Fall Garden

Parker helping Daddy fertilize the fall garden complete with tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, pumpkins and gourds.

No School Today

Today was supposed to be my first day to take Parker to MDO and have 5 hours with just Ainsley, but Parker has been sick and had to stay home. Here's hoping he's better by tomorrow so he can go to school or it's going to be one long week!

Sweet Dreams

A nice afternoon nap for Miss Ainsley. She and Parker actually slept for about an hour and a half at the same time today. Helped make my first day by myself with both kiddos just a little bit easier.

Playing in Construction Debris

After all the guests left and we had our naps, Jered took Parker across the street to play in the construction debris. Nice. Parker had a blast playing in the sand...and stepping in mortar! I am so thankful Jered takes Parker to do fun stuff like this, especially now since I am so tied down and house bound with a newborn. I know this father/son time they have together is priceless!

Spending Time with the Summers Family

As my grandparents were leaving yesterday afternoon, Jody, Stephen and Anna arrived at our house. We had such a good time getting to hang out them, and they got to meet Ainsley for the first time. Despite his 102 fever, Parker had a blast playing with Anna all day!

The Best I Could Get

Out of 4 or 5 tries, this is the best picture I could get of Parker and Ainsley with Grandma and Papa before they left our house this afternoon.

Fun with Grandma and Papa

My grandparents came back into town yesterday to help me out. They took Parker to school and picked him up, drove Jered and me around town, let me get out of the house for an hour to run to the store, helped me get some things done on the to-do list and get the house cleaned and kept Parker entertained to his heart's content. The smile on his face in these pictures says it all!

First Outing with Two

This afternoon was only my second time to be alone with both my babies as Jered went back to work. This afternoon was also my first outing with two. Don't worry, it was a short trip and we didn't even get out of the car. We went and got Sonic drinks and took one to Jered at work. Ainsley did great until the last few minutes before we got home and she started to cry.

Tiny Fingers and Tiny Toes

Ainsley's little hand and foot.

Lovin' on His Grandbabies

J-Pa lovin' on Parker and Ainsley.

Bye-Bye Aunt Caca

Me, Parker, Aunt Caca and Ainsley


Candy holding Ainsley one more time before she left for the Cowboys game this afternoon.

Home Sweet Home

Ainsley and I were both doing well Saturday morning and ready to go home. My doctor cleared me to go home early Saturday morning, and we had to wait until around 1 p.m. to get a test done on Ainsley that had to be done 24 hours after birth. Once that test was complete, we were out of the hospital by 2 p.m.!

Ainsley all dressed and ready to go home

Parker checking out his baby sister as we arrived home

Ainsley's Birth Day!

We woke up bright and early at 5:30 a.m. this morning to get ready to go to the hospital and meet our baby girl. We arrived at the hospital a little before 7 a.m., checked in, and waited for our nurse to come get us. By 7:30 a.m. I was hooked up to my IV's and my doctor came around, checked me and broke my water by 7:45 a.m. At that time, I was dilated to 3 cm and 75% effaced.

Laboring at about 8:15 a.m. and waiting on my epidural. Not feeling too much pain yet.

Shortly after my doctor broke my water, the nurse started my Pitocin and got me on the waiting list for my epidural. The hospital had five inductions this morning, several had report times earlier than me, so I was about third on the list to receive my epidural. That meant I got to feel contractions for about an hour -- plenty for me! Finally, about 9:15 a.m., and not a moment too soon, the nurse anesthetist arrived to give me my epidural. He had a little trouble getting in between my vertebrae, but after a little poking and prodding and pain, he got me all set up. Praise the Lord for epidurals! I began feeling relief within about 15 minutes and was completely numb within 30 minutes.My nurse checked me again about 10:30 a.m. and I was dilated to 6 cm. For the most part, I was pain-free at this point and just waiting to get to a 10. My doctor came by at noon and I was dilated to 8 cm. He went and had lunch, came back at 1 p.m. and said I was at 10 cm and ready to go. At 1:19 p.m., after about 3 or 4 pushes, Ainsley Grace made her grand entrance into the world!

Ainsley Grace Johnston -- 7 pounds, 6 ounces -- 19 inches

I couldn't believe all that dark hair, how short and plump she was and that she had rolls! Parker was long and skinny -- only 6 pounds, 3 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.

First picture with Mommy and Daddy -- right after this picture all of our family and friends came in to meet Ainsley. Within her first hour of life, she was welcomed by my grandparents, my mom, Jered's parents and Candy (Aunt Caca). My brother and his girlfriend had been at the hospital but graciously went to our house to watch Parker so J-Pa and T-Ma could come meet Ainsley.

Our first, and only so far, family picture. Parker didn't care much about Ainsley -- all he wanted to do was sit with Mommy and drink my Dr. Pepper!

Tomorrow...

"I'm Going To Be A Big Brother!" is what Parker's shirt says. He is waving bye-bye to Grandma and Papa as they left our house tonight.

One Last Date

Our sweet friends, Benjie and Kimberly (and Creighton and Griffin) offered to watch Parker this evening so Jered and I could go on one last date before Ainsley gets here. This was taken as we picked him up. Thank you, Polnicks, Parker had such a fun time!

Thomas and Percy

Parker has grown way attached to his Thomas and Percy trains. He carries them all over the house, inside, outside, in the car, to the store, to bed, everywhere. When I take him to MDO, I make him leave his trains in the car and they wait for him until I pick him up. On the way to school this morning, Parker began saying, "Where's Parker's trains? Where's Parker's trains?" He had forgotten them at home. I promised him that they would be in his seat waiting for him when I picked him up. Right after I dropped him off at MDO, I stopped back by the house to fulfill my promise.

This is His "Cheese"

The face I get when I ask Parker to smile and say "cheese" for the camera.

New Shades

Parker loves wearing his new "Lightning and Mater" sunglasses that Daddy got him. He even wore them home Saturday night from our Sunday School social when it was completely dark outside. Jered and I were wondering why he kept asking us to turn the lights on in the car all the way home. Then, when we pulled in the garage and turned around to get him out, we realized he'd been wearing his sunglasses the entire time. So hilarious!

Just Playin' in the Rain

After it had been raining for two days straight, Parker (and his Mommy and Daddy) were about to go crazy. You can only keep a two year old inside for so long, so Daddy and Parker went outside and had lots of fun playing in the rain.

My Handsome Boys

It worked out perfectly that Jered had a three-day weekend this weekend as it was our last full days as a family of three. This morning Jered and Parker went and got haircuts. I got to run errands and take care of some last minute things to prepare for Ainsley's arrival.

Hooray for Rain

Band-Aid Fever

Parker has been way into band-aids lately. He finds non-existent boo-boos and ant bites and has to have a band-aid for it. This band-aid is on his hand where there was no ant bite.

Learning Letters

Parker is really starting to learn his letters. He will ask me to write different words on his Magna Doodle and he will say each letter as I write it. He doesn't know all of his letters yet, but he is really good with the letters in words he has me write lots like: Daddy, Mommy, Parker, Tex and Prancer.

Family Zoo Trip

Our friends, the Glade Family, came in town Sunday afternoon so that the guys could do some dove hunting. After Jered and Michael had an early hunt this morning, all eight of us all loaded up and headed to the zoo.


Checking out some animal back on the rocks and the waterfall -- Michael, Cameron, Heather, Jered, Madison and Parker

Playing at the new orangutan exhibit.

Enjoying Our Sunday

Parker "helping" plant the red oak in the backyard.


Doesn't this picture make a momma proud?!?


Me at almost 39 weeks. This picture cracks me up because it looks like Parker is "shooting" his baby sister, but really he was pointing at my belly button. Although it is ironic that this picture was taken right after he finished helping Daddy clean his gun.

Lovin' J-Pa and T-Ma

J-Pa teaching Parker to put play-doh on his head...way to go J-Pa! :)

T-Ma and Parker singing "Stinkle, Stinkle Little Skunky" together.

First Supper Club

We kicked off the Labor Day weekend with our very first Supper Club Friday evening at the Wilson's home. Lucky for us, J-Pa and T-Ma arrived in town right before we had to leave and stayed at home with Parker. This was probably the only Supper Club where we'll get to stay longer than a couple of hours as Parker and Ainsley will be with us from now on when we go. We dined on yummy burgers, and it was so much fun getting to have four hours of uninterrupted adult time!

5 of the 7 girls (2 had already left as this picture was taken after 10 p.m. -- way past our bedtime!) Jade, me, Nicki, Sally and Genny

MDO Report Card

This is what Parker's MDO report cards have looked like since he started back to school. His teachers always say he does great, except at naptime. Here's hoping for an A+ report card in the near future!

Super Slugger

This morning Jered was working with Parker on his batting skills, and I have to say I was pretty impressed! Parker could hit the ball from the back porch {almost} to the swing set. Jered even had Parker hitting right-handed! ;)

First Day of School for the Fall

Today Parker started back to school (MDO) for the Fall. Given the fact that he went to a new room with new teachers, toys and friends, I thought Parker had a really good first day. He got a good report, except that he didn't take a nap. His teacher said they had trouble with him talking during naptime. Uh-oh. I have discussed this matter with him and hope that tomorrow (he's now going on Tuesdays and Thursdays) he will nap, or at least be quiet, during naptime.





These are the best pictures I could get before we left for school.