Parker's 10th Birthday Party

Parker's 10th birthday party started off with a soccer game. Then they transitioned over to the baseball diamond for a bit of baseball. And that was followed up by hotdogs, chips, watermelon, and cupcakes. It was a big sports extravaganza and by the end everyone was exhausted from the fun. Happy Birthday Parker!!

Parker Turns Ten!

Parker at 10 Years Old
Height: 55.3in (60%)
Weight: 67lb 10oz (40%)

Parker is now double digits! How could it be that he came into this world a whole decade ago?! It is amazing to see Parker evolve as a person and it's fun to see bits of baby Parker, toddler Parker, and little boy Parker still in him now at ten years old. He's bigger and arguably more mature, but still the same little guy that made us parents. He's still a curious observer who wants to know how and why things work the way they do. He's still caring and full of love. And even though he isn't a baby anymore, he will always be our baby. Parker requested a frozen yogurt cake with his face on it for his birthday dessert along with a menu for each meal of the day. See below for what that looked like. And here is a little bit more about ten year old Parker. He...

• still loves to snuggle and read together before bed.
• often asks for back scratches and back massages.
• loves to make people laugh and can be very, very silly. We continue to work on when and where this is appropriate.
• did an amazing job with virtual learning while schools were shut down for Covid. In fact, he said that he thinks it may have been his favorite school year. He did have the most amazing teacher and a really great cohort of kids in his class. Plus, he did kind of benefit from doing school without all the distractions of the classroom.
• continues to work on keeping his focus where it needs to be at any given moment. He can often identify this on his own now, though, which we hope is a step in the right direction. 
• still loves to sing and hum and generally make noise.
• has been showing signs of adolescence and the attitude that often comes with it.
• has gotten really good at playing the piano. His favorite parts are improvising and playing fast.
• loves raspberries, pizza rolls, and frozen yogurt.
• very much dislikes mushrooms, squash, and asparagus.
• is a really great big brother when he wants to be.
• really likes to make comments about what everyone else is doing, what they should be doing, and what they shouldn't be doing. At least he can identify those things for other people?
• still loves to play with stuffed animals with his brothers. Recently he officiated a wedding between his favorite stuffed dog, Fluff, and his stuffed bunny, Bean.
• is very excited about getting taller and loves that he can jump and touch the top of the doorways in our house. There are lots of fingerprints to prove it.
• is becoming a really good soccer player! So much so that we finally gave in and signed him up for Seattle United, a competitive youth soccer program. So far he's loving all the practices and he's played well in a couple of tournaments this summer. This kid is a goal scoring machine and we hope he continues to love the sport. 

Happy 10th Birthday Parker! We are so proud of you!

P.S. Parker Turns Nine, Birth Announcement  

Backyard Bunny

We have a bunny that seems to have fallen in love with our yard. He visits multiple times a day, eating the clover and resting. The boys have named the bunny Twitchit and sometimes they'll just pull up a chair and watch for their new friend. 

Golf Camp...Again

The big boys were back at Interbay Golf Camp and it continues to be voted their favorite camp! Monroe isn't old enough for this camp yet, but we still snuck in some mini-golf together.

 

Finn's 9th Birthday Soccer Party

 

Peter Fewing Soccer Camp

It was a glorious day when all three boys got to go to the same summer camp!

Lake Chelan for the 4th of July

Back to Lake Chelan with the Johnsons for the 4th of July and back to the Lakeside Units at Wapato Point! What the condos lack in amenities and general taste in decor, they more than make up for in location. Our units were just steps from the pool and the lake, and the view could not be beat. 

The major bummer of the trip was that Reid broke his leg just before and his hip to toe cast kept him from taking part in most of the normal activities - pool time, soccer games, mini golf, and swimming in the lake. He did get to play a lot of video games, though, which the other boys were more than willing to spend time doing with him. Sometimes it took a bit of effort to tear the other kids away from the screen for...hello...a pool and a lake just outside our doors! 

The kids did still get after some activities in the sun and it's neat to see their friendships develop. Conway and Reid have always been besties and that hasn't changed. Parker and Finn have gotten more tight so that's pretty fun. Monroe and Ella can be kind of cute together, but they're still working on it. And just like that, another trip to Chelan is in the books!  

P.S Fun in the Chelan Sun

Reid's 7th Birthday with the Mariners