Playtime with Daddy

While in Austin we had some time to kill at the hotel before Mike and Heather arrived so Mark joined Parker on the floor for some playtime. I'm not sure who had more fun, Mark or Parker. It is so fun to watch them interact.

Two peas in a pod.

Trip To Austin

A couple of weekends ago Heather and Mike were in Austin for a friend's birthday so Mark and I packed up Parker and drove down for short visit. It was a little surreal being back for the first time since we took Parker home. It rained all day Saturday so plans of good pics didn't really happen. I also learned for the first time how much stuff a baby requires for an over night trip but it was worth it. We loved seeing you Mike and Heather!

Parker survived his first night in his pack and play. Never moved a muscle!

Five Months of Parker

Parker turned five months old yesterday. It is hard to believe how much they grow and change month to month. When we went to the doctor he was measuring 27 inches (95%) and weighed 14 lbs. (25%). The doctor said he looked great. He continues to be a very happy and content baby. He is on a good schedule with a morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. He continues to sleep through the night and almost always ends up on his tummy by the morning. Parker is taking more interest in the dogs and smiles constantly when they are near. He is pretty amazed by his daddy and often just stares at him for long periods of time. He likes his feet now that he figured out how to touch them. His favorite thing to do is roll over on his tummy and then squirm and fuss while he waits for us to turn him back over so he can repeat the process again and again! We continue to feel so thankful God chose us to be Parker's parents. We are so blessed.

Journey to Mother's Day

Today has brought so many emotions for me. This time three years ago Mark and I felt the desire and were preparing to start a family. Little did we know the journey God was about to take us on. At first it was fun to imagine and anticipate when I would get pregnant etc. as I started to imagine what holidays and other events would look like with a baby. As time went on, some of these feelings shifted. The pictures were still there but the excitement was replaced with a deep longing. Each month felt like a constant cycle of emotions from feeling hopeful to disappointment to grieving only for it to repeat itself again the next month. It seemed everywhere I turned another friend was announcing their pregnancy and although I was happy for them it always left me with the question of "when will it be me?" A year ago in April we were to the point of needing to take the next step in fertility treatments. My doctor who I love referred us to a specialist and we sat down for a consultation. As he went through the next step, the procedures, and the odds he got down to the bottom line- although I was a prime candidate and the odds were in my favor there were no guarantees there would be a baby. Adoption was always in the back of our minds. Thankfully Mark had told me early on before we ever knew there would be a problem, that it did not matter to him how we had a family whether it was of our own DNA or through adoption he just wanted to be a father. Little did I know how important this would be to me as I never had to worry that I was failing him in some way by not getting pregnant. As we left the office we knew we needed to make a choice. We could pursue fertility treatments or begin the adoption process. Once again, Mark trusted me with the decision of what I felt I could handle. I needed the assurance and the guarantee there would be a baby at the end of the road. I knew I could not handle any more emotions and a life lived in a doctor's office to try and get pregnant. Mother's Day a year ago was a day of heartache and yearning. So many around me who began trying the same time we did had not only gotten pregnant, had their baby, but we were attending first birthday parties. It is such an isolating and lonely place to be. You feel selfish but don't know how to get past the hopelessness and grief of a loss of something you think you will never have. Shortly after Mother's Day we began the adoption process. In October we were matched with an amazing birth mom and in December given the best Christmas miracle one could wish for. So here I am a year later celebrating my first Mother's Day. My feelings of loss and loneliness are no longer. My hopelessness has been replaced with joy. God was at work the whole time, it was just hard to see. This day has brought such an overwhelming sense of gratitude for our birth mom and the choice she made for Parker as well as for God's faithfulness. I look at Parker and know I was meant to be his mother all along. What a blessing. Thank you God for taking me on this journey. May I never forget all the ways you have provided for me.

Flashback: Some Spence Spoilin'

Mark's parents, Papa and Grammy, were here to visit for 2 weeks. During that time Mark's Grandparents also came for a few days as well as Mark's sister Heather. We had so much fun being together. Parker was spoiled as were Mark and I the whole time. They fed him, got up with him in the early morning, took him on walks, cooked, and babysat a few times so I could go and do some things without having to haul Parker around. I am so blessed with wonderful in laws. It was a precious time together which always goes too fast followed with a hard good bye.

Ready for a stroll.

Nappin' with Grandma.

Reading with Papa- a favorite past time with ALL the grandkids.

Four Generations of Spence Men: Parker, Mark, Parker Elliott, & Park

Flashback: First Valentine's Day

Since I am just now learning how to blog, I will be posting a few "flashbacks" of things I wanted to have a record of the first few months of Parker's life. So bear with me as I stroll down memory lane. We had a fun day with our "Little Heartbreaker." His outfit is compliments of Aiyah (my mom- long story about the name). We of course had a visit from Lilah so Charla and I could get pictures of them together on their first Valentine's Day. This of course came with a lot of eye rolling from Mark and Tony. The best gift of all was the trip to the airport to pick up Mark's parents, Papa and Grammy for their first visit to meet Parker. It was an exciting day!

Of course Valentine's wouldn't be complete without a visit from his favorite girl Lilah!

He eventually woke up. Grammy couldn't wait to get her hands on him!

Out With the Old, In With the New

Now that Parker is rolling over, it was time to break out his new play mat. He loved his first one because he could kick constantly against it. He also loves to hold on to the cat with ball above him. However, the arch does not leave much room to roll around so I moved the old one upstairs where he can continue to use it once in a awhile and set up his bigger one. He seems to enjoy the new one just as much and often falls asleep while playing.


This was taken at two months. Sam and Moses often take turns watching over Parker as he plays.

Mark was interested too and decided to see what was so fascinating. Parker liked his nose.

Keep on Rollin'

Parker rolled over for the first time a couple of weeks ago. We had just gotten home from church and were letting him kick around (his favorite past time) before putting him to bed. I knew he was getting close and sure enough he figured it out. Thankfully the camera was near by! Now the problem is he does not know what to do after he gets on his stomach. He will stay there for a short amount of time and raise his head but it does not take long before he gets upset and starts flailing his arms and legs around until we come and flip him back over- which has become a new past time for us :) It was fun to see him achieve this milestone but a little bittersweet as it means he is growing and changing quickly. I know we will only get more mobile from here on out!