Hello, My Name is Parker...

and I'm addicted to video games.

I know you might think we are terrible parents for having already introduced Parker to the world of video games, but before you judge, let me explain how we handle it around our house.

Cory has a love for video and computer games. He always has and always will. It is his one hobby, kind of like hunting or golfing is for other guys.

A few months ago, Cory was playing one of his kid friendly games and Parker started watching him. A little while later, Cory showed him how to use the controller to move the characters. From that moment on, Parker became hooked.

Not too long after, the video games started running our lives. Parker wanted to play morning, noon, and night. It was all he talked about and I finally decided that I had had enough. We had to create and start enforcing some new rules.

I don't want Parker to be one of those kids who can't play creatively with toys or who doesn't want to go outside and play just because he wants to play a video game. I work with those kinds of kids every day and they are hard to have conversations with because video games are all that they want to talk about.

Our new rule is that Parker is allowed to play his game for 15 minutes before bedtime every night. That's it. He doesn't play during the day at all.

At first, the new rule was very hard to enforce. Parker asked all. day. long. if he could play and it took a lot of strength to say "no" after being asked for the hundredth time. (You think I am exaggerating!) The "no's" were usually accompanied with full blown tantrums and lots of frustration for both of us.

But, I am happy to say that I have stuck to my guns and have not given in. Not even once.

The result: Parker did not ask once today to play his game. He played all afternoon with me and Eden. We played with toys, worked puzzles, and read books and had a great time.

I wish there was a way to have never introduced Parker to video games, but in this household, that is just not a possibility. I know that it is something that will always be a part of Cory's life, and as a result, it will be a part of Parker's life too.

I think that as long as we stay in control of the situation and limit the amount of time that Parker spends playing on a daily basis, everyone will go to bed happy.

Tunnel of Fun

For Christmas, fun Aunt MerMer gave Parker and Eden this great contraption. It is a tent and teepee connected by a tunnel. It takes up most of our living room. I have, however, learned to overlook the fact that I can't put anything else on that side of the room because the kids absolutely LOVE it!
They have spent so much time playing in it, reading in it, eating their snacks in it, crawling through it, hiding in it, and throwing their balls through the tunnel. It has given me so much free time that I am considering making it a permanent piece of furniture in our living room.

Eden was a little afraid of the tunnel at first. It took her almost a week before she would even attempt it, but once she tried it, there was no looking back!

Thanks again Aunt MerMer for such a fun Christmas present! We can't wait for you to come over and crawl through the tunnel with us!

Anybody Know a Good Eye Doctor?

So Eden...how do you feel about waking up with your first case of pink eye this morning?

I know. It's no fun to have red, watery, gunky eyes. But, have no fear, I know a really good (and handsome) eye doctor that we can call! I think he will know just what to do.

That's right! Daddy can give us some drops to make you feel all better! How do feel now?

Thanks Daddy for making Eden feel better so quickly! We love you very much!

A Teeny Bit Excessive

Now that he is getting bigger, Parker has become quite the little helper. He helps feed the dog. He carries his dirty dishes to the sink after dinner. He helps me swiffer the floor on cleaning days.

Today I let him help me get his snack ready. This is just my opinion, but I think we need a little lesson in portion control.

The funniest part was that he really didn't understand why I made him put most of them back and wouldn't let him have all of them.

At what age do they learn "All things in moderation!"?!?!?

The Weather Outside is Frightful

We awoke this morning to a very cold and windy day, or as the local news called it, "The Arctic Blast". (Don't they always go into full panic mode over the weather!) Due to some icy road conditions, my school postponed its opening until 10 o'clock, which meant an extra hour of sleep for me. After the kids got up, Parker decided that he wanted to crawl into bed and cover up, just like his Daddy. Don't they look like two peas in a pod!

This is Parker's TV watching position. Notice the left thumb in his mouth and his right thumb playing with his belly button. This is what he does when he watches TV, rides in the car, listens to me read books, or anytime he gets really tired. I am not sure how we are ever going to get him to stop doing this. On Christmas Eve, when he was wearing his Christmas pajamas, he could not get to his bellybutton. He spent the entire car ride home crying and screaming, "I need my bellybutton! I need my bellybutton!" Ugh! I pity the parents that have to break that habit!!

Eden did not leave the house today, but that did not stop her from getting all bundled up in mommy's scarf.
Here she is smiling for the camera...one of her newest tricks.
We hope that you all stay warm in these chilly temperatures the next few days. We don't plan on getting out of the house much. Pray that I don't lose my sanity when the walls start caving in on me!

When I Grow Up...

I want to be a nurse, just like my Aunt MerMer!

What Are You Doin'?

Now that Eden has turned one, I have not been doing the monthly updates on the new things that she is doing and learning. She continues to grow and change daily and loves to mimic her big brother. She still has not said her first word, but I am pretty optimistic that (unlike Parker) it will be Momma!!

The one thing that I am most excited to report is that Eden has discovered books. For the first year, she showed no interest in them and I have to say that, as a reading specialist, I was starting to get a little worried. A love of reading is something that I want all children to have, but I especially want my own children to develop their interest in reading at an early age. Recently, Eden brought me a book and backed up into my lap for me to read it to her and I was thrilled. These days, you can usually find her carrying a book around or sitting in the playroom turning the pages and looking at the pictures of some of her favorite books. We have also added storytime to her bedtime routine and we read 4 or 5 books every night before I put her in bed.

Like I mentioned, Eden loves to mimic her brother. One of the things she has started wanting to do is eat her snack out of a bowl, just like Parker. One day, I put her in her highchair for her afternoon snack and placed her snack on the tray. She started throwing a huge fit until I put her snack into a bowl. After that, I didn't hear a peep out of her. She is getting better and better about being able to walk with her snack without tipping it and pouring most of it on the floor to an awaiting Rocky, who is now her best friend.

Parker continues to grow and change daily, too. His speech has gotten even more sophisticated over the past few weeks and I amazed at how he is putting his words together. He talks in complete sentences without leaving any words out. The other day he said, "Mommy, get Eden out of the tent." Just a few short weeks ago, he would have probably just said, "Get out" so I am amazed at his progress.

His newest thing to say is, "Hey Mom, what are you doin"?" He literally says it all. day. long.

Some of his most memorable mispronunciations right now are controder (controller) and tomordow (tomorrow).

I think that Parker and Eden are both going through growth spurts right now because they are both eating us out of house and home. Neither one of them turn down food and are often asking for second and third helpings. We are also now going through 2 gallons of milk a week. This may not seem like a big deal, but this is coming from a household that used to only buy one half gallon per week (and half of that usually got thrown away.)

They have been playing a little bit more together, and as a result, sharing is something we are constantly working on. Parker can be so sweet to her when he wants to be. I look forward to watching their relationship develop even more over the next few years.