Hawaii update #3

We are still in Hawaii and having such a great time! Parker has been having so much fun at the pool! Here are a few pictures of Parker at the pool.....



Just look at the beautiful ocean in the background. These are just a bunch of infinity pools going all the way down to the beach.



Playing on the waterfall steps!


This is what Parker does every afternoon while all the girls are taking showers. ... Parker and Cory just lay on the couch together and watch tv....so sweat!



This afternoon we went and saw all of the old lava from the volcano eruption a long time ago (I dont know when it happened, sorry!) They just built a road right over the lava. It is pretty amazing. You can see the path of the lava down the mountain.


They just layed the power lines right over the lava!



We also stopped at a beautiful beach with lots of lava rocks. Parker loved to watch the waves crash on the rocks.

We still have a few more days of fun in the sun!! I will probably have one more update before we leave! Have a great week!!

We love you Daddy!!!

All about Daddy

This video is for daddy....Parker has learned a new word while we are in Hawaii and he just looks so cute when he says it that I had to post a video for Dennis to see!! The word is Hello!! I know, a simple word, but soooo cute!

Also, here a picture of what Dennis has been up to while we are away....

Dennis has always wanted to go on an exotic hunt and kill a ram. He decided since Parker and I were going to be gone for two weeks he would take this opportunity to go on his hunting trip. I am so glad that he went, but I dont know how excited I am that that thing is going to be on my wall in 4 to 6 months!! I have to tell you, I am really impressed that he killed that ram with his bow and it only took one arrow!

Anyways, just thought I would let yall know that Dennis isnt too lonely while we are away!

We miss you daddy!! Congrats on the ram!!

Hawaii update #2

We are 4 days into our trip to Maui!! We are having so much fun. We haven't done much, but it has been so relaxing!
Parker has been waking up pretty early every morning. So, me and him just hang out in the mornings, we watch cartoons and play until everyone else gets up. Then we go to the pool!

The pool here is so great for Parker. It has lots of waterfalls! It also has a really shallow part (in the picture above) where he can play and not be scared. He is doing better with being in the water. Not loving yet, but we are getting there.

And, of course, his robe!!!

At night we have been going to Luihana and eating at a different restaraunt everynight. So far, everywhere we have eaten has been amazing!!! This is a picture from our table at Bubba Gumps. Isnt is beautiful? I dont think you can beat a sunset in Hawaii.

Here is Parker at Bubba Gumps showing off his sticker!

Me and Mom at Bubba Gumps.

The other night we ate at a place called Cheesburger in Paradise. It was delicious and while we waited we took a few pics!

Me and Parker...this one is for Daddy...we really miss him!!!!

This is how we keep Parker entertained at the restaraunt!! Just give him a basket!

The view from our table! (we always get the best tables!)

The other day we walked down to the beach after Parker woke up from his nap.

This is the view from the path to beach!

We took Parker down there just to see how he would like before we took all of our stuff down there with him. He was in his normal clothes. He wasnt sure about the sand (he doenst like to get dirty!! I think he gets that from his daddy =)

It started raining while we were there, so we found an umbrella to play under until it finished.

Just look at those feet!!

Trying to clean the sand off--not easy!!

This has been a great trip so far. We still alot of stuff we are going to do, but we arent trying to do too much because we just want to relax!! It is just beautiful here and I am so glad we are here. It is the perfect weather for Parker...not too hot and not humid AT ALL! He can actually play outside during the day and not get too hot or too tired.

Ok, I better go but I will update again soon.

We love you Daddy!!!

Hawaii update #1

Yesterday, Amy and Cory (my brother and sister) and me and Parker met my Mom in Maui. On the way to the airport I was so nervous about taking Parker on a plane. What would he be like? Would he turn blue? The plane rides went pretty good. He maybe turned a tiny bit bluer than normal, but nothing too bad...no need for oxygen! The first flight from Little Rock to Dallas was pretty hard. Parker was very fussy the entire flight (about an hour). The lady sitting next to me was great and tried to play with Parker, but he just wanted to get out of my lap! We made it through the flight, PTL!! Here is Parker walking through the airport with his leash (we tried to make him tired!!)

On the flight from Dallas to L.A. Parker did SOO great!! We sat in first class and had so much room. I brought some toys on the plane and put a blanket down on the floor. Parker just sat on the floor and played most of the time. He ended up taking about a hour and a half nap. This flight was 2 hours 45 minutes. The last flight from L.A. to Hawaii was 5 1/2 hours! Parker did so great on this flight too. He played for a little while and then slept for 3 hours!!

Here is Parker playing with his toys on the plane.

Amy let Parker sit in her seat for a little while!

Here is Parker sleeping on the plane in the floor on his "bed". I am so proud of him! He did great!

Here are me and Parker in the Hawaii airport....we made it!!

Hawaii is 5 hours earlier than Little Rock. We got to Hawaii at 9:00 (2:00 am Little Rock time). We kept Parker up for a little while after we got to the hotel. He ended up waking up at 5:30 am and got in bed with Amy for a few minutes. I was surprised that he slept that late (that is 10:30 am Little Rock time). He did great today with the time change. He took a nap from 11:00 to 1:00 and then from 4:00 to 5:30.

Here is Parker hanging out around the hotel lobby. It is so beautiful here!

This is the view from our back door! This is the pool and past that is the ocean.

Here is Parker playing in our "back yard". Our condo is on the bottom level and our balcony leads out onto a lawn. On the other side of those bushes is the pool. It is very convenient and so fun for Parker!!

We also went swimming today. Parker played for a little bit, but got tired. We put him down for a nap and while he slept we laid out by the pool. Since our room is so close to the pool we can use a baby monitor while outside.

Tonight we went to town and had dinner at Kimo's. It was the best fish I have ever had. We ate on the back patio while the sun set. Here is mom and Parker after dinner being silly1

National Flip Flop Day!!!

Today is National Flip Flop Day and Tropical Smoothie restaraunt is giving away free Jetty Punch smoothies. All you have to do is walk into a Tropical Smoothie restaraunt wearing your flip flops! Jetty Punch is a strawberry bannan flavored smoothie--my personal favorite!! I stopped by on my way to work and it was THE perfect breakfast!

Cardiology visit and trip announcement

This morning Parker had his cardiology appointment. Here is Parker during his echo. He did so awesome!!! All we had to do was hold a sucker in the air and he would lick it and was so happy. I was kinda scared at how he would act having to lay still on a table for 30 minutes, but he was great!

The dr said that Parker's echo looked great! His heart function has improved slightly since the last echo. This is great because the last echo they were getting pretty worried about his function. It isnt amazing but it has gotten better (which is amazing to me!!). His valve is still pretty leaky, but he isnt worried about it. Pulse ox was 79, this is a great number for Parker. His dr even brought a med student in the room so he could see what a "normal" blue baby (baby with low oxygen) looks like. Parker is text book. Just look at this boy....you would never know he is sick.

We dont have to go back for 4 months!! That is the longest we have every gone without seeing the cardiologist. We also changed up his medications a little. Parker has been in daycare for a few weeks and he takes Captopril (a blood pressure med) in the middle of the day. (i just hate wondering if they gave it to him) so I asked the dr if there was anything like Captopril that only has to be given twice a day. He switched him to Enalapril. He only has to have it twice a day!!! Now Parker only gets meds first thing in the morning and before bed--so weird!! He is still on aspirin, digoxin, and lasix. It seems like he is on hardly any meds!! He is doing so great! The dr did tell me that he was on an adult dose of Captopril (6 mls 3 times a day). So, now he is on an adult does of Enalapril (2.5 mls 2 times a day). It seems to be working for him!

Anyways, it was a great appointment!

Now, for my trip announcement. The dr said it was fine for Parker to go to.....

HAWAII!!!!

We are leaving for Maui on Monday!! We will be gone until July 5th. I am so excited but nervous about Parker and the plane ride. Any suggestions for taking a toddler on a long plane ride are welcome!!

I will be blogging pretty often while on our trip because Dennis doesnt get to go (I am going with my mom and sister!). I am gonna post losts of pictures so that he feels like he is there!

Have a great week!

Catching up and Praying for Lindsay

I need to catch yall up on what has been going on since I have not been a good blogger this week.
Last week, Thursday, my mom and I drove to Jonesborro to see my sister, Kelsey, perform at cheer camp. It brought back so many memories. I really do miss being a cheerleader.

This is her cheer squad....she is on the front row on the right. Kelsey hurt her leg at camp but she still did so great!

On Saturday we went to the lake for the first time this summer. Parker had fun on the boat but quickly got tired from the sun and heat. He went in with my mom to take a nap. We went back out and had so much fun tubing and just riding the boat. Sadly, I didnt take any pictures!!
On the way back from the lake we got stuck in a traffic jam. An 80 year old man with alzheimers was driving on the wrong side of the interstate (I-30) and hit an 18-wheeler head on. The truck blew up instantly. It was engulged in flames and both sides of the interstate were shut down. Here was the view from our car...

We sat on the interstate for 2 hours. Everyone got out of their cars and just hung out on the interstate. I was very happy that Parker decided not to hate his car seat! He did great. After about an hour I had to use the bathroom and there werent any gas stations in site and we were stuck!! Well. we got so lucky because there was a horse trailor next to us that had a bathroom in it! It was so nice....it was just like a motorhome on the inside. We had to promise not to tell anyone else about it! That would have been alot of taffic through their motorhome!
We finally got home about 11:00 and Parker was passed out!

Nothing else has been going on. Just enjoying the summer!!
AND Parker learned to blow his nose!!! I know that any mom knows how exciting this new trick is!!

Remember the little girl that had a heart transplant last week?? She has been doing so great and they were even talking about going home next weekend. Well, yesterday she had a seizure and is now on ECMO (life support). She isnt doing very well and she needs our prayers! It is a scary reminder of how quickly things can change.

One last prayer request...

Tomorrow is Parker's cardiology appointment. It has been 6 months since his last echo. Please pray that his heart looks good and strong. I will update tomorrow.