Retail Therapy and Beyond

So, my little boy is about to turn 1 and I have thrown myself into party planning in order to avoid the reality that this year has gone by so fast. (Sigh). I found retail therapy to be relaxing. It's more so distracting really, because it's actually rather stressful trying to plan all this AND hide purchases from my husband when mostly it's online shopping and there is no paper receipts to hide. (As a side note, etsy.com is my new favorite place. It has been awesome for party planning!). He has gotten really good at recognizing my spending when the names are not in his normal range of vocabulary - i.e. Polka Dot Designs, Robin's Nest, Palmetto Princess Boutique, and so on. Why don't we women band together and begin naming our specialty stores in a little more of a disguising or generic language? How about buying kids clothes from "The Supply Store" or home accents from "Groceries and More" store? But, I digress. In fact, I'm not really sure what the purpose of this post is other than to say wow, how times flies. Bringing Parker into our lives was the best gift (other than salvation) that God has given Robbie and I. And yes, I may have Parker in a monogram outfit with matching hat, bib, and coordinating personalized cupcake toppers but I know what matters. His one year with us is something to celebrate. So stay tuned towards the end of July for morepictures than you probably want to see!
Baby Parker, still in the hospital

11 month old Parker, crawling everywhere and starting to walk