2009- Three Years Old and Almost Growed Up

Happy New Year everyone! I apologize for how long it has taken me to post my first 2009 message, but life has been busy...again. We spent New Years and Hailey's third birthday in Idaho with the Maupin family. It was a wonderful trip- busy, fun filled, and went by entirely too quickly. This was Parker's first time meeting his aunts and uncles and cousins, and I'm pretty sure he captured all their hearts. Hailey was fabulous, proving that she is indeed a professional performer.

We celebrated Hailey's big THREE on New Years Day with a party at Blast Off. This is the same place we had her first b-day party, and the only place open in Idaho Falls on New Years.

Of course we started the day with TONS of presents!

Each of our three suitcases gained 10 pounds on the way home :)

She really is a princess!

Parker and Mom are ready to PARTYYYY!!!

I could barely even get her to stop to look at the camera she was having so much fun.

Monkey child.

Matthew has gotten so big since we last saw him. Hailey had a great time with him.

The birthday girl. Time for more presents, lots of sugar, and tons of smiles. I can't believe my girl is three. Sometimes I am sure she was just born yesterday and then other days I'm confident she must be a teenager already...lord help me.

It was all too much for Jona and Parker.

On Sunday, we had Parker dedicated in Papa and Grandma's church. We did the same for Hailey when she was little. Jona and I are asked to dedicate ourselves to raising Parker surrounded by God's love. We pledge to teach him to live in the lord's image. And we get to say thank you for such an amazing blessing.

And is he ever a gift. This little boy is amazing, laid back, happy, fluffy, simply wonderful. We are so lucky to be given the opportunity to teach him how to be a good man.

On the way to lunch with everyone, Hayden asked if he could babysit Parker.

Not sure if that's going to work out.

We finally got some good snowfall, after it just being RIDICULOUSLY cold. So Hailey, Jona and I headed to the local park for some sledding. Hailey was the only one with snow pants and boy were we jealous!

The hill was solid ice under a shallow layer of snow. Getting up it with two sleds and a slippery, but well padded, three year old was not easy.

First she went with dad...

then she went with mom...

and then she was totally over us and wanted to go by herself. Little daredevil couldn't get enough.

She would climb on the sled, lay down, grab on, and go, go, go. And then she would roll off the sled and sink up to her knees in snow and ice and laugh her frozen fanny off.

Jona and I went to dinner, just the two of us. Amazing, I know. And we came home to an impromptu jam session in Papa and Grandma's room. There was singing,

dancing,

and all together wowing of the crowd.

Actually, there was a lot of singing.

Parker could only take so much.

But the party continued.