I'm 18 months old today! That's a year and a half, people!!

Like Father, Like Son

What’s cuter than one Totten boy? Two Totten boys, of course! Parker just loves spending time with his papa and it looks as though David enjoys Parker a bit as well. Some have said that Parker is looking more like me these days, but just take a look at these pictures and try telling me Parker doesn't look a little like his papa.

  

So Close!

There once was the time when we could set Parker down anywhere, walk away, and know that he would still be in that exact same spot and in the exact same position when we returned. Friends, these days have passed. Parker has mastered rolling, which is his primary mode of transportation, but he’s experimenting with some more interesting strategies. There is the “get up on all fours and try to go forward only to push myself backward” strategy. This generally ends in being stuck underneath something. There is also the “get up on all fours and push with my feet only to do a face plant” strategy. This doesn’t usually end well either. Then there is the ever popular superman pose and the good old lean. Both are staples in Parker's repertoire, but not real effective when the goal is to move. While none of these strategies have proven to be super efficient yet, we’re confident that at some point he will figure out that in addition to pushing with his feet and moving his legs he also has to move his hands in order to crawl forward.

"Jogging" Stroller

Parker J went for his first ride in the big boy jogging stroller! Now, don’t be fooled by the name. Just because it is called a “jogging” stroller doesn’t mean any actual jogging took place. For one thing, Parker is too young to jog yet people. Now his mom isn’t too young to jog, but the side ache that ensued after increasing the pace to a brisk walk would indicate that we are not yet ready for jogging. Parker did kick his little legs with glee the entire ride, though, so he kind of looked like he was jogging.

Merry Christmas...In March?!

Hopefully better late than never applies in this situation because I just realized that no photos of Parker’s first Christmas were ever posted!!  We are blessed to have both sets of grandparents in the same town, which means when we head to Camas for the holidays we get to see everyone! The current routine is to spend Christmas Eve at the Totten house and Christmas Day with the Jackson/Deans. This year was no different (except for Tiny Tots joining us of course). Parker's first Christmas was a success in many ways. First, he got to cuddle with all his favorite people. Second, Christmas trees have lights on them and Parker is a BIG fan of lights. Third, he is use to taking naps so the mid-day Christmas nap was not a surprise to him. The biggest success of the day, though, was that Parker rolled over for the first time. In fact, it took so much effort for him to get from his back to his belly that the momentum brought him all the way over and on to his back again. We're not sure if he was more frightened by his new accomplishment or by the loud cheering that ensued. Either way, he calmed down quickly and we all had a Very Merry Christmas.


It’s okay, Parker. Uncle Gary was only kidding when he said you weren’t getting any presents this year.





Enough with the presents! I want some of Grandma Connie’s famous cinnamon rolls!!



Six Months Old!

Best kid ever, and he keeps getting older, crazy!  Six months old, can you believe that?!  Obviously, his neck is a lot stronger, his smiles are getting increasingly bigger, and apparently, his P90-x "Ripped Abs" exercise routine isn't really showing the desired effects.  Yet. 

Snow-mageddon!

Well, that was a pretty crazy week!  After a very tame winter so far, the weatherman finally had to earn his paycheck last week!  Of course, they were a full two days off for when the snow would come - but came indeed, it did!  We got a few inches and Seattle did the only thing that Seattle knows how to do when the white stuff falls...SHUT DOWN! 

I worked from home on MLK, Jr. Day, and we met up with the Kid Mafia (Mollie, Miles, Jack, Roark, Tatum, and Jesse) at Phinney Market up on Phinney Ridge for some happy hour food, drink, and catching up with good friends.  It was a lot of fun, started the week off right!  I'm actually kind of miffed why Microsoft doesn't take MLK, Jr. Day off in the first place - I'm taking it off from this point on, no matter what.  It's ridiculous, and fired me up for the entire day.  Thankfully, the Hueys reserved a table for 30 at the restaurant so I could wash away my anger with a nice amber and some soup....

Tuesday was when all the big weather was supposed to hit, which was concerning as I had half my team in town for something they call "Licensing University."  Yep, my job is pretty darned geeky if you have to have a "school" for four days to get people the 101 level information they need.  The problem is, they only offer this classwork once every year.  One of the gals on my team, while new to Microsoft, has worked with Microsoft licensing for years.  She could have written the syllabus.  Instead, she just distracted everybody, and then proceeded to lead a snow angel walk-out / revolt on Thursday with the rest of the students.  Go figure. 

Anyway, the snow didn't come on Tuesday.  I stayed in sunny Bellevue all day, even for a team dinner late that night...no snow.  But it was cold, and Wednesday brought the chaos!  I couldn't get off the hill on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, so I had to work from home.  Basically, Parker and I got to wear the matching PJ's Treva got us all and he listened to more conference calls in between naps...good times!

This snowstorm reminded us of our very first winter in Queen Anne, when we were snowed in and walked to Fremont with the beagle at least twice to meet the Hueys for drinks.  Thankfully, the snow wasn't as bad this time around, but we still had the good friends to meet up with for company!  Parker loved the snow.  Well, not really - he liked watching the snow, and he was so bundled up, he surely didn't feel the cold.  But watching the cars try and get by our house on McGraw was pretty fascinating for both Totten boys, and he'll remember it forever!

Good thing we have some indoor activities to keep him busy.....can't tell below if he's happy or not :).

dwt.