Turning Three...For Parker

Tomorrow we will celebrate Parker's 3rd birthday. Three years ago tomorrow, I entered the hospital at 5 a.m. ready and anxious to meet this little guy who soon became the love of my life. The pregnancy wasn't easy. I had been on bed rest twice, had round ligament syndrome, and had begged my doctor to let me meet him just a little bit earlier than his due date of December 27th. She said he was ready and we'd be induced on Tuesday, December 18, 2007. The day my life became much richer. It was a hard delivery. I was so elated when the nurse said it was time to push but the doctor had not arrived. The nurse told me to hold back a while so we could wait for the doctor. But much like now, Parker had his own plan. With half a push he came out. He was ready to begin his life. And what a beautiful life it's been. For not only him, but me and the people who are lucky enough to know him and love him.

Curious from the start, this boy was wide eyed by the first night he was here on this earth. That hasn't changed a bit. With his wide-open blue eyes, he explores every bit of this world and enjoys every moment of it. I've never seen such a happy child with such joy for life. He loves his mommy, daddy, his Ri-Ri, his MaMas, his family, race cars, Spiderman, and all sports. He loves food, getting into things that aren't supposed to be touched, and sliding into bed with us at night so slyly now that we don't even notice. He is a boy's boy and he is full of gusto. He jumps off beds, leaps off couches, touches hot ovens, turns the water heater to "vacation" mode so that mommy and daddy can experience an ice cold shower first thing in the morning. He gets up early and as a "Refrigerator Bandit" gets into food before we can detect he's awake yet.

Among his many raids, he's acquired a whole apple pie, which I found him eating with his hands straight from the pie dish one morning while sitting on his sister's bed watch Sponge Bob. He's been brown faced with Oreos and proudly woke us up with his cookie-covered face, he's opened up packages of hot dogs that went missing...only later to be found being ejected from a chocolate milk carton that had since been closed and put back in the fridge. Imagine the shock as I poured him his first glass of chocolate milk for the day. One hot dog, two, three, four...where does this boy get these ideas? Most recently, after a night of grocery shopping, I was packing away the food in the fridge. He told me "I want sausage." I told him he'd have to wait until the next night, when I planned on cooking a big breakfast for dinner feast. The next morning I opened the fridge to find a small portion of the raw sausage pinched off. Are there shock systems for refrigerators?

With every little boy's rotten nature, there is their sweet, loving nature. Not a a day has gone by that I haven't felt love from this little person. As an infant, he was my cuddle bug. As he grew, he became affectionate with his hugs and kisses...not only for me, but for everyone. He used to brush my hair every night. I remember the first time he said "I love you" to me which for many moms, is a moment you'll never forget. Now, when I tell him I love him he says "I love you more" and I say "I love you most" and he says "No I love you most". He loves his sister and when we drop her off in the mornings and I tell her to have a good day, he repeats my words and they rarely part without a hug and kiss. He admires his daddy and they share a love of racing and football and Sundays are often my days of getting to clean or do errands without Parker following me around. This is because he's glued to the couch with his daddy watching the latest NASCAR race or sporting event. He loves his extended family and enjoys all family visits or events. He's definitely touched the hearts of our family and our friends for different reasons; this boy is surely special.

I love to look into this child's eyes. Those blue eyes I know I could swim in if I tried. The eyes of wonderment, of love, of joy. For such a little person, he has such a big heart. I love to hear him laugh. It's purity and sound makes my heart happy every time. I love to hear him say new words, make new observations. I love to watch him learn and I love to teach him new things.

With his obvious cute factor and love of people, he is quite the charmer. He can bait anyone in a room, male or female, though he prefers pretty girls late teens-early twenties. Once, at one of his dad's races, he approached two cute girls around this age...introduced himself, told him his dad raced, showed him his racing shirt, and hey...even lifted it up for them to see his "abs". I jokingly told the girls he watches Jersey Shore a lot. They found him quite charming and amusing, and didn't mind his constant attention or the fact he stayed by their side until I called him back over. Later, their boyfriends showed up and Parker eyed them like a hawk. He's quite the ladies man and even though I'm sure his dad likes to take credit for that, I think Parker has more game than I'm comfortable with. I know how easy it was for me to fall in love with him, and I can imagine the heart breaker he'll be when he grows up.

What will he be? A football star? A famous baseball pitcher? Will he prefer soccer? Basketball? Or will he fulfill his already dream of being a race car driver? I'm sure whatever Parker does, he will be star. Recently at a gas station, a ten year old boy who could have been one of those kid actors from Talledega Nights with his redneck accent said "Ma'am...you sure have a cute son." I said "Well thank you." He said "I sure like them tattoos on em'" (Parker's sister had given him rock and roll tattoos the night before). I said "Yep. He likes them too." The boy's last words to me were "He's gonna be an artist or somethin' when he grows up."

Yes. An artist of some sort. An entertainer for sure. He has sure been entertaining to me and all those who know him.

I love this boy. More than words can even began to describe. My children are my world and having a girl and a boy gives me the best of both worlds. He's been everything I ever imagined for a little boy, and then some. He's a handful but a handful I'll never let go of.

Happy Birthday Parker Bryan Brothers. May you enjoy life forever as you enjoy it now.

With all my love (and patience!)

Mommy