Bike Riding Baby

Here is Levi hanging out while Jared was getting our bikes ready to go for a ride--he loves bike riding so much that even wearing his helmet is fun, because it means we must be going riding soon! He looked particularly goofy in this outfit combo, though. It's a good look for him.

Bike Riding Dude

Parker learned to ride his bike without training wheels about a week before his fifth birthday, and we are so proud of him. These photos and videos are from that day--they show his very first few times riding all by himself! We took him down to the playground at the elementary school, and he "got it" so quickly. He was having so much fun, he just kept saying, "Again! Again!" It was awesome to see him excited and happy--he wasn't timid or scared at all, and the few spills he took didn't phase him. He became an official bike rider that day, and just gets better and better every time he rides. His favorite thing is to ride on dirt trails, so we're trying to think of some easy, flat trails (with the occasional fun dip or bump) near us to ride on--which is great, because it feels a lot safer to ride without cars around, and falling onto dirt feels a lot softer (and more fun) than concrete. I think he's going to be a great mountain biker :) We're really looking forward to going on bike rides as a family, even Levi absolutely loves to ride in the baby seat on Jared's bike! 

Paige, Parker and Jared Videos

I have a lot of older family videos sitting around my computer. I've always wanted to find the time to make them really nice but I might not ever find that time. My plan (at least for tonight) is to edit them quickly and post them here on the blog and when I have enough I'll make a DVD. Better to have a mediocre video then no video at all right? 

What better way to start these off then with a super special dance video of Parker from Mexico 2008.

Five Years Old!

Parker turned five years old on Saturday the 3rd! It really felt like a special birthday to me this year--five just feels like such a milestone. He's really growing up a lot lately. We decided to spend a day at the zoo to celebrate this year, and thanks to Dee and Niki we were able to enjoy the day with a whole group of family! When Parker woke up on the morning of his birthday, the first thing I heard him say (at about 6:20 am) was, "I'm five years old today!" it was really cute--cute enough to make me smile rather than just groan at being woken up so early :) We had a birthday breakfast celebration at Dee and Niki's house--Parker chose crepes for his special birthday breakfast, which Jared made for all of us. We stuck five candles in a fully loaded crepe for Parker in lieu of a cake. He was so excited to open his presents that he barely made it through the whole breakfast. We headed off to the zoo later that morning, where Nate, Lisa, and Alex met us by lunchtime; we all trekked back and forth around the zoo until closing time, where we wrapped up the day with a trip to the incredibly crowded gift shop. We finished off a long, fun, beautifully sunny day with a big dinner, and then it was off to bed for some much-needed rest for all of us. And so we begin a new year for Parker...

Thank you to every one, friends and family, near and far, for helping to make Parker's fifth birthday so much fun and so special!!

Zoo photos to come another day! There are of course tons to go through...

Parker's Garden

Dee came up last week to help Parker implement a garden plan that he designed while playing at her house (it's hard not to be inspired by her garden, even for an almost-five year-old!). She arrived bearing all sorts of gifts, from lots of succulents to a hanging basket to a birdhouse and a solar light-up dragonfly. They spent the afternoon placing his plants and rocks just right in his own spot in the back yard. He is really proud of it, and it looks great! Then Dee spent the rest of the afternoon pulling both of the boys around the back yard in her garden wagon--both boys loved it so much that they fought over whose turn it was! Luckily, Levi became distracted by the hose, although his curiosity got the best of him when he turned it and pointed it directly in his face so he could get a closer look...

Lil' Buddies

Okay, well, Parker and Levi actually seem to be at odds with one another most of the time, but there are moments that give me hope that they will be buddies one day... Levi goes absolutely bananas over brushing his teeth, it might be his greatest source of excitement besides seeing and/or talking about dogs these days. I think he especially loves brushing his teeth because he sees that it's something special that Jared and Parker do together every night, so Levi just has to have in on the action. The worst part for him, though, is having to give his toothbrush back at the end of the session! Levi has also jumped on the "must have a yogurt to eat first thing in the morning, every morning" train with Parker. As soon as he hears Parker say, "I want a yogurt" (which, I assure you, is every morning without fail), Levi also runs eagerly to the refrigerator making sounds of desperation mixed with excitement. Parker helps Levi pick out one of his baby yogurts, then Levi heads to their kitchen drawer and picks out a spoon. Let the yogurt eating commence.

15 Months Old