The Reluctant Pilgrim

Parks had his first little school program last week...something I've really been looking forward to! He can be a bit anxious about things, so I was a tad worried about how he would do when all eyes were on him. Well...check out the series of pics and you can see that the anxiety boiled over in his classroom BEFORE the performance when his teacher got him all dressed up for the show. The next several pics document where it all went wrong...started strong...missed the "sit down" cue and then crumbled. Teacher removed him from bleachers to console...tried 2 more spots to sit...one in his other teacher's lap. At the end of it all, he was just fine and felt he was the best pilgrim in the show. Ya know what...he was:)

First Haircut

OK...I feel a bit bullied, but I gave in...the boy did kind of need a haircut. I was dreading this a bit because I remember that after the first haircut, Parks looked ready for kindergarten...how can they look so much older with that little change in appearance?!?! G.G. went with me...I wasn't sure how it would go...Davis isn't the "sit still" type of kid that big brother was at this age. Well...he did GREAT! We went to the great new place right by the house. He got to sit in this super cool airplane and watch a video...he loved it!

And, yes...he looks like he's going into 2nd grade, all of the sudden:(

Big Game Hunter

Big news and big anticipation around here as Parks geared up for his first "hunting" trip last week. Papa Rock, Daniel and Parks camo-ed up and headed south to the deer camp for some "man time." Papa Rock was briefed before the trip that he was allowed to shoot Bambi...if, and only if, it was the buck of a lifetime...even then, he would be financially accountable for all of the necessary therapy to get Parks past the event (he is a VERY sensitive soul:). Well, Parks had a BLAST!!!! He got to ride on the high-up hunting truck (what do you call those things?!?!), sit in the blind and watch deer, roast marshmallows on the fire, and play with a few dead birds that Daniel shot (this actually shocked me that it didn't bother him...maybe he has some of that hunting blood yet!!). The trip was a hit...I think Papa Rock was a bit disappointed that Parks was way more interested in collecting rock and sticks then shooting a BB gun...don't fret, Papa Rock...he's only 3!!! There was one minor incident involving a splinter in Parks finger that occured (he reported to me that he was "very brave"...bit different from the report I received from Daniel and Papa Rock that he scared off all deer within 3 counties...), but other than that came home unscathed and ready to head back!

Trick-or-Treat!

Check out our super scary pirate and our little playmaker! We had to snap quick to get pics with Davis' pirate hat on...Park on the other hand want to wear his costume 24/7...cleats, eye black, shoulder pads, and all! He actually still has on the eye black from 2 nights ago...we're really not sure of a pain-free way to remove them. I guess we'll wait until they rot off:)

We spent the evening at our neighbor's house with good friends...kids were cuter than cute! We did manage to do a bit of trick-or-treating with the Hatters, but not much because Parks kept whining to go home...that's our boy!!!

Carving Jack

I love fall...this is just one of the reasons why:)

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch, originally uploaded by amyezunker.

Last Sunday we made the hour trek with G.G. out to Medina to check out this pumpkin patch I've heard so much about. I must admit I was regretting the plans that morning, due to all of the "fun" had at Allison's party the night before. But once we got out there, I was pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in this Norman Rockwell type setting with pumpkins, ponies, food vendors and hayrides...I loved it! It was a fantastic afternoon with lots to see and do: Parks rode a pony...I couldn't believe he actually did it (he's known to balk at the last minute on things like this!), they held a baby chicken...poor chicken, ate some good ol' festival food on quaint little picnic tables, danced indian-style around inside of a teepee, wandered a maze made of hay bales, and lastly...picked out a couple of pumpkins for carving:)

On the verge...

Davie-Doo is REAL impressed with his new trick...standing! How about that? He really knows he is doing something spectacular...you can tell by his super-big grin:) He's been doing this standing thing (not from the ground up yet...he has to start by holding on to something then letting go...does that make sense?) for a week or so now. Well, today I tried holding his hand...just the one...and letting him walk beside me. He walked all the way down the hallway to music class at church this morning!!! He was all ready to make his big entrance and impress all of his little friends, but when we FINALLY turned the corner...no one was there!!! First time in my life I've ever been early anywhere. Maybe next time! I'm betting that this boy is taking his first step sometime in the next two weeks...I'll keep you all posted:)

Family Heirloom

Check out this super cute little desk that my boys got handed down to them! It came from my mom's first cousin, M'liss...it was hers when she was a little girl. M'liss lives in Hawaii, but was here visiting her step mother. While here, she came across the desk in her SM's attic or garage and thought the boys might like it. She really wanted to keep it in the family. Well, let me tell you...the desk is a HIT! Parks has all of his crayons, markers, stamps, etc... tucked away in it and feels so "grown up" sitting there working. What a treasure! We will take good care of it and pass it on along when the time comes:)

Welcome Aunt Tasha

Big News! We have a new Aunt:) Johnny and Tasha FINALLY tied the knot, and what a lovely affair it was! It was a wonderful fall theme with hay bales and pumpkins everywhere. The weather and the scenery could not have been any more fabulous. And, of course, they had the most handsome ring bearer EVER!!! He was so, so, so, so cute and took his job very seriously...in true Parks fashion:) He was reluctant at rehearsal, but when the big moment came, he was ON! He was almost at the end of the aisle when those darn slippery shoes tripped him up. Yep, he fell all the way down...poor guy! He picked himself immediately up, but was embarrassed and just crumbled as he finished his way to his designated spot. Thankfully, Daddy was there to pick him up and comfort him. He got over it quickly and returned to his duties. Throughout all of the wedding festivities, Parks and the flower girl, Mackenzie, were busy becoming most enamoured with one another. By the time the reception hit, they thought they had gotten married and didn't let each other out their sights!! It was just adorable...they slowed danced all night and left the dance floor only to share a piece of wedding cake:)

I wish I had a pic of Parks with the bride...if I get my hands on one, I will be sure to post. Thanks to G.G. and Papa Rock who took over Davis duty for most of the weekend so that we could stay later and focus more on the wedding!

Catch Up!!!

Catch Up!!!, originally uploaded by amyezunker.

You know how you get so behind on something that you don't know where to start to catch up? Well, that's me with this blog...5 months behind! I do have somewhat of an excuse though...for those of you that don't know, there is another Baby Z around here these days...you can check out the newest addition here. This new baby has taken up a lot of the last 5 or 6 months. My task now is to CATCH UP here with the goings on with the boys. Here goes:

*Went to Mexico in July with BFFs and family...BLAST!
*Parks turned 3 in July.
*Davis turned 1 in September.
*Been to many Aggie games in September and October.
*Started back to school in September...Parks LOVES it, Davis tolerates it.
*Got a new aunt when Uncle Johnny and Tasha married last week...Parks was ring bearer...you've NEVER seen anything cuter (more on this later).

There, now that's a quick and dirty run down of the high points of the past few months. Now I can go back to posting the day-to-day events of our household:)

Meet Baby Lucy

Check out Parks with his own Baby Lucy. About 3 weeks ago, he picked this little bunny out to be his baby. I'm not sure why the bunny is the "chosen one" because he has at least a million choices. One night he showed up with the bunny wrapped up in one of Davis' burp cloths saying, "This is my baby!" We figured it was a fleeting thing, but he is still taking care of her:) Daniel convinced him that the baby needed a name, but no suggestion from Daddy was good enough. Finally, he decided that the name would be Baby Lucy...his BFF Katelyn's baby sister's name is Lucy, so I think it is SOOOO SWEET he thought of that!! He doesn't lug the bunny around all the time (thank goodness!), but he always puts her some place safe and goes to check on her from time to time. He'll put her in the exersaucer or the baby swing, and I'll hear him say, "I'll be right back." About a week ago, I kept noticing Parks' wastebasket in Davis' room. I just kept putting it back where it belongs. That mystery was solved when one day Parks told me, " Be VERY quiet, Baby Lucy is sleeping!" When I went to put something in Davis' room, I saw the wastebasket back in there with the baby nestled down in the bottom of it...its no longer a trashcan, but her bed! I forgot about this the other day and was scolded when I tried to put some trash in it:) It is so sweet how gentle he is with her...I love to watch him. He asked me if I wanted to hold her one day, then he told me, "but you have to be VERY careful!"

This little story and memory is not probably as exciting for Dad as maybe hitting his first homerun will be, but this just so much speaks to Parks' character. He is so gentle, kind and compassionate. He might lash out every once in a while, but he always feels genuinely bad when he knows he's upset someone. Sometimes we worry about how he will handle the usual playground/locker room banter when he gets older, but hopefully we will be able to help him thicken his skin just enough to not let it hurt...I definitely don't want him to loose that soft heart of his:)

7 Months

Davis is 7 months old. Two very monumental (yes, monumental!!) things to report that have happened just in the past few days:

*Today at music class, he sat up all by himself for several minutes. I was right behind him, so I'm not sure he even knew what he was doing. We haven't been practicing this much (bad mom!!), so I'm surprised to see how stable he was.

*The night before last I noticed Davis doing a kind of army crawl, using only his arms. He would move his little arms forward, put his head against the ground and scooch with all his might. He only ever got an inch or so, but that's forward progression!!! Last night, we practiced a bit more by putting toys in front of him to go for and he's really getting pretty good. Next thing you know, he'll be on his way! Wait, why am I so excited about this??? Mobility and lack of knowledge of danger don't mix well...we'll have to re-babyproof the place.

These days he is also:

*Eating real food 3 meals a day: cereal/fruit for lunch, veggie and fruit for dinner, and whatever I grab for lunch. He's down to about four 7 ounce bottles a day.

*Trying to move his bedtime and waketime up a bit...bed around 7:30 or 8, and up around 6:30. He was sleeping until 7:30, so this is NOT a welcome change!

*Getting a new tooth on top. He still only has the two on the bottom, but chewing like crazy on everything...more must be coming!

*A BIG, BIG boy...not sure how much he weighs now, but at his 6 month appt. he was 18.8 lbs. I think that's much more now since he's since started solid food (and LOVING it!).

*Cuddling up every night with his little stuffed froggie...so cute!! He doesn't take a binky much, so this is his night-night friend. When we go to check on him, he almost always has his arms around him:)

*Getting a more consistent napping schedule: 10-12 and 3-5. Parks sleeps from about 1-4, so Mama doesn't get out much!

*Still super happy most of the time...such an easy smile. I love, love, love those sweet dimples!!

*Still in love with Big Brother...we all pale in comparison!

At the zoo...

Daddy came home early last week and took us to the zoo. We've been several times in the past, but not since last summer and Parks just LOVED it this time!! We had fun walking around (although every elementary school kid in SA was there...note to you all planning a trip to the zoo: go around 2:30 when the school kids are gone!!). There is a new Africa area of the zoo with hippos, lions, zebras, etc...pretty neat! Davis was content just strolling along and chewing on his monkey. Parks was pretty taken with everything...have to make many more trips this summer.

Parks and Katelyn

One of Parks' very favorite people in the whole world is Katelyn. They met when they were about 9 months old at a class at the zoo. They really took to each other right away, and its been fun to watch them grow up together. Ashley, Katelyn's mom, and I always laugh at how they are so "monkey see-monkey do" when they are together at Little Gym or in music class. Whatever one does, the other is pretty close behind. This has been great for Parks, given his cautious nature...no risks made by this boy (might be glad of this later in life!!). Katelyn is not scared of anything, so when they are together, Parks gets a bit bolder...just to keep up! I remember once we were all at the Park while the daddies were playing basketball...the kids had to have been barely 2. Katelyn was wondering off from where we were pretty far (yes, we were watching!!! We were curious to see how far she would go...all VERY safe:) Well, Parks was right on her heels. I kept saying that he'll turn back because he wouldn't DARE go too far from Mama...WRONG!! He followed Katelyn all the way around the corner of the school (seriously...this was within 100 yards and fenced in...we WERE watching!!!) and we finally had to go bring them back. Doesn't seem like much if you don't know Parks, but he is pretty much a rule-follower and, again, NOT a risk taker...Katelyn brings up his confidence level, and I love that! The other night, Katelyn and her family came for dinner. We set a little table special for the kids, and they LOVED it!!! It was so funny watching them bump their glasses and say "CHEERS!" I love looking back at these pics...Ashley and I joke about how cute they will be in their wedding video:) Such good times with such good friends!

Where did my baby boy go??????

I've heard it a trillion times, but I now know what everyone means...they DO grow up soooooo fast! Parks is only 2 1/2, but I can already envision him packing up for college...crazy, I know. Any mom out there gets where I coming from. Let me just brag for a minute on my boy...he is smart as a whip. A few recent examples:

*He can sing his ABC's perfectly, and even ends with the "now I know my ABC's song"...this is good for 2, right??!

*The other night in the tub, Davis was chewing on a foam shaped 2. Parks said, "Davis is learning the number 2"...how did he know that was a 2?!?!?

*Yesterday we made our rounds of birthday parties. One of the favors was a magnetic fishing set. He's had fun playing with it. This morning he went and got some of his Thomas trains to fish for. Not so brilliant to the untrained eye, but he had made the connection that if the fishing magnet can pick up these fish that have magnets, they must be able to pick up the trains that also have magnets. See...brilliant!! (Whoever is reading this better not be rolling their eyes!!!)

Parks really is something else...he is constantly saying something that makes us go, "How in the world did he know that!?!?" I really can't remember when he couldn't talk, and I swear that his brain is always ticking. He studies everything so closely and asks questions all the time that show us that he's thinking.

Aside from his obvious brilliance:), he is pretty much a regular 2 year old. "NO!!" is his favorite word...Daddy is actually running a boot camp today to address this...good luck!! He has become somewhat of a finicky eater...what he loves today, he might not touch tomorrow. A few of his favs are steak, any fruit, and G.G.'s oatmeal. He won't touch most any veggie, except corn on the cob and sometimes a pea or two. He's addicted to cartoons...Oswald being his favorite, followed by Little Bill and Max & Ruby. We try to leave the TV off because he goes into a catatonic state while watching and throws a fit when you change it...even if its been on for hours!!!

We adore this little guy and love watching him grow up...just don't grow up too fast, Parks!

We love our G.G.

How lucky we are that we have all of our grandparents right here in town! I love that the boys are going to grow up knowing them all so well. They spend every Monday with G.G. and Papa Rock while I'm at work. Grandma and Pop pick them up from school on Wednesdays, so they get to spend that afternoon with them each week. We are so fortunate to have such great family...that they are so close is such a bonus! This pic is from our Easter weekend...definitely going in a frame:)

Cousins

Parks really enjoys spending time with his cousins. They are always so sweet to both of the boys and are so patient with them. They always remember them at special times, too. For Valentine's Day, they sent them each a little snuggly toy and some candy for Parks. For Easter, they brought them cute little bunnies and chocolate rabbits. Right after we got back to SA from our Easter weekend, Parks and Davis got a note in the mail from Ella with a little book...what a surprise!!! Thanks, Ella...it made Parks' day:) We're looking forward to spending more time together over the summer...swimming, hanging out, and maybe Sea World???? Fun times to come!