Easter

I hope you had a wonderful Easter!  We visited my family for Easter vacation.  It started out awful as I was fighting a bad cold and we lost our sweet cat Higgs very suddenly and unexpectedly early in the week.  It worked out where we were able to take him to my parents' house to be buried with our other lost pets.  Here are the last pictures that I have of Higgs.  We had him for 10 years, and he is greatly missed.  :-(

Higgs in the red recliner

A rare moment when Higgs let Parker pet him while dozing <3

Murray and his buddy Higgs.  They had been pals since Murray was a kitten.

We really got into the Easter spirit this year and attended several egg hunts.  Parker had different reactions at each.  At his first egg hunt with Lily, Parker didn't know what was going on.  He enjoyed putting eggs in his basket and then emptying it out.  Our time at this carnival was cut short because he had a blow out.  What???  I thought we were past that stage!!

Patiently waiting for the hunt to start.  They exchanged baskets a few times.

Yay for a full basket!

And then we dump it out, right?!

At the next egg hunt at the church, they lined the babies up about 10 minutes early.  Parker did not understand why he had to wait to start hunting eggs.  He was ready to "Go!" and was upset that he wasn't allowed to grab.Just.One.Egg....PLEASE?!?!  By the time they said, 'Go," he was too upset to cross the line.

This egg is right there.  Can't I just grab it?

Filled his basket after a lot of coaxing.

The clowns were just too much!  EEK!

We again hunted eggs with my family the day before Easter.  Parker LOVED the Easter bunny.  From afar!

This guy is creepy!

Go!

Fun times

The fam (minus dada)

After the egg hunt, we played at the park and had a family chin-up contest.  The old guy put us all to shame!

Big

Titi (Auntie)

Mommy (Over the Easter break, Parker switched from calling me mama to mommy)

G

Dada/daddy

Caca (Uncle)

Parker had a blast playing with G

Parker loves a beam, and my dad and I worked on our dismounts.  10s all around!

 

Parker really wanted to get in the pool, but it was too cold

The weather wasn't great, so we developed an iPad addiction

We dyed and hunted Easter eggs at my parents' house.  This time during the egg hunt, Parker was really into it and enjoyed searching for eggs that were actually hidden as opposed to eggs laid out all over the grass like the previous "hunts."

Naked and happy

Ready, set, go!

 

Easter morning brought fun stuff from the Easter bunny!  Parker's favorite was a battery-operated bubble blower.

Easter goodies!

Hooray for a bubble blower

Happy Easter!

Despite colds, we had a great Easter holiday!  And based on these last pictures, you'd think that we were 100% country -- which is totally not true.  LOL!

Riding in the back of a pick-up truck

Helping Big with farm chores

Feeding the mini horses

Catching his first fish!

He still says "uh oh" when telling me the story about catching the fish and then watching him swim away

First time in a boat.  He wanted "more!"

(Almost) Free at Last!!

Tonight is my last night of regular work!!!!  I have to tie up some loose ends later in the week, but this is BIG!  I can't believe it and am so very happy. 

I can't wait to be like most stay-at-home moms who, upon getting their children to sleep, wind down, relax with the hubby, maybe take a few minutes for themselves, and then call it a night. I won't know what to do with myself when I can put Parker to bed and not go straight into my office.  Well, actually, I do!  I might take a bath and/or read a book, watch a movie with Himal, do a little cleaning, and get in bed before 1:00 in the morning.  Wahoo!!! 

I've been meaning to write a blog post on Parker's 1.5 year old development but haven't had time.  I hope to do that soon.  He's getting so big and learning so much.  It makes us so proud.  He's almost 20 months now; here's his belated 19-month picture:

He's such a silly ham!

He decided he's old enough for a big-boy swing.

He offers Gilligan a drink every night during bath.

He's obsessed with this big book of mine.

Today was beautiful but windy, so we decided to fly a kite.  Fun!

Happy St. Pat's!

I hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day!  It's been a while since I've posted because I am finally busy training my replacement at work!!!!  This is such a relief, and Himal and I can't wait for the day when I'm actually finished with my job.  Hooray!

There's a lot I'd like to blog about, but since it's after midnight (which is the only time I ever have to do such things), I'll just leave you with a few St. Pat's pics and show you our exciting new TRAIN TABLE!  Parker loves "choos," but I was hesitant about buying an actual train table because they take up so much room.  However, when I found a used one for dirt cheap today, I just couldn't resist, and I'm so glad I took the plunge!  I get endless delight from setting up the track in different ways, and Parker thought Christmas morning had arrived again when we set it up.  So fun!

The fam at a St. Pat's parade.  Parker enjoyed TWO lollipops at once!

Parker's BFF Lily was at the parade.  He loves playing with her.

However, Parker was not pleased when he shared his snack cup with Lily and she didn't return it promptly.

Dada bought P a remote control car.  Fun!

And took him for a ride in the wheelbarrow.  Double fun!

Parker and I shared a Shamrock Shake on St. Patrick's Day.  He loved it.

TRAIN TABLE!!   Choo choo!