Post for AP's or those who enjoy some funny comments

Insisting on feeding myself, he is understanding the spoon!

Since next week marks THREE months home with Parker and I got a good laugh out of some cultural comments with my stylist last week. I thought I would share some funny comments I have gotten from randoms...seriously, I am over being offended, just laugh to myself and try to educate when I can.


From the librarian: He looks like that chef, you know the one on TV?

In my head: Who Masharu Morimoto, Ming Tsai, Yan can Cook, Bobby Flay?? I think he looks like a baby?

From many: Is he having trouble with English?

In my head: Why yes, he is having difficulty with ALL languages since he is ONE!

From many store clerks: Boy he looks tired...

In my head: Maybe his eyes look different than yours..he's wide awake!

From a few people: So is he from North Korea?

In my head: Yes, and we had a lovely trip to NORTH Korea....



From a nosy JLI member who overheard me talking about one of my baby showers: I did not think you had a shower for an adoption!



In my head and out loud: Unfortunately, he did not arrive from Korea with a complete nursery.

Additional April Showers

It is interesting that time seemed to stand still in January, right before our travel call. Recently, I feel as if our life is on fast forward. Saturday, Parker was the guest of honor at a shower thrown by my Junior League provisional class. Jim and I had a great time visiting, Parker got some generous gifts, and showed off with is new walking skills. I realized I had not taken any pictures as we were headed home. Thank you so much ladies, it was so sweet of you!

Today we took Parker and Megan (our black lab) to the Mutt Strutt, a walk to benefit the Indianapolis Humane Society. Unfortunately, it was pouring on the two mile race...but ponchos and all we still walked the track. The walk was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (you know the 500). Jim was excited for me to see the track in person (I have seen it numerous times from the air) and I told him I thought it would be...well...shineier...Let me be blunt, I have no desire to attend a car race, and if Parker wants to go when he's older I assume Jim will gladly take him.

Since I am running the 500 mini-marathon in two weeks, I will be running the two mile stretch of track in two weeks. The ticker on my blog is taunting me, less than two weeks. I have been a bit of a running slacker. I told Jim, my new motto is if the people on the Biggest Loser can finish a half marathon, I can too. I know I can finish, I was looking forward to beating my time but realize that may not happen.

Some pictures from our soggy day...

Some KD Alumni Friends and Dogs
Parker, Jim, and Meg taking a break from the rain

Mom covered me in a poncho because she forgot a blanket

Random Photo from this week...

Notice there is no Parker in the picture. This week Parker found this jack-in-the-box amongst his toys. Since I am a mean Mommy, I was taking pictures. He was TERRIFIED of the toy and would RUN every time it popped up. The next day he noticed it in his room and slowly moved away from it.

I found a really cute sock monkey costume that I wanted him to wear for Halloween, I hope he does not make the connection.

Thrill of the Hunt

As promised photos...

New hat

Stop it Mom...

Done

Laughing at Dad mowing the grass

My new car, Thanks Misty!

Does anyone else shop for sport? Defined by shopping for pure want, not need, and looking for a true find (often discount..makes it much more of a score!). Well, that has been my passion for the past, well...15 or so years. When I find an item that I consider special my pulse quickens, I hold it for a bit, walk around with it to see if it is something I cannot leave the store without (ie. some cute Lily P sandals, a Juicy cover up..these have all made the cut). Turns out, research shows, that holding an object makes us more likely to buy it, great.

For the past year, the shopping was on hold (well mostly) unless it was a necessity (okay, yes I bought clothes for Korea, holidays, etc. ) I am BACK, I was stalking the racks looking for items that I must take home. There were a few scores, Kate Spade aviators, Seven Wedges, Nanette Lapore dress....sadly, only the aviators made the cut. We do plan to adopt again and I do not want to have to eat ramen for a year )Parker does love ramen :)

We ran back into baby gap (yes they know us by now, the woman took my packages when I got in so I could shop) to get P some aviators, they were too big but I want them for next year. I planned to use the gift card I had to get me these cute gray linen shorts...but I spent it all on P...sigh. Since he is so cute I will post photos of him in the madras jacket and bear hat (true find at 3.99) later.

He is starting to walk more, especially when he wants things. I had to DRAG him out of Borders today. He thought it was hysterical to walk around the children's area.

Please tell me I am not the only one? What were some great finds for you???

April Shower

Friday brought us better reports at his one time per week daycare, there were less tears and a nap, sounds good to me. I did learn that you need to buy your children shoes based on their development (ie. no hard shoes learning to walk). How would I know? So our trip to the stride right and found out Parker has an extra wide foot. Awesome, he will never be able to wear the darling Ralph Lauren shoes, or the trendy tennis shoes. Poor guy...

My parents came for the weekend and we had a late dinner Friday night (long story, someone was taking too much time shopping) For once, the shopper was not me. My Dad and Jim did not allow me upstairs in Nordstrom, only allowed to look for Parker! So our table was given away and we were given a booth, meaning Parker sat in a booster. He did amazing, through a 4 course meal he sat still and colored (nothing legible) and we did not finish until 10:45pm, waaay past his bedtime.

Saturday, my Mom and I walked in the Race for the Cure. I have a dear friend who lost her mother to breast cancer and my MIL is a 14 year survivor! So Parker, my Mom, and Bailey the beagle joined over 50,000 others in downtown Indianapolis. After, we shopped and cooked out at home.

Sunday was a shower, thrown by my MIL, in Jim's hometown. I had the opportunity to sit with a HOLT Mom, who adopted her DD 38 years ago! The same agency in Korea that handled Parker's adoption. Parker was darling at the shower and so well behaved. Jim's family and friends were very generous!

Look at the pom pon on his hood :)
After Race for the Cure, with Bailey

No, no doggie (Parker will say it and shake his finger)

No high chair!

Trying out my new wagon from Grandma Persic

Looking at my gifts

Pictures and Popsicles

I had another great day at work, however, I have quickly settled into the SAHM role and am ready to go back. Luckily, this is just one week of full time training. I came home to happy baby who had went to story time and our adoption agency to pick up some photos that had arrived from Korea! I was excited to receive a package from some members of the Kappa Delta National Leadership Team (I stepped down from my position when Parker came home, but I miss it!) There was an adorable polo and a generous gift card, Thanks Ladies!

Jim and I just watched an episode of Modern Family, where the children were embarrassed by their parents. I asked Jim what age he thought I would start to embarrass Parker. He laughed and said Parker will always have an out, he can tell others..."I have no idea who that crazy blond lady is, my Mom is Korean"...haha

Sore throat, he got to eat a popsicle, all by himself

Yogi, Parker loves frozen yogurt (so does Mom)

He didn't seem to recognize Omma

Look how sweet, we sent him that outfit!

One Spotted Boy

Let me sum up the day...

Jim texts me that Parker has a rash, he decides it is from a new shirt

I text back to put cortisone cream on the rash

Mom gets home, the poor little guy is COVERED in a rash, we hit up the walk in hours at the pediatrician office

One swab later...Parker has strep...yes one day of daycare and STREP!

Parker is doing great and his appetite has not been affected, nor his flirting skills (he made sure two girls noticed him in CVS...I am in trouble!)

Easter Remix

Today we celebrated Easter with Jim's side of the family. The plan was to have a family dinner at his parent's house, however his Mom had a busy weekend and we ended up eating at The Roadhouse (sigh, I am the only non-meat eater). Parker loved the pretty severs, he kept smiling at one, so I had to tell her he loves the ladies.

Parker and Mama, I promise we do other things besides eating..

Parker was thrilled to meet Bonnie, my in-law's Westie, and she loved him. When Bonnie barked, Parker shook his finger and said 'no, no doggie" he learned this from reprimanding his naughty chocolate lab! He also met, Ronnie, who is a retired K-9 dog. Ronnie is a beautiful German Shepard, from the Czech Republic, that worked with my BIL.

Parker was introduced to hunting for eggs, since they were on the grass, he was hesitant. When he realized they contained chocolate and jelly beans he braved the green stuff. We made him walk to the jelly bean and he did it! Of course, once he sat down he made the eeeaaaooohh noise. As one set of cousins was getting ready to leave, Grant (who is 15 months old) was getting kisses. Parker realized no one was looking at him so he started in with the MMMMMM! He refused to let others hold him, so it was a look but don't touch!

Jim and I are switching roles this week, he is taking some use it or lose it vacation time and I am a working women. I have a week of hospital boot camp (as the other counselors have called it).

I love jelly beans!

Welcomed Weekend

This is the face of a little boy who poured the dog's water bowl over his head....

As depicted above, we had a long week. I began my part time schedule at the hospital (I think I am going to love the new position, basically psych unit admission. The others counselors seem to share my sense of humor as a coping method). Since I am working two ten hours shifts, in the evening, Parker is going to daycare one day per week. I am aware he needs to socialize and will end up loving to socialize. However, I kept wondering what was going through his little mind when he realized we were gone. He has only been home nine weeks, him leaving Korea and Omma is recent. Fortunately, Jim did the drop off and pick up.

We made our first trip to library story time, it involved a story, songs, and free play. Our town is the definition of suburbia, so I was surprised at the diversity at the program; which is great. A Mom approached me and asked "Is he adopted or is your husband Asian" she then hurriedly added "because my son was adopted from Columbia"...Oh, she knows! Her son had been home a few months longer than Parker so it was nice to share stories.

Today, we made the birthday party circuit. We went to a first birthday (a son of one of my friends-she will have 3 boys under 3, super Mama!) Jim and I are horrible, we continue to laugh at Parker's reaction to the grass. He went down a slide at the party, realized he was in the grass, and made some noise like aaaoooohhhh!!! Being in the grass forces him to walk, as he refuses to touch that green stuff! Our second party was for my friend Jen, at a Neapolitan pizza pub (crispy outside, chewy inside-to quote Parker YUM!).

I am totally drinking the Mommy kool-aid. I went shopping saw a dress that I liked and walked out of the store with out trying it on. I then proceeded to buy Parker 6 outfits and new shoes. I could buy the dress but felt like I should not. Also, two days away from him, while at work, so difficult. People warned me...

The grass!

His shirt says King and there is a picture of a crab. He looks huge here, like a football player. Promise, it is the shirt, one size too big.

Birthday Girl, Jen!

Having a nightcap on the deck

Masculine for Diva?

We are unwinding from a long Easter weekend, with the Butler/Duke game and a hefeweizen. Good Friday brought us a trip to visit Parker's daycare, he will only go once per week. However, I am excited for him to socialize without his parents. When we allowed him to play with the other children, he ran over to an adorable little girl and promptly removed her hands from a toy and gently pushed her away...lovely. We drove to my parents...Parker and I listened to some chic lit in the SAAB and Jim drove top down to return my Dad's Corvette.

We had a great visit, Parker got to meet two sets of Great Aunts and Uncles! He was fortunate to get Easter treats and some great books. Omma, so thanks to youtube we are all playing. He prefers all attention, all the time...if all eyes are not on him he will push his lawn mower around or make noises (Steve taught him to say YUMMM) so that others look. He engaged a couple at dinner and had both guys smiling at him.

Butler just lost by 2, so sad! Maybe Blue will bite Coach K....

Walking with one flip flop

At the park Grandpa built

Exploring my Easter basket

He loved playing with plastic eggs

Showing off with the mower

I heart Uncle Steve

Please...LOOK at ME