A few fun facts!

Here are a few tidbits of what's new in the Parsons' household:

Ava has a new friend. Her friends name is Fist.

Fist is a busy little friend. It comes and then goes just as fast. It sometimes makes Ava go cross eyed because it really is a mover and a shaker. Ava loves to watch it though, and when she's lucky she can get it in her mouth, which makes for some noisy sucking sounds!

I always love this stage in babies. They are finally realizing they have hands and that they can actually do things with them. Other than her finding her fist, Ava is doing great. She smiles all the time now and likes to "talk" too. According to Stella, Ava only talks to her mom ;) But I told Stella she just needs to talk slower to her and give the girl a chance to speak! Ava is going to be 3 months old next week already. Time continues to go by so fast.

Jonah... Well he's running even faster and jumping even higher these days. He loves playing with Stella. Just the other day when they were out in the kitchen eating lunch and I was in the office, I heard Jonah say to Stella, "hey Stull (that's what Stell sounds like when Jonah says it), you're my best friend." It brought joy to my heart but also sadness because I know he is going to miss his big sister something fierce when she starts school next fall. Hopefully Ava will be a good replacement for both his sake and mine.

Stella, our little mother hen. I think she's grown 2 inches since December. She's showing signs every day of being ready for Kindergarten. Her new thing these days is to sound out words. You'll hear a lot of this "boat... b b b b o o o o t t t t BOAT!" or whatever word she has on her mind.

Sean and I are working on body overhauls. We're saying goodbye to the old body and hopefully saying hello to new and improved ones by July before we go down to CA. So here's a few things that are "new" for us: sugar withdrawals, hungry bellies, and our new friends - Dumb-bell, Tae-bo and Treadmill.

I spy with my little eye....

Here's a little game thanks to Stella who had free reign over the camera the other night.

Can you name all 9 things?

Ode to Spring....

The kids are out-of-doors once more;
The heavy leggins that they wore,
The winter caps that covered ears
Are put away, and no more tears
Are shed because they cannot go
Until they're bundled up just so.
No more she wonders when they're gone
If they have put their rubbers on;
No longer are they hourly told
To guard themselves against a cold;
Bareheaded now they romp and run
Warmed only by the kindly sun.
She's put their heavy clothes away
And turned the children out to play,
And all the morning long they race
Like madcaps round about the place.
The robins on the fences sing
A gayer song of welcoming,
And seems as though they had a share
In all the fun they're having there.
The wrens and sparrows twitter, too,
A louder and a noisier crew,
As though it pleased them all to see
The youngsters out of doors and free.
Outdoors they scamper to their play
With merry din the livelong day,
And hungrily they jostle in
The favor of the maid to win;
Then, armed with cookies or with cake,
Their way into the yard they make,
And every feathered playmate comes
To gather up his share of crumbs.
The finest garden that I know
Is one where little children grow,
Where cheeks turn brown and eyes are bright,
And all is laughter and delight.
Oh, you may brag of gardens fine,
But let the children race in mine;
And let the roses, white and red,
Make gay the ground whereon they tread.
And who for bloom perfection seeks,
Should mark the color on their cheeks;
No music that the robin spouts
Is equal to their merry shouts;
There is no foliage to compare
With youngsters' sun-kissed, tousled hair:
Spring's greatest joy beyond a doubt
Is when it brings the children out.

By: Edgar Guest

Welcome to the world Lauren Elizabeth!!

Congratulations Nathan and Rebecca on your family of 4 becoming a family of 5! We are so excited for you and can't wait to meet little Lauren this summer! We love you guys!

Happy 30th Birthday Sean!

thoughts from Ava...

"Hey mom, got that black flashy thing again?"

"What?! It's dads birthday??!!"

"Oh I'm so happy"

"Oh no!! I didn't get him anything!"

"Oh well, he'll still love me... I mean come on, I look just like him!"

Happy Birthday Dad! We can't wait for you to get home so we can celebrate. We'll have some dinner - how about a salad? ;) Then we'll watch a movie - does the Aristocats sound alright? Then we can splurge and have some cake, we were thinking German chocolate!

Sean thanks for being such a godly husband, my best friend, and the greatest dad to our three children. May the Lord bless you with many more birthdays!

We love you!

Good food, good fellowship,Great friends!

Thanks for meeting us for lunch Tori. Ava cried for you on the way home, she loves you ;). As Randy Conover so adequately put it... "I appreciate your friendship"

My one and only Valentine

From the days




of young





to the days





of old,





Sean will be





my forever

Valentine

On a clear stary night...

Stella's favorite movie lately has been Peter Pan 2 - Return to Neverland. There has been a lot of Peter Pan and Hook fights. Peter Pan played by Stella and Hook played by Jonah. I hear a lot of this; "Get down here boy" said by Jonah in his best Hook voice, while waving his sword around. Then the chase is on, Stella "flying" and Jonah running with a sword (hmmm...running with a sword...that doesn't seem right).

Last night Stella was outside with her dad sitting on her bike looking up at the sky. She then came inside with something important to tell me.

Stella: "Mom I need to tell you a secret"
Mom: "Okay"
Stella: in a hushed voice she says "I saw Neverland"

The look in her eyes was priceless. It is moments like these that I wish I could freeze time and let my children stay young and innocent forever.