Parker is 12!!

Just LOOK at this handsome boy!
(Don't tell him he looks like Justin Bieber...he will run away screaming.)
For his birthday. we wanted to do something different.

The day before his birthday, we hiked up to the Great Falls of the Potomac River
with Parker's grandparents, Adam & Heather.

It was gorgeous!

Adam & Parker on an outcropping of rocks built on Olmstead Island,
smack in the middle of the Potomac.

Parker and his new aunt, Heather

Who needs a haircut?

After the hike, we invaded Adam & Heather's apartment for the official birthday celebration.

Oh the JOY! The RAPTURE!

He was pretty thrilled by the gifts-Legos, model cars, and an art porfolio.
Thank you G&G Williams, G&G Hancock, and Aunt Rachel!

A MONSTER cupcake with 12 green candles...the BEST color ever,
as maintained by Parker.

On the morning of Parker's birthday, we attended the Sunday morning performance
of Jeremy's music group, Polaris. Jeremy had a surprise musical number
for Parker--an acoustic performance of "Always," which was a lullaby
he wrote for Parker after we found out he was going to be a boy.
He sang that song to Parker every night for YEARS after he was born.
It's always been a special song, and it brought tears to all of us when he sang it.

THEN we stopped by the BEST local donut shop EVER
and stocked up on all the different flavors.
Birthdays are pretty much the only time
Parker comes in close contact with THAT much sugar.

The next day (after sleeping off a sugar high) was the FIRST DAY of school!
Even though he was wearing the "coolest" shirt ever
(although anything with lime green and black have earned this distinction),
he was NOT happy about starting 7th grade.
So far, it has turned out to be much better than he anticipated.
He has a new, bigger locker, nice teachers, and new and old friends.

 The next weekend, he had a sleepover with his best friends, Kyle (left) and Michael (right).
He had a growth spurt over the summer, and now he is taller than his buds!
He is now towering over them at 5'2" and 102 lbs.