Long distance and a best friend

Since moving to Idaho I have been so lucky to keep in constant contact with some of my long high school and college girlfriends. And I am so grateful for that.

Today a special package arrived..........

Bridger was very curious to find out who it was from. So when daddy got home we got down to business reading the To and From to Bridger.

To: Bridger
From: Auntie Maren

We shook the box, made a few guess and then it was time to tear into it.

Bridger got his very own sorting box. How does such a good friend know EXACTLY what Bridger's favorite toy is over at Grandma and Grandpa Parsons? and now he has his own here at our house.

And of course a package from Auntie Mern is not complete without the cutest outfit possible for this young strapping gentleman. So Cute!

Bridger is excited for the day he visit Washington, D.C. He has his outfits picked out just for Auntie Mern, his bow tie is ready for President Obama and his smile is from ear to ear.

We love you Maren, and miss you tons.
xoxo

Thank you,
Bridger, Alanna and Ben

Gastroenteritis

The doctor thinks that Bridger has Gastroenteritis. So mommy stayed home and tried my hardest to nurse this baby back to health today.

We had another spat with the diarrhea at 4 am and 9am and the never ending vomiting returned after a light dinner of applesauce and a little yogurt at 5pm tonight.

So tomorrow will be spent staying hydrated and lots of cuddles.

Since Bridger is missing school we had a little school time today at home :)

1. working on fine motor skills

2. independent play which included throwing the letters around follow by lots of jabbering.

3. the most important part of our lesson..... reflecting on his creation.

O the joys of our boy!

watching the world through the eyes of my baby

today was a great day.

We aren't 100% back to normal but we are getting there. By mid afternoon we were revving to get out of the house and enjoy some of the beautiful weather that Boise is having.

Since Bridger didn't nap for more then 30 minutes for both naps, this mama was antsy to get out of the house and burn some of the energy that he had.

Today we went to the park, the BIG park.

And Bridger went swinging for the first time.

His eyes did all the talking. and I just watched him as he took in the whole world around him. It was beautiful. The smiles were so pure and he couldn't stop jabbering and watching all the people around him.

He even met a little girl who was two years old, and according to her mom she weighed 23lbs and my boy is almost 24lbs at 11 1/2 months. But the two of them just couldn't stop watching each other. Every time we moved from slide to slide she would run up to him and they would just stare and smile at each other.

So cute.

The wind started to pick up so we weren't able to stay as long as I had planned but we had a blast. While walking back home we had an encounter with a few ducks, which might I add Bridger laughed and pointed and just couldn't get enough of.

Love this little, curious, and smart little guy. Thanks for a great Sunday big boy.

*Side note** Today I boxed up all of Bridger's 6-9 month clothes and it was definitely hard to fight back a few tears. I can remember it like it was yesterday when I was washing all of his 0-12 month clothes and hanging each and every piece up wondering who my little boy was going to be and what his personality would be like.

Bridger,
Mommy is more and more amazed by you and my heart is overfilled with a love that no words can describe. I love you so much and you make your daddy and I so proud.
xoxo,
mommy

flu bug. part 2

Just when I was saying how we were "so" lucky that we didn't get the sickness too bad this year, the flu bug hit.

And it hit hard. Right at 11pm last night.

I started feeling a little rumble in my tummy as we were leaving Grandma and Grandpa Parsons house last night. (It was the first of many Friday night Fish Fry's for Lent this year.) I chalked it up to a little extra (TMI) gas. Bridger fell asleep with no problem on the ride home and I laid him down to sleep.


Two peas in a pod

Right around 11 o'clock at night I heard the dreaded throw up sound.

I quickly picked Bridger up and the next thing I knew I was covered, he was cover and the bed was covered in throw up. I stripped the sheets, started a load of laundry, re dressed him, re dressed myself and tried to go back to bed.

I could hear the rumble in my tummy start to pick up again a few hours later and as I tried to feed Bridger since he was making noises like he was hungry the next thing I knew I was puked on all over again.

Stripped the bed again, ran out of bed sheets, recovered the bed in towels and blankets, dressed ourselves in fresh clothes, rocked the baby and then finally called my husband. I could tell in his voice that he was a little shaken that I had called so late. I felt helpless a little bit. I had a sick baby, that didn't want to be put down and wanted to be held up right ALL night long, I was exhausted and the emotions took over.

By morning I thought we were doing better but little did I know that the diarrhea was about to start for both of us. No fun. Bridger didn't eat much, which is a given, but I tried to push as much liquid into him as I could.

He had a slight fever all day, but nothing that went over 100.4.

Right around 6 tonight he FINALLY wanted to play with his toys and his personality started to come out.

I am really praying that tonight goes better and he wakes up feeling a lot better. Let's just pray that our neighbor stops hammering/ drilling/ sawing sometime soon. :) O the joys of living in a suburban neighborhood.

Here's a quick picture one of the mom's from my class sent me. How cute is this?

Valentines Day

Love.

What better holiday then a love holiday. All day from the time I woke up and got Bridger ready to the time that I laid him down for bed we celebrated love (not that we don't do that everyday, today was a little extra special).

I am pretty big on holidays since I tend to celebrate most of them in my classroom with my kiddos who are less fortunate and don't typically celebrate it at home.

And today was no exception.

I am sure most of my students parents enjoyed picking their child up with a sugar high. That's the glorious part of school celebrations, have a party, share lots of memories/laughter and then send them home.

Bridger dawned his mustache/heart onesie and he even received his very first valentine from his pal Hudson.

Hudson is such a wonderful little fellow and is so thoughtful and caring! Thank you big man!

Today at school we had a contest to raise money so that we can continue our AR program and so the classes that raised the most money got to vote on which teachers they wanted to "kiss the goat."

Well my class won for Kinder and 1st grade, so who do my students choose (out of all the staff members....Mrs. Parsons :) O they were so excited when they found out on the morning announcements that their teacher was going to have to "kiss the goat".

I had to wear the GO CAMERA!

Me not so excited, but I still dawned my beauuuuuuuutiful smile for all of them!

Around lunch time I was in the office chatting with a few co-workers when the flower delivery lady came in..... of course all of us were eager to find out who they were for. When one of the girls asked who they were for the lady replied, "Alana (pronounced that way:) Parsons..... I was pretty shocked.

My wonderful husband has never sent flowers to work and these flowers were no ordinary flowers they included some of the flowers that I had at our wedding.

He did good!

I'm pretty sure my little girl giddiness was in full affect all day long! It's hard not spending holidays with your spouse and so this was extra special to me.

Picking Bridger up I had an extra pep in my step. As I turned the corner to his classroom there he was on all fours like a bear walking half naked giggling and chasing from another little girl in his class. Such a happy boy! This week has been AMAZING according to his teachers, naps are going great and he is back to his Bridger boy self. Ms. Emily said that he even got to try a little coconut candy.... but he didn't like it!

So tonight Bridger and I celebrated Valentines together, Mother and Son, eating watermelon, laughing and playing hid and seek, bouncing for joy and lots of tickle time. We miss daddy so much but each day that goes by we are one day closer to having him home for good!

Happy Valentines to you.

little moments

It's the little moments that we share that make my heart feel full and my love abundant.

Last night daddy fixed us dinner (chicken fajitas) and tonight after dinner there was a game of ball throwing and hide-and-go-seek.

Nothing is better then when it is us just living in the moment and enjoying our little boy.

Most people know that I love Brad Paisley so it's fitting that when I hear his songs I seem to relate to them in one way or another.

Today it was the song little moments.

It's those moments when you realize just how lucky you are to have such wonderful people in your life.

A quick update: Bridger had a great nap at daycare. No cries, and went down without any issues.

Yay!