Happy Birthday Parker

I guess they say that time flies when you're having fun.  Well, I can honestly say that the last nine years of my life have been just that... FUN!  They have been days with lots of laughter and countless memories with a very special little man!  I knew from the moment that I looked at that sweet face, I was in love.  I can remember November 22, 2000 like it was yesterday.  I was 36 weeks pregnant, and had gone in for my first weekly visit to see Dr. Riseling.  I told Manley not to worry about going with me because I was only going in for a quick visit...however, when I had my blood pressure checked and after seeing Dr. Riseling's concerned face... I knew maybe he should have come with me.  About 30 minutes later, the decision was made that I was being induced because of high blood pressure.  I remember making the call to Manley to tell him that I was on my way to the hospital.  (I still laugh at that thought because when I called him, he was at the grocery, with an entire cart of food... and just had to leave.)  I was in a complete state of shock, was in no way prepared for it, but was so very excited to meet this little person.  We did not know if we were having a boy or girl!  So much anticipation and so many tears!!  "I am about to be a mom, I am about to be a mom" is all I remember thinking!  Several hours later, at 1:23 a.m.,we met our sweet boy, James Parker Douglas.

I know every mother can remember the first time they see their baby.  It is a moment in time that will forever be engraved in your memory...a feeling you cannot explain to any other person... but a second where complete love overwhelms you.  You look at that sweet face and know that you are forever changed.  That is how I feel.  I feel that on November 22, I was forever changed because that is the day, I became a mother.  It is one tough job, but it is the most important job I will ever have.  God gave me an amazing gift on that day, and I am better because of it!!!

My sweet Parker has a precious heart.  He loves people and it doesn't matter the age, he will talk to anyone.  :)  When he starts to laugh, I mean really laugh, it makes you start to laugh too.  He cares about his family, and he loves his sisters.  Sure there are times when he isn't so nice to them, but if someone messes with them or if they were doing something that just isn't "good", he is the first to protect them.  He prays the sweetest of prayers, and talks to God like he truly is sitting right beside Him.  He is growing up to be a man of character...someone that wants to make a change in this world.  One thing is for sure... he has made a change in my world.  He is our blessing, and I am so proud to be his mother.  I love you sweet man!  :)  Happy birthday Parker!!!      

Here are some pictures from his big day!

Parker and Logan

 

Bryce and Zach

 

 Parker, Drew W, and Drew E.

The cake

 

Parker and Grandaddy

 "E" and Parker

  With my boy!

 

After eating at the "cooking man"... Shogun

 

...with Grandmama and Grandaddy

 

...with Mimi and E

Meeting Dexter!

Well, I know this update has nothing to do with my kiddos...but I had to add this one in the book!  Today, we went to the Ole Miss/ Tennessee game.  Ole Miss came out with an awesome win!!  On our way back from the Grove, Manley and I ran into "Mr. 282 rushing yards/ 4 touchdowns" himself... Dexter McCluster.  Of course, we wanted a picture with him on such an awesome day!  It was an unexpected visit, but we were both so excited to get a picture with him.  He is incredible...and faster than lightening!  :)  So fun to watch him play!!!

I almost cropped Manley out... ha!

Sweet man, Drew!

 

Michael and Logan

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!!

Tonight I had one of those nights!  I am sure if you have kids, you can understand the night- where you are trying to get the kids in bed, but they are wired.  You brush teeth, but they are jumping around, trying to chase each other as you are trying to brush.  One child has their pjs on, the other is missing a shirt.  Just pure craziness!  Well, tonight was one of those nights.  My kiddos were being so silly, it was 8 o'clock which is their bedtime... and they were acting as if they had just inhaled sugar and could stay up for days.  I was doing my absolute best not to lose it and get them IN the bed..."trying" being the main word in that sentence.  As I walked into the kitchen, I heard someone messing with my ipod station... I was about to get really upset, but then I heard a familiar song.  We listen to it alot while we're in the kitchen...one of my favorites!  Ava had turned on Darius Rucker's "It won't be like this for long".  If you haven't heard it, you need to!  I have never felt that a song instantly talked to me the second I heard it play, but in that moment, I knew the message before the first word was sung!  I felt so strongly that God was sitting there shouting those words to me... Carrie, there are not always going to be little teeth to brush... there won't always be little feet running around your house... these little bodies that you are having to dress for bed will not always be so little.  One day they are going to grow up and you will miss these days!  Needless to say, I took the message to heart, grabbed my camera & snapped pictures of my "babies", and laughed til' my side hurt.  It's one of those nights that will forever be etched in my memory!  :)

 

 

Trick or Treat!!!

                      

Trick or Treat!!

Halloween 2009! So much fun packed in one short night! We had a house of three excited children... and I think we heard "when will it get dark" more than 5 times! We had a fun little "Lilella" as she called it. She sure was a beautiful Cinderella! I think Lily would have worn anything just to be able to go out and get candy. She was so, so excited! Parker wanted to be something scary, and settled on a skeleton that had a pump to put fake blood inside the skeleton.  Such fun for an 8 year old boy!!  Ava wanted to be...well if you know Ava, you can probably guess what she wanted to be. I knew when I heard the words "I want to be Taylor Swift for Halloween" that it was going to be fun, but in the back of my mind...I knew I was also in for some trouble. I guess I know my sweet Ava all too well!! Goodness, she was so excited! She watched the video from "Love Story" so many times and she kept talking about about what she wanted to wear and how she was wanting to do her hair. I guess hearing all the talk about her "long" hair and how she wanted it to look just like Taylor's, I didn't address it too often. And when the actual day came, I sure wish I had!! Oh my, the things she wanted me to do with her hair. My sweet girl had so many visions of her "locks"... things that were virutally impossible. It made me feel so bad one minute and the next, so frustrated beyond words. But then a great thing happened!! 6:00 came... it was time for the hayride...and she was off! From that moment on...she was in heaven and it turned out to be a great time with the neighbors! Such a fun night, but definitely a night I will not soon forget! ;)

She loved to be Cinderella!  Loved twirling in the dress...

She's getting SO big!

Parker really wanted to be something much more scary than this, but we made a deal... he could buy the thing that had fake blood in it, and I could have a night without scaring Lily beyond words.  She does not like masks... and most were just too scary for a two year old!

Talk about getting old... I was just looking at pictures from when he was Pooh and Zach was Tigger...where have the years gone??

Miss Taylor herself

Love these little faces!!