting any better and he started running a fever. He went back to the doctor on Friday and was diagnosed with an ear infection in both ears. He let out the loudest scream when the doctor looked in his ears and she said they were full of fluid and infected. She gave him some Augmentin in hopes it would get better, but unfortunately it upset his stomach causing him to throw up. He was so pitiful all weekend! Luckily he started to perk up Sunday night and was back to his Parky Sparky self by Monday. This was definitely the sickest we have seen our little man and we are hoping not to have to experience it again anytime soon!

Little Brother

2011-09-15T21:31:00.001-04:00

"Big Brother"
Author Unknown

My little eyes
are watching
All you say and do
And when I grow up
big and tall
I want to be like you.

My little ears
are listening
To everything you say
I am learning how
to grow up
To be like you
someday.

So be careful how
you teach me
To be the person
that you are.
You’re a knight in
shining armor
You’re my brightest
shining star.

Although Collin absolutely adores Parker, he sometimes takes advantage of the fact that he is bigger than him and can get Parker to do anything he wants him too. For instance, this week we caught Collin playing "doctor" on Parker with his Fisher Price doctor kit. He was taking his temperature, blood pressure, and listening to his heartbeat. He then proceeded to tell Parker his leg had a boo-boo and made him wear the plastic band aid around the house. Today after speech Collin told me he needed to put the sticker he earned in Parker's hair so he could have a bow like the pretty girls at school do. Such a stinker! Little does he know Parker will once day get his revenge.

Labor Day 2011

2011-09-05T21:27:00.000-04:00

Since Parker despises riding in the car, we had a low key Labor Day weekend. Today Papa, RaRa, Autie and Uncle Jon came over to visit the boys. They were so excited to see them. Collin ran to the door as soon as he heard Papa's car so he could see Autie. He absolutely adores her! They had lots of fun running around outside and playing cars together, Collin's favorite thing to do. Parker loved seeing everyone and ate up the attention. He just smiled at everyone and showed off his new rolling skills. The boys had a wonderful time! I only wish we lived closer so we could see each other more often.

Parker Is 6 Months

2011-09-03T20:59:00.000-04:00

Today Parker turned six months old. It is hard to believe that half a year has already gone by. Although we did not have an official doctor visit this month, according to our scale he is around 19 pounds. He has outgrown all of his 6 month clothes and is now wearing 9 and 12 month sizes. Let's hope it gets cool soon because all of his summer clothes are getting too tight.

Parker has learned and progressed so much over the past month. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment is that he is now able to sit up on his own for a minute or more at a time and can sit supported for long stretches at a time. However, he will let you know when he is tired of sitting up by throwing himself back in an effort to lay down. Parker is now able to roll both ways and will use these skills to get a toy he wants. Looks like we might be babyproofing soon! Parker also likes to lunge and reach for everything he sees. Whenever we walk around the house he will grab for anything that catches his eye, especially flower arrangements. He also loves to stand up in your lap, at his activity table, and in his jumperoo.

In terms of eating, Parker is loving his solid foods! He is now eating three meals of solid food a day, in addition to a 6 ounce bottle five times a day. He has added squash, carrots, green beans, peas, pears, apples, prunes, peaches and chicken to his rotation. He LOVES his solid foods and kicks his legs in excitement when he gets placed in his highchair. In terms of sleeping, he is still taking a morning and afternoon nap totaling about three hours. He normally goes down around 7:45 at night and is starting to wake up screaming around 3:00 am and 5:30 am. Mommy and Daddy are not loving this! Looks like we might be implementing the cry-it-out method soon.

Patrick, Collin and I are so blessed to have Parker in our lives. He is such a happy baby who is always smiling. He has brought so much joy to this family! We love you sweet Parky Sparky!

Collin's First Day of 3 Year Old Preschool

2011-08-31T12:20:00.003-04:00

Today Collin had his first day of 3 year old preschool. I am not sure who was more worried, him or Mommy! He is once again going to Johns Creek United Methodist Church's preschool program, which we absolutely love. Collin and I went and met his teachers, Miss Carly and Miss Mary, last week. Collin immediately fell in love with both of them and his new classroom. All weekend he talked about going to see them and playing with his new friends. This morning he woke up at 7:00am eager to get dressed and go to school. He kept telling Parker he was going to go to school but that it was okay because he would be back to play with him later. Such a sweet brother! When he got to school, his PE and Me teacher got him out of the car which made him super happy. When I picked him up that afternoon, Miss Carly said he had a fabulous day and was happy the entire time. He then proceeded to give Parker and I a commentary of everything that went on throughout the day and everyone he played with. I have a feeling he is going to have a great year!

Best Buds

2011-08-23T12:30:00.002-04:00

Parker's 1st Pool Trip

2011-08-14T20:40:00.001-04:00

Last night we took Parker on his first adventure to the swimming pool. We did not have very high expectations since Collin hated the pool when he was a baby, but much to our surprise he really liked it. He sat in his little baby float and just took in the sights and sounds. He lounged back most of the time and just kicked his feet like he does in the bathtub. I have a feeling we may have another little fish on our hands.

Precious Parker

2011-08-14T20:40:00.000-04:00

After church today I attempted a photo shoot with Parker. He was so happy and loves the weekends when Mommy, Daddy and Collin are all home to shower him with love and attention. We have been absolutely blessed with him and he has been such a great addition to our family. We love you so much, Parky Sparky!

Cars, Cars, and More Cars

2011-08-11T20:39:00.000-04:00

Collin's absolute favorite thing to play is cars. He LOVES cars! He spends the majority of his day inspecting his 300+ cars, rolling them down a tube while describing each one in detail, making parking lots, and driving them along his choo-choo tracks. The amazing thing is he knows each and every car he has and can tell you whether it is a coupe, sedan, SUV, minivan, or truck. Thanks to Daddy, Collin can even identify and describe what a hooptie is and loves to point them out in parking lots much to our embarrassment. He even carries two cars around with him everywhere he goes. Daddy and Mommy joke that he is going to be a car salesman or Nascar driver one day.

Parker Is Five Months Old

2011-08-03T20:38:00.001-04:00

It is hard to believe Parker is now five months old. Where has the time gone? Our little baby is changing into a little boy. Parker now weighs 17 pounds, 12 ounces and is 25 inches long. He is already beginning to outgrow his six month clothes and is moving into the nine month size.

Parker has accomplished many new things over the past month. He can now sit up for about five to ten seconds by himself before he topples over. He has also started to laugh a lot this month. Anytime he hears Collin laugh or sees him do something silly, he starts laughing. He has a very deep laugh that is infectious! Parker is also starting to recognize people and their voices. Anytime he hears Mommy, Daddy or Collin talking he stops what he is doing and scans the room trying to find them. He smiles everytime we walk into the room. On the reverse side, he also whines each time we drop him off at church and he realizes someone new is holding him. He is able to roll over from his stomach to his back and can lie on his side but is not quite able to push himself over yet. Parker has continues to put EVERYTHING in his mouth! He even tries to eat Mommy and Daddy sometimes.

One major milestone Parker met this month is eating solid food! This month Parker had rice cereal, bananas, and sweet potatoes. He definitely perfers a bottle over food but will eventually eat it. He is still eating six ounces of formula every three hours during the day. In terms of sleeping, he still sleeps about ten hours in his crib each night before coming to our room. He is still taking three naps a day that every vary in length from an thirty minutes to two hours.

We cannot put into words how much Parker means to us. His smile melts our hearts day after day and all we want to do is shower him with love and attention. We have been tremendously blessed!

Our Little Fish

2011-07-31T20:38:00.000-04:00

Collin just finished his second month of swimming lessons at Swim Atlanta. He loves to swim and has learned so much this summer. He is now able to jump in from the side of the pool, float on his back, put his face in the water and blow bubbles, hold on to the side of the pool and kick, and doggy paddle across the pool with assistance from an adult. He has come so far this summer and we are so proud of him!

Twinkies

2011-07-31T20:37:00.000-04:00

"Twinkies" is what Daddy calls the boys when I dress them in coordinating outfits. Although Daddy is not a huge fan of it, it always brings a smile to my face. Luckily Momo is great with the sewing machine and is able to make a lot of their outfits. I attempted several times to take a picture of them together before church and this is the best I got. Aren't they adorable!

Kangazoom Fun

2011-07-30T20:37:00.000-04:00

This week the boys and I tried out a new indoor playground called Kangazoom. Collin absolutely loved it! He had a blast jumping in the inflatables, zooming down the slides, and hitting a baseball into a mini baseball stadium inflatable. Parker had fun watching his big brother and dancing with Mommy to the music. It won't be long before he is moving around and joining in on the fun.

Camp Momo

2011-07-28T20:34:00.000-04:00

For the past three days, Collin has been a camper at Camp Momo. Momo came over with a ton of activities and plans for she and Collin to enjoy together. They made several art projects, enjoyed playing with new toys together, went on shopping excursions, and had Bible story and song time each day. He even got a special t-shirt to wear each day she was here. Collin loved having Momo's undivided attention and having someone else to play with besides Mommy. He woke up every morning so excited to see her and what she had planned for him. Camp Momo was definitely a big hit and something he will look forward to in the years to come.

We Have A Roller

2011-07-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

It is official....Parker Hardy is a roller! Although he has occasionally rolled over from his stomach to his back when he was mad about doing tummy time, he is now able to intentionally do it. This weekend everytime we would put him on his stomach he would roll himself over. Mommy was even able to capture it in pictures. What a big boy!

Parker 1st Attempt At Rice Cereal

2011-07-12T22:07:00.001-04:00

Our little boy had his first taste of rice cereal this weekend. We tried it for the first time on Saturday and he was not quite sure what to think. He sucked on several spoonfuls but I am not sure how much actually made it to his stomach since his mouth and bib were covered in it. After about three minutes, he started crying and wanted his milk. Apparently the rice cereal was not as fast as the bottle at filling him up. We are going to continue offering him cereal twice a day and then move on to the yummy vegetables and fruits. My little baby is growing up too fast!

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Simply Adorable

2011-07-11T21:30:00.003-04:00

We love our little boy more than words can express. His smile is one of the cutest things we have ever seen. In our eyes he is absolutely perfect and simply adorable.

Parker's 1st Day at Church

2011-07-10T21:34:00.001-04:00

Today Parker went to church for the first time. We had kept him at home for four months and decided to face our fears of dropping him off. Luckily we were able to get him into the same infant class Collin was in that we loved. The same teachers were in the room and our favorite teacher, Miss Joyce, greeted us at the door. We knew Parker would be in good hands and get plenty of love. Throughout the service we kept waiting to be paged to rescue him, but he did great. When we got him he was in the exersaucer just a babbling up a storm. Miss Joyce said he took a little nap and then played. Most importantly, he had no tears. What a relief!

Parker Is Four Months Old

2011-07-06T21:41:00.000-04:00

On July 3rd Parker turned four months old. It is amazing how fast the time has flown by! Today he went for his four month doctor’s appointment. He is now 15 pounds and 12.5 ounces (50-75%). He was 25 inches long (50%) and had a head circumference of 17 inches (50%). The doctor said he was perfectly healthy and seemed to be a happy and content little boy. Such a blessing!

Parker has learned so many new things over the past month. To begin with, he is Mr. Chatty. He babbles to us all day long. He loves to make noises and watch our expressions. When we do not immediately look at him, the babbles get louder and louder. His favorite thing to say is still “ah goo”. Parker has also shown that he is a very happy boy and always has a smile on his face. Whenever he wakes up in the morning or after a nap, he gives us a big, toothless grin. The grin continues throughout his playtime. In fact the only time he cries is when he is really tired or hungry. This month Parker has become obsessed with putting anything and everything in his mouth. As soon as you hand him a toy, it goes straight to his mouth. He loves to eat his bibs and Mommy and Daddy’s shirt when we are holding him. Parker is also very close to sitting up. He sits up with support and has great head control. He prefers to sit up with assistance now rather than lay down. He is also able to support his body weight with his legs now and loves playing in his Exersaucer. His fascination with his big brother has increased. He loves to just sit and watch what Collin is doing and gets so excited when Collin plays with him. They are going to be best friends!

In terms of sleep, Parker is doing great! He goes to sleep every night around 8:00 and sleeps in his crib until around 6:00am. At that point he comes to lay with Mommy and Daddy until his wakeup time at 7:00am. He takes three naps a day that range between an hour and two hours. He is still eating about six ounces of formula every three hours during the day

Wild Animal Safari Fun

2011-07-05T21:29:00.000-04:00

Sunday morning Collin, Autie, Papa, RaRa, Aunt B, and I headed to Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain. It was like an African safari redneck style. We all packed into an old, beat up minivan that had bars instead of windows and was spray painted like a zebra. It was definitely a sight to behold. Papa was brave enough to drive the van through the trails where we saw and were able to touch and feed deer, elk, ostriches, zebras, buffalo, pigs, cows, camel, a rhino, and several giraffe. Collin liked the animals getting up close and personal with him but was much more comfortable throwing food to them rather than letting them eat it out of his hand. After the tour we went into the gift shop where Papa bought him a zebra truck that made Collin's day. While we were enjoying the redneck safari, Daddy and Parker enjoyed some quiet one on one time together.

July Fourth Fun

2011-07-05T20:53:00.005-04:00

The boys had a fun-filled weekend celebrating the Fourth of July. On Saturday we packed up the minivan and headed to Papa's house for a family cookout and sleepover. Collin was so excited to go and see Autie, his best friend and idol! From the moment he saw her, he followed her around like a little puppy and was beyond happy. After dinner, Daddy and Collin headed down to the pool with everyone and then Uncle Jon set off fireworks. Little Parker slept through the entire show. Collin liked them for a few minutes and then decided it was too loud and he would rather go inside and watch them from the windows. After the fireworks, Collin got to have his first sleepover in the "fort" RaRa set up for he and Autie in the playroom. Although Mommy and Daddy were in the adjoining room, he was beyond excited and thought that he was such a big boy. However, around 6:00 am the next morning I found him with his feet on Autie's face and decided to put him in the bed with me.

Monday we dressed the boys up in their red, white and blue and took a few pictures since it was Parker's first July Fourth. That night, the Fourth of July, we stayed home and watched fireworks on television. Both boys were in awe of them. Collin kept naming all the colors while Parker just stared at the screen in amazement. Afterwards the neighborhood behind ours set off fireworks that we let Collin stay up and watch. It was a perfect end to our holiday weekend!

Lil' Ozone Camp

2011-06-30T21:39:00.003-04:00

This summer I enrolled Collin in the Lil' Ozone Soccer and T-ball Camp through the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation and he is loving it. Today he had his second lesson. The kids are spending the first four weeks learning the fundamentals of soccer. He is learning how to properly kick the ball and dribble, when he chooses to listen. The kids are hilarious to watch as they are all over the place. As soon as Coach Carlos gives them their ball, they are off. Today I caught Collin kicking his ball in and out of the fence gate instead of the goal. I can also hear him shouting the names of the cars he sees driving by the field they practice on instead listening to the coach. Patrick and I just laugh and say he is going to be our little Nascar driver one day. Although he is only three, it is so amazing to see the skills he is picking up on and how proud he is of himself.

Happy Nine Year Anniversary!

2011-06-29T21:39:00.005-04:00

Nine years ago today Patrick and I were married in a rustic log cabin on the campus of Berry College. It is a day I will never forget! I am so fortunate to have met my soulmate at such a young age. Although we have experienced good times and bad, the past nine years have been the best of my life. I am blessed beyond measure that God has provided me with such a wonderful husband and blessed us both with two precious little boys. Happy Anniversary, Patrick! I love you!

June 2002

June 2011-WOW how things have changed!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T21:23:00.002-04:00

Collin, Parker and I would like to wish Patrick a Happy Father's Day! You are such a great husband, father and provider. I feel so blessed that the boys have such a loving, involved father in their lives. You are such a great role model and I pray they grow up to be the type of man you are. Thank you for everything you do for our family and we all three love and adore you!

Sunday was all about celebrating Patrick. Collin and Parker surprised Daddy with some new work pants and t-shirts. Collin also colored a sweet card for Daddy. That night Patrick requested his favorite burger joint, Five Guys, for dinner and then we hit TCBY for some yummy yogurt. Collin helped Mommy pick out a cookie cake for Daddy while grocery shopping so we indulged in some of it too. We love you so much, Daddy!

The Three Amigos

2011-06-13T21:10:00.002-04:00

Today my best friends Katie and Crystal came over to visit. Collin was so excited to have visitors, most especially Katie's son "Baby Jackson". Collin loves playing with him and loves the fact that Jackson looks up to him and tries to mimic his actions. It makes me to happy to know that the three boys will grow up together to become good friends just like their mommies are.

Our Little Fish

2011-06-12T13:53:00.004-04:00

Collin has started taking swim lessons with Miss Danielle (a.k.a. Miss Danny-L as Collin pronounces it) and he absolutely loves it! Daddy takes him every Saturday morning and he has a blast. There are three other kids in his class and they are learning how to float like a pancake, "choo-choo" along the outside of the pool, jump in, make bubbles in the water, and kicking so far. He is doing a great job and loves to go to the pool and show off his new skills. He has no fear of the water whatsoever and would stay in all day if we let him. I have a feeling we are going to have a little fish on our hands.

Parker Is Three Months Old

2011-06-03T14:02:00.000-04:00

Today is Parker's three month birthday. It seems like he has grown and changed so much over the past month and become so much more aware of his surroundings. He is currently weighing in at 14 pounds. All of his 0-3 month clothes have recently become too short and too tight and he has now moved up to the 3-6 month size. He is eating between 5 and 6 ounces of formula every three hours during the day and takes three naps ranging between thirty minutes and two hours. He is not the best napper!

Parker continued to show us his sweet and content personality this month. Unless he is hungry or overtired, he is always happy and smiling. He has started babbling a lot this month. When we are holding him he will just look at us and try to carry on a conversation. It is precious! His favorite thing to say is "ah-goo". His favorite toys this month included his rainforest bouncer and his Baby Einstein caterpillar that sings and lights up. He also loves sitting in his Bumbo and staring and reaching for the toys we hold up for him. He has recently started to notice everything around him and loves to look around the room for Collin and stare at the artwork we have hanging on the refrigerator.

Parker has also hit many milestones this month. He is starting to reach for everything we put in front of him. He has good depth perception and is able to get everything he sees. He also has started sucking anything, most especially his fist and his arm. Parker has also shown tremendous improvement with his head control. He is no longer a "bobble head" but can actually hold his head steady now. Perhaps the best news is that Parker is now sleeping consistently through the night! He usually goes down around 8:00pm, we wake him up around 10:30pm to "top him off" with milk, and then goes back to sleep until around 7:00am the next morning. Sometimes he stirs around 6:00am and comes into our bed to sleep until 7:00am. It has been so nice to finally get a full night of sleep again!

Summertime Fun

2011-06-01T21:43:00.000-04:00

Collin's Last Day of Preschool

2011-05-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

Today Collin had his last day of preschool. He has loved going to school and absolutely adores his teachers Miss Tina and Miss Laura. He talked about them constantly and woke up almost every morning asking to go see them. They definitely won his love and a special place in his heart. We are amazed at the progress he has made this year. He started off very quiet and hesitant to try new things and now both teachers say he is talking up a storm and trying everything. We are so proud of him and the strides he has made!

Yellow River Game Ranch

2011-05-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

Today we decided to take a family outing, along with Uncle Jon and Aunt Lotis, to the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn. This is a mile long trail that has various animals along the route for you to feed and interact with. Some of the animals we saw were deer, bunnies, peacocks, chicken, sheep, goats, bears, buffalo, a mountain lion, pigs, cows, horses, donkeys and a ton of birds. Collin absolutely loved interacting with all of the animals. At first he was a little hesitant but after he saw Uncle Jon and Aunt Lotis feeding the animals he decided to get in on the fun. He liked feeding the deer the most since they were the most personal and would eat out of his hand. He also loved looking at the big black bears. He would throw animal crackers down at them and just giggle when they started making noises. For some unknown reason he really liked the chickens although they would run up to him as if they were begging for food. Parker, meanwhile, sat in the Baby Bjorn and looked at some of the animals before he fell asleep. All in all, we had a wonderful family day of fun!

Parker In The Bumbo

2011-05-21T21:22:00.001-04:00

Since Parker likes to sit up and look around the room with support, we decided it was time to introduce him to the Bumbo. Collin was not really a fan of this seat but Parker appears to love it! As soon as we put him in it he just looked around the room and at the toys we held up for him. Big brother Collin even got in on the action and literally brought Parker every toy from his toy bucket and stacked them up in front of him. I'm sure Parker was wondering what in the world was going on!

Happy Baby

2011-05-21T13:59:00.000-04:00

Parker is such a happy, easy going baby. He smiles and is content all day unless he is hungry or overtired. Lately he has loved looking at himself in the mirror and gets the biggest smile on his face when he notices himself. He is such a sweetheart and brings so much joy and happiness to our family.

Parker's 1st Playgroup

2011-05-19T21:12:00.001-04:00

Today Parker had his first playdate! Ironically four of our six playgroup mommies had babies in the months of February and March. Our friend Tania invited the playgroup over to her house and Parker got to meet two of the new babies, Addison and Connor. They did not really do anything other than sleep in the same room and lay on toys beside each other, but the older siblings and mommies had fun getting out of the house. It is so neat to know that Parker will grow up with these babies and become childhood friends with them just like Collin has. I am so blessed to have met such a great group of friends who are in the same situation as I am to do life with.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T15:49:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is such a bittersweet time of the year for me. I am blessed beyond measure to be the mother to two precious, healthy, and perfect little boys but I am also reminded of how much I miss my mom. I know that God has a plan in taking her from our lives so soon but it is still hard to bear. It is hard not to be able to pick up the phone and talk to her daily. She was such a great mom and a wonderful woman. It also breaks my heart that she is not here to enjoy her grandchildren as I know she would have loved them and spoiled them rotten. Although she is no longer here, her memory lives on. I also love the fact that the older Collin gets the more and more he favors her. Several family members have commented on this and it always brings me to tears. She would have been so happy to see the boy he has become and our newest bundle of joy. I know she is looking down on them from Heaven and will always be their guardian angel.

My boys, however, went out of their way to make my day extra special. I got a sweet card from Collin and Parker as well as a bracelet that was engraved on the inside, "We love you, Mom. Love-Collin and Parker". They also treated me to dinner so I did not have to cook and clean the kitchen. Although being a mother is a demanding job that never allows you to take a break, I would not trade it for anything in the world. My boys are my life and I love them more than words can express. I thank the Lord daily for giving me two precious boys and allowing me to be there Mom. I love you, Collin and Parker!

Parker's Two Month Doctor Visit

2011-05-04T15:43:00.000-04:00

Parker is officially two months old! He had his doctor's visit today and got another clean bill of health. He now weighs 12 pounds, 5 ounces (50-75%),and is 23 inches long (50%). His head circumference is 15 and 5/8 inches (25-50%). Although he had gone up in his weight percentage, the doctor was not concerned. He said he can continue to eat as much as he wants to and will stop when he is full. Parker also had to get two shots today which he was not happy about. As soon as the first needle went in, he turned bright red and let out a huge cry. We are so blessed to have such a happy, healthy little boy!

Parker Is Two Months Old

2011-05-03T15:46:00.000-04:00

Parker is now two months old! It is crazy how fast the time has flown by. He has grown and changed so much in the short amount of time he has been with us. Parker has shown us that he is extremely easy going and has a very sweet personality. He loves to be held and cuddle with us but is also content laying down simply observing what is going on. We are very fortunate he is such a good baby!

Parker is starting to establish a pretty good schedule. He is sleeping about five hours uninterrupted each night, gets up once around 3:00 am to eat and then goes right back to sleep. Beginning at 7:00 am every morning, he eats every three hours on the dot. After he eats, he has playtime. Parker spends his playtime doing many activities including laying on his Boppy and staring at the toys we hold up for him, making faces at us and trying to mimic ours, sitting in his bouncer and watching the monkey and bird go up and down, and laying on his mat that has tons of animals dangling from it. The mat is by far his favorite toy! He loves to stare at all of the toys dangling from it and try to reach for them. Parker also does tons of tummy time, although he is not a huge fan of it. He is able to hold his head up on his own and turn it from side to side for several seconds. He occasionally rolls over when he gets very frustrated in an effort to end tummy time. Although I do not think he has mastered this skill, I am going to brag on him anyway.

Parker has also learned many new things this month. He found his hands and loves to suck on his fingers when I do not give his pacifier to him soon enough. He has also started making cooing noises when someone talks to him or he sees a toy that he really likes. Parker is also constantly kicking his feet when he gets excited. It is so funny to watch him in his bouncer with his feet just a kicking, catapulting him up and down.

One of the sweetest things Parker did this month was start smiling. Whenever someone looks at him and smiles, he will give them a big, gummy smile too. It absolutely melts my heart to see his smile and reminds me of how lucky I am to be his Mommy.

Tummy Time Fun

2011-04-27T15:40:00.000-04:00

Although Parker is not a fan of tummy time, we make sure to incorporate it into our day as often as possible. His neck is getting so strong and he is now able to turn his head from side to side without any assistance. When he gets really angry about being on his stomach, he will forcefully roll himself back over. Although we are so happy about his accomplishments, he is growing up way to fast!

I Love That Smile

2011-04-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple of weeks, Parker has become quite the social smiler. If we are sitting in front of him playing, he will give us a big, gummy grin. It is absolutely precious and melts my heart. He will also smile when Collin gets down on the floor to play with him. He already adores his big brother! Parker is such a happy and sweet baby and has brought so much joy to our family.

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T15:37:00.010-04:00

This weekend the Hardy family was all about celebrating Easter. On Saturday morning, Collin and I made some Easter cookies together. Collin absolutely loved them! As soon as they came out of the oven he thought he needed to sample one of each design. I think he had about four before it was all over with! That night, Mommy and Daddy got really brave and decided to let Collin dye Easter eggs. We put out six cups of dye and let him decide how he wanted to design each egg. He took each one and literally threw it in all six cups of dye until they were all a shade of green or purplish-brown. I am shocked the eggs remained in one piece since he was throwing them like they were baseballs. His fingers will probably be green for days to come but he really loved it!

On Sunday morning the boys awoke to find lots of goodies for them from the Easter Bunny. As soon as Collin walked in the playroom he looked at the baskets and proclaimed, "the Easter Bunny came!" He looked through his basket to find two Thomas Aquarium trains, a Color Wonder "Toy Story" coloring kit, a Noah's Ark toy with tons of animals, and some candy. Parker also got some goodies including two new Blabla rattles, Inchbug bottle bands with his name on them, and some formula since Collin tells everyone all Parker likes is bottles. After we played for a while, we ventured out to the yard for an egg hunt. Collin ran around the yard grabbing eggs while Parker hung out with Mommy in the Baby Bjorn. All in all it was a great Easter weekend spent with the boys celebrating the holiday.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-20T15:30:00.003-04:00

Today Collin's preschool class had an Easter egg hunt for all of the children and he had a blast! As soon as Miss Tina and Miss Laura led the class outside to the playground, Collin took off running for the eggs. Forget the fact that Miss Tina had not passed out the baskets yet, nor told the kids to go, Collin was simply too excited! After I ran and redirected him back to the group, he grabbed the bucket the teachers made for him and was off. He ran all around the playground grabbing eggs and counting them as he went. Once he had twelve, he decided he was ready to play. He took his bucket full of eggs and went up and down the slide a dozen times. He had a wonderful time and especially loved all the yummy treats he found inside his eggs once he got home.

Easter Bunny 2011

2011-04-16T15:49:00.003-04:00

Today we took Collin and Parker to see the Easter Bunny at the Avenue Forsyth. Collin was not too sure he wanted to sit with the Easter Bunny, so Mommy had to get in the picture too. Parker, on the other hand, slept the entire time.

Spring Carnival

2011-04-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

Today Collin's preschool had their annual Spring Carnival. Despite the windy weather, he had a wonderful time. We bought him a wristband this year so he could participate in all of the activities without having to worry about running out of tickets. Boy did we get our moneys worth! He played a few games, rode the train twice, and played on all of the inflatables. He created quite the scene when he decided he wanted to get on the inflatable meant for the bigger kids where they dressed in a Velcro suit and then jumped and stuck to a wall. Since the suit was too long, he was not able to run and jump, but Daddy picked him up and stuck him to the wall and he loved it. The whole crowd busted out in laughter and Collin ate it up! Afterwards he got to sit inside a firetruck and ambulance which he thoroughly enjoyed. Once Mommy and Parker left, he got to go and see a reptile show with Daddy and touch a turtle, lizard, and snake. Daddy said he was Mr. Fearless and wanted to feel everything the presenter took out. He even let him put a huge snake around him which freaked Mommy out! Let's hope he does not ever see a snake in the yard and decide to pick it up too. All in all I would say he had a wonderful day!

Barney Live

2011-04-08T22:10:00.000-04:00

Last night Mommy and Daddy planned a very special date for Collin. Since he LOVES Barney we decided to take him to see the "Barney Live" concert at Phillips Arena. He was so excited about seeing the show and getting to spend some alone time with Mommy and Daddy since Parker was staying at home with MoMo. The whole way down to the show he was naming all the cars and trucks we passed. As soon as we got into the city, he was in awe of all the big buildings he saw. Once we got to the Arena, he chose Chick-Fil-A for dinner and then off we went to see the big purple dinosaur. We told Collin he could get one souviner to bring home and he chose a Barney ball since it was the only thing they had with his favorite character Riff on it. When the show started, Collin got so excited. He quickly jumped into my lap and watched with the biggest smile on his face. That smile alone was worth all the money in the world! He sat and watched them sing and even danced along with them to some of the songs. It was definitely a night he will remember and I am so happy we could share this special memory with him. We love you, Collin!

Collin Is Three Years Old

2011-04-04T19:36:00.000-04:00

Today Collin had his three year old doctor's appointment. He was very excited about his doctor's visit. The last time were were at the office Collin noticed a bronze statue of a little boy on Dr. Harbaugh's desk. Since then he has talked about the "little boy statue" nonstop every time we ride by the office and asks to go and see it. As soon as the nurse called him back he made a beeline for his office to see the "little boy". It was so embarrassing but at least it kept his mind off why he was there. We found out Collin now weighs 32 pounds (50%) and is 36 and 3/4 inches tall (50%). The doctor said he was healthy and right on track developmentally.

Parker Is One Month Old

2011-04-04T19:09:00.005-04:00

Parker is officially one month old! He had his second doctor's visit and got a clean bill of health. He now weighs 9 pounds, 3 ounces (25-50%) and is 21 and 1/2 inches long (50%). His head circumference is 14 and 3/4 inches (25%). The doctor told us he is a long and lean little baby. He was also very impressed with his weight gain.

It is amazing to see how much Parker has grown and changed throughout the month. He is already becoming so big and changing so fast. Parker has spent this month at home with Mommy, Daddy, and his big brother Collin doing lots of fun things. He spends his days sleeping, eating, and playing. He loves to play on his musical mat and try to touch the elephant and monkey on it. He also loves bouncing in his bouncer while watching the monkey and frog go up and down, and sitting in his boppy watching mom and dad hold up his toys. He has tummy time everyday and can now turn his head from side to side and lift it for a few seconds to look ahead. He has also rolled over from his stomach to his back several times in an attempt to end tummy time. Mommy and Daddy were shocked! Parker's neck is becoming very strong. He shows us during burping when he tries to force his head back for more milk.

In terms of sleeping, Parker is doing great! He normally sleeps from 10:30pm to 3:00am and then again until 7:00am when we wake him up for the day. This means only one middle of the night feeding for Mommy and Daddy which is wonderful! Parker does not like sleeping flat on his back and is now using the Nap Nanny which allows him to sleep on an incline and makes him feel like he is being cuddled. It also seems to help with his reflux.

Words cannot express how much joy Parker brings into our lives. We love him so much and and cannot imagine our lives without him. We thank God everyday for allowing us to have such an adorable, sweet and healthy boy! We cannot wait to see what this upcoming month has in store for us.

Parker's 1st Real Bath

2011-04-02T15:31:00.001-04:00

Tonight Parker had his first "real" tub bath. As soon as we put him in the warm tub of water, he decided to urinate all in it. Such a typical baby boy! He seemed to really enjoy the warm water and liked it a lot more than he did the sponge baths he was taking. He especially liked when we washed his hair using the sink faucet rather than a wet washcloth. As soon as the water hit his head, he closed his eyes and relaxed. It must have felt like a baby massage to him. It appears he is going to love bath time just like his big brother does!

Parker's Playtime

2011-04-01T15:39:00.001-04:00

Although Parker is not quite a month old, he has been getting a lot of use out of his infant toys. We are trying our best to follow the book BabyWise and have him stay up and have playtime after each feeding during the day. His favorite toy at the moment appears to be his musical mat that has several colorful animals hanging from it. As soon as we put him on the mat, he starts looking around at all the animals. He is even grabbing many of them, especially the monkey and elephant. He also likes to sit in his rainforest bouncer and stare at the blue bird hanging from it. His swing usually puts him to sleep so we save it for times when we really need it like dinnertime or when Collin needs Mommy to help him do something. He also loves to lay next to his big brother Collin and look at him while he talks or sings to him. It is absolutely precious to see!

The Hardy Boys

2011-03-17T20:21:00.001-04:00

Ever since Parker was born, Mommy and Daddy have both thought he favors Collin when he was a baby. They both appear to have the same eyes, mouth, and cheeks. Parker does appear to have a different nose than Collin, although we are not sure who it ressembles yet. He also has much lighter hair, almost a light brown to dirty blond look, depending upon how the light hits it and is a little thinner than Collin was at the moment. For fun, I decided to dress Parker in an outfit I had several pictures of Collin in to see how similiar they looked. You can definitely tell they are brothers!

Collin

Parker

Tummy Time Is Hard Work

2011-03-15T15:50:00.001-04:00

Our New Family Of Four

2011-03-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

Parker's Newborn Portraits

2011-03-10T21:11:00.001-05:00

Could Not Ask For More

2011-03-09T20:16:00.002-05:00

Although life is crazy right now trying to take care of a toddler and a newborn, things could not be any better. Seeing our two boys interacting with each other is the best feeling in the world. Patrick and I always knew we wanted to have two children so that when something happened to us one day, they would have each other to lean on. We were a little worried how Collin would adjust since he was used to having all the attention, but other than a few days of tantrums and regression in potty training, he is adjusting well. Every morning when he wakes up he wants to see "Baby Parker". He always goes over to Parker and tells him "I love you" and gives him a kiss. If he is crying or making any type of noise, Collin tells him "It's okay, Parker" and tries to give him his pacifer. It is absolutely precious! Parker loves to look at Collin and is in awe of everything he does. He loves for Collin to lay beside him during tummy time and will turn his head from side to side to find him. We are so happy with our family of four and cannot wait to see the boys become best friends in the years to come. God had blessed us beyond measure and we will be forever grateful!

Brothers

2011-03-09T10:29:00.006-05:00

Collin is adjusting to his role as a big brother beautifully. Every morning when he wakes up he asks to see Baby Parker and wants to be near him all day. He loves to show him what he is playing and sing to him. He thinks Parker's favorite songs are BINGO, Happy Birthday, and Jesus Loves Me. So cute! He also has "helped" Mommy feed Parker his bottle, change his diaper, and pat his back to burp him. He loves playing with him on his musical mat and showing him all his toys and telling him what they are. It warms my heart to see the two of them together. I have always wanted a family of four and it is amazing to see my dream coming true. I love you, boys!

Parker's 1st Sponge Bath

2011-03-07T20:05:00.003-05:00

Today Parker had his first sponge bath at home. Mommy and Daddy laid him down on his turtle sponge and gently washed him from head to toe. He did not appreciate having to take his clothes off and being cold but calmed down pretty quickly. His favorite part of the bath was getting his hair washed, just like his big brother Collin.

The Many Faces of Parker

2011-03-07T20:04:00.001-05:00

Parker's 1st Doctor's Visit

2011-03-07T10:15:00.001-05:00

This morning Parker had his first doctor's visit to meet Dr. Harbaugh and get checked out. Parker weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long. His head circumference was 13 inches and his chest circumference was 12 inches. Dr. Harbaugh said everything looked great and he appeared to be perfectly healthy. He said Parker should be eating at least every three hours during the day and he could have two or more ounces each feeding depending on how much he wanted. At night he can go up to five hours before we need to wake him up to eat. It sounds wonderful but we may have to work him up to that! All in all we had a great visit and were blessed to hear that everything looks great!

Welcome Home, Parker

2011-03-05T13:06:00.001-05:00

Today Parker got to come home! We were so excited to bring him home and let him meet his big brother. As soon as the garage door opened, Collin came running out to greet us. He was so happy to see Mommy and Daddy I think he forgot that someone else was with us. After I spent a few minutes cuddling him, Patrick brought Parker in to see Collin. Collin was not sure what to think. He kept looking at Parker in his infant carrier but would not go anywhere near him. Everytime Parker would make a noise, he would back up in fear of something happening. The sweetest moment between the two was when Collin opened his "big brother gift" from Parker. He was so excited that Parker brought him a Lighting McQueen car and big rig that he looked over at him and screamed out "I love you, Baby Parker". It was the sweetest moment. Once I took Parker out of the infant carrier and sat with him Collin was all about meeting him. He told him "hey" over and over and even wanted to sit with Mommy and suck his pacifer just like Parker was. Although I am sure there will be moments of jeaulously as he learns that he now has to share everything with his little brother, I am hoping the two of them will become fast best friends who can rely on each other for anything. Nothing in the world would make Mommy and Daddy happier!

Introducing Parker Von Hardy

2011-03-05T12:47:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our second son, Parker Von Hardy. He arrived on Thursday, March 3rd at 1:30 pm. He was 6 pounds, 6 ounces and 20 inches long. He is perfectly healthy and absolutely adorable!

Parker decided he wanted to meet his Mommy, Daddy, and big brother Collin a little early. His actual due date was March 20th, but he decided he was ready to join the world and share a birthday with his big brother. Around 5:00pm on Wednesday, my stomach started to feel a little strange. It did not hurt but something definitely did not feel right. After talking to several friends and much debating, I decided to call the doctor who told me to head on down to the hospital so I could get checked out. I honestly thought it was false labor and was fully expecting to be sent back home. However, when we arrived we were told my contractions were four minutes apart despite me not being able to feel them. They decided to monitor me overnight just in case but were leaning on the assumption they were Braxton Hicks and I could go home in the morning. Around 7:00am, my doctor came to examine me only to find I was five centimeters dilated and having contractions every two minutes. He then decided to break my water and start the pitocin. The first hour of the medicine I still could not feel any of the contractions the monitor was showing. However, around 11:00am things got very painful. All I remember is screaming for an epidural! Once the epidural was in my nurse checked me again to find I was nine centimeters and ready to go. How I made it nine centimeters with no drugs is beyond me! After three pushes, Parker Von Hardy made his arrival.

Our biggest fear was that Parker would come out not making any sounds, like his big brother. Luckily our prayers were answered as Parker came out screaming. He passed his Apgar test without any problems and even gave the nurse an extra surprise when he urinated all over her. He then got to come over and meet his Mommy and it was love at first sight! I am beyond blessed with two healthy, precious, adorable little boys. God was definitely with us that day and all the glory goes to Him for allowing our son to be as perfect as can be!

Happy Third Birthday, Collin!

2011-03-03T19:48:00.001-05:00

Happy Third Birthday, Collin! Mommy and Daddy cannot believe how fast this year has flown by. It seems like just yesterday you were a baby and now you have become a little boy! You are now talking nonstop and using sentences. You have learned so many new words and mimic everything you hear us say. Your favorite toys this year have been your Matchbox cars, Thomas Trains, and puzzles. You also loved playing outside on slides and swings. Barney has remained your favorite show and you loved to sing along with him. You have filled our lives with so much joy these past three years and we love you more than words express. We are truly blessed with such a happy, healthy boy and thank God every night for you. Happy Birthday sweet boy! Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know.

Collin's Preschool Birthday Party

2011-03-02T15:55:00.001-05:00

Today Collin had a birthday celebration at his preschool. He was so excited to go and celebrate turning three with Miss Tina and Miss Laura, both of whom he absolutely adores, along with all his friends. It was also his classmate Kassidy's birthday, so her mother and I got together and bought a cookie cake and juiceboxes for all the children. Collin was so excited when everyone started singing "Happy Birthday" to him. He just sat and listened with a huge grin on his face. He is such a ham! He was so happy to show me all of his friends and what he does at school. He had a wonderful day and felt so special thanks to his wonderful teachers.

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Collin's Speech Teacher, Miss Lorissa

2011-03-01T15:57:00.003-05:00

Miss Lorissa is Collin's speech teacher and holds a very special place in our hearts. Collin began going to see her in December of 2009 and has been working with her ever since. She has helped Collin make so much improvement in his speech. When he first started going to work with her he could say a total of about 20 words. Since then, his speech has blossomed. His recent testing has shown that he is right where he should be in all speech areas except for articulation, where he is only slightly behind. Miss Lorissa's hard work made all of this possible. She worked with him several times a month and gave us ideas of things to do at home to help improve his skills. On the days she would come, Collin would wait at the front door looking for her car. He looked forward to her coming and would always give her a hug goodbye. She has done a great job with him and always made everything fun. Now that he is three, he is going to recieve speech therpy at our local elementary school, but we will never forget the progress she enabled him to make.

Parker's Nursery

2011-02-24T15:31:00.004-05:00

We have finally completed Parker's nursery! Since we loved Collin's nursery so much and had a designer come in and help us with it, we decided to use it again for Parker. The bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids and is part of the Railroad Express collection. All of the furniture and baskets are from there as well. We decided to change up the artwork for Parker a little bit to make the room "his". The initials over the bed came from Etsy and turned out perfect. I love how they complete the room! The Railroad Crossing sign came from Ebay and ties the whole theme together. We also added a few new knickknacks to the shelves to make it a little different. It is hard to believe that in a few weeks Parker will be here and enjoying his new room. I hope he loves it as much as we do!

Collin Says The Cutest Things

2011-02-21T17:41:00.002-05:00

Over the past three days Collin has started saying some of the cutest things. I have no idea where in the world he comes up with them, but they certainly make Mommy and Daddy laugh hysterically. Here are a few of the phrases we have heard lately.

-Momo told Collin when she was here for his birthday party that she had to go home to Birmingham. He often says "Momo lives in Birmingham" but this weekend when we asked Collin where he lived, his response was "by Georgia Bulldogs". I guess the only time is has ever heard the word Georgia is when we are talking about the Bulldogs and according to him that is where is lives.

-Every time you ask Collin a question, his immediate response is "ummmm" and then he pauses to give us an answer. I have no idea where he learned or heard this but it is super cute.

-Today Collin was out of school for President's Day so he had to come with me to my 36 week doctor's appointment. When the nurse got out the doppler to listen to Baby Parker's heartbeat and had me lift up my shirt a little, Collin lifted up his shirt, pointed to his belly, and told her "Baby Parker right here". She tried hard not to laugh! We had to explain that Baby Parker is in Mommy's tummy, thus making it so big, to which he responded "but Collin has a belly button" that he wanted her to listen to. Too cute!

-Collin was looking at a picture of Noah and the Ark the other day and he immediately pointed to Noah and called him Papa. We asked him why and he pointed to his hair and said "white hair". Sorry Papa, you now have a look alike!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T20:40:00.005-05:00

Today Collin celebrated his third Valentine's Day. It was a pretty routine day but he did get a couple of goodies to help him celebrate. Mommy and Daddy surprised him with a heart shaped cookie cake and a new Leapfrog DVD which he loved. He also got a big bucket of goodies from Momo and Granddaddy, his favorite of which were two matchbox cars, a puzzle, and a box of chocolate chip Teddy Grahams. At school he got a ton of Valentine's from all his friends. He liked the cards but was more excited about the candy attached to them. He's definitely got a sweet tooth just like his mommy. Happy Valentine's Day Little Collin, Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

35 Weeks Pregnant

2011-02-13T20:35:00.002-05:00

I am 35 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 35 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a cantaloupe.
Total Weight Gain: 21.5 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing all maternity pants and tops and even they are getting a little tight!
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. He also moves anytime he feels someone touch my belly.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting very hard!
Symptoms: I am still in the nesting phase and have been working like crazy. We now have his nursery ready, new carpet throughout the house, and all his clothes ready to go. On the negative side, it is still hard to walk and I am still having lots of pain all day long.
What I Miss: Getting a good night's sleep and not having lots of pain.

Collin's 3rd Birthday Party

2011-02-10T12:24:00.001-05:00

Since my doctor is anticipating Parker will arrive the week of Collin's third birthday, we decided to go ahead and celebrate this special milestone a little early. Collin's favorite place to go and play is Catch Air, a new indoor inflatable play area in Johns Creek, so we decided to have his birthday party there. As with tradition, the local news was anticipating snow the day of his party but luckily it was only a dusting and all of his friends were able to make it. We had all of his playgroup pals, his best friend Gavin from preschool, Momo, Granddaddy and Papa meet us there for play, food and fun. All of the kids had a blast running around from inflatable to inflatable and checking out all the other fun activities they had there. They even had a special slideshow of pictures from the past year playing for Collin that he noticed and pointed out to us. Catch Air even had a bubble dance party for the birthday boy that he loved! They called everyone over the loud speaker over to the front of the building and had the bubble machine going while the kids danced to "Cotton Eye Joe". Collin loved this! Afterwards the kids had pizza and a Thomas the Train cake (a.k.a "My choo-choo cake" as Collin puts it) and then headed out to play again. Once we got home Collin got to open his presents, or "mo prizes" as he called them, and got a ton of fun trucks, books and blocks to play with. All in all I would say he had a wonderful day and definitely knew everyone was there for him. Happy Early Birthday, Collin! Mommy and Daddy love you more than you could ever imagine!

34 Weeks Pregnant

2011-02-06T20:29:00.004-05:00

I am 34 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 34 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a cantaloupe.
Total Weight Gain: 21 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing all maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. He also moves anytime he feels someone touch my belly.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting very hard!
Symptoms: I am still in the nesting phase and have been working like crazy. On the negative side, it is still hard to walk and I am still having lots of pain at night. It feels as if all my insides are going to fall out.
What I Miss: Getting a good night's sleep and not having lots of pain.

33 Weeks Pregnant

2011-01-30T20:23:00.004-05:00

I am 33 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 33 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a pineapple.
Total Weight Gain: 21 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing all maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. I am beginning to think he is going to be a very active little boy.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting very hard!
Symptoms: At the moment I have a ton of energy and am trying to get everything done for Parker's arrival. I am definitely in the nesting stage. However, I am still waddling and starting to have lots of pain at night.
What I Miss: Being able to walk normally, get a good night's sleep, and have a night of no pain.

After watching me do my weekly belly shots, Collin decided he wanted in on the action. Such a cutie!

Storybook Lane Parade

2011-01-24T12:47:00.002-05:00

Today Collin took part in his first parade! His preschool invited all of the parents in for their "Stroll Down Storybook Lane" parade. Each class chose their favorite book and had the children dress up as a character from the book. Collin's class choose The Little Mouse, The Ripe Red Stawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood. Each child in his class dressed up like the mouse from the story and carried a strawberry they painted. It was adorable! Check out the pictures of Collin and the video below.

32 Weeks Pregnant

2011-01-23T20:55:00.004-05:00

I am 32 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 32 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a sack of potatoes.
Total Weight Gain: 20 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing all maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. He also moves anytime he feels someone touch my belly.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting very hard!
Symptoms: At the moment I have a ton of energy and am trying to get everything done for Parker's arrival. On the negative side, it is getting a little hard to walk by the end of the day and I am starting to waddle a lot.
What I Miss: Being able to walk normally, not waddle, and get a good night's sleep.

Parker's 2nd Baby Shower

2011-01-22T21:33:00.002-05:00

Today I had another baby shower for Parker. My closest girlfriends planned a small get-together and baby shower at Macaroni Grill to celebrate his upcoming arrival. They were so generous giving him tons of diapers, wipes, and baby necessities that they all know we will be needing. They also had an adorable monogrammed cake for him. I love seeing his name and initials as it makes it that much more real that he is about to join us. I am so thankful and blessed to have each and every one of these girls in my life and cannot wait for them to meet Parker soon!

31 Weeks Pregnant

2011-01-16T20:55:00.006-05:00

I am 31 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 31 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of four navel oranges.
Total Weight Gain: 20 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing mostly maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. He also moves anytime he feels someone touch my belly.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting somewhat hard!
Symptoms: I go through phases of having lots of energy and then getting really tired. I am also starting to have heartburn for the first time this pregnancy, and waddle when I walk.
What I Miss: Being able to walk normally, not waddle! Ha!
What I Crave: Any kind of sweets!

Parker's Family Baby Shower

2011-01-15T21:30:00.000-05:00

Today we had our first baby shower for Parker. Patrick's mom, Henrietta, and my dad's wife, Robin, planned a wonderful family shower for him. Despite the snow and ice that invaded Atlanta the entire week, we had a pretty good turnout. All of Parker's grandparents, aunts, and uncles came, as well as my Aunt Donna and her granddaughter Mary Katherine who drove up from south Georgia. We had a wonderful time visiting with family and Parker received some wonderful gifts including a new monitor, tons of gift cards, diapers, a "Swaddle Me", several rattles and toys, a matching monogrammed onesie and burp cloth, and an adorable onesie for him to wear this summer. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family and cannot wait to introduce Parker to all of them!

Snow, Snow and More Snow

2011-01-11T21:28:00.000-05:00

Well the 6+ inches of snow is still on the ground and the roads around here are a sheet of ice and needless to say we are getting a little bit of cabin fever! Luckily Collin decided that he would adventure out into the snow again today and he liked it much better. When he woke up he saw all of the neighborhood kids sledding down the huge hill in front of our house and decided he wanted to join them. We took him out and Mr. Adventure sure enough went sledding down the hill with three of our elementary aged neighbors. Mommy thought he was going to ride in the sled with Daddy but got quite a surprise when him and the girls came flying down the hill. Collin, however, was not scared at all and LOVED it. He kept saying "more sled" but Mommy and Daddy insisted that once was enough. He then trekked through the yard exploring and tried to help Daddy shovel the snow out of the driveway using his sand castle shovel. Such a helper! Let's hope the sun comes out soon to warm us up as I do not know how much longer we can survive without our frequent Publix and Target outings.

Snowstorm of 2011

2011-01-10T21:25:00.000-05:00

The Snowstorm of 2011 has definitely invaded the Atlanta area! The meteorologists have been predicting a ton of snow for days now, but boy were were surprised when we woke up this morning to 6+ inches. I cannot remember a time when we had this much snow in Georgia. Collin was in awe of the white blanket covering the ground. As soon as he woke up, he went from window to window looking at the snow and screaming "snow" at each one. After he ate breakfast, we bundled him up and took him out to explore it. He made Daddy hold him at first but decided he wanted to get down and try to run in it. Needless to say he did not get very far since it covered him all the way up to his mid leg. After a couple of steps, he fell down in it and decided that he did not like the snow at all and wanted to go in. Mommy and Daddy were not complaining as it was COLD out there. They are predicting the snow will stick around for most of the week so lets hope he starts to like it a little more!

30 Weeks Pregnant

2011-01-09T20:56:00.003-05:00

I am 30 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 30 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a head of cabbage.
Total Weight Gain: 20 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing mostly maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night. He also moves anytime he feels someone touch my belly.
Sleep: I am starting to have a hard time getting a good night of sleep. Between having to go to the restroom all night long and Parker moving like crazy, it is getting somewhat hard!
Symptoms: I go through phases of having lots of energy and then getting really tired. I am definitely in the nesting phase and feel like I need to get everything ready to welcome Parker into the world.
What I Miss: Being able to get a good night's sleep
What I Crave: Any kind of sweets!

29 Weeks Pregnant

2011-01-02T20:57:00.002-05:00

I am 29 weeks pregnant today!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 29 weeks
Size of the baby: Baby Hardy is the size of a butternut squash.
Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds
Maternity Clothes: I am wearing mostly maternity pants and tops.
Gender: It's a boy-Parker Von Hardy.
Movement: I am definitely feeling the baby move a lot now. He moves all day and all night now.
Sleep: I am starting to have trouble finding a comfortable way to sleep. I have got out the Boppy pillow that I used when I was pregnant with Collin in an effort to get comfortable.
Symptoms: I am definitely in the nesting phase and want everything washed and organized for Parker. We are almost ready!
What I Miss: Nothing that I can think of.
What I Crave: Mexican food and any kind of dessert