So excited!

Guess who'll be starting lessons soon?!

Give Thanks

 Headed to church last Sunday

 Donatello and Darth Vadar getting ready to go to Kids Night Out at SAA

 Cruisin' through the leaves on Saturday

Celebrating Noah's 5th birthday yesterday

Just two of the reasons I'm giving thanks!

Church Boys

Happened Earlier

We had a ball watching Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day! I think I laughed harder than the kids.

These two are just too much. Ev and his Star Wars gear and Ry in his Ninja Turtle get-up. We went to three stores today looking for a bo staff to replace the one that he broke. He takes that thing everywhere and even sleeps with it. Thank God we found the last one on the shelf in Toys R Us ! 

NICU Visit

Last Sunday we drove up to New Haven to visit a church member who was hospitalized. We knew we couldn't make that drive and not stop in for a visit to the NICU. One of the nurses once told me to go home, raise my babies, and let go our days at the NICU. Send us notes and Christmas cards, she said, but let this place go. I have managed to do that, I think. I send them cards every year, and I haven't visited them in years, not since the twins' last follow-up appointment when they were two years old I think. We've lived our lives, but I will never completely let go of the Yale-New Haven Hospital. Those nurses and doctors took care of our children when we couldn't do so. They also took care of me and put up with me. I was not an easy mom to deal with! They knew that it was an extremely difficult time for parents and new parents in particular, so they were patient and kind. They taught us how to care for our babies, encouraged us, made me laugh when I really wanted to cry, and were just all-around phenomenal caretakers. Ryan and Evan know they were sick when they were born. They've seen the pictures and they ask a lot of questions. One of their questions is, "But how did we get in your belly?" Not really prepared to answer that one, but the others I can handle! When graduates go back to the NICU there is an announcement made, and if nurses and doctors  who've taken care of the babies are there and available they come out for a visit. We were thrilled to see some of our favorites.

This is Mary-Pat. She was actually with me when I delivered that morning. I had no idea who was there, but she later told me that she took care of me and that she heard my babies cry. Just sharing that was one of the best gifts anyone has ever given me.

Here are the boys with Christine (left) and Betty (right). I couldn't believe that we immediately remembered each other's names. Everything came rushing back and I started remembering things like they happened only yesterday.

They boys said thank you, talked about Halloween costumes and school,  and ran around playing a game of tag. The nurses said that that was the best thank you--to see the boys and how they've grown up and developed into happy, healthy, smart, and typical five year olds. They said that seeing them gave them chills. This is why they do what they do. Their work is not easy, and it's sometimes grim, but it matters. 

Perhaps this will turn out to be our last visit to the NICU. They'll continue to be on our Christmas card list and in our prayers, though. I know it was God who saved my babies, but I also know that He used the hands and minds of the nurses and doctors at Yale-New Haven Hospital to do so. We are eternally grateful.

Ball so Hard

Evan started talking about basketball a few months ago. He was so serious! He even came home talking about Lebron James and asking for Michael Jordan tennis shoes. Now this was a shocker because we don't watch sports at all and I had no idea he even knew the names of basketball players. Well, I finally found my baby a basketball clinic. It's a ten week program and this will get the boys ready for the winter league that starts soon. We go on Saturday mornings and it's a fun way to start the day. Ryan is also signed up, but he decided he didn't want to do it anymore. This was after he decided he didn't want to take guitar lessons anymore. Both boys are in soccer on Tuesdays, but Ryan sometimes wants to do it and sometimes he doesn't. What he really wants is to take piano lessons and I'm having the hardest time finding someone to teach him. Don't worry, though, Ry-Guy. Mommy's on it, and I'll have you in piano lessons in no time!

 I just had to gush over my baby's cute legs! 

My Ev-Man is probably the smallest thing out there, but that doesn't stop him at all. This kid has a lot of heart! I so admire this about him. He works really hard, and he's pretty good too. He listens to his coaches and he's never caused the team to have to run laps because he did something wrong! And though he has on the same outfit as he did in the previous post these were taken on different days. He loves basketball so much, that he always wants to wear his "basketball clothes!" 

Day to Day

I haven't posted in forever, but all is well with the Parker four. I've decided that I'm going to take more pictures, even if it's just of the day to day mundane things we do. I'm going to keep my camera in the kitchen (which is where I seem to LIVE, by the way!) and record our life. Even if we aren't dressed up and the house is looking "lived in" I'm going to shoot, because time moves so swiftly, and I need to capture as much of it as possible. Here's what we've been up to:

 Hanging out at Silverman's Farms

 Admiring fall and the fact that we grew these mums in our backyard!

 Making brownies

 R & E have been on a drawing kick lately!

Story time with Daddy. Their newest favorite book is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day.