Parker- age 3 1/2

Parker is 3 1/2 now and is such an amazing kid. He is so much fun to be around and is always amazing us with the things he is thinking and the things he's able to do. Here's some fun things about Parker...

Parker is an okay eater, but mostly prefers the staples of cereal, milk, chicken, broccoli, zucchini, and Chick fil A. Parker still sleeps in his pack n play, though we do have a twin bed set up for him. He has yet to sleep even one night on it (except for a partial night when he had the stomach flu). He looks ridiculous in there, but he loves it. We have recently put Austin in the room with him, so we have a twin bed and two pack n plays all in the room. 

Parker will be attending preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays for three hours, starting next week. He will be in my mom' class, and he is very excited! We'll see how much he tries to test the boundaries in Mrs. Lieber's class. Parker is very social and enjoys the classroom atmosphere, especially playing with friends, doing art, and playing with dinosaurs and cars. 

In terms of play, Parker loves toys. He has a great imagination, and loves to play with his trains, imagine with his toy animals, and he still loves playing sports. He'll spend hours out back at my parents playing baseball, hitting home runs, and kicking the soccer ball around. 

He and Austin have entered into a phase where they love playing together. Parker is becoming much more patient with Austin, and genuinely enjoys his companionship. They love putting together train tracks and Austin follows two steps behind everywhere Parker goes. It's darling. 

Parker continues to have LOTS of energy. He still naps 2-3 hours a day in the afternoons, due to his constant movement in the morning. :) Both his body and his mouth are constantly moving! He talks nonstop...his vocabulary is extensive and it's so neat to hear him articulate his thoughts. He was starting to throw a tantrum about what he wanted to do, go with Grammy or go to play with kids at church. As he started to cry he said, " I just don't know which to choose." 

Parker is very thoughtful and loves to ask others how they are feeling, what they are doing, and if he can help. He says very sincere prayers, including everything and everyone he can think of/see. 

Last night, Austin started crying after Parker went to bed, and then Pete and I hear a little singing voice. We walk over to the door and see Parker sitting beside Austin's bed singing " I am a Child of God." Parker has a tender heart, even though he can also be very stubborn and strong willed. 

I am thankful that Parker and Austin have each other. I am already seeing glimpses of their future together and I know they will be good friends. 

 

My hope for Parker this school year is that he will continue to improve in his impulsiveness and listening skills, but most importantly, that he will continue to enjoy learning and socializing. I hope he will be a good friend that is attentive to the needs of others. He is also starting Wee Sing this year, and he's VERY excited to perform. Can't wait for him to perform! We love Parker Higgins Dahlquist, and he truly makes our lives exciting.